Happy Famiversary!

Annabelle "sleeping it off"

Andrew is a little upset by the pookie!

Annabelle's first pose as our daughter

Yep- every picture is just like this, no wonder his African name means "worried"

Today is our 2 year Famiversary!

Exactly 2 years ago today we met sweet Andrew and Annabelle (Yecheneku and Hamelmal respectively)!  I will never forget those first moments.  The nurses walked them down the path and handed Andrew to me and Annabelle to Bill.  In the video, I have this obnoxious nervous laugh.  Really, I was trying not to get hysterical in front of complete strangers!  I know, to those of you who know me, getting hysterical is my spiritual gift so it shouldn't have been that big of a deal.  But it really freaked the Ethiopians out!  I just kept telling these tiny babies how long we waited to meet them.  The orphanage workers led us to a tiny room called the "family room" and left us alone.  LET THE FREAK OUT BEGIN!!!  We counted fingers and toes, wiped their little runny noses, fed them each a bottle and put them in the snugglies and went back to the guest house.  Before we could leave, a precious doctor stopped in to see our babies.  She checked them out from head to toe and referred to them as "Yechy" and "Hamme".  She told us we were very lucky.  And now, two years later, we are feeling more and more blessed each day.

Story Time Anyone?

So we started potty training today- What an adventure!  Annabelle peed on the kitchen counter, on the floor, in 2 pairs of princess panties and finally in the potty chair (3 times).  Andrew peed on our bedroom floor, and then on the big potty (twice).  He did however poop in Annabelle's closet and used his "silky" or blanket to wipe himself.  I should be glad he is wiping- right?  And all of this was before 10am!  Wow- what a day you say?  I'm not done...  We were homebound all day getting the hang of the potty thing so we went to story time at the Library tonight (wearing diapers by the way).  The kids loved story time at the Library last week.  Tonight, the minute we sat down, Andrew started running around the room screaming, an excited scream, but a scream none the less.  Literally running in circles screaming.  As I looked around the Library I noticed Andrew was the only boy and I was the only on there with two kids.  So you guessed it, everyone else at story time had only one girl each.  Can you imagine the comments on their blogs tonight?  And by the way, each little princess had 2 parents and I was (sigh) ALONE!!!  Annabelle was sitting quietly listening to the story hoping no one linked her to the maniac in the white t-shirt.  I removed Andrew from story time and we watched through the window.  At craft time, I went in to get Annabelle and I turned my back for .32 seconds and Andrew was eating a glue stick.  We promptly left story time.  As we left, I shouted out, "Bye Miss Jenn, see you on Wednesday!".  Ten Bucks says she quits.  The good times kept rolling as we got home and there were only 11 minutes until bedtime.  Any sane mother would have put her kids straight to bed, but not me!  I wanted to have some time with Andrew since he seemed so "out of sorts".  Our quality time consisted of him eating a crayon, spitting the bits on to the couch and being ordered to time out.  When his 2 minutes were up I went to go give him a hug and talk with him and noticed he had not spit out all of the crayon onto the couch.  Oh no- he had squireled away a few small bits, just enough to scribble on the time out wall.  

Oh well- tomorrow is another day right?  Oh yes, Day 2 of Potty Training!

Two Years Ago Today...

We got the phone call that changed our lives.  I was going to lunch with some friends and my phone rang.  Our adoptions coordinator asked me if I was driving, I said no, and she said we may want to pull over anyway.  She informed me that we had been matched with a baby boy, Yecheneku (which means "be worried", he was MY son from the start), and a baby girl Hamelmal (which means "softness", and who shares a birthday with our anniversary).  She told me she would send me the medical info and pictures, but that they seemed healthy from what she could gather.  Maybe it was the miracle of adoption, maybe we just didn't know better, but I said yes.  That's right, I accepted without looking at their medical info or even talking to my husband.  My girlfriends and I were all crying.  I tried desperately to get a hold of someone, ANYONE!!!!  It just so happens no one was answering their phones!!!!  The first person to find out about our sweet 2 month old babies was my brother.  Until now, my mom thinks she was the first to know!  I ended up getting a hold of Bill's company's EMERGENCY line and got a friend of his to literally RUN the halls looking for him so I could tell him the good news.  It is hard to put into words how very much our lives have changed since then.  Tonight as we prayed with our sweet babies, we thanked God for the blessings he has heaped on us, not just through our entire lives but especially in the last 2 years.  

The above pics are their referral photos from 2 years ago!

Happy Mother's Day

  One year ago we took our sweet babies to court and promised in front of a judge to love and take care of them for the rest of our lives.  Funny, it was just a formality, but it was one of our proudest days.  What a Mother's day present huh?  Annabelle also learned to say "Happy Moders Day" (well that's how it sounded), and Andrew was telling me how much he loved me by cuddling much more than usual.  Here's to being a mom, and not remembering my life before these precious miracles stepped into it.

Are They Yours?

     Annabelle hammin it up!
              Andrew dipping his lemon in ranch dressing, what can I say?  He loves ranch dressing!

We went shopping at a little boutique today...  I know 2 two year olds in a boutique- good idea.  Annabelle needed a new silky and the only places to sell "Little Giraffe" are over priced stores where the "help" leaves a little to be desired.  Since I didn't look like I could put the entire store on my Black card the sales woman looked at me like I was a rodent.  After staring at us for a few minutes, she didn't offer to help us, she simply asked me if I was the Nanny.  When I said "no" and giggled a little bit she looked kind of confused and asked if they were mine.  I told her, yes, they were my children and promptly left the store (after spending over $40 on a blanket that measures exactly one square foot).  I ask, who is the crazy one?  I am sure at some point having people ask rude questions won't be such a big deal.  But for now , it is!

Here's Andrew...

Here he is opening presents, sort of

Please don't make me eat cake!!

Here are the pics of a sick Andrew on his second birthday.  I was also reminded tonight by my sweet babies that having a home filled with laughter is WAAAYYY better than having a house filled with order and quiet!!

The Big Birthday

"This present is blue, it must not be for me"

Annabelle tearing into the presents

Okay, maybe two isn't considered a "big birthday" by most- but we had a blast.  On the kiddos actual birthdays I couldn't help feeling a little sad for their birthmoms.  A day so filled with joy and excitement for us must have been marked with sadness for them.  As I tell myself over and over when I look at their beautiful faces, God must give them a peace and understanding that their sweet babies are loved to pieces.

We had a big party which Annabelle ate up!!  Andrew was not so thrilled, could have been the vomiting and explosive diarrhea.  Talk about "Mother of the Year"- here is some ibuprofen, go eat cake and have fun with your friends!  We had 12 1-3 year olds at our house for games and painting and cupcakes!  We did have a great time, and I was reminded once again how blessed we are to have such amazing children.  Although, now that they are two I am defiantly looking forward to bringing home another baby...  After trying unsuccessfully for over an hour, no pics of Andrew!  Just picture lots of crying and hugging his dad.  I will post later if the "blogger" allows!