5 Million Minus 1

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Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when He could do something about it, but I am afraid He will ask me the same question. ~ANONYMOUS

Post #1: Why Ethiopia? Why Not...
I am going to start with a video that has convicted me deeply..... I get the question about WHY ETHIOPIA? quite a bit. I will give some answer about being called there or having a heart for Africa. Yet when it comes down to it....WHY NOT??? After watching the video below yesterday, I sat in tears staring at my Why Not holding onto his Buzz Lightyear. Why do children have to stand in feces and urine in a trash dump without shoes? Why do mommies die of preventable illness leaving 5 million orphans in a country? Sitting in here in suburban America, I am worried about paying my seemingly unsurmountable medical school loans and paying for pre-k and wanting to buy a home and get 100% out of debt, when my son's birth mother has no concept of debt.....she could not feed her youngest.....her debt is the missing son in her heart. It is sobering when I STOP and realize how blessed I am. With all of this said, Ethiopia is on my heart. The thoughts of the deep disparity between where I am and what is going on there are unsettling in me...I do not know what this means for me and my family currently...YET the verse below is keeping me focused....

"Once our eyes are opened we cannot pretend we do not know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls knows we know and holds us responsible to act." Proverbs 24:12 (Thus not acting ISSSSS a sin. I fear most people only see action as a sin rather than not acting.)

So while I can not pick up and leave Louisville right this second, I can make a difference....
Please watch the video. Please visit http://www.ordinaryhero.org/..... her motto "Change the World for One." I have "one" playing with dump trucks in my living room but I want to change the world for many.... now praying how we will do that.....

Ordinary Hero~ A day in the trash dump in Ethiopia from Kelly Putty on Vimeo.

Post #2: Vacation Days with Mommy:
I have been blessed with having August 1-15 off from work. I spent last week with Tedi and JT going to the lake, swimming at Pop and Granna's, and dentist appointments. I can not express the joy each moment with Tedi brings to me....even the frustrating times when acts out or won't get in the car or wants take eighteen toys with him somewhere. I get four weeks off each year of residency and it is daunting to think I won't have any more until February. (I know this seems like a lot to most people but most people do not work 80 hours per week and get only 4 days off each month). Today, we went to have a tooth pulled.. NO FUN. He is still complaining of a bit of pain but we managed to go paint pottery. JT's dad has a birthday this month so we went to Earth and Fire, a pottery painting place in southern Indiana and made him a gift.... Tedi's attention span is not very long so this was a quick trip but I think Pop will love it! We also visited Daddy at work today and met all of his new co-workers! Tedi got a balloon from Ms Katy, the PR associate, and loves it, as he does all balloons.

However, the best moment of my vacation happened at 8:15am this morning. Tedi and I were exiting from the Watterson Expressway to Bardstown Road on the way to his dentist appointment. I started singing Jesus Loves me, which is the song that I sing softly to him each night as we lay down. He stopped me and said, "NO Mommy. Tedi do it." And he proceeded to sing Jesus loves me in his precious Ethiopian accent dropping the occasional word...over and over he sang with time for me to record, call JT and my mom. This, my friends, was the sound of Adoption!

Painting for Pop

Waiting for Daddy to get home so we can go to his new school's open house
Tuesday: playing at Waterfront Park with GiGi (my sis)
Tuesday: Trying to ride his bike....not quite there yet.

Post #3: Louisville Zoo with GiGi

On Monday, my sister and I decided to take Tedi to the Louisville Zoo. It was SOOOO HOOOTTT. I can't even tell you. Tedi was mostly interested in each of the animals. He could name the giraffes, elephants, tiger, monkeys, and ducks. He loved the hippo....Don't ask Why. I don't know. He also thoroughly enjoyed the monkeys and did want to leave the monkey area. Next year, we hope to get a pass for the zoo.... until then here are some pics

Measuring up with the Ape and Mommy

Checking out the Ape

Chasing Around the Hippo with some other kids

Looking at the giraffes

Loving the Monkeys

Sunday Night: showing GiGi how to use injera

Being silly with GiGi

Post #4: 147 Million Orphans

We first met the Gwen and Suzanne at the Adopted for LIfe conference here in Louisville in February. We bought this shirt for Tedi under jest that pink is for girls! Well, I personally think he is ROCKING this shirt! He still does not like having his picture taken but they turned out okay. I even forwarded these on to the ladies at 147 million. Check out their website if you haven't..... www.147millionorphans.org