A New Month

Tomorrow is the first day of November.... I can not believe it.  Tedi has been home just shy of four months and I can not believe the immense changes.  November is going to both a fun and difficult month for my family.  Difficult: I am starting a call month meaning I will sleep at the hospital every four nights... Part of my job=less time with my little man.  Fun: Tedi's 4th Birthday Party and first birthday as our son.  We are pumped, but I think both of Tedi's grandmothers are even more excited. 

Last week we took family pictures and we are anxiously awaiting to see those pictures.  However, today we got some great pics while playing outside in the autumn weather.  We have beautfiul tree in our yard so with my unprofessional photographic experience I captured the shots below.  I think they turned out well!

Officially a Mom

Yes, you thought this happened in January when we accepted our referral.  Or July when Tedi came home.  However, I am now officially inducted into motherhood.  Why...How.... you make ask?  I was invited to bring Tedi on a PLAYDATE!!!!!!!  Yes, so now, I am officially a mother.  BUT with that said, Tedi adores the little guy whose mom invited us so we will definitely take her up on it! 

I am also soaking up all the time I have with my men and friends before I start a month of call again on Monday.  Yes, taking the time for dinners with friends, family, and my boys is taking time away from studying for my board exam (dec 7 and 8).  Yet, I am loving taking Tedi to school, picking him up, and playing with him... I will for sure miss all of this next month. 

For now, Happy Halloween!

Fall Festival....

My dear friend Brittney emailed me today to remind me that the church she attends was having their big fall festival tonight.  We have quite a few friends that go there and we were excited to visit.  Tedi's buddy, Isaac (formerly Meseretu), was there tonight with his mom and siblings... Again, they were SOOOO excited to see one another.  They held hands all night, followed one another around, and had a blast!  Below are a few pictures of the night!  Enjoy!

 Isaac and Tedi in their costumes

Getting their hair spray painted silver....I am NOT joking

 First Tattoo.....we won't tell him that Daddy has a real one....

Face Painting

Smiley Face

What It's All About

On days, much like today, when tears come more than smiles to my man....when there is exhaustion, mental, emotional, and physical, instead strength.... When the path is as cloudy as today's noon sky.... When there is that.....THERE IS THIS.....and THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT

Growing

I am not sure what to write about tonight.  I have been spinning my wheels over what to talk about...there are so many things.... Do I talk about the lecture I attended today about the extreme importance of vaccinations and the connection to adoption? Or do I talk about my desire to let Tedi's birth mother know how well he is doing, how loved he is, and how I can not fathom the depth of her love for him?  I am not sure where to start...

First, I must brag on JT.  We both have a heart for adoption and a deep longing to do MORE.  Well, we have been specifically praying for such opportunities.  God has heard and provided.   JT is now on the board with LYDIA Fund (I am as well but more in a prayer and backseat role compared to JT), a non-profit organization that works to help pay for travel costs for adoptive families.  He acts in reviewing applications, interviewing applicants, praying for the organizations and such....  We are very blessed to have this opportunity and appreciate the enormity of the blessing we have been given.  In God's coincidence, this is one of the organizations that helped us travel to get our little man....



We attended our friend Stella's 5th Birthday party...a costume party, this weekend.  It was a great time as my friend Emily can plan a party better than anyone I know.  Yet attending the party with many other American born and raised children reminded me of the desparity and difference in my son, and I am not just referring to race.  We have come so far with T....in language, adjustment, attachment, understanding, learning to sing How Great is Our God....and yet being around the other (new) children reminded me of how far we have to go.  I watched my son fail to understand that Stella had more friends than just him...and though I tried to explain, it all was not adding up to him.  I could see the confusion and saddness, but thankfully as his mom, I was able to redirect him to a few other little boys with whom he could play.  I could see the confused look  of more than one child from Tedi to me to JT as he ran to us screaming "mommy, daddy, look!"  So while I know we are different in many ways that permeate beyond melanin, I had not been so aware until we were out of our little world.  This just reminds me that as his mother I have to stand up and fight for him, be patient with him and be acutely aware of all that goes on with him and to him.  It also makes me realize that the example our family sets for those around us can form lasting opinions, open up conversations between parents and children, hopefully change the minds of many...  I just continue to pray that this is something that I will find the daily strength to do.

All of this said, we had a great time and Tedi jabbered about the BEERTHDAAAY pawty all night. 

 First time in a Jump House

 Giving Stella her gift

 Loving it!

Buzz and Woody...it was so cute...He thought this was the real Woody

Enough

I feel like I am not doing enough.... I am not studying enough and improving my skills and knowledge as a doctor.  I am not seeing my friends enough and investing in the them.  I am not exercising enough to accelerate my diet and weight loss goals.  I am not soaking up every single moment with my dear son closely enough.  More than all of these kinds, while important in their individual ways.  I am complaining enough, feeling inadequate enough, and faultering enough, getting easily aggravated and not trusting enough.  But more importantly, I feel as if I am NOT praying ENOUGH for God to show me where He wants me in regards to caring for His children, His orphans, His religion (James 1:27). 

I have been so blessed with a pediatric residency, the one of my foremost choosing.... God's doing.  I know this should be enough for now....that I should feel blessed.  I have been given family to help care for a love my Ethiopian miracle.  JT is a husband that I am blessed to have.  I have so many blessings but there is still a deep, nagging ache that I could be doing more... I do not know if this means growing our family with more children, helping with an adoption ministry on a church level, medical missions to orphanages... I just don't know.  I am not a super mommy and all star like so many blog moms out there.  I will never claim to be profound or have it all together.. But I want to use the gifts I have been given. 

Sorry for this rambling but I am feeling this tug, this thirst and have not yet tasted the quench.  In the meantime, I posted a few pics of our last several days.  I was unable to get the cutest soccer picture to upload....silly blogger.  Anyhow, Enjoy the pics!  I should have more to upload and update soon. 

!!!!!Reunited!!!!!

Tedi spent 10 months in an orphanage...Aug 2009 to July 2010.  From January of 2010 until he came home, he played daily with Meseretu.  Meseretu was one of the little boys who ran up to Tedi and kissed him saying goodbye when he left the orphanage for the last time.  Meseretu came home about three weeks ago and we have been wanting to see him badly.  Now called Isaac, he was asking his mom to look at pictures of Tedi.  Well, I got off of work early yesterday and called his mommy.....on whim, we went to visit Isaac, his brother Jonas (also from Ethiopia who came home 3 yrs ago), and daughters Kelly and Mary Tess.  The boys were so shocked but excited to see one other on this side of the Big Pond :-)  They stared at each other for a minute and then instantly took off downstairs to play with cars and such.  We all shared a big pot of chili, thanks to Tera, and the kids continued to play until almost eight thirty.  It was one of the best nights I have experienced.  To the see excitement and love in the boys' eyes melted my heart.  It made me realize in an even more palpable way that God has ordained adoption and fights hard to protect these little ones...and their hearts.  Last night just renewed my resolve to continue to fight for the least of these...

 Isaac (Meseretu), Jonas, Tedi

 Tedi and Isaac

 Jonas and Tedi (with Isaac's thumb in the picture)

the boys being silly

Support Another Family....

Check out http://journeytoloveanethiopianstory.blogspot.com/.  They are friends from Somerset that are adoptiong a little girl from Ethiopia.  They are in the fundraising paperwork process right now.  They are making and selling their own salt scrub....what an excellent idea... $8 each and fabulous for Christmas.  They are really are fabulous peeps with a great story. 

First....

~This past Friday night was Tedi's first time going trick-or-treating.  We met our friends, The Fox family, at the Louisville Zoo for Trick or Treating at the zoo.  Now, while children love this, it is not a blast for parents.....tons of wagons and strollers and candy and kids running everywhere.  Thankfully Tedi listened fairly well.  He was able to spend time with his buddy, Stella.... He got to ride a carousel for the first time and wore his costume.  I was pulling the wagon and at one point looked back, and he was eating two pieces of candy. I asked him where his gum went and he pointed to his stomach... FAN-tastic!  Afterwards, he went to JT's Mamaw's house to visit quickly for his aunt's bday.  She enjoys seeing Tedi and he even sang "Jesus Loves Me" for her. 

Jason Fox with Stella, Vivian and Tedi.... a long way from college

Dorothy and Buzz 

First Carousel Ride 

 Tedi and Mamaw Smith

~ First Fever.... Yes, Tedi had his first fever.  JT called me at work Saturday morning to tell me that Tedi was not as active during his soccer game.  My mother and JT's mom were both at the game and stopped to buy a thermometer... 101.3.  He took motrin and felt better.  Around seven last night, it was up again.  Then around midnight, it was around 103.  We stayed at my inlaws since my mom and step dad were there too.  I slept with the poor little guy.  I was wavering between a fretful mommy and a doctor who knows it is okay.  But I am also in infectious disease this month...where everyone is really sick with fevers....  His fever broke around 1am and then he was fine.  He has been fine since...  Not a great "first" but first nonetheless...

~ Tedi went to Huber farm after that said fever broke for the first time yesterday.  He was able to sit on a tractor and get his own pumpkin for the first time yesterday.   Today we carved the pumpkin.  He was so excited to carve the pumpkin...he made his own 'ooh ahh' noises.  So precious.  Here a few pictures....

Tag, I am it.

So my friend Brittney (http://jamesandbrittney.blogspot.com/) tagged me on her blog to do this... "about me" post... I have a few minutes tonight so here you go.  I hope it isn't too boring.

What would your dream job be?
Okay, so I love being a doctor (not the debt that has come with it, but nonetheless).  I love even more being a pediatrician..... So with that in mind, I would love a job that I was able to provide optimal care to kids in a pediatric subspecialty (ED, critical care...), make enough money to pay off my debts and provide for my family, pay for at least one adoption per year (ours or another's), travel 2-4 weeks per year for medical missions in Africa, and participate in medical education.... IS THAT ASKING TOO MUCH?

Where would you like to live?
We have lived in 13 homes in seven years of marriage.... I have lived Stanford, KY and Bowling Green, KY and together we have lived in Gallatin, TN, Athens, GA, Dominica (for med school), Dallas, TX (for board review course), NYC, Louisville, KY.  I LOVED LOVED LOVED NYC!!!!  I miss it daily.  The cost was prohibitive at the time in our lives we were there.  I have learned that I have to make myself happy despite my town and circumstance and that was not easy early in our moves (gallatin and athens).  I would not mind living in Portland, Oregon, Boulder, Colorado or Chicago.....So while I greatly miss NYC, I love living in NYC. 

In which century would you like to live?
I kind of fell in love with the era of Henry the 8th.  HOWEVER, I loathe the way women were treated in that time.  I like the morals and hardwork of the 40s & 50s, but still feel women were put in a box.  Thus, no suits me just fine.
What would be your last meal?
This is the toughest!  Like my friend Brittney, I can not name just one meal.  I am not the thinnest amongst us so it obvious my love of food.... so for my last meal, I would like for it to include some combination of the following..... chicken pad thai, my mom's country fried steak with mashed potatoes, sake blue's sushi, filet from Morton's, alecha sega wot from Queen of Sheba with a piece of injera, fruit dip, JT's mamaw's potato salad, Sharon's veggie casserole, my dad's baked beans, pear and chocolate chip creme brulee from Gradisca in NYC, risotto from Suba in NYC, and pumpkin ice cream from Homemade pie kitchen... and these are just a few of my favorites!

Why did you start this blog?
I actually had my first blog when I moved to Dominica in the Caribbean for medical school.  I wanted everyone to follow my day to day life and see pictures.  So it was a natural transition to start this blog once our adoption started.

Favorite piece of clothing?
a white undershirt of JT's that is too old for him to wear and sweats.  Specifically, there is a tshirt that my sister, step brother and step sister have passed around.  It is a gray Lincoln County Football shirt that my step sister, who is now 34, wore in 5th grade.  It is THE BEST!

Favorite Film?
I love the following (admittedly, not quality): Red Violin, Hitch, Bad Boys II, Time to Kill, My Girl, The Cutting Edge, Now and Then, Bed of Roses, Sex and the City, He's Just Not that into You, .... as you see, cheesy romantic comedies, NOTHING SCARY.  I like government stuff but can't think of any off hand.  I know, kind of boring.


What would you like to do before you turn 100?
Well, my grandfather just passed away at the age of 97...  In effort not to make a "bucket list", I will highlight the strange ones...
-celebrate a 50 yr anniversary
-adopt again, and again, and maybe again
-pay for at least one other adoption
-hold my grandchild
-dance with my son at his wedding
-learn to drive a 5 speed
-go water skiing
-travel to all 6 continents
-work in medical education
-own a home
-go to Hawaii
-return to Dominica for medical mission/care
-Have a Christmas tree in every room of my house (sorry JT)

Last October

This October



Tedi has been home three months ago today....I can't believe it.  It feels as if he has been forever.

3's

When I wrote the post about the losses we have had in our family, I did not anticipate another.  On Saturday, September 25, the day before my grandfather's funeral, my Grandma Morris passed away.  It has been a rough couple weeks for us, to say the least.  We drove to Somerset on the 25th for Grandpa's funeral, which was on Sunday. Then we drove back to Louisville on Sunday, but headed back to Somerset on Monday for my grandma's visitation.  Her funeral was Tuesday then we headed back home.  It was both physically and emotionally exhausting.  I will miss my Grandma very much as I spent quite a bit of time with her during my year and a half in Somerset.  She was so funny in the times we had together, though demanding, and I loved her.  So I guess they are right....it comes in threes.

Because of all that has gone on, I have faultered on my picture taking goals....but here are a few fun ones from the last several days.

 Soccer team