Why......

As a disclaimer, I do not feel required to answer to people or explain our decisions.....However, I think it is helpful to others going through or considering adoption.....and just being nosy :-)  You never know who you may convert to adoption...

.......adopt again?

We want to grow our family.  We are called as Christians to care for the "least of these" and we feel specifically called to adopt.  It was never a doubt that we would adopt again....it was just when.

......now?

Well, with me in residency through June 2013 (and fellowship from 07/2013 to 06/2016), no time is ever going to be a good time, until I guess July 2016...but then I have a "real" job.  So, really, is there a good time?  Is there a good time to get married, to go back to school, to get pregnant, TO DIE?  There is never a "good" time for anything.  This is I know.  However, having lost seven dear family members to death in the last 11 months has made the brevity of life very palpable.  I do not know if I will ever have a "right time" or tomorrow.  Will I be more tired....Yes.  Will I be stretched.....Yes.  Will I be able to deeply love and be loved..... Yes.  So now is the time for us....we only get back what we are willing to give, if we only take the time to give it.

...... NOT our "own"?

Well, I have answered this before, BUT our adopted child(ren) are OURS.  When you hear my son say, "Hey my mommy..." there is no doubt that he is OUR son.  However, why not biological kids?  Much of the time Tedi has been home has been sans birth control...  Yet, I am okay with the absence of pregnancy in our world.  At times, it will creep into my heart and I will get bitter.... Then, I get in check and hear Tedi's footsteps or sweet voice and know God's plan for our family is not that of typical.  Will we ever "try" again.... Maybe.  Will I be less of a mother?  No.  Will I live unfulfilled? No. 

......adopt from Ethiopia again?

I could simply say, "Why not?"  That is true, for sure, but not entirely.  When we originally began Tedi's adoption in 2009, our USCIS (US government paperwork), form was written for two children, either sex, aged 0-5.  Since we only brought home one child, the paperwork is still good for an extension for a second child less than 5 years old.... So that definitely played a part in our decision to return to Ethiopia, but we also sincerely love this country, it's people and the culture. 

.....our agency?

The agency we used for Tedi was Arise for Children.  At the time they were partnered with Hope, another agency, who was technically Tedi's "placing agency".  Arise went through several changes and was bought by Lifeline Adoptions.  Because the two ladies, Britney and Lesley, who worked for Arise stayed on with Lifeline, we decided to stick with them.  Lifeline is a very well established agency in China and other countries.  That in combination with knowing Britney and Lesley confirmed our decision to use Lifeline. 

So, really...... WHY?
This is why we do it.... this is why we take the harsh words, the doubting, the waiting, the heartache, the joy.

Big Announcement

Yes, you are reading correctly.  We are adopting again.  We are adopting from Ethiopia again. 

More details will follow in a longer blog by JT.

We are super excited to start this again.

Next Stop...... Vice President

As I posted yesterday, Tedi went before Judge Paula Sherlock to become legally our son in America and to be an American citizen....allowing him to get a passport.  Passport = Fun Vacations!  It was a special day for our family and I am so glad our friend Elizabeth was there to capture the moments for us.  What a great job she has done with our family pictures in the past and yesterday's special moment.  Tedi was very well behaved and followed instructions.  I think he really liked getting to use the judge's gavel. 

Now my boy can not be President of the United States according to the Constitution, but he could be a Senator or even Vice President.....if he so chooses.   Regardless, yesterday made it possible.  He is ours, yet again.  Below are quite a few pictures from Elizabeth.  Enjoy because pics are the best part

 This really is my son!

Banging the Gavel

                            

 With Judge Sherlock

 With Ms. Jessica, the guardian at litem attorney

 with Elizabeth

 with his new Nemo toy from Judge Sherlock

 Nemo and Daddy fist bumping

Stay tuned for some big updates coming soon!

American Citizen

Today we went to the court house and finalized Tedi's adoption on the US side of things...  Our good friend, Elizabeth, joined us there and photographed the entire ordeal.  For that we are so appreciative.  I hope to post some of her pics from inside the courtroom... In the meantime, here are a few pics from before and after the big event!  Enjoy.  What a beautiful boy we have?!?!

 Post Court lunch at City Cafe

Instagram-"ing" Our Life

So for the last several months I had seen people on facebook post pics using some app called instagram....well, honestly, I was a little annoyed.  I was like "just post the picture".... nothing fancy.  Well, I got a new phone and I must apologize....because these "fancy" pictures are fun.  Here is a week in instagram.

 the quietest time of the day....and the most precious

 loving the candy canisters at Sweet CeCe's

 Chocolate covered banana at Comfy Cow (yeah we are sweets kind of family....or mommy rather)

 Chillin' at Cardinal Towne

Rockin' the nautical hoodie

Zoo, Zoo, Zoo

We spent a few hours of my day off this week with the Brown family who I talked about two posts ago.  Tedi enjoyed the water park and playing with their boys, Kenenisa and Chera.  Enjoy a couple of pics.

 Chera in orange and Tedi in yellow

City of Addis...... how will you change the world

Welcome Home Brown Family

Our friends Justin and Donna Brown had no children this time last year.  They were anxiously waiting bringing home their daughter, Zoey Hiwot, from Ethiopia while their paper work on their sons, Chera and Kenenisa, drug on in Ethiopia.  Zoey came home in December 2010 and their sons were still not here.  Into the spring of 2011, they found out they were pregnant.  Their son, Asher, was born in July 2011.  FINALLY, almost three years after starting the adoption process to bring home their sons, Chera and Kenenisa walked down an escalator in Louisville, Kentucky.  You read correctly.  They had zero children this time last year, and now they have a 1 month old, an almost 2 year old, a 4 year old and almost 7 year old.  We rejoice with this sweet family.  JT even had the opportunity to meet the boys and Zoey while they were still Ethiopia last July.  The pictures below are from the airport on Satruday night.  This is the best part of adoption....celebrating with others.

 Loving the Escalator

Tedi and Dawit....

 Justin with Kenenisa to his right, holding Zoey with baby Asher (with their friend's son)

Chera, the oldest, hugging Tedi...

 (he hugged everyone but Tedi was a little shy)

First Day of Pre-K

Who is this boy?  I am not quite sure.  There is an undeniable difference in the small child who started pre school last year.  

Our goals for school last year:

1) Learn our colors (we thought he was color blind....who was I kidding...he now knows 'tan', 'beige')

2) Share  (we are working on this but much improved)

3) Write our name (not absolutely there but getting there)

Now, a year later, he told us he liked school.  He came home and could count to ten in SPANISH today.  I think that would be his fourth language (tribal language, Amharic, English...)  His teacher, Senor Pete, taught him this.  I wish you could hear him say "Senor Pete." It was so funny and cute.  Unfortunately, I was unable to be there to take him to school...you know, that work thing.  BUT his fabulous daddy took some great pics for us to cherish.  Check out the difference.  Look what some love, some food, and some time can do for a child.  Man, we are lucky parents!

August 24, 2010

First day of pre-school

August 22, 2011

First Day of Pre-K

Collateral Damage

I read an article the other day on a friend's facebook discussing how UNICEF is against international adoption in order to keep children in their home country. The author of the article discussed how children in these countries are often "collateral damage" for the sins and choices of adults....

....the children in the African horn, specifically Somalia, are dying because of war and fighting and famine.  I do not claim to know the politics of Eastern Africa, but as I watch Anderson Cooper's special on the healtcare and death in the region, my heart aches.  Not only do I ache watching this for the 600,000 children that are dying, the children so malnourished I can see their bones.... but I ache thinking of my own son's birthplace, his birth family.  Even now, children are being prohibited from getting vaccines, thus dying of preventable diseases like measles.  And here we are as a world.  Here we are with dead children.  Children without parents.  The drought...maybe not of man.  But the death, death from starvation.  Bono said it best on the program, "You can blame droughts on God, but famine is man made.  We know how fix this."  Children are the collateral damage in this world crisis.

....but this is not a "developing" country problem alone.  Unfortunately in my job (as a pediatric resident at a children's hospital), children are the collateral damage from our choices... who is injured in the car accident when the adult is intoxicated.  After the economy crashes and people lose jobs and tempers flair.....who are the victims....victims of abuse.  Think about it.  Every choice we make affects other people, no doubt.  However, children, the most vulnerable, are the most affected....every decision we make can affect our children, and not just our children but the ones around us... When we text and drive and wreck into someone else's car....when we are frustrated and selfish and do not tip as well as we should, the waitress may be short on her normal food budget....when we turn our back to children starving worlds away because the aren't "our children", children die. 

Collateral damage.  I do not know how to fix it but I know it is enough to make you think.

Soccer Man

I know, I know.  I have been a bad blogger.  I am not quite sure why I have been so absent because I love blogging.  I keep writing all kinds of blogs in my head.  There is one that I keep writing over and over and am sure it will be posted soon!  In the meantime, we have been busy around here...

Tedi spent the end of June and three weeks of July taking swimming lessons.  He went four days each week, and though he continues to protest that he needs his swimmies, he does quite well.  He also went to four days of soccer at Mockingbird Soccer Camp, thanks to his Granny Sylvia.  He was so excited for soccer.... Well, day 1 came with some issues.  I showed up thirty minutes early to watch to find my son not listening to the coach, ending up in time out.  (Thankfully the coach believed in discipline.)  I took him to JT's office where he got a talking to...I will admit it; I was upset.  Tedi knew it.  Well, the next day, he apologized to his teacher and his babysitter made sure he listened.  He came home that night and told me how he listened and hoped we were happy.  I do not want him to do things to "please" but he does have the kindest heart.  I love this little man and his wonderful heart! 

Tedi also went to bible school with his "favorite cousin" Grant.  He loved the Panda theme seeing as how he loves Kung Fu Panda.  The last day they made panda masks.... He and Grant were too cute even if they have looked a little bit like bank robbers! 

Fab Friday: Organization Style

In my quest to get organized, I could not afford the wall organization system designed by Pottery Barn... So I thought I could do a few things to be MORE organized.  Though some are repetitive, at least I am trying and making an effort.  Maybe in another year, I will get there....

1) Dry Erase Board: Hanging in our kitchen is a board similar to this.  We do not keep it up as we should.  It serves more for funny quotes for friends and grocery lists....but it was a start.

2) Lilly Pulizter Agenda:  In college, I kept a planner that they gave us at orientation.  Then I stopped...but I gave my friends a hard time about theirs.  My friend and Tedi's babysitter, Taryn, is a fan of the Lilly Pulitzer agenga, shown below.  Not just are their cute designs but the insides are super functional.  I am hoping to buy one very soon....I may even steal the design of the one she picked.

3) 3 Ring Binders: Simple but so helpful.  My friend at work, Cathy, was always giving a hard time about being successfully unorganized.  Well, since I have started my research for residency, I have invested in a three ring binder.... and it has helped with containing my research and such. 

4) This Man:  Yes, I admit it.... JT is part of the reason I keep it together.  He is mosly organized at home and subperbly at work...Even tonight, he made me rearrange the living and move our desk into the living room....and made it work.  I love him, even when his organization drives me nuts... :-)

5) Google Calendar:  Until I get my hands on a planner (see above), I will settle for google calendar.  It is quite handy and even provides pop-ups on the ole' cell phone. 

Congo T-Shirts

Our friends from college, The Borders, are adopting from the Congo.  They are amazing because they already have 2 year old twins at home!  They are running their tshirts at $15 now which is a discount.  Head over to http://borderspatrol.blogspot.com/ to get one yourself.

T-shirts are Hanes 50/50 blend.

Sizes left:

9 Large

12 X-Large

5 2XL

1 3XL

Absent

I have not known what to write lately..... well that is false.  There has been tons to write about but I never seemed be able to put it into type.  There are times when I find writing cathartic and sharing important....and others where I need to sit upon the feelings...mulling them over in my head....times like these when I am contemplating the loss of a dear patient and another family member, witnessing harsh abuse, and trying to make life decisions, both professional and personal.  Theses combinations cause silence....that is where I have been.  Absently present in my own head.

We have not been up to much in the Henderson house otherwise......well other than me working nights (ED and moonlighting) while JT makes everything run.  He is so good to me.  I promise to blog more very soon...I have some good ideas saved up 
~nat

A Year in Pictures

This is a twelve minute video of pictures and clips from the last year. Enjoy, if you have time, because this is something I deeply cherish and want to share.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Evolution of Our Family: 1 Year Later

Our First Family Picture

July 3, 2010

One Year Later

July 3, 2011

Yes, it has been one year since Tedi came home.  Can you believe it?  We can't.  I had the last few days off so we drove to visit my mom and then my dad.  It was relaxing family time together.  (more pictures of that are too come.) My heart is so full with joy tonight....one year after bringing Tedi home.  As I tucked Tedi into bed tonight, I was overwhelmed.  Just holding him almost made me cry.  I feel asleep next to him and have never felt better.  Earlier today, I watched videos of this time last year...Tedi not even able to speak English other than Mommy or Daddy as a whisper while in the background he is yelling for me to do this or that...all in English.  People would tell us that things would change quickly.  He would speak English before we knew it.  I did not believe but oh how it is true....oh how he has changed.  I know you are thinking "Why can't she have more to say about this when she writes so much all other times"  Well....when you are here, then you will understand.  Tomorrow will be a fun video.. Stay Tuned.