Rice Krispies....Nickleback....Pinterest....

Here I am... standing in the kitchen, slinging my purse over my shoulder heading to work when Tedi says,

"What snacks are you bringing to my Halloween party?"

Let's be honest....That question really means "are you as cool as the other moms?"  At least that is how it felt.  I was able to get out of work early and run to the store.  I thought...well I had seen these things are on Pinterest, I surely could make this.  "This" being these little things....

So cute, right?  Thank you Pinterest for again making me domestically incapable and a maternal failure!  I appreciate it.  When cooking, I need specific instructions....ie..." Let them cool for X amount of time before rolling them into pumpkin-esque shapes."  Well, in my haste after work to get from work to the store to "baking" (if making rice krispies really is that) and then to Chernet's doctor's appointment and trick or treating, I did not realize that I was not able to allow for cooling time.  Thus, every time I attempted to roll these, they fell apart in my hand....  So I laid it all out on the pizza tray and realized...I will just turn this into a pumpkin and let the teacher cut it.... and this is what we got...yes, a bit more scary than the happy Pinterest version.....

I wish it got easier from here.... So I throw their costumes in a bag as well as an essential diet coke and somehow got into the car.  As I pull onto 6th Street, I realize this d%$n pumpkin was sliding off the tray in my seat, wax paper and all.  So here I am, driving with my left hand and with my right arm in full extension, quite uncomfortably, holding this pumpkin in place.  Then, Nickleback comes on the radio.  I realize they are one of those groups that you don't like but know every song....but I can't change the channel without sacrificing my car or the pumpkin. I then realize it is not Nickleback but in fact 3 Doors Down...same difference right.  I keep going and finally catch a stoplight.  I change the station and am left the decision....Do I listen to Pink or Katy Perry's divorce music? I chose Pink....why wouldn't you?

I get the pumpkin delivered and the next kid picked up and blood drawn and trick or treating done.... I sit down to post this blog in hopes of making people laugh because seriously, it is funny.  It really is.... the left over rice krispies are in a pan in the kitchen.  My lovely husband walks in and says:

"Dear, you know how toilet paper and ketchup are on the list of things you shouldn't buy generic? Well, can I add rice krispies to that list?  You can spend the extra 30 cents."  I could have smacked him in the face!!!!   Tedi, however, told me they were "AWESOME" and this was the best Halloween EVER....

Month of Change

 November is orphan awareness month..... This is the perfect opportunity to for those of you who want to do something to make a difference, help kids around the world, but adoption is not where you are at in your life right now.  This is a great way to teach your kids, if you have them, that even the smallest about of change can make an impact.

Eyes That See, which I have talked about before, runs an organization in Ethiopia where they help provide education and a meal each day to 200+ school children.  They have a child sponsorship program (we sponsor two of their children, one named Chernet). They also run The Keziah House....
"The purpose of the Keziah House is to rehabilitate women who are living in prostitution by providing a dormitory living space with intensive counseling and life skills. This program includes five months of accredited job training."

In November, Eyes That See does a project called Month of Change....You save your change for a whole month and at the end, you send the amount to Eyes That See that will go to support their programs in Ethiopia.  Despite our use of plastic money, we are doing it here.  I even asked people around my hospital to participate and I have many fellow residents, PICU nurse practitioner friends, PICU nurses, the hospitalists group....all are stepping up.

If you are interested, email me or email Eyes That See (partner@eyesthatsee.org).... We would love to have as many people participate in their homes/jobs/wherever....Just make a jar/cup/container and start saving!

Next Weekend: OCA and Orphan Sunday

I know you are all shocked that next weekend, when JT is the keynote speaker at the OCA (orphan care alliance) and is speaking at Living Grace Church in Campbellsville, Kentucky, I work on Saturday and am on call Sunday.  It makes quite sad... I was hoping to give the seminar on HIV and adoption, but JT will do that and the keynote at OCA Saturday morning.  Then Sunday, he is taking the opportunity to speak about adoption and orphan care to the church were our best friends, Emily and Jason, led the way in orphan care before moving to Phoenix.  I am so blessed to be married to a man who loves orphans, will speak out and advocate for them, is great at laundry and can rock Bel Biv Devoe.

Check out the official orphan care video below.... and if you want to hear JT speak at OCA, Saturday, feel free....he would love it!

 

 

 

Tres Months....with a family

A couple of months ago I sat down at 4:22a.m. after a long ER shift that involved me slipping out of the emergency department to sit on the couch in the ICU call room and MAYBE tear up to my friend about how hard this adoption was.  Remember the Sarah McLachlan Post? JT may have kicked the shake and go Buzz Lightyear into the wall.  Then, most of August and September I spent feeling alone in Chernet's school behavior....like we were chasing our tails and it would never get better...we would always be in the orange zone.... No flying for us.

He has been home THREE months.  It seems so fast but so long at the same time.  I am not sure what happened, but about 3 weeks ago, something clicked.  The orange behaviors moved to a couple of yellows and then blue.  Two weeks, ago GREEN snuck in there.  Then, he started speaking English.  Like, with inflection, this is what I want and I wish you knew what I was trying say English. 
He says "Cuse me, Teddddi Bear.  My turn talk."  and  "I want Happy Birthday for Chernet"  and  "I want score goalie" and he will tell us stories about school, even if there is no timeframe!  He thinks Tedi is the best thing in the whole world....like cries if they are not together.  And Tedi feels the same way.  It really is a beautiful picture to witness.

Despite the immense progress, there are still struggles.  It would be a lie to say otherwise.  Chernet would choose his brother or dad over me 100 times out of 100.  He still shows affection indiscriminately and we feel like jerks asking people to NOT be overly affectionate.  And he does not listen well some days (I know that is many kids but sometimes it is with danger and is a learned behavior) ....But there has been so much progress.

Yet in the good and the bad, I would do it all over again.  I MAY or MAY NOT have said to JT tonight "can we have or adopt a girl now?"  If you are contemplating adoption, I will tell you...it is not easy.  It can be really tough taking on the issues caused by someone else and loving someone through it.  Yet, it is worth it.  It is worth the pain and fights and work.... the love, the kisses, the baby steps and huge progress is soo worth.  It is by the far the most redemptive life-changing thing I have experienced.  Both boys have changed my lives in so so many ways.  Can you see the difference?

The Difference a Family Makes

Eat Italian, Help Orphans

Okay local friends.... here is an excuse to eat out for a good cause.  My brother in-law, Daniel, is the kitchen manager at Rocky's in Louisville and in conjunction with his restaurant, he help set up a fundraiser for Eyes That See, one of our favorite organizations that works in Ethiopia.

When you eat at Rocky's Italian Restaurant (must be the Jeffersonville, IN location) ALL DAY on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 20% of your meal will be donated to help an organization called 'Eyes That See'. They run a feeding program, providing children with education and food, and teaching them about Jesus! Also, they provide education and job training for women formerly in the sex industry while giving them a safe place to live and worship. 

Just print out the flyer and give it to your server. Eat good food for a good cause! Oh, and the Henderson family (us ;-) will be there if you want to hang out! 

If you can't make the dinner, head over to www.eyesthatsee.org and sponsor a child so they can continue their schooling. If you love our kids, love orphans but don't feel ready to adopt, stepping in this way gives you a connection, a face, and you are making a difference!

Weekends Away

Last weekend JT and I headed to Ann Arbor, Michigan so that I could interview for fellowship.  We spent a couple of days visiting friends after the interview and it was great time. The leaves were changing and the colors were magnificent.  I can not tell you how nice it was to sleep in past EARLY for a few mornings.  We owe it to my mom and sis as well as JT's parents.  Of course, Chernet hurt his finger and ended up in the ED while we were gone.  (He is fine, by the way.  Thank goodness my best friend Heather was working.)  We finished the weekend with trick or treating at the zoo with my friend Erin and her family.  While busy, it was relaxing and fun all at the same time......

At a cider mill in southern Michigan

Beautiful day

Loving the attention

Captain America and Venom Spiderman

With the boys

This past weekend we went the Gatlinburg, Tennessee with my in-laws and stayed at their time share.  My mom met us there.  The boys had a great time.  There was a huge water park and playground....they saw a bear while I was shopping and loved that as well.  It was neat for Chernet to see things for the first time.  Every other word was "Waz Dat?"

Frustration

I am glad I have waited several days to write this post.  Nevertheless, I am still harboring frustration FOR (not with) Chernet.  While I am mostly happy with his school, I feel like I am having to say over and over to myself and to others..."He lived three of his first five years in an orphanage with minimal rules. It was survival of the fittest and we do not know what behaviors he saw and felt were acceptable."  Do not hear me wrong.  I grew up with the motto of "Excuses are a sign of weakness."   I do not excuse Chernet's behavior when it does not fall in line with the rules but at the same time, I understand or try to understand its origin.  So when someone shoves him, he shoves back.  He continues a behavior, even if bad, when someone laughs.  He wants to hug people and hold hands with his friends because that is how he has grown up.  And I feel I am incessantly explaining little behaviors to people so they don't "label" him.  I feel like it is a constant little battle....

And despite this, he is doing so well.  Our NO FLY ZONE color has improved and even earned GREEN behavior two times this week.  That is the best he can get!  I let him pick a coloring book, his favorite thing, as a reward for his behavior on Tuesday.  I wish you could hear his English....the new language mixed with his Ethiopian accent.  He is telling me stories about school and sports and friends....though the stories are scattered from the weeks since he came home.  He told me all about playing baseball (albeit two weeks ago).... about someone hurting his feelings at school.  They are in broken English and hard to piece together.....but they are his.  And while he often still won't hug me or kiss me at will, I feel privileged to be privy to his random stories at bedtime.

I love this boy.  He is my boy and I will fight for his little stories and little life...Over and over and over again.

Proud

We all do things in life and want someone to be proud of us....to acknowledge our accomplishment(s) even if they are small.  Some will say "I don't need the approval of others."  No, we don't need it, but if we are truly honest with ourselves, we WANT it. 

This weekend Tedi and Chernet played in their weekly soccer game.  They both love it and are getting better each week.  Yet a pivotal moment for me came this week... I watched as Tedi dribbled (I used to think this only applied to basketball...I have been schooled to the contrary) the soccer ball down the small field.  He made the shot.  Standing with my friends Heather and Adam, Tedi turned and smiled at me.

"Smiled" is probably too small of a word.  Adam said "You are the first person he looked for" as Tedi made a bee line towards me as fast as he could and embraced me in a hug.  I hugged his little body that is inching closer to my height.  I told him I was so proud of his goal and his effort. 

I never imagined I could feel such an overwhelming sense of pride in anyone.....  He is a great boy and I have been so so blessed....so changed by him. 

Hello!

I have not blogged in a while. It was not a forced media hiatus.  I was not really on night shift and sleep deprived...or really anything.  Shockingly, I have had little to say or rather, a lot to say, but just did not know how to say it.

So I will start with randomness...I will write about our life recently, hoping to move me to write more and more posts as we approach Orphan Awareness Month in November...

I am watching Glee as I type this...JT would like to kill my friends Heather and Erin for convincing me to watch this.  Oh well, right.  Thank you, Netflix.  The boys have been busy busy with soccer.  They are on the South Korea team...random I know.  The two Ethiopian children are on the South Korean team :-)  Tedi is really starting to love it and dribbles very well.  Chernet is so stinking fast but still trying to wrap his head around the rules... I would love to see him score a goal....FOR HIS TEAM!  It is hard to get good shots of the game because they will not stand still!

I love fall.  October (and November really) is one of my favorite months.  I love pumpkin anything... I love jeans and sweats and football and leaves changes and festivals.  I am not really a Halloween fan but love seeing my kids happy.  I enjoying pumpkin painting and carving and apple cider.  .   In the midst of fall, I am finishing up my interviews next week in Ann Arbor and am glad to be finished. I hope the drive with JT will allow me to soak up fall.... I will find out in November, specifically the 28th.  Now, please hear this....as much as I love fall, it has nothing on Christmastime.  As you can see, January through September suffer :-)

I was so happy this past Tuesday....My best friend, Emily, recently moved to Phoenix where her husband took a position at a church there.  She flew in on Tuesday with her two girls, Stella and Vivian.  Tedi was so happy to see Stella.  They adore one another and he even cried to the babysitter after she was gone.  It is nice to have friends who you can just not sit out towels and not tell them where your blow dryer is and who disciplines your children without you caring. 

The Avenue

I do not talk about our church much on here but I am really blessed to be part of this group of people.... We don't get just get together on Sundays, sing songs, have a children's ministry and live separate lives.  Our goal is serve others just as Jesus served others while living like a family.  A few weeks ago, about seventy five college students (we are on a college campus) and families got together and packaged meals that were sent to Zambia...How many meals? 20,000.  Yep, that is a lot. 

Today in lieu of having a typical service, we piled into a parking lot on the University of Louisville's campus and built the walls of a house that will be given to family who lost their home in Madison, Indiana due to the tornadoes.  We did this in about three hours.  There were tons of people and now a family nearby will be blessed.

Children were encouraged to help and while Chernet did not understand why we were doing this, he had fun.  With Tedi, though, we thought it was important to learn about serving others.  I hope he got a little taste of it today...at least we tried.   We are very blessed to be part of this church and wish more of our friends would try it out as well.



Our Team....

His Granpa Kevin would be proud



They did work at some point ;-)



Tedi, Chernet, Jovi

A view of the teams

Chernet, dressed for the occasion

Working together



How Much Do You Matter? (Borrowed Blog Post)

I DID NOT WRITE THIS!!!  It is from Building the Blocks blog.  Amy Block, a mother of four biological kids and five adopted kidswho is now a missionary in Guatemala, should get all the credit It is so good and so true for many of us....

 

One of the greatest diseases is to be nobody to anybody.

~ Mother Teresa

Image with me for a minute…
Right now, today… you are small and alone.
You are hungry and lost.
You have no home, no parents, and seemingly no future.
You are scared, and weak, from days without food. You have no where to go, no where to be.
People walk by you but they don’t even look your way.
It’s like you are invisible, nothing.
You keep walking, your feet are bleeding and sore… and yet still you manage to cling to the small bit of hope, the little voice inside your head that says maybe, just maybe, one day things will get better.
Maybe one day -you will matter.
It is getting dark outside- inside your fear is growing.
Where will you go?
Your heart is beating faster, and your fear becomes over whelming, consuming your every thought.
Then you see it, a dirty, broken cardboard box and you bow your head thanking God for His provision.
For you have found it- shelter.
Safety, if only for one night.
You slip underneath it, hugging yourself, vowing once again not to cry- because by now you know tears are a waste of your strength.
Your eyes become heavy, despite the sweltering temperature.
As you begin to drift off to sleep you pray, hoping, dreaming, of a family of your own one day...
of a place where you will matter...
to someone.

Half away around the world is a family...

They are just sitting down to dinner together.

They are smiling and their laughter fills the room.

Dinner is served and they bow their heads and they pray- thanking God for their many blessings… their home, their job, the food that is set before them.

They lift their heads and go back to the laughter and the joy.

They talk of their upcoming vacation plans, the lunch date they shared with a friend today and the movie they plan to see this coming weekend.

More laughter, more excitement, more.

As the leftovers are scraped into the garbage can and the table is cleaned up, hot bubble bathes are taken by all.

Evening settles in, and the family slips under their down comforters preparing for a good nights sleep.

Before turning out the lights, the husband leans over to kiss his wife good-night. She shyly smiles at him and begins to tell him that she has been feeling that perhaps God is calling them to adopt.

The room grows quiet as they are both lost in their own thoughts… their minds are flooded with questions, concern, and then inevitably -fear.

How could they manage?
Another child?
Why, they already have two!
Where would they put the child?
Who would share a room?
How could they afford to adopt?
Would they be able to take that vacation?
What would people think?
What if the child, you know, caused ‘problems’?

As their eyelids become heavy, they begin to drift off to sleep... and they think to themselves ‘surely not’.

Surely God knows this is not convenient.

Surely God wants them to take that vacation they deserve...

Surely he knows how busy they are.

They have plans and they have dreams.

As sleep overcomes them, the temperature in their master bedroom is perfect… and their pillows are fluffed to perfection.

Life is good for them, just as they had planned...

Because after all, they matter...

Too much...

to themselves.

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. "- 1 John 3:16-20

Prayer Time (JT's Post)

Natalie traveled to Pittsburgh the past few days for a fellowship interview.  I spent the past few days in "single dad mode."  Single dad JT serves dinners of Pizza Rolls, Veggie Burgers and Baked Lays Chips.  I am proud that I limited myself to one beer per night (the thought of getting tanked did cross my mind) and no toys were harmed while Natalie was away (if you've ever heard my kids play harmonicas or Shake and Go Woody you know this is an accomplishment). 

During our bedtime ritual, the last thing the boys do (besides empty their bladders which apparently are the size of a spare tire) is to climb into my lap and pray.  Prayer time with two 5-year olds is hilarious.  Prayer time with two five-year olds who are recently adopted is high comedy.  Chernet thinks closing our eyes for prayer = peek-a-boo.  Tedi tries to say the same prayer every night.  He is very ritualistic.  I think he was born Presbyterian (sorry for that failed attempt at theological humor).

I generally pray for these things with my kids:

-their behavior at school
-help Mommy be a good doctor 
-help Daddy do a good job at work and church
-thank God for family and friends
-committing my children's lives to service to others and searching for relationship with God
-their relatives back in Ethiopia

The past few nights, the weight of that last request has weighed heavily on my mind.  We do not know much about Chernet's family.  We met Tedi's mom and several of his siblings.  I know the type of environment they live in and the struggles they face daily.  Dwelling on this situation is difficult.  Often, Tedi becomes emotional when I pray for his birth family.  I am unsure if he is crying for them or the thought of them.  Either way, it pains me to see my son grieve. 

During my personal study time, I find God has sent me a clear message recently over and over.  It is a mantra of which I need to remind myself constantly:

"Just because I have promised you something does not mean you will get it easily.  You will have to fight for it." 

God has promised us a family that will be restored and redeemed.  He never promised us that it would be easy.  Knowing this makes the "fight" a little easier.  I try to find rest in this fight (I know that sounds counter-intuitive) because it is a fight that God Himself has called our family to.  I am proud to fight for my two little men.  I am not a perfect dad.  Heck, most days my plan is to get out of the way long enough to let Natalie do her thing.

1 Peter 1:6

"In all this you greatly rejoice, though for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials."



The Friday Five

I did these regularly when I started my blog....The top 5 things making the week....sometimes I would choose topics (top 5 adoption t-shirts, top 5 things for kids, top 5 books)

Now that fall TV is back, I will pick my top 5 shows this fall.  Keep in mind, most are DVR-ed and saved for later dates.  I hope it goes without saying but I will say it nonetheless, our kids DO NOT watch these with us.  Come one people.

1) NFL...
Really all football. We just love it.  Our perfect Sunday is coming home from church, putting on sweats, turning on whatever game is on and eating football food.  One way to spend a great fall day in the Henderson house. 

2) The Good Wife
We all loved Julianna Margulies as George Clooney's girlfriend, Carol, on ER.  She is now on The Good Wife, which we have been watching for a season or so now.  We thoroughly enjoy it and ends are Sunday night shortly after football ends.

 

3) Modern Family
Who does not love it?!?!  Why should I even explain?  If you have a family even slightly deviant of Leave it Beaver, you will appreciate this. 

4) Scandal
This is a new show for us..... it is a mix of politics and drama and sex set in Washington DC.  Kerry Washington, the lead actress, is one of most beautiful women I have seen.  Plus she does a great job in this show.  We are not hooked to this yet but it definitely makes the DVR.

 

5) This one is a toss up.  JT and I will argue this one out.  There is the Office, which used to top the list and still makes a weekly appearance but is falling off.  JT loves the MTV series REAL WORLD/ROAD RULES Challenge.... yes, he is the only 35 year old still watching it. Yep, I just outed him.  I will vote for Project Runway.  We both watch Law & Order: SVU.  I am trying to get JT to watch Glee but he is not there yet.... Can anyone convince him?

I think that is it.  What are some of your favorites?

Remember the Day....

Some days....this is how I feel.  Don't we all.

500th Post: Eyes that See

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

This is my 500th blog post.  Crazy, huh?!?  I thought I would make it a good one, an important one...at least I will try.

I had a friend message me a couple of weeks ago on Facebook and ask "Do you think adoption is the best way to help all orphans? Should that always be the end goal? Is adoption right for everybody"  I did not answer for a while because I really wanted to think about this. 

You know, adoption is not right for everyone.  For some families, it just is not the right thing.  Also, international adoption is not the cure for the orphan epidemic, and thus adoption is not the best way to help ALL orphans.  Many orphans will never see an orphanage but will live with family members or may find an orphanage but be ineligible for adoption.

So whether your family is called to adoption, supposed to adopt, frankly whatever.... we can all do something to help these kids.  Rather than worrying about chicken sandwiches and Chicago teacher salaries and stances on minor political issues and if UK or UL is better (who really gives a flip), we can actually make a difference in the life of a child (see the quote above).  Think about the time and energy and money we waste on things like these yet how easily we could help.

There are so many ways to pitch in....help families adopting (many of you have done that for us), speak out for families, go on trips to build orphanages, work with agencies who help orphans.  I want to talk about an agency I feel strongly about.... An organization so so close to us for a multitude of reasons....

Eyes That See was started by our friends Matt and Nikki Ness.  They are such amazing people.  They have 5 children and their two oldest sons are the boys I want my sons to emulate.  (Ironically, they were the couple that started the orphanage where Tedi lived, KVI).  Now they run Eyest That See, which has three main projects:

Keziah Project: In their words: The purpose of the Keziah House is to rehabilitate women who are living in prostitution by providing a dormitory living space with intensive counseling and life skills. The goals of this program are to give each woman a safe environment and the tools to make this a successful transition, allowing her to leave her former life. Immediate medical needs will be met, as well as job and life skills being taught, with the goal of each woman being able to successfully live offsite at the end of the program.

10c Dabo: 10c Dabo is our feeding program that feeds over 100 students for the Eshet School. The feeding program began when we learned that some of these kids were completely unable to function at school because they had absolutely no food available. When we asked how much the food costs, we learned that it was just ten cents for a piece of dabo (bread). 

Child Sponsorship/Schools: They are now running two schools.  As part of this, they are now offering child sponsorship... for $25 each month the child will have a meal at school, a uniform, tuition, and basic medical needs.  This is a new program and there are around 200 kids.

My challenge to you....

I know a lot organizations offer child sponsorship.  But I am talking to those of you who may follow our blog, do not feel that you are ready to adopt or are called to adopt but always talk of wanting to do more, do something.  You can be Christian, Muslim, Hindu, brown, yellow, white, pink, conservative, democrat,.... you can be whoever but just want to make a difference for a kid... I encourage you think about it...$25 bucks is what we spend on coffee, on diet coke, on ONE MEAL eating out. 

JT and I talked about it and wanted to teach our boys giving and responsibility and sacrifice so that others may have.....we decided to sponsor two children, one for each of the boys.  They can send the children letters (if you count what they write letters) and pictures each month and learn about the kids.  When we travel back to Ethiopia, we can easily meet these kids.  We want to invest in these kids for these could very easily have been our boys. 

So what can you do.... if you are interested: click http://www.eyesthatsee.org/2012/09/sponsor-a-child/.  If you have questions, me nataliehenderson21@yahoo.com and I can set you up with Nikki.  Below is a picture of one of the boys we are sponsoring.  Let's see how many children we can get sponsored just through people I know.  Seriously, you will spend more than this on trivial things....think about this and change a life.

And his name is Chernt....appropriately so since our son's and Tedi's bio brother also have this name.

 

American Citizen & Ethiopian New Year

 Yesterday we received this important document!  I am not sure that you can see it, but it is Chernet's citizenship certificate.  Important Details: He is single :-)  What a random note.  And they gave him a few inches!  How cute is he!?!?!  We celebrated with our friends tonight over champagne. 

In other news, Ethiopian New Year is 9/11 (ironic, eh?).  We celebrated this past Saturday with our friends the Armstrongs, the Browns, and a new family to the adoption world, the Hoppertons.  Brittney and Donna cook the food....yes, the Ethiopian food.  My instructions: bring dessert and your Ethiopian serving dish.  I slept post night shift so the dessert did not happen and I FORGOT the dish.  I felt so guilty.  I really did.  JT finally looked at me and said,

"Natalie, people do not hang out with you for your cooking or domestic abilities.  Don't feel guilty."

I am not sure if this was a compliment but I think it is true.  Britt took several pics...again, not my gift (wonder what mine really is).... Enjoy!

Yes, rocking a Barbie car

The homemade Ethiopian food

My man sipping coffee....not dramatic at all



The whole gang

The coffee

So so happy to have injera

The kid loves sports