Video

Just wanted to share this video with all of you as I watched it on another mother's blog...profound and impacting! I hope to spend a good part of my life in Ethiopia or Guatemala doing this kind of work!!! (Betcha didn't know that...but it's true!)

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

It's Official

It's official, we're a family of six!

Yes, I know that I've said it before as we had passed court back in July and that we visited them then too...but Ella and Isaac officially have the Knight last name!!! They were issued their Ethiopian passports as well as their Ethiopian birth certificates, both with our family name on them!!! Hooray!!! These documents were the final hurdles to bringing them home!!! On a bit of a side note, both of the kids have Josh's name as a middle name right now: Miheret Joshua Knight and Yonas Joshua Knight. Talk about a patriarchal society!! When they come home, they will be provided with their new given names.

But many of you want to know when the official family of 6 will be together...under one roof!!! We finally know that answer too!!! Josh and I will fly out of Lansing on August 23rd and arrive in Addis Ababa on the 24th. We should have the children in our care on the 25th. We have a US Embassy appointment to solidify the VISA and paperwork on behalf of the USA on the 26th. Then we fly out of Bole International Airport on the 28th late at night and will return to Lansing on SUNDAY AT 6:30!!!!!

You are invited to come to the Lansing Airport, if you feel so inclined, to welcome us home and greet the children! I am hopeful that Leah and Logan will be simply awed with their new new sister and brother!!!! Our flight hopefully will arrive at 6:30 pm from Chicago (Lufthansa) but we still aren't sure if we will be going through customs and immigration in Chicago or in Lansing. So, know that although we arrive in Lansing at 6:30 it may be a bit of a wait for us to be cleared from the officials if we have to go through all of that in Lansing. We love the idea of many of you welcoming us all home and seeing us become a family of six!!!

Please know that we will not allow you to hold Isaac. Touching, caressing, and hugging is fine! But he needs to know that he is safe and not being passed from us to MORE people. He will just be beginning the bonding and attachment process with us...so mommy and daddy only. And Ella...well...we're going to let her lead us in how she responds. If she is clinging to us, please respect her space and her need for us, the 2 she knows!!! If she is wild and crazy in this celebration...give her hugs and celebrate with her!!! Just try to read her emotional state...if you will!!!

So, this week is devoted to our family of 4!!! We have been swimming, painting, face painting, playing Polly Pocket, coloring, tea partying, eating ice cream, and all of the fun things that summer can bring!!! Good times have been had by mom and dad just as much as by the girls!!!

Leah and Logan have been champs through this process!!! They are thrilled with the idea of having a baby and a little sister! Logan has learned the concept of giving and sharing with others in need. She helped fold some clothes that will be given to the kids at the orphanage. While doing so, she even offered to donate one of her lovies to the kids at the orphanages...*tear*...I didn't take her up on the offer!!!! So, if anyone should be hugged, cuddled and loved-on Sunday night when we arrive at the airport, it should be Leah and Logan, they are two amazing little girls whose worlds are going to change, for the better, but albeit, change. They will be needing some extra attention from those they love and love them!!!!

A Bit About Ethiopia

Words cannot amply describe what we saw, experiences we had, things we touched, 'stuff' we smelled....and the food we ate! But I will make every effort to give you a glimpse into our repertoire of amazing memories!!!

We entered Bole International Airport, after nearly 2 days of flying around the world, to be greeted by stone-faced customs officers. We were given no problems, no slack...just very firm. I do though remember that my officer gave me a welcoming smile and said, "Enjoy!" as I walked into the wide open spaces of this airport.

We were greeted by the friendliest man from the Sadula Lodge, our hotel. He had the most wonderful smile, and he was so warm and welcoming! I instantly felt at ease! I never felt uncomfortable, scared, nervous...I was very 'at home' there. We walked out to the van into a cold, rainy dark night. What else could we have expected...it's the rainy season! Our driver loaded the luggage and we were set. I quickly took initiative and asked the driver, "Can I sit in front?" His reply, "Yes, yes, yes, yes!!!" I don't think many requested that! But I wasn't going to miss ONE OPPORTUNITY in this trip...I was taking full advantage of being in this country. We played shy in Guatemala because we had to because of safety concerns, but here...not an issue! So I plopped my big, white American self up front to see all that I could see!!!!

(Yes, that's a Sweetie-Pie Pantry pie box!!!! Haha!!!)

We arrived to the hotel just in time for the 9:00 pm hour. We were exhausted...but not too exhausted to go out to dinner with our contact in-country!! Haha! So, not too long after arrival, we were in an Americanized pizza house!!! Anything other than airline food was great!!! And Josh experienced his first Ethiopia beer!!! Our contact was sure to encourage the beers!!!

Arrival, July 23, 2010

That night was also the night that we provided all of the donations to our contact. It is suggested that we provide them to him, he will divide them between the orphanages, and then give to the items based on who-needs-what. I am confident that all of the kiddos will benefit from all of your donations! Thank you again!

We then packed it up at the restaurant, then packed it up at the hotel so we could wake early to travel South to Awassa. Let the sleep deprivation prevail, and let the experiences of amazing proportion begin!

Full Hearts and Empty Arms

We're back from our court appointment/visit trip to Ethiopia with very full hearts yet empty arms!!!! It was a bittersweet journey as we experienced one of the most undeniably amazing and unforgettable times of our lives. Our hearts swelled with the emotions of love for our own children, sadness for others without a family yet, and ire for the mass amount poverty.

I know you all want to know how the kids are...SO WONDERFUL!!!! We arrived on Friday evening and weren't able to visit them until Tuesday morning. So the wait seems long, but we were kept so busy with experiencing the country and all that it had to offer (which I will share with you soon!) the wait until Tuesday didn't seem too bad! We arrived to the orphanage gates with butterflies in our guts!!! They were like woolly mammoth-size! We walked in and there is a nice courtyard where the children were mingling and oogling at us visitors. I was scanning the kids to see if I could pick out Ella...NADA! Then, after just a few seconds, in the doorway of Enat Alem was this striped-pant, frizzy-haired super smiley little girl staring at us! I turned to Josh and said, "That's her!!!!" I zoomed up to her, confirmed with the director and scooped her up!!! She was a bit unsure at first...no tears, nothing like that...just a bit of hesitancy...but after, ummm, 1 minute, she knew we were hers!!!! We are her mommy and daddy! And my oh my, she was there to entertain her new mommy and daddy!!!! She is a total ham-bone! Silly, happy, laughing, but so gentle. She is very funny and smart...she can count in Amahric!!!! But go figure, she speaks a tribal language other than Amahric! Oye!!!! She sat on our laps, hugged and naturally we slapped on a few kisses!!!! She learned by the end of our visit what kisses were!!!!!

All this time, we really didn't know were Isaac was!!! So, eventually when Ella started running around, Josh got up and searched for him!!!! Then, slowly and carefully, Josh walked out of the baby-room with a wide-eyed, kissy-lipped Isaac!!!! He was beautiful too!!!! He was so mushy, but he is strong and well developed. After letting Josh hold him for, like 2 minutes (tehe!!), I took him and drowned with him my love! Oh, how I'd waited for that!!!! He was so yummy smelling!!!! Ahhhhhh! His hair was wavy and he was so sweet and gentle! Honestly, he was so confused with all of the noise, with us holding him and with the flashes of the cameras. It was a rough little visit. Although again, no tears, he did sleep. (in my arms!) And this can often be a sign of shutting down. So, this to us is a sign of he will need lots of time with us!!!!

After 2 1/2 hours, we were told it was time to leave. Tears flowed as we didn't know if we would be able to return to visit any more that trip!!!! Ella cried for us!!! The nanny told another family that Ella was crying out in her language, "Go Home! Go Home!" Heartbreaking!!! But we did get to see them once more!!!! Yeah!

The morning before we flew home, we visited once again!!!! Both of the kiddos were once again amazing!!!! We watched Ella get bathed while Isaac slept for his morning nap. They dressed Ella in all of the items that we brought for her and made her up like a sweet little princess!!! Her hair is AMAZING!!!! Now I have 3 daughters with better hair than I...grrrrrr!!!!!

Nevertheless, the court appointment solidified the adoption, so they are officially Knight's!!! Our second trip will be to have an appointment at the US Embassy to get their US Paperwork in line as well as get their VISA's issued. Not to mention to bring them home!!!! Hooray!!!! We're looking at an Embassy appointment of either August 26th or September 9th. It's right around the corner!!!

Also, thanks to ALL OF YOU for those donations!!!! It was an awesome gift to give to these orphanages and to the kids!!!! You all made a difference!!!! We were never told, but Isaac came to the orphanage malnourished, so all of that baby formula that you give and the extras...you fatten up kids like our son!!!!! If you have the heart to give more or want to still give, we'd love to bring it down with us! Please let us know!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!