Hush Little Baby...

I just had to take a picture today of how Ellie sleeps - right on top of her pillow, at the far end of her crib, nestled into her bumper.

We've tried taking her pillow out (she slept with one in Ethiopia and cries terribly if it's gone) and removing the bumpers as we have to think both are a hazard. However, Ellie cannot get comfy unless both are there and has banged her sweet little nose into the crib bars which causes her sensitive little nose to bleed like there ain't no tomorrow. So, both stay for now.

Today she also opted to snuggle up with her special bunny. And I couldn't resist snapping a picture of the sweet, sleeping baby.

All Things Garrett

Here is Garrett showing off his latest hobby: collecting snails. You read that right. He (and his buddy across the street) are very much into collecting snails. And, yes, I realize it's totally icky that we have snails around our home right now. I'd ask if anyone knows how to get rid of them but doing so might break this little man's heart. And, I can't be the one to do that! Because, ouch, if loving him hurts sometimes (because he's just THAT lovable), then I don't even want to think about how hurting him would feel.

But that's a philosophical debate in my mind for another day, right? I really jumped on the blog to jot down just a few reasons why I am so smitten with this character so that I could look back on them in the days, months and years to come.

So, here are some reasons why, at age 5 years and 2 months, I adore Garritto-Burrito:

1. He loves the color orange. Has since he learned the word "orange". ALWAYS been his favorite. And over the past few months, every day he insists on wearing some form of orange on his body.

Last spring/summer I bought his wardrobe (with him in tow, knowing I better let him pick out what he liked or else it wouldn't get worn) with very little orange. He wasn't full blown into his orange obsession. Which means we only purchased 3 shirts that have orange on them.

And, that means, since the warm weather has stuck around into fall and I'm not buying more short sleeve shirts, he wears the SAME THREE SHIRTS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

I'm not one to balk at originality or quirkiness but wearing the same things day in and day out really bug me. Can you say, "Get over yourself, Jill" ? I'm trying, I'm trying! And, for the record, we have purchased PLENTY of orange variety winter clothing.

2. Garrett loves to be outdoors collecting leaves, rocks and snails. With the exception of the latter, he has loved to collect all those things since the time he could toddle. I love that he still loves the same things with the passing of each season.

3. I loved when he prayed the other night that he said "God, thank you for making people in humor" and that I have no clue where he got that from. What I wouldn't give to know what he meant.

4. I'm tickled every time he talks about private things so matter-of-factly (like bathroom talk, people - nothing really weird). Because that means he is still so innocent. And, I'd love to freeze him just like this.

5. I adore (no hate, no adore, no hate) that he has some pack rat tendencies to him. Little man loves to save EVERYTHING. He loves to have all of his belongings spread out all over his room without an ounce of order. And I think I love this the most because it is so opposite of me (think "Container Store" people - that's my happy place).

I love my little man. I love that he has graced my life with his joy and caused me to break free from the mundane, vanilla way of my thinking and living.

Bedtime Blessings

As I was going through the bedtime routine with Ellie tonight, it hit me how many prayers, even if I never verbally acknowledged them, regarding our daughter were answered. I guess maybe these prayers were really a "wish list" that, during the adoption process, I dare not think out loud.

For example, I was really, really hoping that she would be touchy-feely. That she would let me hold her and want to be held. That she would liked to be rocked. That she would snuggle up next to me as she took her bottle. That I could have those moments while feeding her a bottle where, as Garrett did when he was 6-9 months old, she would reach up and touch my face and tug on my hair and grin. I secretly wanted all of these things that either were not a part of Garrett's temperament or were "infant only" type behaviors. Knowing Ellie would be 1+ years old, I tried to let go of these wishes early on in the adoption process so my heart wouldn't be disappointed.

But tonight as I sat in the pink rocking chair, feeding Ellie her bottle (yes, I know she's almost two - I snatched the bottle away from Garrett at 15 months and I am proud that I'm still getting some bottle time in with this girl!), it hit me and my eyes stung with tears. Our night time routine consists of all the things I had hoped for: rocking, feeding a bottle, snuggling, touching mama's face and singing.

And then I realized that while so many unexpected blessings came during this adoption, there are always some things that are disappointing (whether initially or over the years).

Everyone in our home has either had a nasty cold this week (and Garrett has had strep, too). Ellie has been sneezing more than usual but hasn't missed a beat. When Ellie was extra cuddly tonight and didn't sing much, I suddenly panicked.

IS THIS HOW SHE ACTS WHEN GETTING SICK - SUPER QUIET? I HAVE NO CLUE HOW SHE ACTS WHEN SHE IS SICK! Does she get tired and quiet? Does she get loud and super cranky? Does she have a high pain tolerance? Or does she just have a really great immune system?

I know that something like this is small and with time I will learn this side of Ellie's temperament. It's just a reminder that you lose and grieve little (and big) things through adoption. I am in no way trying to make light of the magnitude of grief that adoption brings for the adoption triad members...just laying it out there. Sometimes we even have to mourn the little things and count the unexpected blessings along the way.

21 Months Old

Ellie Tsion is now 21 months old! That seems too close to "two" for comfort. Well, she's already acting two (if you know what I mean) so I guess it's all relative. Here are 21 things that clearly paint a picture of our girl:

1. She's loud. L-O-U-D, loud. As in, louder-than-her-brother-loud.

2. She prefers to use a rich vocabulary: NO! NOOOO!!!! NOOOOOOOOO!

3. She is quite the dare devil. Just tonight she jumped over the back of the couch. She climbs up the jungle gym and prefers to try and flip herself over the side.

4. She has finally given up her nap time bottle.

5. She continues to eat like a house. Her most frequent request being "DEESE" (cheese).

6. She loves to mimic anything her momma does: iron, cook, applying make-up, putting on lotion, etc.

7. She has a standard way of greeting new people: she holds up her leg and points her shoe in their direction and says "SUE" (shoe). And, she WILL remember those who make a big deal about her shoes and stalk them repeatedly each and every time she sees them to model her "sues".

8. She has a strong affection for Elmo, dolls and Jack (from Jack's Big Music Show). And her Daddy obliges her. Wrapped. Around. His Finger. Already.

9. She is quite opinionated about her clothes. If I pick out something that doesn't suit her, she will chant "UP, UP, UP" for me to hold her up in her closet and SHE will tug on what she wants to wear. Heaven help us now.

10. We often refer to Ellie as Sassy, Miss Priss, Belle-Belle and Belly Girl.

11. Brushing teeth is one of her favorite past times. She screams bloody murder when we take her toothbrush away.

12. We promise she still has an Ethiopian accent some times. Like when she say okay ... it sounds like "Ahhh-kay". Just yesterday I had walked into the other room and heard her behind me saying "Ahhh-kay" and really, really thought for a second it was Tegist, the director of the Baby Home where she lived.

13. When she's really, really elated she'll shrug her shoulders up, shudder with excitement and purse her lips. It's too, too cute.

14. Ellie is fascinated by the big boys her brother plays with on our street in the afternoons. We take out girly toys so that she'll have something to play with, too, but most days she is content running after them, trying to get on the bikes and digging for snails. Tomboy?

15. She now cries when we fix her hair in the mornings. And lets big crocodile tears slide down her cheeks. I can't decide if it really is hurting or if she's practicing for her teenage years. I think it's the latter.

16. Ellie had her first day of Mother's Day Out this week. She jumped right into her teacher's arms and never looked back. Not even once. Kenny and I had to pick our chins up off the floor. The teachers said she didn't cry all day. Not at all. She did ask for her Daddy at nap time. And, she is quite proud of her lunch box ... carries it like a purse!

17. Belle-belle girl is sleeping through the night but really enjoys giving the house a wake up call around 5:50 or 6 a.m. which provides perfect Daddy-daughter bonding time. ;)

18. She prefers "Top 40" music - you know, Beyonce, Britany, Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift and the like. Throw in a little rap and she's really bouncin'.

19. Girlfriend is wearing a size 18-24 months or 2T in most clothes. I think she is nearing 30 lbs as her last well baby check-up was at 18 months and she weighed a little over 28 lbs. However, we think she's loosing her baby belly. And that makes me sad.

20. Her disposition, albeit spunky and sassy, is still the sweetest and most agreeable of a toddler I've seen in a long, long time. She smiles, she laughs, she knows how to give others a hard time in a joking manner. She is the exact amount of joy we needed in this family.

21. Some day, this sweet daughter and sister, will make one, wonderful little servant. Maybe a mommy. Maybe a wife. Maybe a teacher or nurse. But it's so evident she enjoys helping others.

Airport Day

This past Sunday was airport day for our family! We had the privilege of welcoming the orphanage director from Ellie's previous home in Ethiopia; she (and her husband) are here in the states on business. Words cannot even begin to express the immense amount of love we have for Ms. Tegist. Want to see what a servant of Jesus looks like? It's her. Want to see what a defender of the hopeless and homeless and orphaned look like? Look at her. I won't even begin to describe all she has done for our family, our daughter and our daughter's birth family. But we, the Wade's, will feel forever indebted for her faithfulness.


After Tegist's arrival we welcomed home sweet baby Maya Sitota - one of Ellie's former roomies! You can check out her family's blog here . There is something so magical about welcoming these families home - maybe it's just because I've been there. But I doubt it.


As we got in the car to come home, I was really quiet and just sad. I went from the high of seeing the miracle of an orphan being united in a forever family to the immense and heavy sadness that she is just one. Only one. I felt defeated. I felt helpless. I felt almost angry as I replayed the new count of babies and children sitting back in the orphanage that both Maya and my daughter once lived.

Why? Why? I won't go into the big philosophical debate that played through my mind that afternoon, night, yesterday or today. But I will tell you that I have complete faith and hope that each one of those precious babies and children left behind will be matched with their forever families. I have to believe that their families are out there. I have to believe that even though I can't bring them all into my family, God will provide families for them.

Could it be your family? Have YOU ever entertained the idea of adoption? Have YOU ever thought about it? What's holding you back from taking that next step? Check out this site.

Yellow Belt

Today Garrett tested for his Yellow Belt! He has been beside himself with excitement all week about this special event. We are so proud of the boy!

Waiting with a BIG smirk on his face

Staring the belt down - it's almost his!

Mr. Ortega removing the white belt...

Mr. Ortega tying the new yellow belt on...

Garrett and Mr. Ortega bowing (I'm sure there is a more official word but I can't remember)

Student and Teacher

Proud and excited little family...


Garrett, GG and Pop (thanks for coming to cheer him on, guys!)

Not so itty-bitty anymore...

Today we are having a jammie day in honor of the Labor Day holiday! As we were doing some chores around the house, Garrett decided to get all of his pillows and blankets out and pretend like he was sleeping. Of course, Ellie had to go "night-night" too - except she felt it appropriate to gather up her babies and blanket and get in the BABY bed - not hers - her baby doll bed. She was SO insistent that she could make her 27 pound self fit - it was hilarious to watch!

And for those of you who always ask "Did you get her hair cut" - now you can see that when sweet girl is all-natural (how do you spell that - sounded out all-natur-al?) her hair is quite long and frizzy and kind of Kramer-ish!