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!

FIVE

A look back through the past five years with Mr. Man .....

Happy birthday, love!

First Pig Tails (Kinda)

18 Months

Ellie Tsion is 18 months old! When her pediatrician handed me her "toddler" packet I honestly thought she gave me the wrong one; I mean, I didn't realize we had a toddler! I still was envisioning Ellie as my baby.

Ellie continues to grow and thrive each day. She is walking and running much more steadily and talking up a storm! When we are at home she is just about the loudest thing you've ever heard - squealing and yelling and telling us all about everything! Most people don't believe us because out in public or in new situations, she is quite shy and almost whispers. But, ask friends and family who chat with us on the phone and they'll tell you they can hear Ms. Ell chattering away in the background. That or she'll steal the phone away and talk FOR-EV-ER. Her favorite phone buddy is Pop right now; I think he is THRILLED to finally have a little one to chat with him each day when he calls since Garrett hasn't ever been much of a phone talker.

Some of our favorite Ellie phrases right now are:

"Up-uh" = up

"Dow-nuh" = down

"AAAAA" = any live animal (go figure!)

"Ah-duh" = all done

"Heh-puh" = help

Of course there are all of the other slew of words but those are the ones we hear most often and the loudest!

Ellie is very much into playing whatever her big brother is playing. She also LOVES to be read books or will sit still and look through piles and piles of books on her own. Oh, and don't forget the numerous babies - our sweet girl definitely has a nurturing, mothering side to her! It's amazing how differently little boys and girls play.

We continue to be in awe of Ellie's transition and growth since arriving home three and a half months ago. Never in our wildest dreams could we have imagined what we were missing until we met and fell in love with our sweet, sweet girl.

EthiopiaKids.com

Head on over to this site that our friend, D, created. It's a wonderful site/forum for adoptive parents (from any agency, any state/country) to go to for all sorts of information about Ethiopian adoptions.

Go check it out!