Thursday Thoughts (on Friday)

I've been a little out of sorts this week due to Ezra being sick and generously sharing with me. He has all but completely lost his voice. It sounds both pitiful and adorable at the same time. I seem to be stuck in the snot generating stage of the cold.

Tis the season!

I also blame my out of sorts-ness on the fact that I have all this new found time once again, now that our paper chasing part of the adoption is done.

Applications -done
Homestudy - done
Dossier - done
Apply for adoption grants - done
Make and mail out prayer cards -done

That's a lot of done's!

Where I was spending good chunks of my afternoons (during nap and rest times) working on all the paperwork...now that it is over...I just need to get readjusted to a new schedule.

Trust me, I'm not complaining...just readjusting.

I started running again this week after a several week hiatus. Feels good to get back into it. I'll hit it harder next week if this cold ever decides to leave me.

I also started reading what is known as the Bible of Ethiopian adoptions: There Is No Me Without You by Melissa Fay Greene.

The author, Greene, has adopted four Ethiopian children herself and she writes about the story of a middle class Ethiopian widow whose home became a refuge for hundreds of AIDS orphans.

You can read more about their remarkable stories here.







Francis Chan, author of Crazy Love, one of my top five books of all time, also has a new book out that I am loving: Forgotten God.









My friend, Michaella, who is adopting from Bulgaria, also came up with a great idea for making the adoption process a little easier for our little ones to understand. Until you actually have a child to look at and talk about and name, the whole process can be really ambiguous for small children. I loved her solution and will definitely be stealing it!

Speaking of names...we have already started on coming up with ideas. While boys names are relatively easy for us...girls names are much much harder! We don't even have a single option. Not a one.

Good thing we have a lot of time, huh!

Jeremiah is off today and tomorrow with a relatively free schedule...depending on how Ezra is feeling we might try to get a free sleigh ride in tonight. We also have an adorable gingerbread house to decorate (if I can keep the kids from eating all the candy).

Happy Weekend to you!

The Blind Side

Jeremiah and I went on a date (thanks, Mom!) and saw the new movie, The Blind Side.

We both really liked it and highly recommend it.

This true story of a wealthy Memphis family and the son they adopted was based on the 2006 book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. With powerful performances the film is uplifting and holds some truly touching moments but is (refreshingly) not gushy or saccharine.

Be sure to watch the trailer.

For further reading, check out Family Man, a WORLD article about the book and the movie.

Future Basketball Star (or hanger of the high things on the Christmas Tree)

We went for Ella's four year old check up this week.

Her new barbie went too.

Ella (mostly) loves going to the doctor. Except for shots.

I had a moment of temporary insanity and told Ella about her flu shot two days before her actual appointment earlier this fall.

I don't know why I didn't think through that thought before telling her? I felt like maybe I needed to prepare her.

Never again.

She was like a broken record for two days.

Mommy, is it going to hurt? Mommy, why do I have to? Mommy, is it going to hurt? Mommy, why do I have to?

Two. Whole. Days.

This time, I wasn't sure if she was going to have to get shots...so mum was the word around here.

And, hallelujah.

No shots!

She did, however, get to pee in a cup.

Ha...you should have seen that one! Yes, I had Ezra with me and of course he had to be in the stall too. And you should have heard me trying to answer her questions (and warn her not to attempt this at home).

She is 42" tall which puts her into the 95% in height and she weighs 35lbs which moved her into the 50% for weight.

Pretty good ratio if you ask me.

Is it bad to be jealous of my daughters height?

And Barbie...

Well we don't need to discuss Barbie's ratio's. We all are jealous of that one.

Ella was very interested in the whole blood pressure checker-thingie. Asked a lot of questions. The nurse was very patient and understanding and let Ella listen to the "sound" of her blood.

Ezra and all her animals and barbies are now being screened regularly for high blood pressure.

In conclusion, here are a few things I learned from the four year check up:

1) Don't pre-warn about shots

2) Don't bring along younger brother

3) Give lots of water before the check up (my legs cramped up waiting for her to pee)

4) I'm not sure I would pass the vision test (probably should get that checked out)

5) Don't forget the bag of snacks!

and finally,

6) Be ever so thankful for a healthy and happy little girl!

The First Causality of the Season

If you remember from last years post Ezra had a really hard time being gentle with our ceramic nativity set.

We haven't even had it out of the box for a couple of hours and we have already had our first causality of the year.















Poor poor brown cow.

Adoption Update: Getting Closer

Jeremiah and I went for our USCIS fingerprint appointments yesterday morning.

Way too early in the morning...but I am not complaining!

Our adoption agency, Adoption Advocates International, expects all our dossier documents to be back from the state either today or tomorrow.

That means that once the documents are back from being State authenticated, they are then compiled into our dossier and then mailed off to Ethiopia...possibly as early as the end of this week!

We are considered officially on the waiting list once our dossier has been received in Ethiopia.

I talked with our agency today about current wait list times and was told that the average wait right now for a healthy infant (12mos or younger)boy is 8 months and a healthy infant girl is 10-12 months.

We expect our wait to be a lot shorter as we are open to adopting either gender up to the age of 4 years old. We also are open to several special needs that are harder to place and therefore will make our wait time considerably less.

It is so strange (and incredible!) to think we are at this point already!

Not Me Monday

I did not let my daughter eat a piece of chocolate found in her stocking...left over from...ahem...last year.

I mean, really, what kind of mother do you think I am?

I did not also eat a piece of chocolate found in her stocking...left over from...yeah...last year.

How desperate for chocolate do you think I am?

And I most certainly did not have a hickey on my neck that I tried (unsuccessfully) to cover up with make up before giving my testimony in Elevation on Sunday.

Married couples don't get hickeys.

Especially super spiritual ones like the pastor and his wife.

Oh no.

Not me.

Photojournal:Thanksgiving 2009

The Whole Hambrick Clan, take 1 (minus those missing...you know who you are!)















Granny and the great grandkids (minus sleeping Ezra)















After stuffing ourselves for the second day in a row, we decided we needed to find a park to burn off some of those calories...





























Addie is going to hate this one (but I just couldn't resist!)




















Just to make Addie feel better...here is one of me that I don't like. Really, who can do monkey bars?















Gymnastics with Heather















Football with Daddy




















The Whole Clan, take 2 (minus those missing)















Gramma introduced the kids to the "secret" cupboard. You know, kind of like the Narnia wardrobe. Kept them occupied for a loooong time!















And kept them quiet (except for when they were surprising unsuspecting people)!




















We decided to take a family trip to see the Roanoke star as it had been years since Jeremiah or I had been. The kids loved it...




















Well...except for the cold which Ella is clearly demonstrating on her face!















Happy Thanksgiving!