Getting back into the groove....

Sorry for not posting in a while.... We have been busy getting to know each other again, and enjoying a few days in the Alps!
It feels like we have so much to do, seeing as we will be moving in 3 months! I'm pretty sure in the coming week, we will be purging whatever we can, things we haven't used or looked at in the last year, from the house! I would like to get things organized, even packed up, as much as possible, before we actually have to move, since its likely that Jon could be alone with the kids during that time.
Jon will be busy calling the housing/transportation, and other move-affiliated offices this week, to see where we can begin.
Most military folks won't understand that this is our first PCS (permanent change of station)move, since Jon joined the ARMY.... and that he has been here, on the same base for 10 years... almost 11... Its really unheard of, in a place where the normal duty assignment is just 3 years.
SO MUCH TO DO!

I will post some pics from our mountain retreat as soon as I can get them uploaded...

Welcome Home... At last!

Some shots of the Welcome Home Ceremony on Monday...

Many families made signs to welcome home their soldiers...


Our Sign...




A few pics while we waited.... for 4 hours!









Imagine the roar of the crowd when the hangar doors started to open...


And in marched our soldiers... I wish the lighting would have been better... Jon is on the far left... second row... about 3 or 4 soldiers in...


Reunited...




Leyton had to have his own sign for his dad... And it pretty much says it all.

For Those of You Following Along....

I received the confirmation call a little while ago... he is in the air... And we should be able to pick him up around 3pm!

False Alarm... :(

Well, after waiting all morning... I finally got ahold of someone who confirmed that his flight was delayed 24 hours... and he won't be in till' tomorrow. Uggghhh...

After 15 long months.... Today is the DAY!

Or at least, I hope it still is... I was expecting the 8 hour call this morning, and it is now 6 hours from the time they are due home, and still no word. Granted, with the Army, everything is subject to change, but come on!
More to come, when he's home for sure!

72 Hours... But Who's Counting??

I received the 72 hour call this afternoon... He is officially in Kuwait! Just knowing that, brings relief. It turns out that our guys will be flying in a little closer to home, so we won't have to deal with the 4 hour bus ride from the airport. But, they won't be flying in till Sunday. Oh well, I guess... whats one more day in the whole big scheme of things?

Do you remember when you were in high school, and it was the last week, before you graduated? You know, when the Senioritis kicked in?

That's how I feel today... Like I'm done... At this point, Just knowing that Jon will be home in a few days, makes me feel like I'm done... I'm done walking the dog 4+ times per day, up and down 4 flights of stairs with a near 30lb baby attached to my hip... I'm done cleaning all day long, only to have said baby following behind me like a tornado.... I'm done grocery shopping 3-4 times every week... because I can't bare to carry 25 bags of groceries, 25 lbs of dog food, and 35 lbs of cat litter up the stairs once every two weeks... You get the idea...

This deployment has made me realize what little things I took for granted... I can't wait to have Jon home... It sure will be nice to have the team back together...

One month from today!

I will be holding Tensaye in my arms...
I booked our tickets last night, and made arrangements today for our lodging. Jon, Leyton, Ava & I, will be in Addis from 11 September until the 20th! I can't wait to spend that time as a family with our newest addition! She has been great about writing, and I have received several letters from her in the past few weeks... each one brings tears to my eyes, and makes my heart ache for her. I just can't wait to see her.

In other news... On Thursday, Jon will be leaving on the first leg of his journey home. With any luck (and a lot of prayers) he should be back in Germany by Saturday! I can't believe that 15 months have passed, it seems unreal, and I can't wait to have him home. Please pray for a safe trip home, and speedy lines in the reception hangar, which will keep him separated from us by a massive steel door, until each of the 400+ returning soldiers is 'checked in'...

Court News...

I just found out that we did not make it through court before the closure...

But we are scheduled to go to court with the first group when it reopens on 6 October!

This is good and sad news. We would have loved to have her home before Christmas...
However, now that we know that we aren't going through until October, we can make arrangements for a visit in September, so that we can get the same Visa (Hopefully! after all of INS' mistakes!)that Ava came home on... and life will be a heck of a lot easier! This will also mean that Jon will be able to travel to meet her... (He'll be home in a week!) And then (with any luck!) I can pick her up when I travel in December for the Holiday Project!

December seems so far off at this point... but the way this year has been flying by (I still can't believe that it's August!), and as busy as we will be in the coming months... things have a way of working out... and as far away as it seems... I know she will be home soon!

Wipe Out!

Our stunt kid, Leyton wiped out yesterday on his bike.... It was a good one, too. We ended up at the emergency room, wondering if he would need stitches on his chin. After a few head x-rays (he did have a helmet on! but when he fell, he ended up on his face, and the helmet was pushed back by the road), and a lot of antiseptic spray... The doctor ended up gluing his chin back together. No stitches necessary... You should see him, though... he's a mess. If he will let me take a pic, I'll post one later. Poor kid.

*This pic wa taken the day after... so some of the swelling had gone down.... He looks much better now (08.09)!

A pic of my smiley girl...

Schuelanfaenger Uebernachten...

Friday night, Leyton's Kindergarten held a sleepover for the kids who were moving on to the next grade. They camped out on the classroom floor, played games, had a cookout, took an evening walk through the local cemetary, and practiced for the performance at breakfast the next morning. On Saturday, all the parents were invited for breakfast, where we ate, and were treated to a lovely Spanish dance number... followed by each of the children saying thier name, and what they want to be when they grow up.

Schuelanfaengers have breakfast...


The Spanish Dance...








Muase Gruppe Schuelanfaengers...


"My name is Leyton, and when I grow up, I want to be a doctor... to help the kids in Ethiopia."

Horseback Riding...

Leyton has been taking riding lessons since February... although, he had a few months off, when the instructor fell from her horse, and hurt her neck. He has been back in the saddle since the beginning of June, and is doing really well... He loves it, and though the lessons are becoming more difficult (English Riding), he is always excited to go! Here are a few shots from last weeks lesson.

Everyone should watch this video....

Randy Pausch died today, at age 47.... 10 months after being given 3-6 months to live. Randy was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. The video shows his "Last Lecture" and is a must see for everyone. It truly does put life in perspective.

(To listen to the video from here, please turn off my music at the bottom of the page.)

She received her Welcome Bag!

I received pics in my inbox this afternoon, of Tensaye in her "Germany" t-shirt, looking through her welcome bag... I so wish that I could post pics here, I would love for you all to see her! Let me know if you would like to see pics! She is such a doll!

I also received another letter from her today, and with it some long awaited sizes!
I love the letters... She seems so excited to finally have a family, and has requested that the whole family come to pick her up, so that we can all see Ethiopia together! I love her so much already!

Still no word on our court date.... We are getting down to the wire, to make it before the closure. Of course, I hadn't planned on us getting through, but would love it, if we did!

Something Horrible Happened...

I logged on this morning to our agency group, and read the most horrific note.

The coordinator for AAI's Ghana program, reported that in the night, four armed men broke into Eban House (the orphanage in Ghana). None of the children were physically injured, however, one of the house mothers was raped repeatedly to get her to tell the thieves where the valuables were hidden. Four of the older girls (ages 7-8) woke up, and saw this horrible event take place. The coordinator said that the girls were praying out loud, and were remarkably brave.

As if the house mother's physical and emotional suffering are not enough, In Ghana, when a woman is raped, her husband divorces her. Please keep this woman, Esther, in your thoughts and prayers, as well, as the 4 little girls who witnessed the crime.
Two of the girls ID'd two of the men as being men that were hired a few weeks prior to paint at Eban House. They took this information to the police, hopefully it will be helpful in finding the men who did this.

There is also a huge financial loss. The men got away with two laptop computers, a digital camera and $1,200 in cash, which is a fairly major financial loss for a small adoption program that focuses on placing older children and sibling groups. The loss of computers will significantly hinder communication with the staff in Ghana, and their administrative work.

If you would like to donate to Eban House, you can go through the "donate now" button on the AAI website (and there are separate funds for Eban House and for Esther).

Thank you for caring....

Letters...

One of the best things about the Ethiopian Adoption program, is that you have a chance to correspond with your child. We were blessed today, when we recieved 2 letters and a new photo in the mail from Tensaye. (Thanks so much Ann!)
I can't wait to get back to Addis! If Jon weren't coming home in a few weeks, I would seriously check into tickets to go now!
Isn't it amazing the faith that a child can have? I can't wait to bring her home!

Photo shoot...

A few cute shots of Ava and her BFF, Parker.... I don't know how photographers do it.... Good thing that ours is a good friend! Thanks Elena!

Dinner with Friends...

Last night, we went to dinner with some friends after a taking Parker and Ava for a little photo shoot... Pics to come later...
Here are some shots from dinner!

"Junkin'... "

In small towns and villages all over Germany, it is time for the anual "junkin'"... This is when locals, clean out their basements and attics,and renovate thier homes, so that they can throw out the old fixtures... streets and sidewalks are lined with all sorts of 'junk/treasures'... And the roads are clogged with Poles in vans, rummaging through it. Its a great system really.... the Germans set the date, advertise it in Poland, and the Poles come and haul away more than half of the junk put out.

The phenomenon reminds me a lot of college... you know, someone puts a chair out, and by morning its gone...



Here is our pile of 'junk'... We are getting new furniture when we move... we have had ours since our marriage, and lets just say, that the light gold is not a good color for kids, pets or husbands.... It has definitely seen better days. Anyway... I thought it would be better to get rid of part now, so that we have less to haul ourselves, when the time comes.

Sand, Sun, Surf.... What More Do You Need??

We made it back.... It was a great weekend, and I'm so glad that we were able to get away for a few days. Here are some shots from Blankenberge.... We can't wait to go back!