Early that Saturday morning Emily, Ella, Masamo and I drove to Indianapolis. Jason and David did not attend due to David having a stomach bug that was causing him to get sick. We met with several other families that morning for a brunch and hang out time. Ella found another little girl close to her age and made fast friends. Emily spent her time hanging out with the moms and learned a lot about adoptive parenting.
I must confess that this time was the highlight of the trip for me. I was able to let down and let loose with other adoptive mothers and share joy, pain, and lessons from our precious little ones. Masamo spent his time playing with Abush, another one of the little boys, one that he had been with the orphanage in Ethiopia. It was amazing to see him play. He interacted with Abush like they were best friends. Not even with his own siblings have I seen Masamo play so well. They played trucks, tossed grass on one another and chased one another around. It was pure joy to witness.
After a couple of hours we split up to let the little ones rest. We went to Fazoli’s for lunch, a big treat for our kids, and then checked out a Super Target and Half Price Books. By the time we were done it was time for the main event. As soon as we got in and settled Masamo fell asleep. But there were so many adoptive families there it was incredible! The pastor of the Ethiopian church introduced himself and their church and then some of their congregation treated us to some traditional worship music. It was then time to eat. They women of this church went all out and had been cooking (we were told) for over two weeks. The food was delicious and Masamo woke up and got his fill of his favorite, red lentils and injera. There wasn’t much time after the meal for a whole lot more due to the number of people there and the time it took to serve them. The children were encouraged to come up on stage and be taught a traditional Ethiopian children’s song and then the pastor got up again and shared his heart for the people of Ethiopia and our families who were adopting from their home country.
It was hard to say goodbye to new and old friends. It is amazing how close you can get to others who can relate to you so well in such a small amount of time. God truly is amazing and must have something very special planned for each one of these special children and their families.
The very next day, Sunday, Masamo informed us that he was going to make us lunch when we got home from church. What was he planning on making you ask? Why, brownies of course! Here he is standing on a stool after getting himself prepared to make “lunch” for our family!
While Masamo was busying himself in the kitchen, David decided to serenade us with Jason’s trombone. We’ll have to work on his form; puffy cheeks are a no no when playing the trombone.
I have a good friend at work that was kind enough to make Masamo a very comfy fleece blanket. Masamo took right to it and it has become his favorite blanket to snuggle with when he is lying on the couch or reading a book with Mommy. Here he is wrapped in it in the kitchen!
This past Sunday we participated in Operation Christmas Child at our church. This is the third year that our family has volunteered and I look forward to it every year. Our church is a drop off location for shoe boxes that people put together for distribution to needy and impoverished children around the world. Our responsibilities while volunteering are checking the boxes, making sure they are put together appropriately, labeled and counted. The boxes are filled with all types of goodies for the children, from soap and washcloths to candy, flashlights and little toys. These boxes bring so much joy to so many children that otherwise have never had anything new in their lives. For more info on this visit this website... http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/
Masamo and I accomplished a big job this past Monday, cleaning up the garden for winter. We spent 3 ½ hours cutting down perennials, raking leaves and bringing in outside toys and things. The garden looks so bare and sad when it’s cut down. It just leaves me to look forward to the small green shoots coming up in the spring.
Thanksgiving in pictures
Masamo loving his pumpkin pie!
Kid Updates:
As you might recall, Emily had a rough start to her school year. It took a couple weeks and a test or two for her to figure out that the performance level that was expected of her had been increased. Subjects were harder and more studying was required this year. Fortunately Emily is a self motivator and it didn’t take any nagging on our parts to get her to up her “game”. By the end of the term Emily had earned straight A’s! Jason and I are very proud of her. I am because I know the time and effort she put into her schoolwork and because it was a rare occasion when I came home with straight A’s on my report card.
Emily is also progressing as a driver. Just last night she got on the highway for the first time (at night no less)! Although very nervous, she did wonderfully. Jason and I coached her through what she would need to be watching for and when to do what was necessary. I have also been amused by some of the things she has been saying while driving. Once, when flustered, she asked me when she should put on her “get over” signal. Fortunately she saw the comedy in her question and laughed about it too.
Ella also came home with straight A’s on her report card! It does not seem to be academics that Ella has a harder time with at school but sitting still and paying attention. Although not a huge problem, it is something that she struggles with. Luckily, Ella has had very understanding and patient teachers the past few years. They take the extra time with her that she may require and seem to have a better understanding of her needs.
David found himself sick recently and was not able to attend school. It was interesting to me that the one thing David was worried about was not the work he would have to make up but the fact that he would not be seeing his teacher, Mr. G. He asked me with desperation in his voice, “Please call Mr.G and let him know that I won’t be at school today!” David was worried about what Mr. G would think if David did not turn up for school and wanted to make sure his teacher was kept up to date as to his situation.
Masamo has developed a certain habit that I have come to find out is pretty typical of four year old boys. He feels the need to inform me, and everyone else, EVERYTIME he toots. We can be eating dinner, walking through a store or just watching TV and he pipes up with “I tooted!” This announcement is usually accompanied with a big smile and giggles. I don’t understand it but it’s hard not to join him in giggling, it’s just contagious.
Masamo also had a recent development; he has just about mastered pedaling a tricycle. This is a skill that he has been working on for months. It has been hard for him to understand how to push one foot at a time, and in a forward motion. Although he is not speeding around on the tricycle yet he is creeping along and this is a big step forward for him!
I had a compliment of sorts from Masamo this past week. We were on our way home in the early evening and Masamo was watching the moon in the sky as we traveled along. The moon ended up going behind the clouds and this upset him. He asked me to please get the moon out from the clouds, a feat that he assumed I was capable of as his mother. It is nice to think that he sees me as having the ability to do such a thing. I suggested that we sing to the moon to make it come out and to ask Mr. Moon to please come out from behind the clouds. Fortunately, God must have taken pity on me and allowed the clouds to move so that the moon was again shining brightly for Masamo and I kept my status as supermom, mover of clouds.
Masamo has recently become aware of the Christmas decoration in the stores and the lights going up on people’s houses. As a result he has expressed a lot of excitement and interest in both of these things. The first time our neighbors, who own a large house, had their Christmas light lit up at night it was a thrill for Masamo to see! It is funny how something as innocuous as Christmas lights can be so exciting to a child who has never seen them. He was delighted to see the different colors, see them in different forms and see them blinking! This has made him very excited for Christmas. He does not assume to know what it is all about but does know that it is something exciting if we decorate so wonderfully for it! As a result, Masamo has been campaigning for us to put up a Christmas tree (he’s seeing them everywhere in the stores) and of course, lights!
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