Starting to feel normal.

While the last few weeks have been amazing, I think I have been a little dazed by it all. I am sure the lack of sleep thing started me off on the wrong foot, but I am just starting to feel "normal." It feels good.

Let me just say again, Asher is incredible. I am so impressed by his tolerance for life and his adorable personality. Early this week we spent some time with Dr. Staat at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. She specializes in internationally adopted kids and we used her for Anna and Gee also. Well, they do a FULL social/physical work up on kids. I think Asher had like 10 plus vials of blood taken. It was so sad. His eyes were bloodshot by the time the lady was done and he just sobbed afterwards. Mostly the blood was taken to re-test things he has already been tested for, but I know some of it will go to have a malaria work up done since his medicals say he had it. He was a trooper though and he charmed everyone! Asher's sleeping has greatly improved also. He has only gotten up once the last three nights.

Probably one of the most fun aspects of this whole experience is the five other kids' reactions to him. We haven't gotten one negative response yet. The 3 (not so) little ones will lay on the floor with him and play/talk to him. They are always asking to help feed/change him. They are almost overwhelming to the poor boy at times. It is just really cool to see the process of accepting a new one into the fold. It is happening fast!

I have a ton of pictures to upload, but I am still sorting through luggage and the cord I need is somewhere in the all the junk.

Well, happily it is back to life for me. I have diapers to finish making, two suitcases of laundry left to wash and a house to get back in to order. Life is good.

Julie

Ethiopian Airline Crash

Oh man, I am so sad for the families that are morning the loss of loved ones in the Ethiopian Airline crash. I guess it crashed almost immediately after take off out of Beirut airport. It is looking like around 90 people lost their lives. We were flying Ethiopian Air just a little over a week ago on a plane probably very similar. God protected Leah, Asher and I. I will never take that for granted! Here's a link to the crash info.......

http://en.afrik.com/article16836.html

Settling In

Things are really going well. I am still just so very happy to be back with my family. I need them so much and when they are gone, I really struggle. Asher is really an exceptional little guy. Sleep-wise, he is still off. Night time is a little tough, but I think that will be pretty easy to straighten out when we get home (we are still in Florida). Besides sleep, he is so much fun. His smile just draws me in. He is quick to smile and laugh. He also growls. It is funny to hear him do that. He loves to lay on the floor and kick his legs. He is just so busy, all the time. He can roll both ways and he crawls/scoots backwards while on the floor.

Health wise he seems good. He has an ear infection and we are treating that with antibiotics. The meds gives him the major runs, which is gross. We are washing lots of hands and clothes. He also spits up a LOT. I switched him to soy milk and I thought that was helping, but now I am not so sure. I also think he maybe has some excema. I guess it could be just baby acne, but it seems like more than that to me. These are minor things though. Overall he just seems very healthy. We are very thankful for that!

Julie

We are in the US....Thank God.

We are in Florida and I have to say, PRAISE THE LORD. This post is going to be brief, but I included lots of pictures. From a safety/smooth process perspective, things went amazingly. Truly we were/are blessed. Also, Asher is AMAZING. Seriously, he is happy, pretty easy to please and as sweet as can be. He is so easy to love and we are definetly in love. I cannot wait for everyone to meet him and see how special he is! From an emotional perspective though, this trip was agonizing. I will spare you the details, but I am just so happy to be safely reunited with my family.

Leah and Asher (we are still calling Mussie some) after a couple days. Leah was so amazing on this trip. She was so mature and handled herself impressively. I was very proud of her!



A very tired Julie and Asher on the Guest House lawn.



We were very happy to reach the US. This is at the Washington-Dullas airport.



Leah can always get hime to smile (or at least half smile).



Sleeping on my chest the first hour we got him.

Chill-laxing at the guest house. He loves to be on his belly.

With one of his nannies at the foster house.

Just me loving on him at our first meeting.

This is the first time I held him (he had just woke up).

At the airport before we left.

Signing off.......

We leave tomorrow. More than anything I am excited. I am going to desperately miss my babies though. I think I have been so busy that I haven't thought too much about how hard this is going to be for me. I have thought plenty about the kids and how they will deal with things, but it didn't hit me until a couple days ago that it is going to be very hard to not see them for 6 days. It does help that I have Leah with me, but I don't miss the others any less.

We might have a chance at changing our flight home and get home a little earlier (or at least to Florida with our family). Could you all pray that works out? The sooner we are reunited the better.

I am hoping to be able to blog a time or two while we are in Africa. If not I will post a little when we get back to Florida.

Please continue to cover us in prayer.....

Thank you!

Julie

Some Pictures Before We Go.....

Most of these are from Christmas.

My niece Kayla and Madeline being Divas!

And this is what we have progressed to. The four older ones firmly planted in from of the awesome wii set up at mama and papa's.

How cute is this? Anna and Uncle Scott Chill'lax'in with their iphones.

Leah and drew Kayla's name in the present exchange, so we snapped this cute picture. Look how stink'in old Leah looks. I know I say that EVERY time, but good grief. I think I am going to break out into "Sunrise, Sunset......"

Everyone Christmas morning at the Cole house.

He the kids are helping me with Asher's stocking. Check out Anna. She is looking in that stocking like "surely there must be more."

I think Ryan got a little board while opening the million and one presents at my Aunt and Uncle's house. There are a bunch of these extreme close ups of Madeline. I like this one because it screams "ornery and and spunky."

*Sigh* such a boy.

Gee and his dino. Gee has this funny little thing with dinosaurs. Sometimes he just loves them and sometimes he just loves to hate them. This a a sweet plush ride on dino that my sister bought him and as cute as it is, it initially freaked him out. So, here's a pic of Gee making nice with the dinosaur.

Yes, present unwrapping always gets a little long, but look at how creative it forces our children to be. This is Logan and my nephew Bryce behind a barricade shooting the enemy (which I think happened to be me at the time).

Me and my sweet Grandma with the blanket I made her. Grandma is extremely concerned about Leah and I traveling alone "all the way to Africa." Bless her heart. I love her tons and I assured her we would be fine!

That's all for now!

Julie

The Peace of God.

So I feel like I have been seriously dragging today. I have a lot of running to do and I think those six vaccinations yesterday are taking their toll a little bit (I have been feeling pretty rough). Leah had to be ran to Cincy to get a vaccination we felt she really needed (thank you my sweet father in law), there's just a lot on our plate. To be honest, I have been pretty grumpy, which is really a stark contrast to the excitement I feel. Plus, now that we are so close to leaving we have had a number of loved ones express concern for our safety. Now, I have a whole list of reasons I feel safe and when push comes to shove I am not worried about our decision to travel just Leah and I. However, doubt starts to creep in sometimes......

Anyways, Logan had piano lessons today. Leah and Logan's piano teacher is a super nice lady. Generally she runs a pretty tight ship (just the way I like it). So after the lesson today, she asks "can I ask you a question?" I know it was something personal, which we don't normally talk about. I told her of course. She asked if she could pray for Leah and I. I more than welcomed the idea and I was touched she even thought of us. I figured she would pray for our safety and such, but it was so much more. God spoke to us. She told me that she felt God was telling her to tell us that God was pleased with Ryan and I. She said she felt God wanted us to know that He was going to go to Ethiopia before Leah and I and prepare the way. He was going to keep us safe and protect us. I was bawling. How could she know I was stressing over such things? She didn't know, God did. She was very clear and told me more than once what she felt God wanted to say to us. She prayed a beautiful prayer for us. I thanked her and she reminded me that is was all God.

There are few times in my life that I have felt touched by God like today. It was so humbling that God took the time (through our piano teacher no less) to comfort me in a time I really needed it. I believe what God says. I believe He is paving the way for Leah and I. I can honestly say I immediately felt a peace that I had not felt for a little while. Physically I felt better also and I have felt pretty normal since that time.

I just praise God that he loves me that much.......

Julie

6 Days, some sickies and a very sad family happening...

On New Year's Eve day, we had to put our sweet golden retriever down. It was awful. She was only 4 1/2 years old. She had developed an autoimmune disease and it was killing her. We all were able to say goodbye to her, which was good. Flirt really was a sweet girl and we loved her more than any other animal we've ever had. She was definitely part of this family in her own way and I hate it that she is gone.....

It seems that since loosing Flirt wee have been dealing with various levels of sickness. I feel like I am really out of touch with my packing and preparing for our trip. I need to get back in my groove because I still have lots to do. Today I am making diapers (still). I really want to get them done but I still have tons left. So, we will see how that goes.....

If you all could pray for us that would be cool. There's nothing too major going on I just really want everyone to be healthy a ready for a whirlwind 2 weeks. Thanks.

Julie