As usual, we hit the ground running.  The day after we got back I did ALL the laundry that had accumulated while we were away.  The next day I put away all of the Christmas decorations, and Brad and I cleaned out and organized the garage.  Then I bought a steam mop (at Aldi, of all places!) because several people I know had raved about using them on their hardwood floors.  Let me say that for about 1 1/2 days our floors downstairs were SO clean you could have eaten off of them!  I mean, I moved couches and dining room furniture.  I dusted lamp shades and cleaned baseboards.  It was great!  It won’t stay that way long, but things were in need of a deeper cleaning than they had received in a while.

And now I’m getting around to actually compiling my goals for 2011.  I’m listing them out in plain sight in the office so I will be reminded of them throughout the year.  Here are some things I want to do in 2011:

1) Teach the boys one Bible verse a week. I’m choosing verses that speak to things we need to work on in our home.  The verse will go into a frame on Saturday night where it will be displayed on the kitchen table for the week.  The goal is to not only learn the verse – but to also practice applying it throughout the week.  I want to help my boys “hide God’s word in their hearts” (Psalm 119:11), and I truly believe it’s one of the greatest gifts I can give them (even if they don’t see it yet).  The verse for this week is:

2) Read more. I’d like to read 12 books this year, and I got a Kindle for Christmas – which makes it really fun!  I’m currently reading There is No Me Without You by Melissa Fay Greene.  I’m a little over half way into it, and it’s a great book – one that I would highly recommend, especially for people adopting from Ethiopia.  Having spent about two weeks there this summer makes many of the stories really come alive as I’m reading.  It’s also opened my eyes to the AIDS pandemic in Africa and many of the realities surrounding HIV/AIDS.  The next book on my list is Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman.  I’m also on GoodReads now, so come find me if you are, too.

3) Five People Twelve Times. This is inspired by the amazing Tara Whitney.  I’ve loved her photography for years now, and I love her idea to photograph her family once a month.  Here’s how she explains it:

Okay so here’s the deal. I love seeing photos of all six of us together, but for obvious reasons that rarely happens.

Was talking to a friend about this problem, and I thought of a great idea. IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF.

Once a month I’m going to organize a family portrait. Hand held, self timer, or grab someone else to take it.

Whatever. JUST DO IT. Just to have it.

Because I can, and I should!

I don’t think once a month is too overwhelming. Not even for this procrastinator. I am pretty sure I can do this. I am going to let the kids get in on it too, and maybe have them plan a shot or two if they want.

When I share the photo(s) of the month, I am also going to jot down some things that are going on with our family at that time. And then at the end of the year, put it together in a book.

4) Spend less time online. Ugh!  This one’s going to be hard because I’m slightly addicted.  BUT, instead of trying to keep up with what’s going on with everyone on Facebook and in my Google Reader, I’m going to try to really cut back on the time I spend online so I can be more present with my family and friends . . . like in real life . . . not in cyberspace.  So, if I don’t comment on your blog or status update, please don’t be offended.  I still like you, but I like my family more, and I really don’t have to know what you had for lunch . . . ha! ha!  I WILL, however, continue blogging as much as possible.  It’s a fun outlet for me and something I really enjoy.

5) Save money for missions/a future trip to Ethiopia. We are incredibly blessed financially – maybe not so much by American standards, but compared to much of the world we have SO much.  I’m planning to cut back on purchasing unnecessary things so our family can be a blessing to others.  This one will be tough, too, because it means that I am only allowing myself ONE visit to my beloved Starbucks a week.  So if you see me in there a lot, you have my permission to scold me and make me feel very guilty!  I’ve been convicted that I spend too much money on little pleasures that I don’t need, and there are MUCH greater things that can be done with that money.  This doesn’t mean that I’ll live a dull life and never have fun and enjoy things.  I think that I’ll probably even enjoy them more when I don’t allow myself to indulge in them so often.  I simply want to say “no” to some things so I can say “yes” to others.  I’d love to travel to Ethiopia again – specifically to the Tigray region where Yohannes was born.  I’d also like to partner with our adoption agency in a couple of family preservation projects they have there.  More than anything, I want to set money aside so that when God presents a need to our family, we have something to contribute.  I’m no longer satisfied with trying to justify unnecessary spending when people are dying around the world because they don’t have enough food to eat or clean water to drink.  We can’t save the world, but we can be better stewards of what God’s entrusted us with.  [Okay, I'll get down off my soapbox now . . . but really I'm preaching to myself.]

What about you?  Do you do New Year’s Resolutions or set goals for the new year?  If so, I’d love to hear about them!  Also, Brad blogged about “One Word Resolutions” yesterday, and I think it’s a great idea!

                          

To be honest, Christmas feels a little different for me this year.  I’m completely over the whole commercialization of the season.  Don’t get me wrong.  I like to decorate, I enjoy riding around with the kids looking at all the lights, spending time with family is great, etc.  I just think (like many things in our culture) that it’s so excessive.  There are people all over the world literally dying every single day, and we’re busy decorating multiple Christmas trees in our warm, cozy houses and running from party to party and store to store to find the “perfect” gift.  It’s estimated that America spends $450 billion every Christmas.  That is some serious money.  Instead of over-indulging or purchasing obligatory gifts, think about how many lives could be changed with that money.  Since Christmas is the time of year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, shouldn’t we ask ourselves how He would want us to celebrate?  Several months ago, I ran across the Advent Conspiracy website, and I LOVE the ideas promoted there.  If you haven’t seen this video, check it out:

We’re still buying gifts for our kids and other family members this year, but we’re scaling way back.  We’re also trying to purchase more fair trade gifts & gifts with a purpose.  For example . . . to be able to give a great gift AND help a woman in Ethiopia leave a life of prostitution because she has a real, sustainable, dignified job is AMAZING, and those are the kinds of gifts we want to give this year.  Seeing poverty first-hand in Ethiopia and Haiti this year has changed our perspective a bit lot, and we’re not willing to ignore the reality that exists all over the world anymore.  What about you?  Are you doing anything different this Christmas season?  Do you know of good fair trade companies we can help support?  Tomorrow I’ll be posting about some that I’ve come across recently, so stay tuned!

                          

Our kids don’t typically rock out to Beastie Boys and Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer.  We were just having fun listening to clips of old songs on iTunes – and apparently they like going old skool, too!

                          

I’ve already had a couple of people ask about the second (last) song on the video.  It was written (and sung) by our dear friend, Josh Bronleewe.  He’s also the worship leader at our church.  Josh is extremely gifted in the areas of singing and songwriting, and we’re so thankful for him.  If you like the song, you can purchase it on iTunes.  It’s called “Gave Me a Home.”

In some ways it seems like we’ve been home longer than a month – and then in other ways I can’t believe it’s been a month already.  We began the adoption process in late January, and less than nine months later he was home – quite a whirlwind!  He’s doing really well and seems to be very happy here.  He’s learning a lot of English and loves his big brothers.  He sleeps well and eats well and gives the best hugs and kisses!  We are truly blessed that he’s part of our family!

I hope you all have a great weekend & be sure to watch the video if you haven’t already!

                          

We’ve also been singing this one.  I really like it, too.  This version isn’t the best quality, so . . .

. . . you can watch this one if you want to see the words.  Some of the images just seemed kind of weird to me – especially the close-up of the eagle.  Maybe it’s just me – but it kinda freaked me out a little bit???

Anyway, they’re great songs, and singing them with my church family refuels my soul.  I’ve started slipping into the back of the room during the first service with Yohannes.  We just stay for the music and then jet out (since he turns into a chatterbox as soon as the message begins), but it’s so good for me.  He seems to enjoy it, too, and apparently he’s been listening to me sing in his ear (bless his heart!) because he’s picking up on the songs.  We sang “My heart will sing no other name, Jesus, Jesus” and he broke out in “Jesus Loves Me!”

                          

“SG” arrived in Nashville exactly two weeks before we did, and we’re thrilled that he and his family only live about 10 minutes from us!  These boys have the opportunity to continue their friendship here!  Here’s a picture from Monday . . .

They had a good time playing with all the “makinas” (cars), and we’ve already planned to get together again next week!  Yohannes cried and was SO sad when “SG” and his mom left.  I tried to explain that we would see them again soon, and I think he finally understood.

Here are a few pictures of my littlest man and me.  We snapped these while waiting outside for our play date friends . . .

And because several of you have asked for more videos, here’s one from a couple of weeks ago.  You’ll see how far he’d gotten with the alphabet song, and now he can sing the whole thing!

And here’s one last video for now of him showing off his mad one-leg jumping skills . . .

Pretty impressive, huh?!  I hope you all have a good weekend.  This week has been LONG and CHALLENGING, and I’m ready for a few days of NO 4th GRADE HOMEWORK and no packing school lunches!!  I’m also excited about the cooler weather . . . breakin’ out the Fall wreath and pumpkins tomorrow.  Whoo hoo!

                          

It was Labor Day back in the U.S., but in Ethiopia we were celebrating the day for a different reason.  We were going to Hannah’s Hope to get Yohannes, and we woke up so excited!  We got ready, went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast, and then Wass picked us & the Roche family up at 10:30 to head out.  I told Brad to get the video camera ready in case Yohannes was outside when we got there, and I’m so glad he did because this is how he reacted to seeing us again! . . .

WOW!  We were relieved and happy that he was so glad to see us.  We played outside with him for about 30 minutes, and then we all went into Almaz’s office to go over information regarding our Embassy appointment.  Yohannes sat in Brad’s lap the entire time and wasn’t about to get down and go play without us.  When it was time to go, he hopped into the van and didn’t seem sad at all about leaving.  On the ride from Hannah’s Hope to the hotel, he sat and stared out the window the whole time, taking everything in.  As you can see, the road going to and from there is very bumpy! . . .

It was surreal walking into the entrance of the Riviera with Yohannes.  Since it was our second time to be guests there, we had gotten to know some of the staff, and they seemed genuinely happy for us.  We decided to go to the room for a little bit and show him around, and then we would meet the Roche family for lunch.  We had set out some toys in the sitting area of our suite, hoping he would be excited and feel comfortable when he saw them.  He immediately began to play and seemed content and happy to be with us.  We ate lunch, and he acted weird and wouldn’t touch anything we offered him.  We enjoyed our time with the Roche family, though, and headed back to the room for a bath – which he LOVED!

We hung out in the room and played futbol in the courtyard the rest of the afternoon.  Then we ate dinner with the Roche family.  It was nice to be able to hang out with them in the restaurant because it takes a while to get your food after you place the order, and the kiddos could help keep each other entertained.

After dinner, we headed back to the room and started getting Yohannes ready for bed.  He started crying as soon as we got out his pajamas, and he cried and fought us for about 30 minutes until he fell asleep in my arms.  I just sat on the edge of his bed (which was right beside ours) and rocked him and sang “Jesus Loves Me,” “You are My Sunshine,” and “Jesus Loves the Little Children” over and over and over again.  It was really hard, and I must admit that I shed a few tears, too.  We had been told that night time might be hard because it’s the only time the kids lose complete control, and they often wonder if you’ll really still be there when they awake.  We made it, though, and Brad and I sat in the other room and talked about what a good day it had been after we laid him down.

We wondered what he would think when he woke up the next day and how he would do at our Embassy appointment.  Needless to say, we didn’t sleep great that night because we were constantly checking on him and hearing him squirm and make noises in his sleep.  It was great to finally be with him, though, and we went to bed content and with hearts full of joy and thankfulness!