my boys will love this

recently another adoptive mom posted this wonderful article and video about the growing popularity of skateboarding in Ethiopia.  i loved it, and i know all three of my boys will love it too.  it will be on repeat for the littlest ones, for sure.  any chance to see this amazing country and its beautiful people is fun for me as well!  i love that this sport is accessible and inspiring youth there in a positive way....so cool! 

while watching the link above, i came across this link which is sort of the back story, told by the young man mentioned in the article. it is kind of his message to the world.  it "gets me", like really deeply, when i consider AJ's life both then and now, his heritage, his country, his story...so layered.  i see his face in the faces of those children.  anyway, if it interests you~ check it out!

supper, soup and strangeness

bizarre occurrences do happen from time to time at our dinner table.  on this particular evening a few weeks back, we were having canned soup on a busy afternoon with after-school activities and evening wrestling practice leaving a very small window of time for supper.  so, i went to the trusty cans of Campbell's soup (which i had in my basement grocery store) with a tossed salad, figuring it would work in a time crunch when Jeff was busy with a dinner meeting and i was the only driver going to and from point A to B...

usually we do okay with this option, even though we all know canned soup isn't nearly the same as homemade soup.  it lacks the fresh, flavourful taste they've come to love in my cooking....hahaha :)  on this particular day the thick creamy texture of the flavour choice i thought looked great in the picture~ well, it was a bit much for poor little AJ.  all the kids (including myself) were struggling a bit.  i was pushing them along to eat up and "git 'er done" with promises that i would not choose this kind again.  as AJ neared the end of his tiny little bowl, he gagged and proceeded to throw the entire contents of his stomach right back into his soup bowl.  his aim was impressive.  he looked stunned, we all had a moment of shock at how fast this had happened, and his eyes got large and he seemed to have this moment of panic when he finally uttered the words, "am i going to have to eat that???"  i think it was Adam (mini Jeff) that confirmed in all seriousness that he would have to start again and eat it all over.  the rest of the table erupted in hysterical laughter.  i was laughing too as i reassured him that he was off the hook for the soup and that once was more than enough....well, directly across from AJ sits Layla, aka supper giggler.  her laughter was escalating, and it is worth noting that this is never recommended when you've just put a large bite of tossed salad in your mouth.  less than two minutes after AJ's "episode", Layla started to choke on her salad.  the laughter continued with the children, but i was quickly assessing that she was in fact showing all the signs of a compromised airway (i'm rusty, but not completely useless :)).  i went over to her, reassured her that i was there to help, told the laughing children to contain themselves as their sister was visibly in distress.  she was red-faced and coughing now, and lo-and-behold, she finally was able to free her obstruction by throwing up her stomach contents too!  lovely!  the salad now resembled more of a salsa, or chutney~ and only when it hit her plate was she able to feel relief and resume her giggling.  well, let me tell you, the remainder of supper was a complete write-off.  it was crazy funny though, and an evening that for some weird reason i want to remember and look back on.  so, this is why you are privy to such appetizing details too!  you're welcome! back to more appropriate and less nauseating topics next week. 

which one doesn't belong?

i mentioned a funny Florida experience i wanted to share this week.  it's super light and pointless in light of last week's post, but memorable and fun nonetheless...we were in Florida, nearing the end of our week.  and wouldn't you know it, out of nowhere there appeared one day a shiny, pretty, deep red, and very expensive looking McLaren.  and didn't it park right next door to our rental condo!! 

for those of you who might be like me, the name "McLaren" meant absolutely nothing.  nada.  zippo....i'm not up on sports cars.  not a bit.  to be honest, they feel super indulgent to me, and like a giant waste of money.  just being real.  i'm sure i'd enjoy a fast ride in one, but after that, just give me back my ten year old Honda minivan and i'm good.  (FULL DISCLOSURE~ i'm not always as content with everything else in my life, however, just before you go concluding that i'm some sort of saint.  not even close.)  anyway, Adam, on the other hand, is a big fan of cars and especially those expensive and unique and very fast types.  he knows features, prices, model types, specs, etc....not sure how he retains such knowledge, but he does.  so imagine his excitement, along with the other three boys (Jeff too!), when our condo neighbours pulled up in this spectacular red McLaren.

which we later learned was parked behind the Porsche that they had in the garage.  well, we quickly determined these wealthy neighbours had some rich friends because Adam nearly lost his mind when this Lamborghini pulled up to visit....

i admit, this even impressed me a bit.  it was matte black, and crazy cool to see in motion.  low to the ground.  stealth-like.  like something from a movie.  so as you can imagine, by now the boys were fully enraptured with what was unfolding before their eyes...as you can also imagine, watching them so close to all this "money" was a bit unnerving for me.  i was weary from saying "just look, don't go close....stay back...etc..."  i eventually went in to get ready to head out for dinner.  a few minutes later Jeff came in and told me to step out on the balcony and check out the boys....this is what i saw!

what?!?!?!  now all three were seated in the McLaren, and their excitement was super cute.  i was about to have a heart attack, but apparently the car owners were enjoying showing off their prized cars and seemed unfazed by the occupants and their unwashed hands and impulsive tendencies.  fun moment for Adam especially...

Jeff snapped the picture below on his cell phone.  it's like one of those puzzles in kid's magazines where you have to find the items that don't belong or look out of place in the picture.  

how funny is that??!  this picture makes me laugh...even still, we concluded we are the truly rich ones.  we drive a well used eight seater van filled with kids~ that's so rich!!!

yonas

this week i was planning on posting a funny little occurrence i wanted to tag onto the Florida posts....more to follow on that next week. 

 

today, instead, the greater news worth mention is the super exciting way we received an update on our sponsored child, Yonas, just last week.  you all remember Yonas, right?  i've mentioned him lots since 2010, and specifically here and here.  as a result of those posts, other families heard about Yonas and wanted to help his situation too.  that means seven families now contribute to his sponsorship and hold him up in prayer and love him from far...cool!!

 

anyway, so, here's how it went....

friends of ours just spent the past month in Soddo, Ethiopia, as part of a journey their family is taking across the world.  they were there working at a hospital using their physician skills and giant hearts to encourage the staff and impact the patients they cared for, not to mention the huge impact this must be having on their four sweet kids who are soaking up this experience as well.  i was so stunned to learn that they would be going there, to that city, as it happens to be exactly where AJ is from.  crazy...in conversation about Ethiopia, i mentioned how i'd just received word on our sponsored child, Yonas, who had recently been sick and required medical care.  Yonas is HIV+ and has been taking ARV medication since his diagnosis, however the recent mention of illness had us concerned and it was on my heart and mind.  after some time passed i heard from Rose by Facebook.  she mentioned that she'd been speaking with a friend from Addis who suggested they try to find out more info on Yonas and see if there was some way to connect with him to receive firsthand news on his condition.  this blew me away.  Rose and her family were now about about six hours away from Addis in Soddo, plus she was busy in her role at the hospital, not to mention the parenting of her four kids, but that did not deter her.  she set to work with the little information i had given her and basically, over the course of several weeks she tracked down the gentleman who facilitates our sponsorship of Yonas.  this was not easy.  she had to dig and turn many stones all before finally reaching this contact.  they connected by text and agreed to attempt to connect on the last few days when they returned to Addis, prior to leaving Ethiopia for the next destination on their journey.  well, down to the final day and final hours of daylight left in Addis, we had not heard any positive news and it looked as though the connection might not happen after all.  that morning as our family prayed before breakfast, i specifically asked God for a last minute miracle to allow us to communicate our love and care to Yonas.  i knew it was already afternoon in Addis, and the hours were passing quickly.  i also knew how much difficulty i had making timely connections with contacts in Ethiopia.  it didn't look very positive...so, my kids hopped on the bus for school and less than thirty minutes later i received a Facebook message from Rose. she said they were on their way to meet the contact person after all.  i could not believe the news.  then, minutes later my phone rang, and it was Rose on the other end, loud and clear, apparently in a vehicle with all of her family, on their way right then to meet Yonas at a hospital some thirty minutes away.  in a van, all six of them, on their way to meet our dearly loved sponsored child, at some vaguely known location...all because they cared!  like i said, they have giant hearts~ compassionate and giving hearts filled with the love of Christ for a child they'd never met. wow.  so, the tears came then.  i stood in awe.  first~ of a God who truly 100% has a heart that bends to the orphan.  a God who knows each one by name, a God who had not forgotten sweet Yonas in his plight, and was allowing us to step in and demonstrate care and love to him in that very moment.  God heard my prayers that morning and undoubtedly was orchestrating the course of events on that final day of possibility.  He is above all things, and i always take comfort in knowing that.  He used R&R and their family in their willingness to love sacrificially and also displayed His great care about the details of our lives in the entire process...so moving...

Rose called shortly after to tell me they had just met with Yonas. 

here is her Facebook picture from later that day...my heart...

 

 

they had pictures, video, and some news on how he was, even though some of the information seemed to be inconsistent and slightly confusing.  undoubtedly "stuff" always gets lost in translation, but overall they seemed thrilled to report Yonas appeared healthy and well and very typical of a robust 15 year old boy.  we aren't sure he knew how much he is loved by families here in Canada~ i hope now he knows more than ever. 

 

 he was there at this medical facility receiving necessary dental care, and seemed to suggest he was doing okay and taking his medications regularly.  they gave him a few special treasures, communicated our love for him as best as they were able, and prayed with him before leaving.  i can only imagine what he was thinking...

 

 

he really didn't know how to speak English, they said, and so i'm hoping it was clear to him through translation that he had been pursued, was deeply loved and being prayed for by many back in Canada...i hope he laid his head that night and felt the love of his Heavenly Father in a more real way than ever before.  i continue to pray his future feels hopeful to him, and that we will continue to see evidence of our support in tangible ways.  that he grows and thrives and becomes the young man God intends.  i hope and pray this with all my heart.  Rob and Rose~ we are forever grateful for this extra large effort you made on our behalf, for Yonas....bless you!!  Jeff and I had a conversation later that night about our many amazing friends.  such beautiful examples of lives lived well and for the service of God.  amazing....thanks so much! 

 

one of the sponsor families summarized our thoughts in a prayer a while back..."We ask You to continue to shelter and provide for Yonas, confident in Your vast and effectual love for him. Your love for the fatherless reassures us, may it be as a warm quilt, tucked close around him. Show us if there are other ways Yonas may be cared for, we pray, amen."

 

spring break (part two of two)

hold it, we went to Florida?!?!  when was that??  haha...funny how quickly it can feel like a distant memory.  whoa...lots going on in the last few weeks since pulling into our driveway after the glorious vacation in the sunny south.  still, glad i was refreshed for the busy month upon us.  from appts. to wrestling tournaments, to special occasions to basketball games to daily life filled with all the usual blips along the way~ biiii-zzzzeeeee.  so i will retreat into the memories of the blissful week for a few short moments before i resume regular life on this regular day (a snow day, i might add....on March 31st, no less! thankfully, by dinner we'd already seen much melting and warm sunshine.  yep, only here can you have a snow day on a Tuesday and forecasted t-shirt weather on Thursday!  at least it isn't predictable and boring! :))

so, here goes....more pictures, for my memory's sake!

with most of the pictures you'll notice a recurring theme...or subject, i should say :)...that's because i got the pictures from her phone.  i love her take on the week.  a different and fun angle that is soooo her....

the siblings...Adam was on vacation with us, really he was~ he's just not as big a fan of photo ops with his sisters...

always a highlight seeing Jeff's parents while we are there too...here the girls are sitting on the golf cart that they took for a spin.  we had a fun stroll gator hunting too~ and we saw a couple! (so neat...especially because they didn't lunge at us! :)) nice to catch up by the pool with them after a few months of being away, share dinner together, and even go prom dress shopping one morning!  no dress, but still a fun time....

 

 

 not the finest family picture below, but it is what it is!  

oh, the sunsets........take me back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

so, that's basically a wrap.  Florida 2015.  so thankful it happened!