The Ethiopian Daughter of our hearts

Please Visit Our New Blog

2011-01-10T11:24:00.001-05:00

Hello there:Thanks for stopping by. I have overhauled and simplified my blog and hope you will now join me at www.beginwithone.com I have big news to share so please take a peak. Enjoy your day and do not forget to subsrcibe and bookmark my new site. Peace and Love,Melanie

What will 2011 bring?

2010-12-30T23:03:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow night we will ring in the New Year first with our children and then with friends at an UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER PARTY. Yep, that's the theme and the gaudy sweaters are so hot this year that they are being sold for big bucks on Ebay. So do not deliver them to Goodwill just yet... You never know if you may need one for a party next year and heck why not go the Ebay route if it is truly a one

Holy Night...

2010-12-25T17:21:00.002-05:00

Born and lying in a manager wrapped in nothing more than rags...HE came to live here on earth so that we might learn the deepest lessons of peace, grace, trust and love. It was an honor to be the holy family in the pagent this year at our church and I cannot express just how special it was to see this dear baby, our new daughter, who at one time was cold and lonely and without a home, embraced

Merry Merry Christmas Cheer...

2010-12-24T10:46:00.000-05:00

We are a wild and crazy bunch around here and I am amazed at the end of each day what it takes to make it all happen as a family of six. Our boys are in 5th, 3rd and 1st grade and I can honestly say the break from the school routine has been so needed. I love letting the boys wake up on their own, play cards before breakfast, head out in their snow gear while still wearing PJs. It is great fun to

A gift that will SHINE!

2010-12-21T01:05:00.003-05:00

What a week it has been and now we roll into an even bigger week of celebration and Christmas cheer. With only four days until Christmas I have to chuckle that my cards have been in transit for five days now. I hit the wrong shipping option and here I sit with envelopes all addressed and no cards yet. This year our priorities have changed a bit :) Last week was full of hoopla and excitement as

Why not give shoes?

2010-12-10T18:05:00.003-05:00

Ever since discovering last summer that our family would be a part of the first group with our agency to have to travel twice to Ethiopia, first to meet our daughter and then again to bring her home, I just knew that there was a bigger plan in order. I took the news and the expense it would take to make two trips, and made it my mission to get many needed supplies into Ethiopia. SHOES were the

A must see...

2010-12-10T12:54:00.000-05:00

International Adoption Crisis from Both Ends Burning on Vimeo.

God's Plan...

2010-12-09T23:55:00.000-05:00

Next week is my birthday and I feel a bit of hesitation now that I am in my forties as the day draws closer, yet I am can honestly say I am right where I feel I am supposed to be. That feeling doesn't come along every day so I am grateful for the days I feel headed in the right direction and living out the call that has been placed on my heart to serve. The calling is just there. It is even heavy

I have an idea...

2010-12-05T23:45:00.000-05:00

Keep in mind it is just an idea, but I keep asking myself what if, so I had to share with all of you. Over the past few years in addition to being home with kids, I have been using my time to research and connect with various charitable organizations both locally, nationally and internationally. Stepping out into the adoption arena helped us to see things we never imagined we would see in terms

A grateful heart...

2010-11-27T09:44:00.000-05:00

This week was big! So many blessings to count and so many blessings I want to remember each day. Some days I wish I could take more photos or actually take better photos to document the many doings in our lives, the forward motion of our children or the tough days when we wish we could wake up and begin again. We lead such full lives rich in opportunities and my heart is heavy with gratitude

Steering the boat...

2010-11-22T01:21:00.003-05:00

I will never forget walking off the plane and down the ramp to the many family and friends who were so eager to meet our daughter home from Ethiopia. My sister, Shannon, was by my side and Ava was tucked into the front carrier asleep and I was fighting to be able to walk I was so tired and so filled with raw emotion. I could not wait to bring this once orphaned child into the arms of her

This baby and all her funny faces...

2010-11-15T14:14:00.000-05:00

This week Ava is SOOOOOO BIG! Here is what she looks like when she makes her wild face and raises her arms above her head.The crazy face below had her brothers absolutely roaring with laughter last night at the dinner table. Ave girl you are the sweetest thing and during this season of gratitde I am so thankful for YOU! Look at her look up at her big brother Carter. There is so much love between

A Must See Video to Share...

2010-11-15T13:58:00.000-05:00

One of the greatest gifts in working through our wonderful adoption agency,All God's Children International, has been meeting families who are truly the salt of the earth. Most of the families who have gone before us in adoption or who are waiting to know who is intended for their families, have been so instrumental in helping us grow in our faith journey. We had the delight of traveling twice

A few firsts

2010-11-10T08:21:00.000-05:00

A new baby in the house is such fun. Owen is only six and yet I feel that I have fogotten much of the exhiliration of the many first. This past weekend in West Michigan we had our first snowfall. The big wet white falkes even stuck around for a few hours, causing all the kids to run around dreaming of sledding and snoball fights. Ava was out with Daddy on a walk when the snow began to fall and

The Orphan Crisis...

2010-11-08T16:53:00.000-05:00

I have found myself consumed last week with the crisis that is happening all around us. That crisis is the 143 million orphans in the world today. Let me repeat 143 million. My husband and I have seen first hand what that looks and feels like on the streets of Ethiopia and we are very aware of the thousands of children right here in the US who live in the foster care system. The orphan crisis

Orphan Sunday Video

2010-11-07T20:48:00.000-05:00

It's the Little Things

2010-10-29T12:12:00.000-04:00

This morning while our daughter drank her bottle I noticed her latest trick. She now holds her hands up and opens and shuts them while starring at the movement of her fingers. Yes I know, no big deal for most children and of course when we are busy busy busy sometimes we just want our little ones to drink their bottle so we can get them down for a nap. Ava had changed us. We look at her with eyes

Beautiful Bounty

2010-10-27T10:27:00.000-04:00

Days click by and I am so wishing there was a gadget to transfer my thoughts to paper without having to find the time to sit and type. Of course there will be soon as I can only imagine someone at Apple is working on that right now. :) You see when I sit in this space I have the best time to think... The rocking chair we used for all three boys is in this room and I love to turn on the fan

BE THE CHANGE and get your t-shirt(s) HERE!

2010-10-24T23:53:00.003-04:00

Speak Up for Those Who Cannot Speak for Themselves!All proceeds from the sale of our tshirts will benefit the love and care of orphans and widows.-Send a child to school-Send someone to love on orphans Be the Change ONE CHILD at a TIME! We have three junior sizes and small, medium, large and x-large for adults. Please note that the shirts are slightly fitted.Please feel free to email us at

Loving with Abandon

2010-10-20T00:35:00.000-04:00

Tonight I write to all of you reading who might be questioning adoption. I know you are wondering if it is for you or your family. Perhaps you are asking yourself if it is something you have the heart to endure or the patience to stomach. Maybe you are fearful of what lies ahead due to the many unknowns in the adoption journey. I write to you and wish I could jump through my computer screen and

The Ethiopian Daughter of our hearts: BE THE CHANGE and get your t-shirt(s) HERE!

2010-10-12T08:21:00.000-04:00

The Ethiopian Daughter of our hearts: BE THE CHANGE and get your t-shirt(s) HERE!

The Ethiopian Daughter of our hearts: A post from John Ortberg

2010-10-12T08:14:00.000-04:00

The Ethiopian Daughter of our hearts: A post from John Ortberg

A post from John Ortberg

2010-10-12T08:12:00.001-04:00

HOW DO I KNOW GOD’S WILL FOR MY LIFE? I was at commencement at a Christian college this weekend, and it reminded me of the question millions of young people are asking this time of year. We never grow out of that question: Who is operating out of a wisdom surplus? But the vast majority of people start at the wrong place. When I finished college, I desperately wanted to know what I should do

A glorious week

2010-10-11T15:30:00.000-04:00

Here is southern Michigan we are on week two of amazing sushine and leaves that look like they have been painted on the trees. It is as if a child were given many shades of gold, magenta, crimson and orange and told to finger paint until their heart's content. It is truly spectacular! During our winter months many of us crave the sunshine so we have all been taking it all ina nd enjoying every

My child of Korah

2010-10-08T23:34:00.000-04:00

This evening I finally had a chance to quickly go through the mail. Near the top of the pile sat a letter addressed to yours truly with the return address of Project 61, which some of you may know is the ministry that is working within the forgotten community of Korah in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. They are serving the children, who for many years have worked in the trash dump to find whatever they

Home One Month

2010-10-01T23:38:00.001-04:00

Here we are home one month and loving all the many changes we see in Miss Ava.She is a dream come true and so full of spirit, smiles and joy.She is a curious babe who loves to watch all the action of our house hold. She does not miss much and shakes with delight when her brothers return home from school.She has learned to shake her head no and loves to mimic my no no no.She would rather sit up

Journal entry while in Ethiopia- August 23rd!

2010-09-29T15:34:00.000-04:00

I am in Ethiopia and since this is my second trip in one month, I can tell you it feels a bit like coming home. There is something here that has stolen my heart. First and foremost it is the birthplace of a little princess who sleeps next to me so sweetly and peacefully. She was born in this beautiful land of great history, beauty and friendly smiling people. She was also born into

Celebrating with friends...

2010-09-25T14:24:00.000-04:00

I have this friend who always amazes me! She is absolutely over the top with creative and beutiful ideas and insight. She works so hard to make things special for others. It's downright impressive and sometimes a bit disturbing :) She is such a talent and has become so special in my life. Last night myself and Ava attended a little welcome home shower at her festive home. Ava was the star of

The daily grind...

2010-09-23T00:32:00.001-04:00

This morning worked out a very differently than I planned as of midnight last night when I finally turned out my light. We woke early to the news that due to a major thunderstorm that rumbled through last night, the 5th and 6th grade school would be closed. Secondly my eight year old was up and at em with the same symptoms he has had for a few days off and on related to a crazy stomach. Next it

Our cocoon...

2010-09-15T23:52:00.000-04:00

We are living in our cocoon these days. What is a cocoon? Well for a busy family with four kiddos our cocoon may look and feel different than it would if we had only one child but for all intents and purposes it is for us an awareness that Ava needs to be cared for, fed, held, comforted, changed and bathed primarily by us. I tell people that our cocoon is a way to make sure that Ava begins to

Learning, Love, Longing and reLocating

2010-09-13T10:38:00.000-04:00

What a week! I sit here tonight in awe of all the challenges and opportunities we faced this week.The boys all started school on Tuesday. It is the first time they are all in school all day. It was such a change to have them all three gone for the day. H-man is now at the 5/6 buiding so C and O take the bus in the mornings and the afternoons and they are A-OK without their fearless leader. The

One week Home

2010-09-08T06:45:00.000-04:00

We have been home one week, Miss Ava and myself, and things are going well. She is a gem and save for all her spitup issues that we are working to figure out or may simply have to wait for her to outgrow, she is a dream of a baby. She is our fourth child so perhaps we are just a bit more on track with how to meet her needs but we stand in awe as to how perfect she fits our family! Most of you

It begins with one...

2010-09-04T00:22:00.000-04:00

Being home has been better than we could have expected. With all the crazy days of three boys being home and adding a 4 month new baby to our mix I must admit I was a bit terrified as to how it was all going to go. What I have found in the few short days we have been home is that keeping it simple and staying true to the cocooning is making a big difference in all our lives. In fact I feel like

September 1st

2010-09-01T09:13:00.000-04:00

As I turn the page on August and look ahead into September I am reminded of what a whirlwind of a summer it has been. Wow! I recently had a friend email me with this comment, "So let me get this straight- you have had your sister's wedding, two kiddos birthday parties, a family funeral, the referral of your daughter, a trip to Ethiopia, an new office being built for Bob, several first time camp

Introducing...

2010-08-30T06:02:00.001-04:00

Ava Eleanor Argene StrobelShe is home and we are filled with great joy!There is so much to tell about our journey to Ava and all we have learned in following God and opening our hearts to hear HIS plan for our lives. We could never have imagined the love we would feel not only for Ava but for so many children who we left behind. This little one needed us yes, but we are already feeling that it

Home

2010-08-30T00:33:00.001-04:00

There are few words more precious than HOME. Today I am so aware of the many comforts we have and that all of the eagerness and emotion surrounding the arrival of our sweet daughter would not be possible without the following: FAITH: An open mind and heart and a willingness to surrender and allow God to steer the ship. Relinquishing control is not my strong suite and let's face it most of us

BE THE CHANGE and get your t-shirt(s) HERE!

2010-08-16T22:58:00.009-04:00

Such a celebration!

2010-08-12T22:30:00.007-04:00

Today I sit here as the luckiest girl in the world! Truly, I am richly blessed and supported in ways I can barely put into words. This week three friends who are also my dear neighbors, hosted a shower for me and for the little girl who will soon adorn our streets with her beautiful eyes and precious smile. My friends, Kim, Michelle and Carrie seriously went all out people and I do mean ALL OUT

For good

2010-08-04T00:34:00.001-04:00

Adoption is the land of disclaimers so let me begin by saying that all of this could change but guess what?We are Ethiopia bound again and this time it is to bring our daughter home for good. Her tiny feet and big eyes will soon be right here under the same roof. We will be a family of six and the Owen will officially be a big brother. It is all really happening and we could not be more thrilled

Ethiopia- a few photos...

2010-08-03T23:28:00.000-04:00

Here is the door we entered to meet our daughter for the very first time... On Sunday morning we saw this group of cattle right on the streets alongside traffic. Navigating the streets of Addis can be challenging but the scenery is always interesting! Here is the traditional coffee we enjoyed at the home of our new friend and taxi driver, Solomon. From incense to our chicco

Ethiopia- a journal entry from day four

2010-08-03T15:32:00.001-04:00

We are in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the largest city and the second most elevated capital city in all of Africa. It is a city and one that will remain etched in my heart forever. We have been to many cities in several countries but Addis is very different for us. You see there are no tourists that come here and we are the only white people around. I feel that most of us could stand to be thrust into

So much to share

2010-08-02T06:31:00.001-04:00

They say home is where the heart is and yes that is generally the case but today I am feeling like my heart still lies in Ethiopia. Our daughter is there and now that we finally know her I know both my husband and I would agree that we left a piece of our hearts with her at Hannah's Hope in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The whole idea of meeting her. beginning to bond with her, legally stating we want

Ready. Set. Go!

2010-07-23T09:13:00.000-04:00

After a night of thunderstorms and very little shut eye, we are are up and at 'em and ready to go! My Dad drove us to the airport and we unloaded our four totes on the curb. Such a funny sight to see. I know the security guard had to have been thinking "Yeah right lady, you think all of that is gonna make it on board?" I was praying all the way to the ticket counter for a kind agent. They tried

Our adoption- the village effect

2010-07-22T01:30:00.000-04:00

"Wow" is my favorite word lately! It seems that there are blessings and many things to be paying attention to everywhere I turn. I mean really people it is not mere coincidence that the guy working at the Apple Store that is assigned to answer my questions after a long wait has a close friend from Ethiopia and could help me prepare my packing list within minutes of meeting him. I am convinced

Would you like to bring a day of fun and fellowship to 160 Ethiopian Boys?

2010-07-18T21:44:00.000-04:00

We are headed to Ethiopia on a mission to meet our daughter for the first time. In addition to our time spent at her orphanage we are looking forward to reaching out to the teenage boys who are growing up inside the walls of the Kolfe Boys Home. We sponsor a child through Children's Hope Chest. We will be visiting him and we were told that for only 300 US dollars we can change the world for the

Helping the Least of These...

2010-07-18T10:19:00.002-04:00

A special word from Tom Davis- “Every single person can do one thing to help kids caught in trafficking. Making a commitment to pray is a huge thing because nobody prays for these girls. The key is to get educated then get involved. This is one of the darkest forms of evil in our world, but it’s where our light shines the brightest!” Not all of us are called or seek to adopt a child in distress

A whirlwind of activity...

2010-07-17T11:55:00.000-04:00

There is more to report than I could have ever predicted within the last two weeks. We are enjoying the summer around here but our days have been filled with Music Man rehearsals for my soon to be fifth grader, yu-gi-oh card duals among the cal-de-sac kids, trips to the pool, soccer camp, donation collections, further vaccinations and an office build for my husband that requires more time and

Global Orphan Project Launch Video

2010-07-08T07:26:00.000-04:00

Timing

2010-07-06T01:35:00.001-04:00

Well it has been said that timing is everything... What do you think? I think it is so true and often a bit alarming or shocking if we take the time to put all the pieces together and look at the grand scheme of life.I am focused these days on the following verse: "But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled.

The Ache

2010-07-02T09:13:00.001-04:00

There is an ache inside of my to get to Ethiopia to meet our daughter for the first time. This ache also translates into wanting to be here all summer just hanging out and watching my kids enjoy the long summer days. It seems I waffle between excitement, fear and pure joy several times a day. Someone please tell me that it is completely normal for a Mother of three who must leave all her comforts

Today's adventure

2010-06-27T23:00:00.001-04:00

Our youngest son has been asking for some time what his sister is going to wear and where she is going to sleep. This puzzles him. I understand why. We live in a total boy house! There are no girl things anywhere around here. We have nothing pink. We have nothing purple or sparkling. This weekend marked the beginning of taking care of the troubling question. The change is underway and there is

Headed to Africa!

2010-06-24T10:10:00.002-04:00

We have a date! We have our first court date in Ethiopia on July 28, 2010. This is BIG! Both Bob and I hope to arrive in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on or before July 25th so we can spend time with the little girl we have only known in our hearts. We will be able to spend time with her only at Hannah's Hope as she will not legally be our daughter. After we meet and spend time with Baby Strobel we will

Six weeks of waiting

2010-06-18T01:21:00.000-04:00

You are growing and we cannot be there to see you. You are changing, learning, developing and we are wishing we could somehow be with you to hold and nurture you. Around here we are talking about you every day and the boys always refer to you as "their baby." I love hearing them chat about you and tonight in bed Owen was speaking your Ethiopian name with the sweetest little voice. You are here

wondering when the phone will ring

2010-06-08T09:19:00.003-04:00

The house smells of bacon. There are crumpled papers everywhere that have come home in backpacks as my three have been cleaning out classrooms, desks and lockers yesterday. We have teacher's gifts ready to deliver and camp schedules are in place. Like it our not here comes summer break! This morning I find myself feeling relief that the school year is done after today. I feel great excitement

Awaiting Ava

2010-05-26T09:08:00.000-04:00

It has been twenty one days since we first opened your picture. In twenty one days I know you have changed so much. I wish I could be near you today if only for a moment to touch, hold and snuggle you. I wish I could whisper to you that we are so grateful for your little life and for for the ride of our lives in bringing you home to us. I wish I could touch your long fingers and kiss your tiny

We have been made ready

2010-05-20T00:37:00.001-04:00

We have beautiful news to share. News that makes our hearts soar and our minds wander as we dream of what lies ahead for our family. I'll get to the news but I must start by saying that I stand in awe of God's hands in our adoption story. It is to be honored and treasured that we were chosen to endure the challenge of a great loss to get to the other side of the river to find our precious

Trees

2010-05-11T15:09:00.001-04:00

This past weekend we attended such an outstanding event. We joined friends for an auction for Open Doors Orphanage, a new orphanage opening later this year in Guatemala. Please go to paradisebound.org to learn more about the mission of the Paradise Bound team. The ministry was started 13 years ago when a couple began serving the poor and sick people of Guatemala. Now their outreach in Guatemala

Spring

2010-04-29T22:50:00.000-04:00

Today's spring breeze makes me mindful of all that we should be thankful for. As we drive to and from our activities, practices and school, etc it is impossible not to notice the trees in full bloom. They are spectacular and I am always amazed how long we wait to see the flowering trees at their peak. We wait all year through many chilly days to see nature take over and the trees to do their

2010-04-24T19:38:00.001-04:00

Listening is never easy. Sometimes listening is not so much fun. Sometimes listening means we need to turn off our own agenda and hear something we may or may not want to hear. Such is the case with our last few weeks. It was only a few weeks ago that we as a family began to celebrate the news of a daughter and a sister who would soon be coming to our home. We were happy, eager, smitten and even

Big News... our referral story!

2010-04-12T22:44:00.003-04:00

Hello All:Welcome back from a lovely spring break week and we hope your family time and/or travels provided you with some well deserved R & R. We have BIG NEWS around here... and forgive us for using email but we thought it the best way to share the next step with all of you.First we have to share how grateful we are that God shows himself in the details.Now that we are back on US soil from a

Our Littlest

2010-03-24T22:41:00.001-04:00

So in a family of three boys being the littlest is not always easy. The new passion around here is basketball. It is basketball that I have never seen my boys play before. They are bigger, faster and much more intense and all the boys from our cal-de-sac are quick to join in. Baby "O" as we used to call him is now 5.5 but he is the youngest little dude on the court and it is not easy when the

Many new changes to our travel plans...

2010-03-21T08:02:00.000-04:00

A wonderful piece...love the final quote.

2010-03-21T07:49:00.000-04:00

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6355055

Another step closer...

2010-03-13T12:06:00.003-05:00

International Women's Day!

2010-03-10T10:13:00.001-05:00

http://standwithhaiti.org/haiti/news-entry/celebrating-international-womens-day/ Click above to see a beautiful photos from Partners in Health in celebration of women. The photos are stunning and of course I love the two sleeping babies on the backs of their hard working mamas and also the row of sweet babes all laying together. Women are amazing all over the world! We endure so much, give so

... a new development

2010-03-08T13:08:00.003-05:00

Last week we were told that all the hullabaloo surrounding the alleged recruitment of children from families into agencies hoping to place the children with waiting adoptive parents around the world have finally caused a new process to be issued from the US Dept. of State regarding Ethiopia adoption. This is nothing new in adoption. Many countries already have this process in place and frankly

Thank you!

2010-02-21T22:16:00.002-05:00

Moving on down the road toward our daughter

2010-02-06T00:05:00.001-05:00

With Valentines spread all over our basement we discussed our sweet baby and our our new number.Seemed quite appropriate to use sweet tarts to make our new number. The boys could not believe that I was leaving out the blue sweet tarts. Come on now I am all about the blue but just not tonight.Tonight was decorating for the holiday of LOVE! I love my family more than I ever could have imagined and

I can only imagine...

2010-02-04T08:43:00.000-05:00

My mornings have become sacred. The boys are off to school and I am left with the aftermath of breakfast dishes, half made beds and endless streams of laundry to fold. As I wander the house completing my morning tasks I am acutely aware of someone missing. She is missing. Now after 18 months of the adoption process it would seem that this waiting business would get easier. Not even close. She is

An AGCI Ethiopia Update

2010-01-25T21:06:00.000-05:00

So often we are asked about our adoption agency,allgodschildren.org and I find I cannot say enough good things about them. I also cannot say enough wonderful things about the families that are adopting through our agency. I thought I would share here a recent update about the thriving Ethiopia program. The number of families adopting is certainly growing and that is excellent news. It is great

Our Big Vaccination Day

2010-01-25T00:56:00.003-05:00

We made it through six injections each and lived to tell. Honestly people it was no that bad. Now we had heard horror stories about grown men crying with the yellow fever shot. Not the case for Bob and I am still on the fence about the yellow fever since it does have some side effects and I am the queen of getting anything a drug might potentially cause. Our nurse made the morning far less

Haunted by the Horrors in Haiti

2010-01-18T23:31:00.001-05:00

I am glued to these pictures and the constant updates on the CNN Anderson Cooper site. I do think he is asking the right questions about why it is so hard to get the aid where it needs to be. It appears that one main problem is that of available doctors and it is imperative that we continue to ask such questions. Where are the medical teams? There are no easy answers but it is tough to just turn

Advocate for Haiti's orphans

2010-01-15T20:39:00.004-05:00

CNN) -- Foreign governments should urgently accept Haitian orphans on humanitarian grounds following this week's devastating earthquake, an orphanage director in Haiti and adoptive parents said Friday. Emergency visas and passports could help push through adoptions that were stalled after the quake, and would open up beds for children who lost their parents in the disaster, said Dixie Bickel,

Fwd: Latest from Haiti

2010-01-15T20:16:00.000-05:00

Begin forwarded message:From: "Caryl Stern, UNICEF USA" Date: January 15, 2010 11:47:59 AM ESTTo: grstrobels@sbcglobal.netSubject: Latest from HaitiReply-To: "Caryl Stern, UNICEF USA" CHILD SURVIVAL ALERT!Please help – 100% of your gift will go directly to help children in Haiti.Dear Melanie,Words fail: up to two million children are at risk in Haiti

Our Village

2010-01-12T22:08:00.003-05:00

Throughout my life I've been given great courage. Courage to stand before others and ask for help. It is never all that easy as we think we can carry the load and solve what lies ahead all on our own. This courage has been God's nudge in teaching me that there is only good that comes from trusting in and relying on others. After all we all seek to be needed. So often I stand in awe of the many

Counting Down

2010-01-10T15:22:00.004-05:00

Back on September 15, 2009 we officially entered the girl's wait list with the number 44. That is where it all began. That number has been dropping rather quickly and we are happy to report that we are now number 17 on the girl's list. It took four months to get to number 17 so we are hopeful that we are approximately four months from our referral. That means we will get to see the sweet face of

a new year with a new challenge...

2010-01-10T14:57:00.003-05:00

We are ten days into the new year and this week has presented it's share of challenges. I had a minor ankle surgery on the 6th which did not exactly go as planned. I guess that comment is a bit humorous because things generally never go as planned when it comes to health stuff and me. UGH! So I had the surgery on Wednesday and I was told I would be in a walking boot and should be just fine to

December Moments

2009-12-22T17:18:00.002-05:00

When a group of 23 comes in from sledding and snowball throwing the aftermath is shocking!Christmas trees and cocoa-two of our favorite things!With three snowdays in a row we hauled out all the old candy we could find for our yearly graham cracker masterpieces. Our secret- hot glue :)My three amigos all dressed for Christmas photos but with snow and wind howling it was not meant to be. Brrrrr!

and so this is Christmas...

2009-12-20T15:22:00.004-05:00

Today during a Christmas pageant while watching all the sweet little angels sing, my close friend turned to me and said, "Mel you are going to have one of those." I nodded and smiled but could hardly catch my breath as I took in the power of her words. She is right I think. :) At some point we hope to add a little girl to our world of three boys all dressed as shepherds. Perhaps next year we will

Visiting the Temple

2009-12-12T08:36:00.005-05:00

Every now and then we have a moment or two when we are reminded to take a step back and remember why we are here. Last night I took my two oldest sons to a Hanukkah ceremony at the Jewish Temple here in town. The Rabbi had agreed to meet with our Cub Scout group to help the boys understand ways they could become closer to God. It was incredibly cool. The Rabbi was cool and he did such a nice job

And we just turn on the faucet...

2009-12-12T08:32:00.000-05:00

Here are the facts about the water crisis from water.org. Every day, thousands of people die from lack of access to clean water. The safe water issue is intimately linked to hygiene education and proper sanitation, which is why we take an integrated approach to bringing safe water to the world’s poor.Water3.575 million people die each year from water-related disease.43% of water-related deaths

Amazed!

2009-12-02T22:55:00.002-05:00

So there were two sweet little boys who recently arrived at Hannah's Hope in Ethiopia. They are orphaned due to a father who left the family and severe poverty. Now I have to say they are cute and I mean cute! As the mother of three rambunctious boys, I found myself saying to myself of course, what is two more? The sheer noise of five boys would probably send me right over the edge but I have to

Kneeling in Bethlehem

2009-12-02T22:53:00.000-05:00

IN SEARCH OF OUR KNEELING PLACESIn each heart lies a Bethlehem, an inn where we must ultimately answer whether there is room or not.When we are Bethlehem-bound we experience our own advent in his.When we are Bethlehem-bound we can no longer look the other way conveniently not seeing stars not hearing angel voices.We can no longer excuse ourselves by busily tending our sheep

So much to be thankful for

2009-11-25T08:28:00.002-05:00

We are preparing to head North for some R&R and of course a wonderful meal with family, I am reminded of all we have to be thankful for in this amazing adoption process. I am grateful for God's nudge in the time where this all began. I am grateful for the time and energy both myself and my husband have poured into embracing and accepting adoption as the way we were meant to grow our family. Thank

Our growing girl...

2009-11-09T14:20:00.004-05:00

Here we sit as a family with a new number in the adoption line. We have been given the number 25 which in loose terms means that there are 24 families ahead of us who are also waiting to adopt their sweet daughter from Ethiopia with AGCI. As the number continues to go down we become more aware that all of this is truly happening. That is a strange comment I know but we have been waiting for so

Fun and Fantastic!

2009-10-31T23:35:00.005-04:00

Fun and fantastic is the way Bob described our Halloween! The boys were so amazing with all their excitement throughout the night! We had good friends here who were new to all the WV hoopla. Grandparents stopped to see the costumes. Grandpa Ron made amazing chili and manned the porch so we could all walk with the kids. Just watching their eyes sparkle as they shook off the cold night air and ran

37 sure sounds good to us...

2009-10-15T16:31:00.002-04:00

We have had a wild ride of a week around our house and I have not had the chance to update our blog. That's the very reason I love this online journal of sorts... it helps me keep track of all the many changes and updates as we move through our adoption.So about a week ago I received an email informing our family that we had moved from 44 to 37 on the wait list. This is big movement in one months

Loving My Children

2009-10-02T21:49:00.004-04:00

So as crazy as it sounds today was a day where I wished I could have 14 more children in my life! I warned you it sounded crazy but today was one of the best afternoons we have had as a family. The boys were out of school today for a teacher's inservice. They began their morning with a bit of relaxation and by building a skatepark in the garage. The ramps required that I back the car out and they

ART Rules!

2009-09-25T10:23:00.006-04:00

Where to begin? I'm sitting outside in the crisp fall air near downtown Grand Rapids and feeling like life doesn't get any better than this. This city is so vibrant, so alive, so on it's game. Having lived here since I was seven years old, I often feel caught up in my daily routine, my driving shortcuts, my usual grocery and coffee run. I forget to jump outside my own lines. I forget to leave the

What's our number?

2009-09-10T22:52:00.005-04:00

We are on the wait list! Can you guess what number we were given? We had the best night with our boys tonight and we had to top it all off with these silly photos. Below you will see our post with yesterday's big news and what it all means in terms of a timeline to learning who our daughter will be. It is so exciting and we feel so blessed to know we will have another little being in our world

Drumroll please...

2009-09-09T22:29:00.004-04:00

We are finally on the list! Our agency assigned us number forty-four today. That means there will be forty three other referrals made before we receive the special call from our case manager, Julie, when we will hear the words, "I have a little girl I would like to talk to you about." The referral should take anywhere from 8-10 months. After we receive "the call" we will immediately be given

Another Overnight Delivery

2009-09-08T21:57:00.005-04:00

OK so somewhere between filling out four or five different financial worksheets during dossier #1 and dossier #2, we made some kind of big error. I think we gave our financial planner the wrong form or somehow he printed out the form we had used for Nepal which of course is different from the form Ethiopia requires. You see there is no uniform process to adoption papers. That would make it far

His fingerprints are what?

2009-09-01T22:49:00.003-04:00

So just when we think we are going "on the list," we get a wonderful phone call from one of the social workers who helped with our homestudy. It is obvious in her tone of voice that she has very bad news. Nearly three weeks ago the state of Michigan fingerprint info was completed and returned directly to her. She was on vacation and we were waiting for FBI paperwork to be completed in order to

Dossier submission take two

2009-08-28T09:34:00.003-04:00

Well by noon today our agency will have our dossier, our Ethiopian dossier that is!We are thrilled beyond words to get rolling on our wait for our Ethiopian daughter.So now most of the work is done and we enter the waiting phase. We wait 8-12 months before receiving a referral. The referral will be a phone call from our case manager that will include background, medical and photo information of a

An eventful evening of Ethiopian art

2009-08-21T16:35:00.005-04:00

What a wonderful evening Bob and I shared last night. We were invited in a round about way to an art auction with all proceeds headed to Ethiopia to benefit very poor and impoverished Ethiopian communities through www.tesfa.org/home.html Stephanie Timmerman, a resident and artist, living here in Grand Rapids, MI has been traveling to Ethiopia and aiding children in early education through art.

Who called?

2009-08-14T16:00:00.002-04:00

What do you do when the FBI calls? Gasp, scowl, fret and perhaps freak out a little. Well in this case I cannot tell you how elated I was to receive a call from the FBI. "Joe, from the FBI, just called," Bob said with a puzzled look. "What?" I responded with a gasp!" You have got to be kidding me. Now this is the second time we have been through this fingerprint/background check thing and yet my

2009-08-13T21:31:00.002-04:00

This series of photos says it all and I often wonder what life will be like when we add a little girl to the mix. I love capturing photos of the boys being boys. They are rough and tumble, curious, wild and ambitious all rolled into one.

Two pieces of paper

2009-08-12T10:41:00.002-04:00

We are waiting and waiting and it seems forever waiting for just two precious pieces of paper. The first is our FBI clearance and the second is the State of Michigan clearance. Both are redos and although the old are still current they have to be totally updated in order to have a complete and accurate dossier/home study for a new country. Such is life so we are playing by all the rules and

Big News!

2009-07-22T14:40:00.000-04:00

body {background-image: url("http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o401/Thecutestblogontheblock/lollypinkcopy.jpg"); background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; }Yesterday was a very emotional day. Through several weeks of discussion, prayer and research we have decided to terminate our adoption process within Nepal. This is not a decision that we take

Family Vacation

2009-07-19T15:12:00.002-04:00

We just completed a week of beach vacation with Bob's extended family, his Mom, his brothers and their families. It was a wild week of wonder and fun for us all, especially the kids. Between three families we have eight boys, the oldest entering 7th grade and our Owen is the youngest, soon to enter Kindergarten. You can imagine what we look like in public and the looks we get if their is only one