kitchen window

This morning I stood at my kitchen window in Alabama. I watched all
five of my children play in a little swimming pool, laughing,
squealing, hugging. I cannot explain how I feel. I stood at that
window many times watching Marya and Ezra play outside and I pictured
the other three with them. I stood at the window crying with sadness
as we waited for them to get here and today I stand at that window
crying tears of joy. God has done a miracle!!!
We are in Alabama to do some adoptions stuff. The kids love it here.
All the pictures we sent to the kids in Ethiopia were in this home and
Addie kept asking when we would go to that home. Since we have gotten
here she has asked if we could stay forever. We are selling this
house so we will not be staying, but they are very happy to be here.
We drove from Lincoln to Alabama in one day. THe kids did great!! WE
had no spanks, our van was mostly filled with laughter. As some of
you know Addie gets very car sick. I gave her some dramamine and some
motion sickness bands and she did great. The last hour she asked us
to pull over but she did not vomit. We made it all the way here, she
was so happy. Addie just keeps saying, mom it is so hot.
Marya and Ezra were so happy to see their clothes and toys and they
were more then happy to share it all with their new siblings.

ADDIEA-This little brave girl continues to push me daily. To learn
how to parent better, to go to God more. We have had many
conversations about her birth mom. She feels very responsible to take
care of her. she often talks about taking care of her while she is
sick and how her mom needs her to bring her water and to take care of
her legs. My heart breaks for her. Part of her is so happy to be
here and part of her feels like her birth mom needs her. In the last
month though she has told us a few times that she never wants to leave
us. She said when I get big I will not leave you I want to stay with
you forever. We continue to bond more and more and she adores her
daddy. She also wants to talk about the bible all the time. She has
a real desire to understand sin and what it means to know Jesus. I
love it.
MARYA- She has grown up so much through this process. Her and Addie
talk about wanting to help people on the streets. We came in contact
with another homeless man in Lincoln. The girls gave them their money
and a bible. AFter we pulled away Marya just started to weep and beg
to go back to she could hug him. This went on for some time. Jake
and I talked about how we never want to say no to our girls when they
want to serve someone. We never want to let them touch lives while we
sit back and watch. We have so much to learn from them. Marya is so
happy to be back in Alabama and visit her friends and to go to
Chick-fil-a.
ABREHAM-Our little smiley boy. He got two new front teeth and he is
happy about that. We just celebrated a birthday for this little guy.
He turned five May 20th. My sister gave him his first present ever
all wrapped up. He did not know what to do with it. He just smiled
at the package like that was it. We encouraged him to open it, of
course Marya was happy to show him how to unwrap it. When he
unwrapped it he just stared at the white box like that was his present
and just kept smiling. So we encouraged him to open the box and there
were some books inside, he was so happy. He got other presents for
his birthday and he is taking very good care of them. This morning
when he got up he came and clung to me very tightly and put his head
back and said, I want to stay with you. He seemed very sad. Jake got
home from running and we were trying to get him to talk to us, he
remained silent. Jake held him and sang Praise the name of Jesus,
Abreham's eyes filled with tears and big tears rolled down his cheeks.
We explained to him that he will stay with us. He nodded his head
and seems to me doing better. I don't know what was going through his
little brain but it was burdening him.
EZRA-My mother-in-law put it perfectly. He seems happy to just be
apart of the five. He is our most quiet child. He says the words I
love to hear the most, ok mom, when I ask him to do something. He
calms me down, when he comes to sit with me he does not ask anything
of me and he does not demand he usually just wants to sit and hug me
and give kisses. When it is time to work he is the most lazy so we
are working on that. He loves, loves his brothers. THis morning he
ran and gave Addie and big hug.
PETROS-HE informed us last week that he is not a baby. Addie and
ABreham often call him baby and last week he said no baby. I cannot
say enough how much this little boy has change physically. He is
still mostly smiles. He sings when he goes to bed and sings when he
gets up. Also when we drove here he spent a lot of time looking out
he window and singing.

This morning Ezra disobeyed and was going to get a spank. Marya
pleaded that she wanted to take the spank for him. Jake let her do it
and when it was over Jake took this perfect example to talk about the
gospel. The kids listened and Ezra was stunned with Marya's actions.
After we were done, Addie explained that she wanted to take all the
spanks for her brothers and sister. It was a beautiful time of
explaining the gospel.
Jake and I are so happy to be in Alabama right now. Visiting our
family here and of course we will take full advantage of the ice cream
shop down the road. We are praying for more clarity while we are
here. Our house has not sold and we still do not know where we are
moving. We are learning to be a family in many circumstances and
learning to love each other though it all. Marya and Addie continue
to want to add to our family through adoption. What is ahead for this
family?? Jake and I desire God to use us for His purposes and that we
would be willing to do anything at anytime to accomplish it.
love love
Jen