finally... an update

Life is CRAZY! I apologize fo the lack of updates. I am teaching 5 college classes and taking 2 so between that and making face time with my sweet Espy and awesome boys a priority, blogging is on the low end of my priority spectrum. Here are some new updates. Espy is doing awesome. She has been sick a couple of times with local "bugs" i.e. respitory infection and stomach flu. But has a great attitude, and loves people. She is definately attached. And she HATES to sleep. She screams often and loud when naptime rolls around. She is also a really light sleeper which we are making concessions for. The boys continue to roughhouse with her and she continues to giggle the whole time! Right now she is pulling all of our paper plates and tupperware out of the drawer and onto the floor.... testing her exploratory skills. She hasn't said any words except for an occassional daday and mamamamam. She likes my brothers lab Gibbs (might say bibbs once in awhile). She is good at pointing for things she wants, throws fits when she cannot feed herself (independent child!), and continues to have massive diapers... peee yewww!

Grandma Peggy was out this week for a few days (good timing since she would have had to be home sick with her respitory thing!) Now she is spoiled and needs to be held all the time :) ha ha.

She misses Grandma Betty! Hope to see her again soon. The above pictures show her hair getting long enough put in mini pigtails... She is hugging her new baby gifted by Buster's aunt Patty... it is sooo cute! She loves it and it already needs a bath from all the Espy hugs :)

Hope everyone reading this is awesome.

P.S. I might be changing our blog over to our family blog... LifeofVincents@blogspot.com so future updates may be there instead.

Lator!

Quick Update

What a whirlwind this last month has been. We have gone through sooo much change. God continues to amaze us with our new family.

The above snapshot is of our lil Espy feeding herself oatmeal. She is becoming so independent and LOVES to eat! You'll notice she has one spoon upside down. I love watching her figure things out :)

She is healthy for the most part, gaining weight like crazy, smiling and laughing all the time and enjoying her big brothers. We cannot get enough of that smile (she also has 16 teeth so a very toothy smile! )

Meanwhile our routine is in full swing. I am teaching college courses three days a week, Buster is busy selling cars at our car dealership and the boys are both in school. Espy has an awesome caregiver while I am at work those few hours and we are blessed by that too.

So... life is good.

Praying today for those in Haiti. Consider giving to a relief organization. We donated to World Hope today. They really need our prayers and our support.

Here's to 2010

Wishing everyone a wonderful new year!

Its so good to be home!

There really is no place lilke home. We got here late Friday night. Espy was really sick on the flight from Ethiopia (we changed 19 diapers between Addis and Spearfish... those poor flight attendants who had to deal with the soiled blankets etc!). The good news is that she slept in between nasty diapers and therefore got right on our time zone when we arrived. She has been sleeping pretty much through the night with a couple of short naps during the day. She is such a blessing... soooo happy!!! Our boys are having so much fun with her.

We went to the doctor on Monday for a check up. The diaper messes have subsided, the stool samples collected were negative for giardia (Yeah!!! Thanks Dr. Rwanda for the meds before we left!)... and we ran another malaria check (still waiting for results). Our doc here says she is well.. not on the growth chart for weight but makes the bottom 5% for height :) Lil' pipsqueek! She's eating a lot so will likely catch up weight and height wise before we know it.

Some advise for adopting families:

1. Make an appointment to see a good doctor in Rwanda after you get your baby. They do some checks at the orphanage but it is always a good idea to get second opinions. Having her on meds for malaria, giardia, and fever for almost two weeks before we headed home helped alot... and got her on a fast track to recovery in the US. The doct appointment, tests, and meds were very reasonable (about $35 each).

2. Bring extra extra clothes for the plane ride home. We ran out after yucky diaper number 10 and got some weird looks from passengers for not having our baby clothed! :)

3. Make copies of papers you get from the embassy(s) if possible... you might need them later and they have a tendancy to keep everything.

4. Bring about $500 more than you planned... I didn't realize her visa from Addis would cost $400 and we needed an extra sum to rearrange flights to get home early.

5. Dont' settle... negotiate for driver/room etc. We found a really reasonable driver ($35 per day... sorry my POA has contact info so I can't provide it) and wish we would have told the hotel to put us in another room in Rwanda.

6. The mini safari was nice... but long... too long for a sick baby to endure. She made it but for her benefit we probably should have choosen an activity with less time in the car. Consider other options if your child is not well.

7. Little Puffs are awesome!!! Espy looves the little mini puff thingies you can buy in the baby section at Walmart. They were a lifesaver during long waits.

8. Take a baby carrier (baby hawk is my fav), if you have older kids consider an umbrella stroller... there is a lot of waiting and kids get heavy after awhile.

9. Be prepared for small kiddos. the pics from the orphanage can be deceiving. Espy is 15 months but fits into 6-9 mo clothes. I didn't bring hardly anything that fit.

Hmmm... well thats enough for now.

Thank you all for your prayers, love, and support!!!! We are truly blessed beyond measure!

Merry Christmas...

we're home...almost

We made it to Denver.... now to drive our exhausted selves 6 hrs home. more later

More from Ethiopia...

The is probably the one and only update from Ethiopia. The internet at our guesthouse is not working at all and now I am paying $10 per hour to use the internet at the Hilton (which still has a subpar connection and this is the only night we will be coming here).

I was sick today. Not sure what I have but slept all day while Buster took Espy to her medical appointment and the first embassy appointment. I am feeling a little better tonight... still pretty weak though. I think it was a good day of bonding with daddy and daughter... :)

The pediatrician at the embassy said Espy seems to be recovering well. Her fevers are becoming less and her chest cold is improving. Slowly but surely. She had another round of blood drawn today. Results will be ready on Wed. We are praying that everything shows up clear so she is ok to travel.

Tomorrow we will drive 2 hours to Adama to Look Development and do some things there. (That's the project that my friends from MT help run).

Wed is our Embassy Interview and Friday they will issue Espy's American passport/visa to travel home. We are looking forward to being back in the states. Four more days to go!

Update from Ethiopia

Alisha and Buster called home this afternoon to let us know that they made it to Ethiopia. The internet connection in Ethiopia is not good so we don't know how often we will hear from them.

They will be going to the US Embassy tomorrow and will have Espy seen by the Embassy Physician as her fever is still coming and going. On a happy note, she is adjusting well to being with her new mommy & daddy - which is great!

As of now they will be interviewed on Thursday and are supposed to get their travel visa on Friday - returning to the US on Saturday.

Please pray for Kelton and Oliver, as they are missing their mom & dad. Pray for healing for Espy and that their return trip goes as planned.

Espy walking - Buster says he taught her...