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This beautiful young woman was Frazer’s neighbor. She used to care for Frazer a lot when Frazer lived with her grandparents. She found us at the clinic one of the days we were in Addis. I also met her father during our trip to meet Frazer’s birth family! We are very blessed to know her and her family.
What an incredible blessing to have met and prayed with this man. He is Frazer’s biological Grandfather. His daughter is Frazer’s Biological Mother. This man hurt so very much over the decision to place Frazer in the care of the orphanage knowing that she would be adopted by a family and live her life very, very far away! He blessed Frazer that she might be an ambassador, receive an education, learn about Ethiopia, and some day go back to help her country !!!
Frazer’s Grandmother was quiet most of our visit but when it was time to go we embraced and I knew we could both love this little girl and each other. When we looked through pictures of Frazer’s birth mother her Grandmother would look on us with tears in her eyes. I am grateful forever to this woman!
This is my mom savoring the freshly roasted coffee beans. Frazer’s family prepared for us a Coffee ceremony Watch a Coffee Ceremony on YouTube Here.
This is an incredible experience… we all felt very honored to have shared in this tradition.
This is Selame, my new Friend. She cared for me/us when I thought I could go no further. You see, Frazer wasn’t at all excited about being my daughter. She would avoid me at all costs. She even started calling Selame her Mom and I was Selame. This woman is amazing… she is amazing in so many ways and I am grateful that the Lord has placed each of us in each others lives.
I LOVE this picture for so many reasons… I know my boys will kill me! The two boys are mine and came to Ethiopia a week later with my Mom. The two stunning young women are Liydiya and Meklit. They are Selame’s daughters. It’s crazy how much Liydiya is like Avery. Strong willed and super competitive. The girls kicked the boys butts in this killer game of throwing a small rubber ball at each other. Meklit is quieter and yet silly just like Ethan! O’ ya and the sour face is Frazer. She didn’t want to be in this picture… sorry kid!
Just look at that face….. I had to show this “potty time”! They will line up all of the babies on pots… I LOVED it! I want to know how they do it. I could write a book and make a killing. “Potty train your baby Ethiopian Style” millions I tell ya…. 
I could really have stayed here doing this ALL day! Frazer had other plans and hugging kids or loving babies or hanging out with anyone who could speak English was NOT in HER plan… we really did have many wonderful moments I promise!
All I can say is I love this woman… wait am I really that tall and…. big? No more pictures next to anyone Ethiopian…. just kidding.
Bad picture sorry… that was a homemade cart that this kid is RIDING down this really small road. DOWN HILL while cars are driving and people are walking and donkeys are carrying HUGE loads of stuff!
This is the same day… Abebe ( the social worker), my hero and friend took Frazer and I “up the mountain” from Addis Ababa where there is some really amazingly old churches. I’m so sorry Abebe, but I think I know the story… but if I post it here… I better really KNOW the story!
That my dear friends is just a small portion of the STUFF that was collected for the orphanage. What a huge blessing to have had such overwhelming support. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HELPED US COLLECT THESE DONATIONS!
Real Monkeys… real!!??
Did I say only Ethiopian women are small…. this is a look I am not proud of at all. My excuse is it was soooo HOT very HOT!
Like real… teeth… PEOPLE
They were hungry little buggers!
I think this one is so funny, just like one of the kids…. I was way too freaked out to try to touch one! Abebe took us to a hot springs where these little buggers are wild. Frezer was out of her mind afraid the whole time. Screaming and mummbling in Amharic.
Ethiopia was a wild ride and I enjoyed almost every moment. Someday when I have “extra” time I will write more about my experience. I know how much we all love pictures so I decided to start there!
To end our world travels we decided to stay over in DC. Really, a great idea… to bad my Mom was at her “max” … love you mom! So, here is our little immigrant in front of the capital. Look closely she is really happy to be in “America” more on that another day! LOL
Home at last…. I missed my children so much. I missed my love Steve and his rock-like personality! I am really a blessed and grateful Mommy and Wife. I must also say that I am the most grateful daughter… MY MOM is wonderful and I miss her very much! THANKS MOM! SO What more is there to life?….
Thanks Aunt Nat for taking these pictures.
So far this mood hasn’t changed to much. I will admit shortly after these pictures…. when Nat went back to Idaho I had a reality moment. 6 kids, a dog, a mean cat and a husband. O’ ya and a household waiting for ME to make a nutritious and delicious meals… while washing clothes, mopping floors and tripping over a little 4 year old girl who hangs on to the corner of my shirt saying “MOM” 1000 X a day! I need a vacation…. Just kidding.
Someday I promise I will tell all the details that made this adoption what the Lord had in mind. Someday I will pour out in deep thought and tell about the emotional journey we have all gone down.
For now I LOVE Dora, and crackers… they make my day happy!
I’m out….
