Mar 4, 2011

Ethiopian Adoption-11 months Post- Changes

Princess Sweetness now


Our girl looking at us for the first time in a photo album we sent to her.
Her friends from Emmanuel Children's Home (Orphanage)...
look on, 
as she meets us for the first time.



and then...


Then we came to bring her home. 
We traveled all the way to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to make her ours. 



What an amazing girl.  

She speaks three languages now (Oromo, Amharic and English).  


Today on our way home from the library
(one of our favorite things to do in all this world), 
we were discussing how someday she will be big and perhaps fall in love. 

I told her that I will buy her


for a wedding present, maybe two (a mitad is the flat grill that they make the injera on (injera is the flat bread they eat, like the rice they eat in China).  

She smiled at me and said she would come use my mitad, she could bring her injera home with her, 
BUT that she would really like if I would buy her a *PASTA MAKER!*  
Laughing out loud. 

This is the same girl who ate almost 100% Ethiopian food for the first 9 months of her coming to our family.  Mama was happy to do it for her (and for us...we love it too).  It wasn't until last week that she ate her first bowl of salad.  I nearly cried when she asked for a bowl to put it into (like the rest of us.) 

The first salad for her was just the salad, no dressing.  But the next night (we eat a mixed salad, romaine, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, red pepper, red onion, cucumber, red cabbage)  she put on dressing (her choice was French dressing, which I told her that many children like because it is sweet).  I looked at her an smiled, abigsmile.  She ate it all. 

The next night she added croutons and she said, "After all, I am just like you."

Yes, my daughter, you are.  And I will happily buy you an Atlas pasta maker for a wedding gift.  I will look back and remember this time, perhaps with a tear running down my cheek.  I will remember how when I retold the story to your Papa, how he laughed and asked if you too were becoming a bit Italian
(like your Papa).  

My God is amazing. 

And if you think 13 years old is too old to be adopted, I'd ask you to take a look at me and step out in faith.  Life is full of all kinds of wonderful surprises. 

My new daughter is certainly one of them!


12 comments:

Kathy Cassel said...

What an amazing testimony to older child adoption.

ANd please send her to my girl's blog to win a book. http://just4christiangirls.blogspot.com/

because HE first loved us said...

beautiful all around! God is good. So glad you stepped out and did what most would never even consider. Your daughter is amazing and so are you! God writes the best stories.

Annie Chase said...

oh how I love Simenesh.
She makes my heart smile so deeply.

Marisa said...

Beautiful and encouraging!

Renata said...

Oh Kimmie - she is just glowing in these pictures (the recent ones)! You can see how comfortable & happy she is there! Praise God that she is adjusting so well - she is still special to our family as we prayed so much for her!
Thank you for updating & I think everyone needs a pasta maker in their house!
Have a wonderful weekend
Renata:)

Rob said...

She must have been so happy to hear you were going to take her as your daughter.

Rebecca Ann said...

I am so glad its all going well! Its so amazing to hear that people are still adopting older children! Some friends of mine are also trying to adopt three sisters who are 10, 12, and 13 and people besides their christian friends say they are crazy! I don't! :) If you could pray for them! their adoption has been put on hold right now as the Peruvian agency is not being nice.

Anyways congrats to being able to adopt her and I just love seeing photos! Its so encouraging! someday I want to adopt children Lord willing!

In Christ,
Rebecca

Debbie Doughty said...

PTL, you are all truly blessed! Your story reminded me of one I read about yesterday on the Holt International blog. A precious 13 year old girl from China, Qiong, will lose her international adoption eligibility in 6 months and they are looking for a family with a homestudy to step forward ASAP. Maybe one of your readers? Here's the link: http://holtinternational.org/blog/2011/03/as-the-time-goes-by-urgent-qiong-needs-a-family/

Shonni said...

Thank you for sharing her beautiful story!!! May other children find their families...where they belong.

Adina said...

*tears*

Unknown said...

So beautiful! Love reading other about other people's experiences with older child adoptions.

Expat Mom said...

I love that you let her just eat her native food all that time. It had to be a very difficult adjustment for her and I know that when I first came to Guatemala, eating familiar food is all that kept me from collapsing into a ball and crying sometimes! Glad she likes salad!

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