What a month!

WOW! I can't believe we've almost been home a month!!! Ellie is doing PHENOMENAL! Especially when I think that she's lived in at LEAST 4 different places in the last year. Thank you Lord for protecting her - physically but even more emotionally. She is such a joy to be around. "Chatting" up a storm - we can understand "more, mama, and dada". She loves her babies & is constantly having me re-wrap them in a blankie! oh I LOVE IT!!!

We celebrated her 1 month home with getting her ears pierced!! I was hoping she'd want to wait a bit longer - but she talked her softy mama into it :) She did so well & they look soooo pretty on her! Even the boys commented on how cute she looked with her earrings! I promise to post pictures soon!!!

I will admit I've been feeling a bit heavy hearted since we've been back. The eyes of all the kids that were left behind have not left me. I routinely visit the blogs of our travel buddies & see how well their older kids are doing....and I pinch myself! They've only been home one month too! and they jump for joy when daddy-yah walks through the door (check out shawfamilyexpansion.blogspot.com) .....they are talking up a STORM (check out www.crazyrootsethiopia.blogspot.com/)...they have TONS of family (check out godsgiftfromethiopia.blogspot.com) ....they have someone to cheer for them when they try to take that first step.....here is an excerpt from one a family that traveled right before us and came home their 2 year old daughter.....

On Wednesday I took S** to see a pediatric orthopedic doctor to have him look at her feet and legs. In Ethiopia she was diagnosed with a functioning deformity of the feet. She has been seen by several people here who thought she was fine but just really delayed in her development of her feet, legs, muscles, balance, etc..

Anyway the doctor on Wednesday said the same thing. Everything she is doing right now looks "normal." He stated that she is just 12 to 14 months behind in her development but that everything looks normal. He thinks she will be walking in a month or so, and wants to see her back in 4 months just to make sure no arch supports or braces are needed.

We were very encouraged by this news. S** just needs additional time to continue to grow and develop. We will love to see her walking soon.

After hearing this news on Wednesday, I was encouraged that nothing is really wrong with S** feet, but then as I drove home I was saddened by that same fact. Nothing was wrong with her feet, she just was not given proper nutrition and enough opportunities to learn how to walk.

It made me think how many more "S**"are there that aren't learning how to walk because of orphanage life. I don't blame the orphanage for her delays, but the nature of orphanage life. Those nannies loved her and did the best they could with the resources they had. They simply had no room for the children to be on the floor and too many children under their care. The rooms had 10 plus babies in them and the room was the size of a bedroom. There would be no way they could all be on the floor at the same time. So life for them was their crib.

I feel like shouting from a mountain top about adoption and orphan care. I can't imagine my children without a family. I am so glad God led us to them, but I also think and consider those that are left behind. We hope that God will use our experience to encourage others to strongly consider expanding their family by adoption.

And that is my prayer too Sydney.....God use our experience to encourage others to consider adopting!!!!