Happy New Year
Wow! 2009 has been so exciting, that we can’t wait to see what is in store for 2010. What a year! It was definitely the most emotional year we have ever had. Christmas was fantastic! We were able to be at our home this year. So, the boys slept in their own beds and woke up to their first Christmas. Everyone went a little overboard this year, since it was their first Chrstmas. I am not even sure who gave them what. It was hard to watch and take mental note of what the four children were opening, and who it was from. They loved everything they got. Of course, they wanted to stop and play with everything for awhile after it was opened. Asher got a train that has a remote, and a Leapster- that he calls his DS. He was in heaven. Levi got a Spiderman fishing pole and skateboard. But there was screaming when he opened his DS. He jumped up and down. Later I asked what he thought of Christmas. He said, “I love it! I asked for things, and got all of them.” Santa was not a part of our Christmas. Levi came home from school one day and asked who this Santa was coming to our house to bring presents. I paused and said that I would discuss it with Dad and we would talk later. Our relationship with him has been built on trust. We have had to work very hard to get where we are today with him. In my heart I could not rationalize lying to him about a fictional character. So, we told him that in some families Santa brings the presents, but in other families Mommy and Daddy buy the presents. In our family, Mommy and Daddy buy the presents. He said, “o.k.” It wasn’t an issue. He was very happpy that he got presents, and I don’t think he really cared who bought them. Not having Santa in the picture didn’t bother us at all. Christmas was actually more exciting than I thought it would be.
It was a sobering thought to think back to where they were last December 25th. They were the only two children in an orphange in a small town called Nazaret. Four weeks earlier they had been separated from their family and taken to a place where they didn’t know anyone. It is amazing the life change that can take place in a calendar year.
Please pray for Emma. She went to the doctor last Monday to have her cast removed and x-rays taken. The x-ray showed that the implant actually moved and was not in place anymore. So, on Wednesday (4 days ago) Emma had to have surgery again to put it back in place. You can imagine the disappointment that Emma felt. She was thrilled to have the cast off, but not happy to do another surgery so soon. We go to the doctor tomorrow to see if it stayed put. We are praying that it did. If this implant will not stay, the alternative surgery option is very involved. Please pray for her. She has been such a trooper.
Levi continues to add to his stories about life in Ethiopia. He actually told me he wants to visit because he misses his older brother, Abudu. We are shooting to visit in 2-3 years. He crawled up next to David on the couch several days before Christmas, and told David that he was happy that he was his Dad. That is huge!! It means alot because his other father loved him very much. It was the best Christmas present David has ever received.
Happy New Year!
Nancy
