A Journey to Ethiopia....

Smokie Norful - God is able

2010-05-19T19:29:00.000-07:00

T - Shirts...

2010-04-16T19:49:00.001-07:00

the front has the Ethiopian Cross - with Proverbs 25:25 (NIV) under it - "Like cold water to a weary soul, is good news from a distant land."

tell me what you think?

if you're interested in one, email me at lakrisa07@yahoo.com

J-E-S-U-S!

2010-03-01T21:04:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sSzgJb5TUQ

paperwork

2010-02-23T16:01:00.000-08:00

mommy received news today that your paperwork is now ready & a court date will be filed soon;-)

FINGERPRINTS!

2010-02-10T19:53:00.000-08:00

...are officially done!

is excited...

2010-02-09T19:35:00.000-08:00

about what tomorrow will bring!;-}

;-)

2010-01-29T19:58:00.001-08:00

Care package on the way...missing you like CRAZY!

Merry Christmas!

2010-01-07T17:40:00.001-08:00

Christmas in Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Christmas known as Ganna is celebrated on January 7th. This celebration takes place in ancient churches carved from solid volcanic rock and also in modern churches that are designed in three concentric circles. Men and boys sit separately from girls and women. Also the choir sings from the outside circle.

People receive candles as they enter the church. After lighting the candles everyone walks around the church three times, then stands throughout the mass, which may last up to three hours.

Food served at Christmas usually includes injera, a sourdough pancake like bread. Injera serves as both plate and fork. Doro wat, a spicy chicken stew might be the main meal. A piece of the injera is used to scoop up the wat. Baskets decorated beautifully are used to serve the wat.

Gift giving is a very small part of Christmas celebration. Children usually receive very simple presents such as clothing.

In Ethiopia Christmas day is January 7, so on Christmas Eve the city is crowded with pilgrims from all parts of the country. They remain outdoors all night, praying and chanting. In the morning, a colorful procession makes its way to a nearby hilltop where a service is held. Three young men march at the head of the crowd, lashing whips from left to right to keep the people in line. Those who worship are fed with bread and wine that has been blessed by priests. After the service is over the rest of the day is spent dancing, playing sport and feasting.

taken from http://www.santas.net/ethiopianchristmas.htm

Is saying...

2009-11-08T19:38:00.000-08:00

that Jesus will work it out!

I will come..

2009-10-04T05:21:00.000-07:00

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15"If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

John 14: 15 - 21

Love Mommy,
Just thinking about you 2 on this early. rainy Sunday Morning

Happy Birthday...

2009-10-03T16:08:00.001-07:00

to mommy!

One Day...

2009-09-17T19:40:00.000-07:00

Well,
It's been awhile since I posted last. I have not forgotten about you 2, my lil beauty queens. Daddy & I had planned to visit you 2 this month. I've been very busy lately and daddy has been very sick. Seven weeks ago he had a stroke. He is recovering and doing well. He still has a ways to go. He had not forgotten about you 2 either, he asked about both of you on Saturday night (made my night). He said that he was going to work really hard so that he could be ready for you 2 when it was time for you to come home. Since mommy & daddy will not be able to come and see you soon, mommy will gather up another care package for you both and send it with the next set of travelers.

Love Mommy & Daddy!

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind (James 1:2-6 NIV)

Happy New Years to M & D..'Enkutatash'

2009-09-11T19:36:00.000-07:00

'Enkutatash' - Ethiopian New Year

The Ethiopian New Year falls in September at the end of the big rains. The sun comes out to shine all day long creating an atmosphere of dazzling clarity and fresh clean air. The highlands turn to gold as the Meskel daisies burst out in all their splendour. Ethiopian children clad in brand new clothes dance through the villages giving bouquets of flowers and painted pictures to each household.

September 11th is both New Year's Day and the Feast of St. John the Baptist. The day is called Enkutatash meaning the "gift of jewels." When the famous Queen of Sheba returned from her expensive jaunt to visit King Solomon in Jerusalem, her chiefs welcomed her back by replenishing her treasury with enku or jewels. The spring festival has been celebrated since these early times and as the rains come to their abrupt end, dancing and singing can be heard at every village in the green countryside. After dark on New Year's Eve people light fires outside their houses.

The main religious celebration takes place at the 14th-century Kostete Yohannes church in the city of Gaynt within the Gondar Region. Three days of prayers, psalms, and hymns, sermons, and massive colourful processions mark the advent of the New Year. Closer to Addis Ababa, the Raguel Church, on top of the Entoto Mountain north of the city, has the largest and most spectacular religious celebration. But Enkutatash is not exclusively a religious holiday, and the little girls singing and dancing in pretty new dresses among the flowers in the fields convey the message of springtime and renewed life. Today's Enkutatash is also the season for exchanging formal New Year greetings and cards among the urban sophisticated in lieu of the traditional bouquet of flowers.

ET is 7 years behind the USA, They are celebrating the year 2002 today!!!

sweet hands...

2009-07-24T20:05:00.000-07:00

I LOVE YOU 2 MORE AND MORE EACH DAY, LONGING FOR YOUR TOUCH...

Hope Adoption Reunion

2009-07-12T20:15:00.000-07:00

I had a FAN-TAB-BU- LOUS weekend! I met lots of new people.

New Picture Update...

2009-07-05T18:34:00.000-07:00

I got new pics today, been on cloud 9 all days, thanks again Celeste. I can't wait to meet them in person. They are so adorable. I have about 90+ pics now!

just

2009-07-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

wishing they were here...

Gotta have shoes...the 1st of many

2009-05-03T18:27:00.000-07:00

My little one first new pair shoes...

Let the waiting begin...

2009-05-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

The Dossier...

2009-05-01T21:58:00.000-07:00

just arrived in ETHIOPIA at 7:21 A. M.

Following the D'

2009-04-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

Well, it left Washington, D. C. on yesterday and is in Germany right now! I know I have quiet a ways to go, but I am excited. Life is already busy, so I figured the waiting would not be too bad, but I am so ready to bring them HOME NOW!!! I'm excited, I am mailing out their care packages tomorrow!

Care Package

2009-04-25T20:58:00.000-07:00

WELL,
it's official, I AM OUTTA CONTROL!
I bought

2yr old:
2 pr Care Bear socks
Bubbles
T-shirt
plush lamb
1 book - The ABC's of Cookies
3 necklaces
Sidewalk Chalk

6yr old:
purse
2 pr flip flops - they were 2 for $5...lol
panties
Purple wrist band - Princess 1 John 3:1
1 book - I Like You Just the Way You Are
Barbie
Velvet Art Color Board
a jump rope
sidewalk chalk
1pr socks
tooth brush
hair accessories
3 necklaces
Small Spiral Notebook w/a pen

Ring Pops, Starburst and Goldfish for both and I am going to lamenate some photos and include them and label them with English and Amharic.........and if I can find a little soft baby doll I will add to the 2 yr bag - and as I take everything out of it's package it will fit!

Well. lets just say that I have never had to STUFF so much stuff in such little bags, until today I thought a gallon size bag was pretty big...na, not anymore!!!

My Dossier

2009-04-25T11:23:00.000-07:00

...went out on yesterday!

ECSTATIC

2009-04-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

8:47 p.m.

Paper Chasing...

2009-03-31T18:12:00.000-07:00

The paper chasing is finally over, i recieved my last document today - sending off for authentication on tommorrow!

RELIEVED!

2009-03-09T19:12:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I am not a blogger. But for Sandi's sake, I am going to post tonite because I don't want to go down in history as "the worst blogger ever"....so here you go!
Today has been a long day filled with ups and down!
I completed my entire dossier today with the exception of one document that I am awaiting from my social worker, hopefully I will have it by the end of the week and mailed off to Austin for Authentication. So I am almost there...I can't wait to get it all sent off.

I've been tagged!

2008-12-20T11:49:00.000-08:00

6th folder, 6th picture

This is my son Davian at a friend of ours house playing with their dog. This dog is so good with children and he loves to play with the dog, I might just get him one next year.

6 random things about me...

2008-10-26T15:50:00.000-07:00

1. I can't get plants to grow
2. I desire a large family
3. I love to cook
4. Music makes me happy...I Love listening to music
5. I love to go to church
6. I enjoy making others laugh and or smile

My Sugga-Bugga

2008-10-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

under construction

2008-10-19T17:43:00.000-07:00

I am working on getting my My Blog Set-Up...stay tune!