Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

Last year on this day, I imagined what Martha's day in Ethiopia was like.....it was her First birthday and I am pretty sure it was a day like any other.  Eating, diaper changes, naps, maybe some decent play time.  Probably no acknowledgement that she had been blessed with a year of life and that her life was worth celebrating.  This year, I am thrilled that we can celebrate her birthday!  We won't have a big celebration - ordering pizza (the girl LOVES pizza) and having cake, lighting TWO candles, and opening presents.  We've been trying to teach her to answer appropriately, when someone asks her "how old are you?" to say "two" and hold up two fingers.  She sort of grasps the concept.  :-)  I am sure the rest of our family is much more excited to celebrate this milestone of life because we just understand it better - she'll just be happy about the pizza, presents and extra attention.

I am so grateful that we can Celebrate Martha Joy's life today.  She is full of sugar, and probably even more spice and healthy and spunky and brings a lot of Joy to our household.  Knowing where she came from, her health and spunk are indeed blessings.  She has grown over 7 inches since she's been here, and her weight is catching up too (she's only in the 30th percentile for weight, but you'd never guess that by looking at her belly!)

This past week marked another milestone for her - the final dose of an antibiotic that she has been taking for NINE months - that is another celebration in this Momma's mind.  When Martha was examined in the International Adoption Clinic here in Columbus, it was found that she had Latent Tuberculosis - which means she had been exposed to TB, but it was not active in her system.  (don't worry if you've been around her - she was exposed to it, but is NOT able to expose it to others - I have the paperwork to prove it, so please don't start worrying.....).  So, we had to give her NINE months of antibiotic at the same time every day, two hours after she had eaten or had anything to drink.  Sounds easy, right?  Well, it's hard to keep a little one's stomach empty for two whole hours especially when she hears anyone in the house open the pantry or refrigerator door!  And, the antibiotic only comes in pill form - so it had to be crushed and given with a small amount of......Ketchup.  Seriously, Ketchup.  Eewwww.  Which meant NINE months of ketchup night-night kisses.  She could have had a bit of yogurt or even chocolate syrup, but after trying those and her not taking the pill, Ketchup worked.   She now has an "official" letter from Children's Hospital stating that she completed this Antibiotic program and has a negative Chest X-Ray, because she will always have a positive TB skin test. We are grateful that this antibiotic program is finished - but also so thankful that this treatment was available for her.  If she were in Ethiopia, she would not have been tested until she was showing active signs of Tuberculosis - and TB is still one of the leading causes of death in Ethiopia.

At the orphanage, mid April 2012

So - today, on her Birthday, we celebrate Martha.  We celebrate that she is in the U.S., where a little white pill can make a difference in her life for many, many years to come.  We celebrate that she is a Jansen today and we can have cake and ice cream and sing to her.  And, most of all, we celebrate that God has a plan for her life and already, His fingerprints are all over her little life!  To God Be the Glory!

2 years old - full of sugar and spice!

Still Amazed

One year ago today will be a day forever stamped in my memory.  It followed a long weekend of waiting on God, praying, seeking, asking questions and trying to come to a decision.  The Friday before we had talked to our Agency about a little girl that was ready to be referred - but she was younger than we had planned on - we just weren't sure we were ready for that.  But, after the weekend of wondering and pondering, we decided that this was the referral we were ready to accept and had total peace about that.  So - on our lunch hours that day, Dave & I rushed home and opened the Referral email from our agency together and this is what we saw.......

We knew as soon as we saw those pictures, that she was ours!  Thankfully, since then, we've been blessed with another picture of her (Thanks Sarah!) from when she was at her first orphanage at a much younger age......and it looks like those eyes have always been so big!  :-)

I am Still Amazed.....

*That she is ours

*That she has adjusted to our family so well and that our other children have all adjusted to her just as well and they seem to love her more than I imagined

*Every time I see her playing with, laughing with, cuddling with, being loved on by her Daddy - this man who wasn't sure he could adopt because he feared he wouldn't love like he loves his bio children.  He can't get enough of this little girl.....he is head over heels in love with her.  I consider this a work of God every time I see it!  And it makes me love David all the more too - because he opened his heart to all of this.

*That we were concerned about changing diapers again and the terrible twos, etc.....sometimes that stuff isn't so fun, but it's back to the basics and that's not so bad.  Especially, when we are also at the same time, looking at college choices, scheduling ACT tests, teaching another child to drive, etc.  Diaper change?  Quick and simple and done.  Basic.  And - it is always wonderful to see life through the amazement and giggles of a little one - simplicity and joy!  Love it!

*That at 43 years old, I am back to being home full time and doing child care.  I certainly didn't see that coming.  But, it has been such a good decision for our whole family and I am enjoying it more than I even thought I would.  I love being with Martha, having the other kiddos here with us during the day and being able to be a bit more available for the older kids.  It has also given me a chance to help Dave a bit more as his ministry is concerned and be more of a helpmate to him.  That was another unexpected blessing!

*That God allowed us to get through the adoption process and how we have learned and grown through it.  It helps me realize how much God really does put all of the puzzle pieces together - even on those days when I thought I'd never make it through.

*That adoption is still so expensive and so complicated.  I understand that the children need to be protected and that there need to be certain policies and procedures in place to protect them.  But, there are millions of children who need homes and many parents willing to offer them - but the process, the costs, the red tape - it all keeps children and families apart. 

*At how much I've come to love the people and country of Ethiopia - somehow it has gotten into my soul.

And, now, the latest picture of that little girl- who one year ago today had no siblings and was considered an orphan......we are so blessed!

Thanks for reading.....we look forward to going out for Ethiopian Friday night to celebrate the Referral Anniversary. We'll take any reason we have to eat Ethiopian!

Sami

Back in July, we asked you to pray for Sami.  Sami is an employee of Adoption Associates in Addis Ababa and was diagnosed with liver cancer. Facilities in Ethiopia were not able to treat him, so he went to India for a couple of months of treatment, leaving his wife and 2 daughters in Ethiopia. At some point in January, Sami started experiencing lots of pain and was struggling more.  He had planned to return to India, but because of a Visa issue not allowing him to get to India until February 5th, he ended up traveling to Bangkok, Thailand for some sort of medical help.  Sadly, this is the update our Agency sent us yesterday -

This morning we received very discouraging news. Sami is really struggling. His CT scan shows his blood is not circulating as it should between his brain & body. He is currently responsive and understands the gravity of his condition. His family decided to have him come home as soon as possible and right now it is planned that he will fly home on Sunday night. 

We ask for your continued prayers for Sami. Please pray for Sami's physical needs, but, more importantly, his spiritual needs. Please also pray for Sami's wife and two daughters.Thank you so much for caring for this man who has touched many lives and is so dear to those who know him. We will keep you updated. 

We are so sad.  Obviously, you've met plenty of people in your life - some that made an impression and some that did not.  Sami was one of those who made a deep impression on our hearts.  His kind heart was apparent within minutes of meeting him.  We spent time with him on two occasions in Ethiopia.  One was the evening when he took us to a local restaurant for dinner and cultural dancing.  His company was so comfortable and he even showed us how well he could dance.  As we shared the meal together, he showed us pictures of his beautiful daughters and you could see how deeply he loved them through his expressions and words.  The other time was when he took us to Court (Court dates and documents for the adoptions were his specialty in the AAI office - he seemed to be the expert around there!).  We were nervous, apprehensive and a bundle of emotions.  Sami was so calm and confident and made us feel like it would all be okay.  His sweet smile and quiet confidence put us at ease.  He walked through the complexities of that day with us and rejoiced with us when it was done.  Undoubtedly, he has walked with countless other families through their court hearings and has helped countless children find their forever homes.   He gets it - children need homes and love and care - and he does what he can to make sure that happens.

So - will you continue to pray for Sami, his wife and 2 little girls?  As our agency wrote, this seems to be a very serious situation.  I can't even imagine what his wife is experiencing - having her husband out of the country with a serious illness, facing the possibility of losing him, the emotional and financial strains ahead - and so much more.  And his little girls - well, it just makes my heart hurt.

As God's timing is always right, the Ethiopia Team from our Agency is leaving for Ethiopia next week, a trip that was previously planned.  I believe God had that planned so that they could be of some encouragement and help to Sami and his family, and to somehow express to them how many lives have been touched and how many people are grateful for Sami's service.

And, say what you will about America.  Our health care system is pretty messed up - sometimes we wait for a long time in the doctor's office or ER, sometimes it takes a month or more to see a specialist - but we don't have to leave the Country to be able to get medical care or change plans because we don't have the right travel Visa.  We also complain about social security, paying in for life insurance, etc - but at least we have some options.  In Ethiopia - I don't know if there are any programs in place like that.

So - PRAY and PRAISE - we are so blessed.  Again, I am humbled by that and need to remember that more often.

Christmas 2012 - Wonder and amazement.  For both Martha and the rest of us....so overwhelmingly blessed to have 5 children around the tree this year on Christmas morning.  And, for those of you still waiting....for your child, a new job, a love worth waiting for, etc.......God is faithful and His timing is Perfect.  As you look towards 2013 - remember that!

6 months already!

Today marks 6 months since we brought Miss Martha home. In some ways we can't believe it has been 6 months.  And, yet, it seems like she has been here forever and has always been a part of our family.  We look at the first picture of our family with Martha and she looks so quiet and calm.  But, as she has gotten more and more comfortable here, her true personality is just shining through.  She is feisty, determined, entertaining, curious, charming and very, very busy (and sometimes quite sneaky).  Recent Martha events include:

**Stitches in her forehead from tripping and hitting the corner of a wall
**Dave has used Bungees and ropes to tie up our kitchen chairs each day because she wants to climb on the chairs in order to get up to/on the table
**Moving something in front of the front door in order to stand on it to unlock the door and try to open it. (Nothing wrong with her problem solving skills!)
**Starting Speech Therapy - she is pretty much on target in other developmental areas right now, but needs to catch up on her speech.  She is starting to make progress and we're thrilled - though we are a little worried about what she will do when she realizes the power of the spoken word.  :-)

Recently, I resigned my position at work and the Monday after Thanksgiving, began working at Home full time.  I am doing some Childcare - God has provided me with this wonderful opportunity, that I totally see as a  blessing straight from Him!  Leaving a job that I loved so much was difficult, but I don't regret my decision at all.  I am right where I belong.  It feels so good!

Here's a picture from our Pumpkin Patch time this fall - I love each of these kids so much!  They make me proud each day and continually help me to be a better person!

Ethiopia and orphans everywhere continue to be in our Family's hearts. During this time of year, with the craziness of Black Friday, shopping and buying, spending too much, over scheduling and stressing, I am really struggling with the need vs. want, how many gifts are really needed, how we can do more to help others and all sorts of other questions.  We are all so blessed, but we take it so much for granted and don't stop to think how blessed we are in relation to the rest of the world.  As you reflect on Christmas, reflect on that Baby Jesus and that He was sent in to the world for YOU - because God the Father wants to adopt you into His forever family!  Out of gratitude for that - do something to make a difference this Christmas season.  You will be blessed!

One Year Ago......

One Year Ago today was devastating to us.  It was the day that our Agency called and gave us the news we never saw coming.....the two beautiful children whose referral we had accepted and we were just waiting for our Court Date to be given, had been taken back from the Orphanage by their birth mother.  These children whose pictures were posted around our home, whose names were part of all our dinner conversations, who already had beds and some clothes waiting for them, who were already family in our hearts - were gone - forever. Even as I write this I get teary.  We loved these two deeply.  We still have their pictures, we still pray for them, still worry about them and hope that someday we will see them in Heaven.  We will never forget about them.

One Year Ago this week, a 6 month old girl was transferred from her orphanage in Assela, to another one in Addis Ababa.  There were pictures taken of her on October 13, 2011 - a few days after she had arrived at the new orphanage.  She stayed at the orphanage as her paperwork was prepared for her adoption.  No one  knows why, but gathering her paperwork took longer than usual and her referral was finally ready on February 27, 2012.  But, had it happened any sooner than that, her new family might not have been ready to accept the referral for a girl so young, as they thought they should adopt a preschool aged child or older.  Had her paperwork been ready earlier, the Agency would not have even thought to share this referral with her family, because the family had been clear that they didn't want such a young one.

And, now we can look back and see how God was moving behind the scenes....delaying paperwork, making the ache in our hearts so deep that we were ready to look at different age ranges, moving that little girl to Addis at just the the right time so that now we can see His hand mightily at work.  We have now received the gift of Martha Joy with deep gratitude, knowing that she was intended to be a Jansen long before we knew it.

This morning, my devotional for today, One Year Later, was this.....

"Be wiling to follow wherever I lead.  Follow Me wholeheartedly, with glad anticipation quickening your pace.  Though you don't know what lies ahead, I know; and that is enough!  Some of My richest blessings are just around the bend: out of sight, but nonetheless very real.  To receive these gifts, you must walk by faith - not by sight."  Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

We declared One Year Ago today, that we would continue the adoption journey, and walk by faith, trusting in God's plan and purpose.  Today, we can fully rejoice in that!

This is shared with you, our blog readers, to encourage you.  If it feels devastating, lonely, like there is no way out or just so confusing, empty, ____?____.  Trust God and walk by faith.  Sometimes getting around that bend may feel like it is taking forever and you will never reach the blessing, but hang on and Trust God.  His plan is always Best.

This might be a long one.....

This might be a long one.....maybe you should grab some coffee before you start reading it......   :-)

It seems hard to believe - Martha has been home with us 14 weeks already!  And, that day of bringing her home seems a bit like a very distant memory, because in so many ways it seems like Martha has always been here.  She has fallen right into the moving and grooving of our household - and we have done the same with her. Though,we are still getting used to the drawers she opens and empties, the toys she believes are better all over the floor and remembering to bring diapers and wipes wherever we go.  :-)  But, it's all good!  She is talking more and more - not a lot of identifiable words, but more and more attempts and finding ways of communicating with us. Someone had told me to remember that she is sort of like an "ESL" (English as a second language) student.  Her brain was wired in Amharic and when we picked her up, she was at the very early stages of using words.  Then, we threw her in a new culture, where all of the words are new and strange, and she needs to "re-set" the language part of her brain to English.  Seeing how determined she is to keep up with everything the rest of the family is doing, gives us no doubt that her language will come - and before we know it, she'll be talking our ears off.  For now, her favorite word is "Da DEE" and it sends her Daddy into the hugest grin we've ever seen!

We can look at the pictures of her first few days and see a difference - as we look at them now, there seems to be a look of shock and confusion on her face, and probably some fear too.  These days, all we see is a happy, little rascal who is eating up every minute of life - just like any 17 month old child should be.  In the last couple of weeks, we have seen a lot of progress in her attachment journey - and much of that has happened while Vicki has been home on FMLA.  In a roomful of people, she usually (not always) now chooses Dave or Vicki over others - even a month ago, that wasn't happening.  She is also now initiating cuddling with Mom & Dad - also a new notable activity.  She has not been much of a cuddler at all, so we are thrilled that she seeks comfort periodically from us now.  Martha has proven to be friendly and flexible in almost all situations - including being around new people and places.  Usually, at this age, that is a good thing.  But, because she has had so many primary caregivers in her life already, this has concerned us that she  is not attaching to us.  Well, this morning proved different......Vicki brought her to the nursery at church and for the first time ever, she started to cry when Vicki walked away.  Vicki was then texted after a half hour, and asked to return to nursery because Martha hadn't settled in and was still crying.  This is a wonderful happening!  But, it also brought Vicki to tears because tomorrow she returns to work and Martha will again have different caregivers during work/school hours.  Vicki is very concerned that this will confuse Martha again and we will lose some of the progress we've made in the last 3-4 weeks.  Please pray that Martha will continue to know us as her parents and that Vicki will be of some usefulness at work in the coming weeks as going back is proving to be very difficult for her.

Labor Day weekend was also Baptism weekend and we enjoyed having family members here to help us celebrate God's promises to Martha!  Thanks to all of you who attended the service that morning - you all did our hearts good!  We were delighted to share the celebration with so many. After the service, we had a meal with our family who were in town and were blessed to have 2 Ethiopian friends prepare some Ethiopian food and do a Coffee Ceremony for us.  Here are some pictures.......

There are a couple of questions that continue to be asked of us - so here are the long answers:   :-)

1)Will you adopt again?
If finances were not an issue, we would do it again in a heartbeat.  The joy of Martha joining our family and the journey that got us here have changed each one of our family members in tremendous ways.  We also know God's love in a new way, as we are visibly reminded on a daily basis of the fact that God adopted us as His Children and loves us forever, No Matter What.  We also continue to have such a burden for orphans worldwide - it is frustrating that it costs so much financially to try to help them.

2) Will you return to Ethiopia?
YES YES YES!!!  Again, if finances were not an issue, we'd probably already have a trip planned.  We want to go back someday for Martha to see her homeland.  We'd also like to go back and show our other kids the Country. We try to help them understand how amazingly blessed they are living in America, but until they see poverty and suffering firsthand, we doubt they will be able to get a true grasp of it.  In addition, Ethiopia, the country, the people and the culture has really gotten under our skin and we are still figuring out what to do with all that.  Please pray for us as we seek to know and follow God's call.

3) Will you continue to blog?
Most likely, yes.  But, our posts may be more about the entire family or how we hope to love more orphans or care for Ethiopians.  We really don't know.  But, we'll still be blogging about Martha's progress and this crazy Jansen Expansion - knowing that as God has expanded our family, He has also expanded our hearts and we'll continue to seek to know how He wants us to live out what we've learned (and continue to learn).  Keep checking back!

This Tuesday, September 11th, is Ethiopian New Year!  Happy New Year to a Country we love - somehow we're going to celebrate here too!   :-)