One Year Ago Today ( A letter to my son)

One year ago today, we had the honor of taking you away from a life lived in an orphanage, to a life lived in a family ... our family. One year ago today, I rocked you to sleep for the first time. One year ago today, I placed you in a bed right next to me. One year ago today, I woke up through the night to check on you and make sure you were okay. One year ago today, you officially became ours.

One year ago, you were drinking formula from a bottle and eating just bread and spaghetti. Today you drink from sippy cups filled with milk, juice and water and feast on pizza and M&M's. One year ago today, you only knew children who, just like you, were left alone. Today you know the love of two sisters and one brother. One year ago today, your needs had only been met by people getting paid to respond to them (and a blessed few who I believe truly loved you). Today you get your deepest needs met by parents who love, cherish and adore you. One year ago today you were quiet, lethargic, and sad. Today you love to talk and laugh (and make others laugh) and sing and dance and be the center of attention.

We've had quite the year ! You've grown so much. You've changed so much. You've learned more than I have in the last 10 years combined, I'm sure. We've learned so much about each other. We've learned how to comfort you. You've learned how to let us love you. We've had sleepless nights, and tear-filled days. You've learned to talk, and I'm learning to listen. You've learned to walk, and I'm learning to keep up. You learned to sleep securely all the night through ...huge ! You've come to realize that when I leave, I WILL BE BACK. You've come to realize that babysitters and Sunday School are fun, and that I WILL BE BACK.

Not a day goes by that I don't think of the life you had. Not a day goes by that I don't think of your birth Mom and what she sacrificed for you. Not a day goes by that I am in awe of you and the difference you have made in our life. Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for his work in your life - for His trusting us with your life.

I pray you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Father. I pray you grow to know the fullness of your adoption not in us as sinful broken parents ... but in the One who created you, who knit you together in your mother's womb, who hems you in, who graciously and sovereignly placed you in our family.

Ephesians 1:3-8

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace ⁸that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.



One year ago today, you changed our lives ... you changed my life. I will never be the same. Some may say that you are lucky or blessed to have been brought into a family. Maybe. I know for sure though, that I am blessed that you are in our family. You are a part of me. I loved you before I met you. My life is better because you are in it. My heart is fuller because it loves you. To say that I'm glad we "gotcha" wouldn't even describe it. I'm so excited to see what year two, three, four, etc.... will bring ! I love you, my son.



One year ago today ....



TODAY !!!
One year ago today....


TODAY !!!!

One year ago today ....TODAY !!!!


TODAY !!!!
TODAY !!!

Malachi is ...... TWO !!!

Provi, Eden & Sam in unison - "Malachi is ?!?!?!?!?!?"
Malachi - "TWO !!!!"
So cute !

September 1st Malachi turned 2 ! Or somewhere around there actually ... Sept. 1st is the day they picked in Ethiopia. It makes me sad still that his actual birthday is unknown to everyone who loves him ... everyone but his birth mother I'm sure - wherever she is. On this special day of his, I couldn't help but imagine her sadness, and at the same time thank God for our joy and for the strength his family in Ethiopia possessed to give him over to a better life. Last year Malachi was still in Ethiopia waiting for us to get him. We celebrated his first birthday apart from him. His second birthday was extra special because of it! His first (second) birthday as part of a family .... our family!

Enough of the sappy sad stuff.....
Believe it or not, Malachi had not ever had cake. I was determined to have him wait like every other child until his first (second) birthday. One of his favorite things is BALLS !!! So, here was the cake :
He wasn't all that interested actually. He took 2 little bites, and decided he wanted to play ball instead of eat cake.



We have a group of friends who come to our home weekly, and were with us through our adoption journey, as well as Malachi's first 10 months home. These were the ones we thought he'd want to spend his birthday with. So we had a low key celebration. (Low key, because another bash is around the corner as we celebrate the day he came into our family! PARTAAAYYY!!!!)



It was a great day as we celebrated his life. We look forward to many more years to come ! So, watch out world - Baby Man is 2 !!!!

Orphan

I know I've posted already about signing a petition AGAINST the movie being put out by Warner Bros called ORPHAN. There is now a website attached to this movement that I'm urging you to check out. Sign the petition. And if you have an adopted child, or have been involved in the lives of anyone who has - you can even submit your rendition of how wonderful and powerful adoption is. This petition has taken it beyond the first one that just went to show how many people were against it, and is now asking Warner Bros to use a portion of the proceeds to benefit orphan care.

Won't you join me? Orphans Deserve Better. (orphansdeservebetter.org)

Update

No, this is not an update on Malachi.

It has come to my attention that some have missed the fact that I have a different blog. A different blog that gets updated often. It struck me as odd when I was asked why I didn't blog much anymore.

So, for those who don't know - go HERE. It's where I live most of the time.

On his way ....

to poppin' and a-lockin'! :)

(Sorry the quality isn't great)

Malachi had Sam's birthday card, which plays the song - Funky Town. He's been grovin' everyday to the beats. Yo. ;)

7 Months and forever

Today marks 7 months since we took Malachi into our family and he's never had to turn back.

I've been looking forward to 7 months. And here it is! Why? What is so special about 7 months?


Malachi was found when he was about 7 months old (so they say).


Malachi lived in an orphanage/transition home for about 7 months.



Malachi has been with his forever family for 7 months.



Since the day he was born, 7 months means a time of HUGE change for little Malachi Abel is coming. No more! This 7 months for him marks love, family, security, stability, home .... all of this is now his forever !

I'm forever grateful for God's work in his sweet little life. I'm forever grateful for God's work in our family. In me.

Boycott this movie ....

Please Read, Sign and Pass along this petition to boycott this horrible movie.

New to the herd

Never do I buy things full price for my kids.

Malachi doesn't need any more clothes.

The outfit I spotted is incredibly impractical for him because it's one of those one piece jumper things that snaps in the middle, and Malachi is potty training, so it will be very annoying. (Yes, you read that right, he's potty training ... that is another post.)

I know that Malachi isn't really "new" to our family, seeing how he's been with us for almost 7 months.

But just the same ... I couldn't resist when I saw this .....





So cute !

Summing up the heart of adoption

Read this. It will make you cry. More than that, it is perhaps one of the best things I've ever read that truly sums up the heart of adoption.

President Malachi Obama ?????

We took the kids to a new park in Boulder today (well, new to us). There were so many people there! It was great fun. Probably the best part of the entire morning, was when two school-aged children commented on how cute Malachi was. Then as they ran off, they giggled to each other how much he looked like Barack Obama.

hehe

I do see a striking resemblance, don't you? Riiiiiiiggggggghhhhhttttt

Li'l Red

Malachi Meets Marker

Malachi is.....

Malachi is changing so very fast. Every day he is learning and doing new things. Here is a brief rundown over the last several weeks.

* Malachi started to crawl!
* Malachi started to walk! (See it here, on Aaron's blog ... no point in reloading it.)
* Malachi can sign: more, please, thank-you, all done ... and does all 4 often and usually for the wrong reasons. But it is still really cute.
* Malachi can say: bye, hi, mama, dada, sissy, bro-bro, ba-ba, that, here-ya-go, love you, thank you, done, ball, and Jesus (according to the kids).
* Malachi is now sleeping with Bro-Bro (aka, his big brother, Sam) after almost 3 months in our room.
* Malachi is now sleeping through the night, and has been for almost 4 weeks ... after 3 months in our room of NOT sleeping through the night!
* Malachi is down to just 1 bottle a day. (As of today that is, I just took away his nap time bottle this afternoon. He didn't even notice .... I don't think.) The boy eats MORE than enough throughout the day. He is no longer malnourished, nor in need of 36 ounces of formula a day (which is what he was getting the first 3 months).
* Malachi is finally drinking from a sippy cup, although he isn't very fond of milk.
* Malachi STILL has giradia (sp?) after 3 rounds of treatments. Ugh.
* Malachi loves when we play Ethiopian music. Again, check it out on Aaron's blog if you want. Calms him down when nothing else will.
* Malachi had his first night with a babysitter. (Meaning Aaron & I had our first real date in almost 4 months.) ***Thanks again PJ!!!!!!!*** He did great, says the sitter and the kids.
* Malachi hates the church nursery with a passion. So did my other kids though, so I am not really surprised.
* Malachi is insanely jealous of his big brother if I am involved. In other words, when Sam has my attention (especially my lap), he HATES it .... screams until it's over in fact.
* Malachi loves to be outside, only he doesn't like the grass. If he sees that you are about to put him in the grass, he will lift his legs up in protest. It's very funny. :)
* Malachi is brilliant!!!!! So many changes (especially in the last month). A new language, new environment, new family, a lifetime of sorrows and lack of opportunity (until he came to us that is) .... and he's come this far!

That's my Malachi!

Malachi and I are Famous!

My Dad just sent me a link to this blog that was written by a man named Tony Reinke. We went home (to NE) for Christmas. While we were there, Malachi and I were in worship service together. Tony sat behind us, and as a result, was inspired to write a poem about M and I. Kinda cool!

Check it out....

3 Months Ago ....

Three months ago today our lives were forever changed by one, tiny, Baby Man. We met Malachi for the first time and our hears will never be the same. He was unsure and scared, malnourished and weak, sad and lonely. Remember???




Just 3 short months later, he is a different child! He's secure and lively, fed and strong, joyful and loved. And it shows.

"How big is Malachi?"
"SOOO BIG !!!"

"Peak-a-boo!"

"Look at my big belly!!! Yum!"

Malachi continues to steal our hearts and wrap them around his little finger every single day. He is such a joy. The 3 months have flown by, and yet I feel like he's always been part of our lives. Proof that God made a place in our family for him long before we did. It hasn't been easy by any stretch of the imagination. But it has been blessed. God continues to guide us as we figure out and learn just who our Baby Man is. We see Jesus in his eyes, and hope and pray that others do too. He's made us laugh and he has made us cry .... and not a second goes by that makes me think I wouldn't do it all over again! I would ... in a heartbeat!

Look who is mobile !!!!

Well, he did it! Malachi crawled! Despite being told by the Dr. and the Therapists that Malachi would 1) Walk before crawling, or 2) Not ever crawl ... he proved them wrong! They told us that "tummy time" wasn't necessary for a child his age, it would just make him mad. They were right, it did. But I wanted to see him crawl. He's never been given opportunity to do anything but sit. He's a smart one, and aside from many tummy time tears, he got it! Time to get out the baby gates! :)

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

It's been a while, huh???

It's been too long. I know. I'm sorry. Can I just tell you how much I hate getting pictures on the computer??? A lot. But, it's worth it for anyone and everyone to see my sweet family!

Malachi is doing AMAZING!!! He continues to fill our hearts with joy every day. He still loves to make people laugh, which I love! He is "cruising" all over the place. He has figured out his own little obstacle course through the maze that is our home. He has a lot to say too...typical Britton. He says "Dadda, Momma, Ba-ba (bottle), Ni-ni (good night), hi (of which he also waves very dramatically), love you, light, ball, that, and Jesus (according to Providence)". He also signs "more" and "please". SO CUTE! He's gained about 5 lb's since we've been home! He loves to dance to anything with a beat, even Daddy's random drum sessions on the table. (And he's got rythym too...Malachi, not Dad. Well, Dad does too, he is a drummer after all!) He's starting to let other people look at him without crying ... and a few have even had the privaledge of holding him. One babysat for 2 hours during the day. Crazy! He loves being outside, but hates the grass. It's a twisted humor I have, when I try to sit my child in the grass and he lifts his legs and cries in protest ... yet I do that over and over again because it is just funny.

The pictures are much cuter than my words. So, here ya go!


Christmas Eve. All dressed up for church. I think it is funny that Malachi and Eden are making the same face in this picture.


Just cuz he's cute....


Sleeping like a baby (which is a joke of a term really...) in Mom and Dad's bed...cuz Dad lets him. :) At least he is cute in that big ol' bed!


Our future Tiger Woods??? :)



Hi !


"What-chyou-talkin-bout-Willis???" hehe

Merry [Ethiopian] Christmas