Ok, so when we were the family in the waiting part of the adoption process, we kept an eye on the blogs of other families.  The part that used to drive me nuts is that reading through the blog it's like reading a book.  And you continue to read through the "new chapters" the family is going through right up to the point the family travels to pick up the newest member(s) of their family.  Then you're ready for the last chapter, the chapter that is about when they get home and how things are going and what is taking place ... but sometimes that doesn't happen. And you're waiting for any sort of update but there's none.  You know why??  Cause the family is busy.  They are bonding and taking time to learn about each other and helping each other with everything. 

It's amazing. I looked at our blog last night and we haven't posted since the 12th of February.  Why?  Cause Satan attacked us right when Patty and Meti returned from Ethiopia.  He's tried to keep us all sick so that we're less able to bond as a family.  He's tried to keep us all tired.  He doesn't want this to go well, he doesn't want us to encourage other families to adopt.  But that's alright, God is still in control.

Things are going well.  Meti has been in school for about a month now, she's doing very well and learning more everyday.  It's neat to see how God will use everyday to grow us as a family.  Belle has taken an interest into picking random items or objects around the house and then asking Meti, "How you say that word in 'your Spanish'".  Funny, it took her a while to understand that Meti's native language is called Amharic, so she would just call it "your Spanish".  But the neat part is after Meti tells her the word in Amharic, Belle tries to repeat it.  She's doing very well, it's amazing how quickly young kids can learn.  I don't think she remembers any of the words, except for maybe one or two, but it's still a blessing to see God grow our family.

In other news, we are transitioning into "mud" season in Maine.  This means that its time to load up the van with everything from sunscreen to fleece jackets to prepare for the upcoming track season.  This will be Amy's third season doing track with her school.  She seems to enjoy it and does very well in a variety of activities.  Just like with soccer season, the rest of the family packs up and heads out to the meets to cheer on the team and also enjoy the warmer weather (some days).  It's alot of fun to see friends from church and fellowship as well as support Amy.

Like any change or adjustment, each new day brings new opportunities and new challenges.  We are blessed to have many great teachers at the school Amy is currently going to and they were more then happy to make the necessary sacrifices and efforts to allow Meti to start school there.  She has done a few half days this week and will start full time after the February school vacation.

It's amazing though, Patty and I spent more than 45 minutes the other night just trying to explain/communicate one thing ... the difference between truth and non-truth.  Man, teaching is not my gift.  Patty is so patient and was trying so many different examples and analogies.  I knew it was something we had to explain to Meti cause it was part of what they were reading for that day's homework, but it was amazing.  Something that many would think is just simple, but then to communicate it to an individual using only the simplest of English words.  Eventually, we were able to help her understand the meaning.  My hat is off to Patty for her patience and persistence.

Well, it was bound to happen, time to enjoy the snow.  Today, the Lord blessed us with a "warm" day, 37 degrees (F).  It certainly is the warmest day we've had in a long time and it was a perfect day to get out in the snow.  We bundled up and marched outside.  I think at first Meti was a little reserved, not quite sure what to think of it all, but once she fell in the snow for the first time, it was all over.  We had a blast!!!

The second shot further below in the post is from a few nights back.  Amy was sitting at the kitchen table and Meti was working on her hair. 

I don't have a whole lot to say except I am blessed.  Incredibly blessed.  I have a wonderful husband and three incredible daughters.  Our life is routine - school, shopping at Walmart and leftovers for supper once in a while.  I don't have any exciting stories.  Meti has fit into our family in a way that I cannot explain.  There are some issues with language and a few cultural differences, but the last five days have been good.  We are a family. 

I am still exhausted from my trip and Belle and Amy have colds so we are up at night a lot.  My stomach is still off a little.  This week has been busy with appointments for Meti.  You know, though, I cannot complain.  I was scared to death as the plane landed in Ethiopia.  I was terrified as I met Meti and for a few hours it was not as I had planned.  There was a lot of awkward moments (as my Amy would say) and then somewhere along the way I fell in love.  Now I have three beautiful forever daughters.  Thank you Jesus!

Well, we had a great day yesterday.  Meti had her medical checkup and all looks great.  She got to visit my work and we had lunch there.  Some of the people were out of the office, so we'll have to go back to visit with them at some point.  On the way home, we stopped at the library.  Belle and Patty have been going there for story time, so they were well aware that Meti was coming home.  I think Meti thought it was neat, maybe not understanding the whole concept of borrowing and then returning the books for different ones, but that will just come with time.  She's doing great reading basic English and she's starting to be less shy about speaking English, so she's doing well.

I know she's fitting in well with our family.  She seems very comfortable with all of us and she's doing very well.  I pray that she continues to feel comfortable so she can grow, learn and make this her home.

I have NO idea what the groundhog did today on Groundhog's Day, but what I do know ... is our family is finally together.  Praise God.

We had SUCH a blessed day.  Meti is such a blessing and a very sweet spirited girl.  We visited the school today.  Meti was very excited and had the chance to meet quite a few teachers and the principle.  We're thinking she'll take 2-3 weeks at home to adjust and then she'll start school after the February school vacation.

Today, after visiting the school, Meti got the chance to have her hair done.  She asked to have her hair straightened, and that she did.  She was so excited, just seemed to be so proud and felt so beautiful.  What a blessing.

Thanks for all your prayers.  This week is going to be a huge blessing, just time to bond as a family.

The only thing, only thing I can say to try and explain how I feel right now is described by the words of a song we sing at church (of course I don't know the name of the song), but the words are:

Jesus Lord of Heaven
I do not deserve
The grace that You have given
Or the promise of Your word
Lord I stand in wonder
At the sacrifice You made
With mercy beyond measure
My debt, You freely paid

Friends, my heart is so overly blessed right now that I can't even wrap my mind around it enough to share it.  It is so fun to have a full house and hear all the running around and the laughing.  I knew I missed my wife, but I never knew how much I missed her until I saw her last night. 

Thanks for being a part of this journey with us!!!

Just wanted to post a quick note to thank you all for your prayers.  We are so blessed and doing well.  We're just taking these first few hours to get situated and adjusted.  Unpack and hopefully get to church this evening.

We will post more soon.  God Bless.

Oh yes my friends, we are all home! Our two travelers are very tired
and in bed. I can't even tell you what it was like to be there
waiting for them to get off the plane.

Meti is so friendly and happy. She seems excited to be here and
overwhelmed from all the travel. She had her first escalator ride at
the airport. I'll bet there will be a lot of firsts for her.

A special thanks to our friends Mike and Tonya for driving to Portland
to share this occasion with us. It was such a blessing to have them
there.

And with that friends I say good night ... from Maine ... with three
daughters finally home together. How GREAT is our God??

Just heard from Patty.  She is so overwhelmingly blessed from this trip.  They are waiting to get through customs and then they will have to wait a few hours before the last flight home.  She is doing well and so is Meti.  But two days of travel can be alot for anybody.  She really needs prayer to get her through these last few hours of travel. 

She was amazed when I told her just a portion of the people that are praying for them right now.  Thanks for agreeing with us in prayer for them.  They are ALMOST HOME!!!!

Well, I just got the flight status update that they have landed state-side.  Now, just a small 9-hour layover before the last leg of their flight.  :-( 

Well, Amy, Isabelle and I did not travel to Ethiopia (obviously); so today is our "Gotcha Day".  Before I sleep tonight, I will have three daughters home.  I will meet my 11 year old daughter and we will finally be together as a family of 5.  Praise be to God!!

In my morning reading, I crossed over Proverbs 31:28, "Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her.  I can tell you one thing, Patty deserves that praise, but sadly, I don't give it to her enough.  For some people, their wife would've been out of town this week.  But for me, my wife, my best friend, my sound of reason, my encyclopedia of knowledge, my incredible cook, and my better half were all gone.  It was like being without a whole group of people for me this week.  I miss that beautiful lady so much, it will be so good to have her home.

Patty and Meti should be landing in the U.S. around 8 a.m. today.  They will be tired I'm sure.  They have quite a few hours to wait until the last leg of their trip takes them back to Maine this evening.  Please pray for them that they are able to rest and finish this journey safely.  I can NOT wait to hear and share some of the stories.  I'm sure Patty will have so many encouraging, heart breaking and amazing stories to share.

Happy "Gotcha" Day!!!

Really, when you think about it, the only thing that matters will be the things we do that bring glory to Him.  I remember a few years back, I was in church on a Sunday morning.  I saw a new person that I didn't know.  They had a t-shirt on and the front said, "Be the Moon".  Of course, being completely spiritual, I thought it was dumb shirt.  It wasn't until after service that the same person walked by me and I saw the back of the t-shirt ... that said, "Reflect the Son."  Wow, that's completely different, what a powerful challenge and statement.  Amazing.

The point is, if we're not reflecting the Son, then why bother.  I pray that every step of this adoption brings glory to Christ.  I really do.  I know I will find myself in the place where something will happen and I'll think, "how could this be used for anything good", but like Pastor Ken reminded us on Wednesday night, Romans 8:28 shows us that God will work all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Tonight marks the "last sleep before Momma gets home".  Half my heart is at 30,000 feet somewhere above the Atlantic.  I pray they are able to sleep, I pray the flight isn't too overwhelming for Meti and the other children traveling.  I pray that each step I make in this transition and everything I do will Glorify Him.

Thanks for keeping us in your prayers. 

Well, Patty has been gone for six days and the maid hasn't shown up once.  Usually, while I'm at work the maid comes to take care of the laundry and the dishes and general organizing around the house.  Then when I get home from work the house is in great condition.  I just find it weird that since Patty is gone, the maid doesn't show up.

Of course, I'm kidding.  It's been a full week of keeping up with the schedule that Patty normally handles "with the greatest of ease".  But it gives me even more appreciation for all the things I already knew Patty took care of.  That combined with the fact that I'm pretty sure a 3 year old is REQUIRED to speak at least 91,000 words per day.  There's got to be some unspoken rule for toddler girls.  I dunno, I could be wrong. 

It's been a blessing to be home with both girls this week.  Just a time to be able to listen to them and talk and play and have fun. 

In other news, Patty's flight is scheduled to depart in 45 minutes.  What a huge blessing that is.  I pray the flight is great for them and they are able to get rest.  I believe the other traveling family is on the same flight, so that will be cool for all three kids to be together on what I assume is the first plane ride they've ever had.

What amazes me with this blog is that there are people reading it that we don't even know about.  People that have come across our site and just keep an eye on the updates.  But the coolest part, is the number of people that are praying us through this time.  That's awesome.  I hope I can always pray for others the way they have prayed for us this week and through this process.

Isn't that what the Lord Jesus encouraged us to model our prayer after? 

Proverbs 30:7-9, "Two things I request of You (deprive me not before I die); remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches -- feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God."

What a great reminder of God's provision and timing.  For us to ask only for what the Lord knows we need.  I've been thinking alot about that with this next transition for the Violette family.  I'm sure this time will be filled with seasons; some of joy, some of trials, adjustments, who knows.  But in all of it we can trust the Lord to provide us with just what we need.  I know that He will not allows us to go through more than we can handle, and when needed, He will carry us through.

I got a quick email from Patty this morning, they visited the orphanages and it left a huge imprint on her heart.  How could it not?  She said she is anxious to be home, but at the same time sad to leave.  I can't imagine.  So my prayer this morning is for the traveling families, that the Lord would bless this time for the kids leaving all they've ever known and heading to a new home.  That the travel would go well, that the time would be a continued time of bonding.  I pray also for those of us at home, that our hearts would be understanding to their needs as they return home blessed, but tired.

Well, it's 10:40 p.m. in Ethiopia, pretty safe to say I won't get any more updates today.  I pray they had a blessed day and that the Lord would allow them to rest well this evening.  Tomorrow will begin a full two days of traveling and I'm sure they will be tired.  I pray the Lord allows Meti to have a good sleep this last night in a familiar area; tomorrow will be the beginning of a great adventure and new life ... but it will also bring much change to everything she has ever known.

When you think about it, time really is a weird concept.  I've seen that this week in trying to explain to a three year old just how long one week is.  In some ways this week has been long and in other ways it's really flown by.  It's been a blessing to be home with the girls and have time to enjoy with them. 

I got an email overnight from Patty.  It was a quick note to let us know they were going to the orphanages today and then having time tonight to pack and get ready to fly out tomorrow.  In Patty's email you could sense the excitement of being close to heading home.  I think her time there has been a blessing and a life changing time, but she'll be happy to be home and see the rest of her family.  But in that, I think about the other side.  As Patty flies home to everything that is familiar to her and "comfortable"; Meti is flying away from everything that is familiar and "comfortable" to her.  Every day for her will bring something new and unfamiliar.  Every day will be a new challenge and a new concept to understand.  Please pray for her.

I know this will be an exciting time for our family, but it will require adjustments for everybody; that's part of the deal and it's part of the blessing too.  Just as the verse states, there is a season for for everything.  But part we need to remember is that God controls the seasons, we don't.

Well, I was able to get an email from Patty.  They are doing very well and are thankful for all your prayers.  She is thankful for the time to be there and of course to get Meti, but said she also can't wait to be home.

Meti was sitting with the Taylor family while Patty sent us an email.  They were watching "Horton Hears a Who" in the room.  Funny.  And of course I'm wondering if it was in English, or if it was in Amharic?

Patty said they went to the market and got a few things.  She bought Meti a necklace and a purse and Patty just said she acted like she won the lottery.  We definitely are blessed in this country, I can't believe how much of it I take for granted.

Leaving the transition home was hard for Meti, it's all that's been familiar to her, it's her home.  Patty said that in getting ready to leave the transition home, Meti gave everything away.  She kept the Amharic bible we sent to her and a barbie doll.  Everything else she gave.  Amazing.  What a huge heart in that little girl.

Thanks for keeping us in prayer though this.  I'm so blessed to hear that they are bonding well and doing well.  I'm not sure what they are doing tomorrow?  I think they visit the Kids Care Orphanage and then the Gelgela Orphanage.  I pray that is a time for them to bless all the kids and give them plenty of hugs and kisses.

Ok, I'll be honest, the countdown is really for me and I just say its for Belle.  HAHA.  Seriously though, 3 sleeps left this morning that's awesome.  Although, for Patty and Meti, it's 4 p.m. already on Wednesday.  That means they have 2 sleeps left before they get on the plane to head home!

In Maine, we're supposed to get snow today, somewhere between 10 and 18 inches of snow before 6 a.m. tomorrow morning.  Good times. 

I'll be sure to update the blog later in the day if Patty has the opportunity to send me an update. 

Well, its keeping Belle intrigued, watching the countdown. 4 more
sleeps until we get momma and Meti.

Its Wednesday morning already in Ethiopia and they will be getting
ready for another big day. I wonder how their first night was, how
everyone slept.

They are going to the consulate today. Please keep that in prayer.