Four Years Ago...

...we got married! Four years ago today was our beautiful wedding day. We had our wedding at the City Museum - in the Architecture Hall. It was so much fun. I just realized (after looking at the website) that they have a picture from our day on their website. Very cool...

Our reception was at Windows off Washington - which is on the top floor of the City Museum. We had such a fun night- and the funniest part of it was that, five minutes until the band was to be finished and the bar was to close, there was a fire on the second floor! (We were on the 10th floor). This is only funny because no one was hurt - it wasn't that serious. I was a bit scared at first of course! I remember finding Kevin and then we rode the elevator down - ummm... not something you're supposed to do when there is a fire - right? Oh well, we made it anyway... here are some shots from the scene on the street after fleeing the building!

Kevin thought it was very funny to have the fire department at our wedding!

I was still in a bit of shock!

So, it was a wonderful day, but what has been most wonderful is the past four years (or seven total if you're counting). We have had some ups and downs, but we've made it through them and are stronger because of them. I feel so lucky to have found Kevin - he is my best friend, he makes me laugh at least once a day, and he is so caring and supportive. My favorite thing about my husband is that he is not afraid to have fun - be goofy and just laugh.

And, now I am lucky enough to share parenthood with him, and again, he is amazing. Micah lights up when he comes home and Kevin does the same when he sees his son. Kevin will do anything (including wear a bumbo on his head) to make that baby smile and I just love watching the two of them together. They are my guys and I am one happy girl. :)

Got Injera?

Friday we went to Meskerem - an Ethiopian restaurant here. We had a great time and Micah tried injera for the first time (that we know of). He also tried some chickpea stuff (it was part of the veg combo platter, so I'm not sure what it is called) and really liked that. The owner, Enoch, talked to us again and was excited to see Micah Yabsira home. Our server, Hanah, was also excited to see him- she took him in her arms and joked, "Bye Mommy!" Micah had fun - he smiled at everyone and was even smiling when I walked him around to show him the paintings and the pictures. Cute boy.

Here he is eating his Ethiopian food (Uncle Ryan is holding him). You can see from the mess he's making that he likes it.

Apparently, he also likes to eat menus...

Big Sis

My big sister Bonnie is in town this week. She and her family live in the Pacific Northwest, so they only come in town about once a year. This year, obviously, is extra special because Micah is meeting his cousins and his aunt Bonnie. Her husband is off to Costa Rica to find them a place to live for the next nine months! Nice! Hopefully we'll be visiting Costa Rica early next spring. My nephew S. said the funniest thing ever tonight - his brother L. was whining and this is what followed:

Bonnie: Are you whining? I keep telling you that we don't speak "whinese" here! :)
S.: But mom, whinese is your favorite drink!

I'm still laughing at that one.

We have been having a fun week - we've been out to dinner, had dinner at all the grandparents' houses, we've gone to the library, and we went to the Butterfly House, which was a lot of fun.

This is Bonnie trying to fit 3 carseats into the back of my outback. :) Micah reaching out to S. reminds me of the picture of cutie Silas reaching out to make friends on Amy's site.

Success!!

Bonnie and her boys at the butterfly house.

Ummm.... how cute is this - my little butterfly boy? I'm sure Kevin (and someday Micah) will hate this picture, but I think it is ADORABLE!! :)

This is one of the first times Micah met aunt Bonnie - he was pretty tired at this point, but trust me, he was very excited at the beginning of the night. :0)

Rant

Ok, so things don't usually get to me (or at least I don't write about them on the blog), but this morning's news got to me. They interviewed a woman who has two children through international adoption. One of the questions was why she & her husband chose international adoption and she spoke about how you can "get" a healthy infant... It's the word "get" that bothers me here. I assume this mom did not in any way intend this, but when I hear "get" about a child, it devalues the process, the miracle, of adoption. It sounds like a grocery store, or a good bargain. I am sure this mom loves her babies, and I am not really blaming her - it is really that there is a lack of good language to use about adoption. I mean, they call it "gotcha day" after all. (I'm not particularly fond of that either, but again don't blame people for using it - it is part of the adoption lexicon.) Am I alone in this bothering me? The idea of "getting" a child? What do you say when referring to how your child came to you?

I do have to give this mom credit though - the interviewer asked her what her response would be to people who say that there are so many kids who need homes here - why didn't she adopt domestically? She said, "Well, adopt them!" She went on to say that they had tried domestic, but it didn't work out, but I liked her bold answer.

Camera Crazy

So, I've been going camera crazy lately... here are some of the cuties -

Happy after bath-time! You can't see it, but this cute towel has his name embroidered on it (thanks Mindy!)

Micah & Papa R. Notice his super-cool bear slippers - a hand-me-down from George & Chuck.

Just hangin' with my bear in my puppy shirt from Grandma D.

Ready for Game Day - Go Buckeyes!

His first time sitting in a restaurant high chair (in his cool shirt from Keri!). This did not last long- he much preferred for his aunts, uncle and papa to be holding him during dinner on Saturday night. I actually sat and ate my meal - very exciting!

Friendship & A cool find

I was reading over my last post and realized that, while I had gushed on and on about Micah & Mamush being friends, I didn't mention the wonderful friendship that Jenni & I have. I feel so fortunate that ours were the first two dossiers for CHI, and the first two referrals. I really don't know how I would have made it through all of the crazy-ness without her. She was there to lift my spirits when they were down, and to celebrate all the wonderful moments with us (and us with them!). Jenni - you are an amazing person, and I am lucky to have you as a friend - I'm so glad our boys brought our lives together. :) I just had to say all that!

Onto my cool find... the other day in Borders I was looking for a kids music cd (this child LOVES music!) and I found a cd called African Lullaby. I love it - and so does Micah. Although it doesn't feature any Ethiopian singers, the music is beautiful and the voices are amazing. I am happy to have found it. I'm also thinking of getting a cd from the African Children's Choir. Micah's favorite songs right now are Godspeed by the Dixie Chicks (I swear he smiles every time I play it) and Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson. He also enjoys a bit of Social Distortion, especially when Dad is singing and dancing goofy to it (he loves it when we act like idiots).

And, just to remind you how cute Micah is :)

M and M

Last night we were lucky enough to have a visit from Micah's first BFF - Mamush! Oh, and his wonderful mom and dad, Jenni & Jim came too! :) Jenni and I emailed each other incessantly through the paperwork phase, the waiting phase, the referrals and travel. They went to Ethiopia the week after we left.

Kevin & I were there when they brought Mamush to the House of Hope - what an amazing moment! Here was this little baby boy who I already loved, and I knew how much his mom and dad already loved him... I was standing on the balcony holding Micah and Kevin yelled up, "That's Mamush!" I carried Micah down to see him with the tears running. The other very cool thing about Micah & Mamush is that they were at the same orphanage before coming to the HOH. So, you see, these boys have known each other almost their whole lives! :) It is so amazing that Jenni & Jim live close enough to come visit so the boys can grow up knowing each other.

Here they are hanging out together in Ethiopia...


And, here they are hanging out together at Micah's house...

BFFs!

Mamush decided it was time to put his hand on Micah's head... Not sure how Micah felt about that! :)