This Week in Pictures

We moved this week.

This is our new place.

A very crazy week. But worth it.

I love living downtown. 

So does Riley, he gets to walk everywhere.

Tek is still not feeling well.

His sickness causes our life to fall into the same cycle.

He cries... Dad comforts him.

He cries... Mom comforts him.

He falls asleep.

(Hopefully he stays asleep.)

The End.

Four Eyes...

Tek went to the eye doctor today. He is near sighted. The doctor said sometimes this will fix itself, however we will re-evaluate next year and then decide whether he needs glasses or not. But as Auntie Nicki pointed out... Tek is so cute he could totally rock the glasses. :) 

My dad came in town this weekend to help us move. He was a great help. Thanks Dad!

We went to the beach on Sunday. Here are a few pictures my dad took. 

Uncle Cody & Auntie Nicki with Tek in the ocean.

Having fun with Grandpa Jim.

Grandpa getting the sand off of Tek's face after his first face plant in the sand. 

"Mom, I need more sunscreen... we can't mess up this beautiful skin!"

My first swimming lesson given by Uncle Cody.

"Aren't I adorable?"

Daddy have fun with me in the water. 

Moving was so ridiculous! I hate it! But thank you so much to our Savannah Family for stepping up and helping out. Amanda & Kris, Brad & D... and a special thank you to Cody and Nicki who went above and beyond, giving up their entire weekend to do something so horrible. I don't know how we would have done it without them. We owe you guys big time!

FYI: If you are trying to call me and are getting annoyed... I welcome you to join us here in Savannah and help me find my phone... its somewhere lost in the mountains of boxes. 

Missing Ethiopia...

I just developed a bunch of our ET pictures. Man... it makes me miss Ethiopia. As I look at the pictures I see so many things I didn't really see when I was there. (I was a little preoccupied.) I want to go back so badly. Nicki and I talk about going there sometime next year, I hope that becomes a reality. I fell in love with the country and the people. It was definitely a divine direction that we chose this country to start our family. When I was there it felt like home. You know that feeling of just knowing that something is right. Like when you knew you were supposed to marry your spouse, or the first time you laid eyes on your child, or when you found a job that would become a career... you just knew it was right. The day we stepped foot in Savannah we knew its where we were meant to be. The day I stepped foot in Ethiopia, I knew it would forever have my heart. 

Ethiopia is such a beautiful country. The people are so warm. But it is also so heartbreaking. It puts your life into perspective. How fortunate we are to live in the US, to be born into a life of privilege. I think about that everyday. I didn't do anything to deserve this. It was just given to me. What am I going to do with this gift?

Many people think that we have done so much by adopting, that it is how we use our gift.  Many people say to Tek, "you are so lucky." And while yes it is undeniable that Tek's life will be drastically different living here in the States, he is not lucky. Not anymore than any of us or any of your children. God chose this life for him in the same way he chose it for us. He just had a different way of bringing him here. If anyone is lucky or blessed, its Andy and I. We have this amazing child that has changed our life in an indescribable way. This is how God wanted to build our family, in the same way many of you have built your families biologically. Tek was grown in my heart the same way I had grown in my mothers womb. It looks and feels very different, but it is the same in so many ways. Ask any adoptive mother. 

If I could make people understand anything about adoption it is that adoption is not how you save the world. Its how you build a family.  Every time someone says to Tek "you are so lucky," I cringe just a bit. I never want him to feel as though he is indebted to us, that we "saved" him. We did not. We just waited for God to bring him to us. 

Tonight I feel like the luckiest woman in the world (even with my stuffy nose! :) and I am fortunate that I have an amazing husband to share this with. God has been so good to this undeserving woman. 

God-- I hope that I make you proud of what I do with these gifts. 

One of those weeks...

Tek is sick. First week of daycare and he catches a cold.

He decides to share it with Mom. Thanks Tek... I appreciate it.

Moving... ARGH! So much work... I am so tired and so sick.

Work... very frustrating. Why can't I just be the boss? 

My laptop is broken. They can't retrieve anything on the hard drive. So many pictures lost. 

All of my mom's pictures are gone. I feel horrible. Sorry mom! 

Andy's laptop is broken. Usable, but annoying. 

Where is my stimulus check? I want my camera!

I just listened to a doctor's message on my phone and Tek needs more blood tests run. 

Poor guy.

Next week will be better. I know it. 

Even if its not better, I am sure I will be able to breath through my nose. 

Here is Tek at his first doctor's appointment a week after we arrived home from Ethiopia.

Tek loves his daddy. 

"Dada" will definitely be his first word. 

Better not be this week. It would make this week worse... I want him to be a mama's boy!

Sorry its been so long.

Kristen took the pictures above. They are so beautiful.

Amiee Ferguson took the pictures when we were in Ohio at the same park
Andy and I had our wedding pictures taken.
She did a wonderful job! I can't wait to see the rest.
It was during Tek's nap time (new mom! I forgot to consider nap time!)

Its been a little while since I have updated the blog, a lot has been going on. Its been a crazy couple of weeks. My mom was in town to visit last week. We had a great time celebrating July 4th with her and our Savannah Family. As soon as I steal some pictures from Nicki I will post Tek's first fourth of July and his last as an Ethiopian citizen. :) Mom left on Saturday, she was a great help when she was here. Tek adores her and can't wait to see Grandma Cheryl again.

Tek started daycare on Tuesday. He handled it much better than me. His teachers love him, they say he is the happiest baby there. I went back to work full-time on Monday. The days are so long. I think I was completely worthless the entire week because all I could think about was at 5:00 I see Tek.

One thing that amazes me is Tek's internal clock. The boy knows what time it is and when he should get a bottle. He woke up at 1 am one night, and Andy & I had a weak moment and gave him formula. (We were exhausted.) Every night for the next weeek Tek woke up at the exact time expecting formula. How does he know?

We move to our new place on Jones St. next week. My house is beginning to fill with boxes. I am becoming quite the mover! :) Hopefully this will be our last rental move... maybe next time it will be to our first home!

I don't have any more time to update, since I have an entire house to pack. But I promise when we get a new camera and our computers fixed. (LONG STORY!) I will be more faithful with this blog.

Until then, enjoy the pictures others take!