5 years ago......

ONE OF THE FIRST PICTURES WE SAW OF SEBLE AND SYFAH!!

SEBLE AND SYFAH LEARNING ABOUT US!!

TROY MEETING KIDS!!

May 15, 2004 was the first day that I was able to hug my new kids! Seble and Syfah joined our family 5 years ago! Wow, is what comes to my mind! 5 years ago, was a day I will never forget, I had not slept well the night before….too excited, nervous and anxious. Our dear friend Deb had traveled with Troy, while her Ethiopian blessings Sarah and Hannah stayed with us (the girls and I ) for the 2 weeks. We eagerly went grocery shopping, cleaned up the house, made welcome signs, bought balloons. We arrived at the airport at 3:00 p.m., they landed at 4:00. I remember calling Troy on his cell phone and asking, “Where are you? What is taking so long for you to get down here?” (lower airport) I remember what he said back, “Jody, calm down, we just stepped off the plane and we are getting them into clean clothes and combing their hair. We will be down in 5 minutes"….he knows me too well!

I saw them come down the stairs and I was freaking out, so many things go through your head….how are they doing? Should I kiss them first or kiss my husband? Will they think I am weird, will they like me? Will they be petrified (of course!), will Morgan, Shelby and Corbin be o.k.? Will they wonder why I am crying? Will they like their house? Are they going to like it here?

AIRPORT
It has been a good 5 years. I cannot imagine our lives without, “rambunctious, outgoing and personality plus Syfah!” He has tested me in ways I did not know I could be tested, he has loved me when I have been hard on him, Syfah has forgiven me when I needed forgiveness. Syfah has taught me so much! I know that we are only a stepping stone in helping him be the man that God wants him to be, for that I am thankful. I love the way his dimples show when he flashes me a smile! Seble has been a “pure delight!” This girl has a heart of gold! We simply could not have begged or pleaded for anything to be different about her! We took a huge leap of faith when we added another girl to an already houseful of girls…it was scary, we currently have 4 girls that are 15, 15, 14 and 12! It could have been an interesting combo…God is good and gave us 4 girls that have become great friends and love each other! I love her hugs, and the way she calls me, “mommy.”

I don’t want to sound like it has been “perfect,” who and what are?

On this, the 5th year Anniversary of adding Seble and Syfah to our family we will celebrate by attending a play that Shelby and Seble are in. We will rejoice in the fact that we have been blessed! We are thankful to God for walking with us so faithfully on this journey, and we will look forward to many more years.

I also want to say, “thanks” to so many who have walked beside us, and welcomed our family, as we are.

I hope that Semnayesh and Negash know what wonderful kids they created! I think they had done a great job, they would be so proud of the young people Seble and Syfah (Araya too!) are becoming! I cannot help but think of how these three Ethiopian kids were brought to us from around the world and given to us……It’s a miracle!! WE WERE GIVEN THIS PICTURE OF SYFAH, SEBLE AND ARAYA, WHEN TROY WAS IN ETHIOPIA!!