Schools Out!

Here is a new picture of Vivianna and McCord. It was the last day of school and McCord had to miss it due to strep throat, he was not a happy camper. Isaac is so excited that school is out! It is hard to believe we will have a third grader, first grader, and 2 year old very soon. How time flies!

Rutledge Wilson Farm

We visited Rutledge Wilson Farm in Springfield a couple of weeks ago. Nana and Grandad went with us! The kids had a blast!!!

Vivianna is doing well! She is growing so quickly, I don't think that I like it though. She is talking more and more each day and learning so much.

We made it through church today!!!

Getting ready to leave for church today. Vivianna has learned to say cheese when getting her picture taken!

First Post-Placement Visit

We had our first Post-Placement visit today with our social worker. Everything went well and Vivianna enjoyed getting to meet Judy! We had to have a family picture and other pictures of Vivi to turn in.

Playing Outside!!!!

We have had a few nice days lately and Vivianna is enjoying the new experience of playing outside. She loves to swing, play basketball with her brothers, and explore. She isn't sure what to think of the dogs yet, but seems to be getting a little more comfortable around them. She does like to say ruff ruff!!

Vivi loves giving kisses, riding her zebra, and playing dress up

Enjoying being home

We have had a great time since having Vivi home! She is such a wonderful addition to the family, she has adjusted so well that it seems as if she has been part of the family her whole life. She is doing really well, she plays really well, has lots of fun with her brother, she has a very funny and playful personality, and is very loving. She had a great time swimming, and loves the bath, in the picture Isaac is playing peek a boo with her which she loves. She is sleeping through the night, 8pm-8am. She loves to eat and eats most everything. She was diagnosed with Giardia but has recovered from that, she is on antibiotics now for an ear infection which has gotten better. We can't say enough how wonderful an experience this has been and hope that it will continue. Thank you all for your support and prayers!

pics

We made it home!!!!!!

We are finally home!! We got home about 1030pm on Sat night. It was wonderful to be home and see the boys. We had a great day yesterday and she seems like she has been part of the family her whole life. She is truly wonderful, she is so beautiful, and has a beautiful personality.

Pics

Picture one is from a rural home, a style of home where Bereket lives. The second is from the farewell ceremony. The third was taken at a museum in Addis.

Stuck in Atlanta

This pic was taken Tuesday, the first alone time we spent with her and this was the first smile we captured.

Well we have made it to the States at least but we are unfortunately stuck in Atlanta. It is 4:40 am here and Bereket slept from about 530 last night until now, she was very exhausted but it wide awake and full of energy now!

I don't think the blog has worked very well, sorry.

The trip home has been exhausting but Bereket has been very good, we had a few screaming fits on the plane but she was just expressing what Annie and I felt too. Over 30 hours of travel is rough on anyone, we only have a few hours to go. Hopefully we will be able to fly out at 11 this morning if the weather holds out, it is not snowing but it did a few inches overnight.

It has been an amazing journey with no complaints except for this delay. Oh well at least we have gotten a decent night's sleep and only have a bit to go. We are very excited to see everyone especially Isaac and McCord.

Bereket is an absolute joy, right now we are all laying in our hotel bed and she is handing us everything she can get her hands on, she is a big helper. Of course she woke up wanting her shoes on, which they are now.

We took about 500 pictures from the trip and can't wait to share them and a wonderful story.

See you all soon.

Mike, Annie, and Bereket (Vivianna)!

Feb 9

UPDATE: MIke sent me, Scott (Mike's brother), an email that he would like to share --

It is 6pm on Tuesday and we just finished with the US Embassy and Bereket is officially ours!!! It was a very simple process and went well. Sunday we traveled to Durame and met Bereket's birth mother. It was a 5 hour drive through the county and it is absolutely beautiful. We saw Baboons and a herd of camel with a group of nomads, some of us walked out into the field to get a better view and some of them started towards us asking why we were taking pictures of their camels, we left before they got to us. Bereket's mother is beautiful, she is very sweet and very shy. I think she was very intimidated by us as were the other parents that were there. She wrote note for us to give Bereket, we had it translated and it is very sweet and loving towards her daughter. The trip is going very well, and we are having a great time with Bereket. We got to bring her to our room this morning and she really opened up and isn't as shy as we thought, she is lots of fun and her smile and laugh melts our hearts. She loves to hold and look at flowers! She also loves shoes and has thrown a couple fits when we had to take them off. She will get to stay with us tonight and we do a farewell ceremony tomorrow and then shopping. We leave at midnight, here, on Thursday and are excited to be home on Friday. See you all soon! Sorry no pictures, internet is not working fast enough.
Isaac and McCord we miss you very much and can't wait to see you and for you to see your sister.
Mike, Annie, and Bereket.

Feb 8

UPDATE: I talked to Mike today, Feb 8. Saturday they again spent time with Bereket - still shy, but so sweet. Yesterday they traveled to the village where Bereket's mother lives. He said it was an exciting trip and so awesome to meet her mother. Tonight he and Annie will be attending a cultural dinner which they are looking forward to. Tuesday they will take Bereket with them to the American embassy where they will complete her paperwork. She'll then stay with them until Wednesday morning when there will be a celebration for the children at the orphanage. While they are celebrating Mike/Annie and their group will spend a little time shopping. Then back to the orphanage to pick her up. Bereket will then stay with them and they'll begin their long trip home late Thursday night. I think they're pretty anxious to introduce Isaac and McCord to their little sister! ---Mike's Mom

Update

This is Mike's brother Brad. They are unable to get on the internet so they phoned in an update:

Things are going well. We went to the University Museum and did some sightseeing. Bereket is still shy, but she does like to be held and cuddled. Tomorrow we will meet her mother. We'll try to post soon, but we aren't sure when we will be able to.

eating

McCord and Isaac you guys would enjoy this, they all eat with their hands, everything. Bereket was still a little apprehensive and Annie fed her. She is a good eater. Here she is eating Injera, a bread that is fed with most all meals it is the light brown that covers the white plate. There is a meat sauce and a potato dish.

pictures

Family picture

We made it!

We are in Ethiopia and having a great time! The flight was very long, trip was about 30 hours, Annie slept pretty good, maybe 6-7 hours, I got a combined 1. We are currently in a golf club eating pizza, only place with internet. It is 7 pm here and we are 9 hours ahead. We got to meet Bereket (Vivi) this morning and then again spent time with her this afternoon, both times for about 2 hours. She is absolutely wonderful, very pretty, and very sweet. She is shy and right now is trying to soak it all in. During our second meeting she started warming up a bit and we got to see a few smiles. We will get to spend more time with her tomorrow afternoon. I think tomorrow we will go to the Ethiopian Museum in the morning. Sunday we travel to Durame to meet the birth mother.

All the kids at the Care Center were awesome, we are ready to take several home. Fortunately most all of the kids have homes and ready to travel soon.

Isaac and McCord we love you very much and miss you, can't wait for you to meet your sister, she is wonderful!

Hopefully we will be able to get on soon. We will also try to post pictures.

Mike and Annie

We are off!

Getting ready to board from Springfield! Should be in Ethiopia at 10:10 Pm Thursday, their time which I believe is 10 hours ahead of Missouri.
Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers!
Mike and Annie

Ethiopia

We are scheduled to fly out of Springfield on Feb. 3 around 10am. After stops in Atlanta and Amsterdam we will hopefully land in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia just after 10pm Thursday (Ethiopia time).
Mike