The rest of our court trip :-)

Our room complete w/mosquito net

Psalm 68:6

"God sets the lonely in families..."

OK – truth be told we’ve been home from Ethiopia a few weeks and I can’t exactly pretend like it’s Day 3 so I’m going to sum up Days 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7! 

  BEAUTIFUL

 I would not trade a moment.  Even though we didn’t initially pass court (Day 3). Even though Yemelek really started to show his mischievous side (Day 4). Photo below:)

Even though my heart stopped and I literally could not speak when we dropped him off at the orphanage (Day 7) – it was still beautiful.

Would it have been nice to pass court while at court?  Of course!  Was it embarrassing when Yemelek pretended not to hear us calling his name and refused to come out from under the kitchen table?  Absolutely!  Did we want to leave him in Ethiopia and start the waiting all over again? No words can ever explain how heart wrenching that day was ….

I say it was beautiful because I have watched God create beauty from ashes.

 

Our journey started in Uganda with a referral of a baby boy 8 months old.  We will never know what has happened to baby “E” and he will forever be in our prayers.  On April 19^th, 2012 I wrote an honest blog about the heartache from the loss of our referral = ashes.  On April 28^th, 2012 Russ and I watched a video clip of a 6 year old orphan = ashes.  The week of June 25^th a family was born = beauty.

God does place the lonely in families.  Yemelek .... and even baby "E" - were created for a family.  In a perfect world they would be with their parents, plan A.  Because this world is broken - Russ and I are really plan B you could say.  However, our God works in the midst of brokenness and His fingerprints are all over this plan B. I'm so thankful to be where He is at work. 

Day TWO Ethiopia

Psalm 28:2
² Hear my cry for mercy
    as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
    toward your Most Holy Place.

 

Day 1 with Yemelek was just a quick visit at the transition house.  We went back to the guest house without him and absolutely crashed for the night --- well, I crashed.  Russ tried to sleep but mosquitoes, barking dogs and chanting Muslims the 3AM call to prayer kept him awake most of the night. 

So – now it’s Day 2 and off we go back to the house for another visit. When we arrive, Yemelek is out in the play area wearing his soccer pajama’s I had put in his backpack and given him the day before. He comes up to us and gives us a little attention, but immediately wants the I-Phone.  Kids ALL around the world love I-Phones!  He takes turns with mine and then with Russ’ taking pics and videos of anything and everything.

At this point, we weren’t sure if he would come back with us to the guest house for the week or not.  We were prepared either way.  To our surprise he was able to come w/us!!!  He willingly grabbed his backpack and jumped in the car….all smiles.  I’ve come to learn that this is typical Yemelek – always smiling.

He and Russ played basketball w/a soccer ball to kinda break the ice some when we arrived at the house.  Then we got tickled because Yemelek was soooo proud that he could say “basketball” but then he started calling every ball and every game we played “basketball”! LOL

For dinner we decided to walk to a Chinese restaurant that was right around the corner. (The Chinese have many building projects going on in Ethiopia)  By this point, Yemelek was starting to feel comfortable with us. He held my hand as we walked and had started to call us mommy and daddy! 

We’ve been trying to learn phrases in his language. If you are adopting a child that speaks Amharic, I really encourage you to check out this site: http://adoptlanguage.com/ At dinner we tried them out – he just laughed.  I’m sure Tennessee Amharic is hilarious to hear!! By bedtime he was talking to us non-stop as if we spoke Amharic.  We didn’t understand a word and he didn’t seem to mind or be frustrated. 

Russ and I were just amazed how on this first “real” day with Yemelek, he was so comfortable, happy and his little personality truly fits right in with our family. I know our love for him will continue to grow.  It absolutely blows my mind how God continues to work.  If you read my post about our failed adoption in Uganda or know us personally – you understand how devastating that loss was to us and our biological children. It took everything in me to praise Him in the middle of that storm.  It’s easy to cry out to the Lord for mercy, but it’s a whole new ballgame to lift hands to Him in praise during pain.

Yemelek is putting his best foot forward.  I can’t pretend that the months and years ahead will be all roses.  He’s going to be a Moore – so without a doubt we will have lots of fun times and laughter. It’s only our second day with him and in our hearts Yemelek is already our son.  Yet, there will come a time when he will grieve his loss – his mother, his country.  Also, having received little discipline, a very long parenting road lies ahead of us. I pray that as we walk through each storm that we will be a family that lifts our hands towards His most Holy Place. That regardless of the pain or difficultly – we ALWAYS remember how the Lord was in this adoption. How we were predestined to be the forever family of Yeameleksara.