multiply your love

My favorite two year old in the world!

2010-12-04T12:41:00.002-05:00

My favorite almost 2 year old in the world!!!!

2010-10-06T22:26:00.000-04:00

My favorite 3 year old in the whole world!!!

2010-10-06T22:23:00.000-04:00

7 MONTHS....

2010-06-11T21:58:00.011-04:00

......since my last attempt at a blog post!! Eyob had only been home 3 weeks!! Now he's been home almost 8 months! What a ride it has been. Blogging just hasn't been a priority, I guess.

Since November we've had holidays, birthdays, many trips to Children's Hospital, Eyob's g-tube and mickey button placement, a family wedding, Dan traveling multiple times for IV, a homeschool conference, crew meets, much learning and growing together as a family of 8, and much more!

Eyob is such a joy! He is the easiest baby I've ever had. He sleeps 12 hours through the night in his crib. And sometimes takes a 3-4 hour nap. He eats anything and is very happy and affectionate. He is talking a lot and practically running. He and Abel get along so well now. One day this week, Abel came down in the morning after waking. When Eyob saw him, they shared a wonderfully mutual hug. So precious! I really love having them so close together. It's double the diapers to wash, two high chairs wherever we go, and will be a bit of a challenge to keep up with them at the pool this year, but I wouldn't trade it for anything! Abel continues to blow me away with his take on the world through verbal expression! He is so bright and so funny!

I've been experiencing an usual amount of joy lately, for me that is. I'm sure it's God working in me as I'm not naturally a bubbly, content person. I just feel like I'm right where I need to be and doing a decent job of managing everything. It's a good feeling! I am so grateful for the paths God has made clear for our children educationally. I just can't believe how much I love homeschooling! It is such a good fit for us. The girls and I have really enjoyed our Ancient History reading/projects and study of marine life. Sadly, it has not been a good year for Noah academically and in other ways. After a two month attempt at homeschooling him this past year, I sent him back to public school. Not a good idea! He's really struggled and I've done a lot of worrying. We have decided to enroll him in Ohio Virtual Academy. I'm really excited about this option for him. Brianna has been disappointed in her education this year and after signing Noah up, surprised me by her interest in OHVA as well. They are both officially enrolled and we'll receive their materials/computers some time in July. It will be added work for me, but at this point I'm willing to do anything to help Noah be successful. It will be so good to have them home and be more involved in their education. They will also be able to participate in our local homeschool cooperative. It's an incredible co-op with over 150 kids, a large amount teens, for them to connect with. Exciting stuff!

Dan and I are longing for a get-away. We are hoping to do this some time this summer or fall. It's been 6 years since our 10 year anniversary trip! We do look forward to our month of IVLI at Cedar Campus coming up. Although it's work for Dan, it will be wonderful to simplify and be there as a family. I was very strongly feeling pulled toward adoption about 4 years ago when we were last there together. I spent the summer studying the scriptures about orphans and God's desire for us to care for them. It will be wonderful to be back there with our larger family and look to God again more deeply for his will in our lives.

A snap shot

2009-11-05T15:45:00.005-05:00

Right now I am listening to Brianna's beautiful piano playing. Simone is interacting with Eyob as she finishes her assigned book; she's enjoying two of her favorite things at once. I can hear Ahni prancing around. Abel is dipping graham crackers in a stray cup of milk. The house is strewn with the leftovers of the day's activities. We have yet to do the final cleanup. There is string strung from one chair to another about 25 feet away where once a balloon zipped and entertained. The remaining ball of yarn somehow went around the dining room table and chairs making a large seven-sided shape. There are laundry baskets that served as trains and boats and a stray pillow whose role was a landing spot during a flood. Many books and papers and abandoned kid-dreamed projects still occupy space on the kitchen table, the one that needs to be set for dinner. Lunch dishes are waiting to be reduced along with the dinner dishes soon to pile up. In my head is a giant question of what to make for dinner without a functioning oven. Soup again tonight? Now the baby is fussy on my lap and manipulating an envelope for a temporary fix. A diaper surprise beckons. This is a snapshot of a normal day. Tomorrow the flurry will repeat itself. Life is good.

We are not the heroes in this story

2009-10-19T23:04:00.003-04:00

I've been thinking about how strange it feels when people say things like..."What a wonderful thing you have done," or "What a difference you are making," or "I wish I could do that." Though I appreciate the sentiment, it feels very uncomfortable and I've figured out why. We are not the heroes in this story. Our boys and their first families are. We have not suffered loss and heartache forcing us to make difficult choices. We have not lost everything we've known because of a lack of basic resources. It is humbling to have been entrusted these precious lives (all six of them) and we will strive to make a difference in each of their worlds, but we are no heroes.

Life with Eyob is dreamy....though I'm not dreaming much

2009-10-19T22:44:00.004-04:00

Eyob is the sweetest baby. He is amazing all that he has endured and still has a smile on his face. Many people have invested in him along the way and it shows. Now everyone in this family has picked up the torch and loves him in their own special way. Brianna loves to tickle him and make him laugh. Noah can't resist a smooch or two or three. Simone is now ready to hold him as much as I am willing. Ahni notices all the things he does. Abel brings him toys and sits in his bouncy seat (when Eyob's not in it, thankfully). Eyob lights up when Dan comes into view, but Dan has been sick so that's been limited. I love caring for him. He's so sweet-natured and after a long nap, I can't wait to hold him again. Nights aren't filled with much sleep, but we are all adjusting well. I am so grateful to God for his hand in all of this. I am a blessed woman.

Love this!

2009-10-12T22:54:00.000-04:00

an inspirational story

2009-10-10T23:41:00.002-04:00

http://www.good.is/post/african-dynamo/?GT1=48001

Mixed Emotions

2009-10-10T22:26:00.003-04:00

I got word today that Dan and Brianna are going to be able to fly North to visit the town where Eyob was born. This is wonderful news. Dan has done a stellar job putting forth the effort to piece together Eyob's story from various sources. As you can imagine, this is crucial for adopted kids. I must admit, my first response was a selfish one. If the visa comes before then, will they really stay there longer and delay our reunion?? Even though I really just want them home NOW, this makes the wait well worth it. It will be a wonderful experience, especially for Brianna, as she hasn't been able to leave the city yet and see the beauty of the countryside. They are two very different worlds.

Eyob is getting more and more active and comfortable with them every day. Today I got to hear him babbling on the phone. What a joyful moment! He is eating well and I'm sure has gained weight since being in their care. Brianna and Dan make a good team, changing shifts in the night. It will be another big adjustment for Eyob to have me as his primary special person. It is amazing what children can endure. Despite all that he's been through, he is still a smiley guy!

I am enjoying a visit with Dan's brother and son. They scheduled a trip before they knew that Dan would be in Ethiopia. It's been a wonderful distraction. Next week my mom will come to visit. I am so blessed!

You're almost home, baby!

2009-10-05T18:48:00.006-04:00

3 MORE DAYS!!

2009-09-30T19:48:00.002-04:00

....and so much more to do!! We are thrilled that our embassy date has been moved up by 3 weeks! Baby Eyob is coming home soon!!

What Noah said....

2009-09-13T21:33:00.005-04:00

We were having dinner. Brianna and Noah just arrived home from hanging out with friends. Dan said, "I'm really thankful we're all together right now." Sweet thing to say. Noah said, "We're not all together." Equally sweet. It's funny how our feelings have progressed. We are all ready for Eyob to come home. He feels like such a part of our family, and yet he's not here. How can you love and miss someone so much that you have never met before??

The kid's got a sense of humor!!

2009-09-09T23:25:00.005-04:00

It's meal time. Hmmmm, okay, I can do this stuff....again.

Actually, I'm not so sure about this. What is this stuff anyways????

Perhaps if I pretend it's my teeth, they won't make me eat it!!!!

Gotta love it! Eyob is stealing our hearts more and more everyday!

Can't wait to feed him myself....and, yes, he's wearing pink!!!

Here he is!!!

2009-08-15T22:49:00.003-04:00

Is this not a ridiculously delicious little baby boy?
Now that he is officially ours, I can post his pic here.
Yeah! This is starting to feel real!!

We are his!!!

2009-08-14T03:33:00.004-04:00

We've been waiting for pics and updates on Eyob for a while now. We still have only one pic of him. Yesterday I was disappointed to receive only measurement updates. Well, today in my inbox was a Congratulations!! from our specialist. Eyob's case passed court and we didn't even know we had a court date!! This is amazing in adoption world!!! He is officially a Geogerian. Everything is falling into place and we are told we should have him home by early-November. Now he has to undergo testing for Tuberculosis and we wait 9 weeks for the results. Please pray the tests come back negative!! We are so humbled that it would happen this way for us when so many people struggle with long setbacks in the process. Here we come baby Eyob!

Please pray...

2009-07-23T22:30:00.002-04:00

for our little Eyob. We found out he was in the hospital with pneumonia, but has been discharged and is much better. Strange to not know your child is sick and imagine him in a hospital with no mama! Also, our case has been submitted to the Ethiopian courts and we are waiting for a court date. Please pray that it will be sooner than later!

Ramblings

2009-07-08T23:19:00.008-04:00

Don't know how many people actually read this thing, and sometimes I'm not sure why I have it when I don't post much. Today seems like a day I need to write.

So much has been going on lately. I've been busily pulling together our curriculum for next year. Noah has decided he'd like to come home. I'm thrilled but overwhelmed by the thought of it. I'm so excited to be able to have more time with him and to teach him the way I'd like him to be taught. He is an eager learner who seems to me to be stifled by traditional learning. Already, he's been cracking his math book and practicing calligraphy. The kid has AMAZING penmanship. He is really embracing the idea of homeschooling. The other day I asked him to give me 10 reasons why he wants to be homeschooled and he fired off 8 or so very good reasons. Pretty neat.

I've decided to dive into using Sonlight. It is a literature/history based program. He will be studying World History (with American History woven in) in depth for two years. It utilizes great, classic literature with living text to draw the reader in. His writing assignments will be based on what he is reading. I love this comprehensive approach and I have a feeling I'm going to be learning A LOT!!!

Simone and Ahni will also be studying World History so we will combine a lot of the reading. I aspire to have a hands-on approach to learning (we did a lot of that this past year and the girls LOVED it), so I hope I can juggle that with everything else that needs to be done during the day.
The biggest challenge will be handling little Abel. He is non-stop energy. He wants to be right in with the big kids, so I'll need to be creative to keep him occupied. It will be even more challenging when little Eyob joins us. My sling will be getting a lot of use!!! (By the way, no
adoption news...still waiting for his child report.)

Currently Abel is OBSESSED with letters and numbers. It really is uncanny. I walked past a speed limit sign yesterday and he exclaimed, "Five!" I couldn't believe it. His favorite thing to do is to walk around the block and point out the letters/numbers on license plates, house numbers, and real estate signs. The kid knows half the alphabet already. Sometimes I can't believe he's not even two yet. Below is a pic of him enjoying painting. He asks for more and more paint!!!

I'll be running a 5k this Saturday. I'm a little nervous, but it should be pretty easy after some of the longer runs I've been doing lately. Tonight I enjoyed a 5 mile run over the Williamstown bridge.

I'm also considering trying once-a-month cooking. Although I would probably do bi-weekly cooking instead. I'd like to have the freezer stocked for the first month or so of the school year.

Anyone want to join me?

Life is full but so wonderful. I wouldn't want it any other way.

Abel will be a big brother!!

2009-06-22T00:38:00.005-04:00

We have been matched with a darling baby boy! He is 5.5 months old.
His name is Eyob which is the Ethiopian version of Job. (pronounced ee yobe) I secretly thought/hoped this child would have an E name and Eyob has been a favorite Ethiopian name of mine since I first heard it!! Amazing! If only we could go scoop him up and bring home right now! Unfortunately, it will be a long haul from here on out.

This is beautiful!

2009-05-14T13:38:00.001-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIBZ-kJ6XAc

In honor of all the precious lives that have been touched by HIV

2009-05-07T01:11:00.002-04:00

See the new AHOPE for Children video here:
http://www.ahopeforchildren.org/index.html

World AIDS Orphan Day

2009-05-06T23:09:00.002-04:00

Here is a link to one of my most frequented blogs with a post concerning World AIDS Orphan Day which is tomorrow May 7th. I am passionate about this issue and this post says it all. Please read it and consider how you can help in some small way.

http://fullhousehandshearts.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Do you think they do this in public school??

2009-04-23T00:29:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite clips from Sesame Street

2009-04-07T22:28:00.001-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDJsgtoizj8

Hope this makes you smile today!!

In Memory of an Amazing Woman

2009-03-27T17:13:00.005-04:00

Haregewoin Teferra, foster mother to hundreds of Ethiopian orphans, has passed away. You won't recognize her name unless you have read the book There is No Me Without You by Melissa Fay Greene. It gives you hope in the difference one person can make in the lives of an entire country and beyond; her story is one that will never be forgotten.This is a great loss to so many children. If you wish to help provide care for the children she left behind, Worldwide Orphans Foundation has set up a special Emergency Fund for Haregewoin's children.

A prayer from the Franciscans

2009-03-25T08:38:00.001-04:00

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world so that you can do what others claim cannot be done to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.

HIV+ Adoption

2009-03-17T23:58:00.003-04:00

Here's a link to a wonderful epidsode of Facing Life Head-On concerning HIV+ adoption. Click on Watch the Full Episode Online in red.
http://www.facinglife.tv/episode/season_3/episode_7/episode_307.html

A trip to the Clay Center

2009-03-05T07:02:00.002-05:00

Abel had so much fun with this!!

Thanks Grandma.....

2009-03-04T21:56:00.003-05:00

for the wonderful sweater you made for me before I arrived. It is perfect!

A trip to the Aviary

2009-03-04T21:42:00.002-05:00

We've had a busy couple of weeks. We took a trip to Grandma's and went to the Aviary.
It was incredible! The kids got to feed the birds meal worms and meatballs on sticks. The birds swooped down and took them right out of their hands. A wonderful culmination to our bird unit.

Meatballs on sticks for the gulls

Simone feeding a bird at the Aviary

The Adventures of Mothering

2009-02-05T00:20:00.003-05:00

22 eggs!!

My mothering adventure began February 27, 1995 when my daughter, Brianna Mae, was born. She was perfect. My expectations were high. I would nurture my baby, keep up my many interests, and maintain a spotless, organized home. Shouldn’t be too hard, right? Then reality hit. With a needy newborn, raging hormones, and a persistent allergy-induced rash, my expectations had to be adjusted. I would have to let some things go. Every diaper I used did not have to be made of cloth.

On December 8, 1996, Noah Daniel came into the world with gusto. Nursing was a challenge. Undisturbed sleep was a distant memory. Life with a toddler and newborn forced me, once again, to lower my expectations. Piles of unfinished laundry became a new norm.
Simone Elizabeth brightened our world on October 4, 1999. On day three the nurses noticed she had a cleft palate. Doctors told me she would never nurse. I was crushed. (Proving them wrong, she latched on at 4 months.) Determined to never let a drop of formula pass my baby’s lips (another one of those self-inflicted expectations), I pumped around the clock struggling to keep up my supply. I would hook myself up, rock Simone in the bouncy seat, read, eat, all while trying to keep my 3- and 5-year-old children from undecorating the Christmas tree in an imaginative scene involving the Grinch. At six months old my baby wasn’t thriving. I was forced to revisit my expectations once again. It was time to start supplementing with formula.

The adventure peaked again when on September 26, 2001 Ahni Violet was born at home. Overshadowed by a destructive toddler (see picture….that’s 22 eggs!), a preschooler and a kindergartener, Ahni had no choice but to go along for the ride. Thankfully, she was easygoing. I, however, was not. With four children under seven, and a developing thyroid problem which left me beyond anxious, it became okay if they injested an occasional hotdog and were rushed into bed without books.

Our house was full; our family complete. No more kids for us, so we thought. Fast forward to 2007 and we entered the unpredictable ride of adoption. After over a year in the process, we brought home our son, Abel Mathewos Evan Geogerian, on February 15, 2008. He is a walking miracle who dazzles everyone with his joyful spirit. Throwing ourselves back into babyhood has been a blast, giving me new opportunities for growth. Continuing around the bends of parenting two middle schoolers, and homeschooling two kids while keeping the toddler out of the toilet, I’ve found that it’s okay if the pile of creative remnants and food thrown overboard fill the dustpan to overflowing.

I’m thankful to God and to my dear friends who remind me of the need to be realistic on the path of mothering. Recalling her early years of parenting, my friend Marilyn always says, “If dinner was made and the kids were alive, it was a good day.” Another friend told me sometimes they just have popcorn and fruit for dinner. One dear friend’s counters were more cluttered than mine. How refreshing to have others alongside me on this journey who aren’t striving for perfection! I will need them and their reminders even more when we bring home our sixth child.
With a new day beginning as I write this, I am reminded that I need to make a short list today. Love and teach my children, make dinner, keep chaos at bay as much as possible, and try to maneuver through the unexpected with a smile on my face.

Finally posting

2009-01-23T19:16:00.011-05:00

Not sure why I have a blog when I never update it! Life has been a whirlwind lately. As some of you may know, I am now homeschooling Simone and Ahni. It's been quite a ride! We are also having a lot of work done on our house....painting, windows, rewiring. Of course, throw in a very wonderfully busy little boy, two middleschoolers, and everything else there is to do and well, you get the picture.

Is this the cutest face you ever saw, or what?

Always so happy!

my blondies

This is what happens when you mix teenagers and a one year old!

Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T21:12:00.009-05:00

Hello everyone! We had such a wonderful time in Kentucky!

Thanks Rhonda for the fabulous, gourmet feast!!!

Brubbers!

Spreading cattail seeds

Smiley Autumn

Bundled for the park

Gorgeous boy!!

Rocka rocka!

The chef and her assistant finally sitting down

Imagination stood still for one pic

One happy Grandma!!!

Cutie pies!

Look Grandma!!

The beast...Tom the turkey that is

First meeting

One heck of a cute video!

And another....

Some cute pics

2008-11-18T20:19:00.008-05:00

bath time...look at our floating heads

so sleepy

helping sister wrap papers

my hiding place

The Journey of Adoption

2008-11-17T15:00:00.010-05:00

In Ethiopia

I have had 5 people in the last two weeks approach me and ask if they can talk to me about adoption. So I thought I'd outline the process here for those of you who are interested.

Keep in mind, many things can differ depending on the country and agency you choose. I'm only closely familiar with Ethiopian adoption. The following is just a general overview of the major elements in the adoption process. And If there's anything predictable about adoption, it's that it is completely unpredictable.

The first step in International Adoption is to find a homestudy agency in your state preferably one within reasonable distance as you will be required to travel there numerous times. The homestudy is a process which proves that you are qualified to be able to adopt by your state's standards. The process can take 3 or more months to complete. Your homestudy social worker will look closely at you and your family: your health (mental and physical), finances, home, marriage, parenting style/approach, background, family history, all those skeletons in the closet, etc... A background check including fingerprinting is included. Training in issues of adoption and transracial adoption (if you are adopting a child of a race different from your own) will be required as a part of your home study qualification.

While you are in the homestudy stage you can be researching adoption agencies although some have chosen their agency before they begin the homestudy. Most agencies will work with you regardless of where you are located so there's no need to stick with agencies within your state. The process of choosing an agency can be overwhelming. You will want to narrow them down by a process of elimination. Here are some questions to consider asking them besides the usual questions about cost, travel, and timeline: How long have you been working in the country of choice? What humanitarian aid projects do you have set up in that country? How many returning clients do you have? What do the fees go to? What type of facility are the children in and what is the quality of care they are receiving? What is handled for us once in country? What type of post-adoption services do you offer? How much background information will we receive on our child?

If you haven't chosen a particular country yet, now is the time to do so. This will determine which agency you work with as not all agencies work in every country. If however, you find an agency before you decide on this, they can help you decide which is the best country to go with.
Qualifications, length of travel, cost, personal preference, cultural interest, etc... can all play a part in this decision.

Once you've decided on an adoption agency, you would send in your application and initial application fees. Once accepted you continue with the homestudy process. There are a plethora of documents needed to complete the homestudy many of which need to be notarized or apostilled. Once your homestudy is complete, it gets approved by your adoption agency and you will begin working on your dossier. This is just a fancy word for a huge amount of papers which get sent to the country you are adopting from. You will also fill out a form stating which types of medical conditions you are willing to accept.

Once your dossier is completed, you will be officially waiting for a referral. Referral is just a fancy word for being matched with your child. This can be anywhere from 0-3 years depending on the age of the child you are requesting and the country/agency. At some point you will need to fill out a document called the I600A, which is an immigration document that states that your are eligible to bring an orphan into the country. This can take a long time to process so it is a good time to get started on this during the wait time. It requires getting finger prints done at your region's United States immigration office. However, if your wait time is long, you may want to hold off on this because these expire within 18 months. See uscis.gov for more information.

There are many country specific steps in the process that may vary from what I have described here. Your adoption agency will walk you through them.

Once matched with a child, you will have the chance to go over the information with your doctor or an International Adoption Clinic and accept or deny the referral.

You will then wait for your child's case to go through the court in his/her birth country. Once through court (the length of this time varies greatly even between agencies in the same country), more official documents such as the child's birth certificate and passport have to be gathered. Once all documents are in order, you will be given clearance for travel. Some choose to have the child escorted, although I would strongly encourage anyone to travel to glean as much as they can about their child's birth culture. It is an important part of the process and you will not regret it.

You will then need to finalize the adoption in your state so that your child's name is official and so that you can apply for a social security card and US birth certificate.

Here is our timeline:
Applied to Children's Home Society and Family Services at the end of January 2007.
Homestudy completed through the House of Samuel by the end of March.
Dossier accepted April 7th.
Received referral November 7th.
Made it through court January 5th.
Traveled February 7th and returned home as a forever family on Febuary 15th 2008.
Adoption Finalized October 2008.

Conjoined Lumberjacks, Princess Leia, A Bumblebee, and A Girl

2008-10-29T10:23:00.009-04:00

Halloween was a blast! Hubby was out of town, but we managed well.

We still had an hour to go and they wanted to go home and have hot chocolate. It was cold! I wanted to keep going to get more candy!!

Noah's save

2008-10-29T10:11:00.007-04:00

Noah broke his arm in football!! He dove to recover a fumble and an opponent's helmet smashed into his left forearm and bent it backwards. Ouch!!! He broke both bones....the radius and ulna. He had it reset under general anesthesia this morning. Here's a pic of him looking smashing in his new pink cast! In the ER all he wanted to know between grimaces was...did they win the game? They crushed the other team.

A family hike

2008-10-19T22:18:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a wonderful day. We took a long hike and managed to have a stress-free time. We fulfilled our nature need. Simone got the prize for catching two salamanders and a frog. We ate Daddy's tuna sandwiches under the overhang where Pepper jumped and survived 12 years ago. Abel enjoyed a ride in the sling and fell asleep.