Family of four

Our friend Kiera offered to take some photos of our family. She did an amazing job and we are so thankful for the gift of her time and talent (if you live in the area, we highly recommend her).

More can be seen at: http://kieradubach.blogspot.com/2009/12/welcome-home-indianapolis-portrait.html

More from our arrival home

Here are more photos of our arrival home and Hudson meeting Paul and Belachew for the first time. Thanks so much, Rachel, for coming to the airport and taking these photos. I love this song after hearing it on the Alexander family's blog.

Snapshot Sunday

First week home

Hudson has been home for over a week now and has been adjusting well. I, on the other hand, got whatever virus he had in Ethiopia and was sick last week. I'm feeling better now, thankfully. Hudson continues to be a happy, easy baby for the most part. He does well with meeting new people, as long as Paul or I are near. He is eating and sleeping well and loves to play and cuddle. We've had a few doctors appointments for him. It looks like he will likely need surgery to correct the hole in his heart, but the cardiologist wants to wait a few months for him to get stronger. His heart is showing signs that it is trying to heal itself, but the cardiologist believes the hole is too large for it to be able to do so without surgery. Hudson is 16 pounds, at 16 months, and the cardiologist feels he would do better with the surgery and recovery if he was stronger. We are working with our pediatrician on helping Hudson to gain weight and strength, and also catch him up on immunizations.

Belachew is doing great. He loves being a big brother and having Hudson around. He has said several times, "It is so fun to have a baby brother." He hasn't shown any jealousy so far and we are trying hard to make sure he still gets some special time and attention. Belachew loves to help take care of his baby brother and showers him with kisses.

(thanks Rachel, for these photos)

Sunday Snapshot

Sign in an orphanage

Nazret, Ethiopia

Big brother

Belachew is loving being a big brother (so far...)

World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day was December 1. While I was in Ethiopia, I had the opportunity to visit Andy and Bev Warren and see more of their ministry in Ethiopia.

By 2010, there will be approximately 18 MILLION AIDS orphans in Africa.

We are home!

We arrived home safely last night. Our final flight was 5 hours delayed, but we made it. More pictures and stories to come...

around Addis

out and about

Yesterday we attended an Anglican church with Andy and Bev Warren, who have been are living in Ethiopia and serving with Mission to the World and SIM.  We then went to lunch with the Warrens and some visiting doctors from Yale.  Hudson did great during his first church service. 

 

Today we visited the orphanage in Addis where Hudson stayed for a few weeks and took some donations and said good-bye to his nannies.  We went shopping this afternoon.  I will spend some time visiting with friends and with the Bethany Christian Services office this week.  On Thursday we have our US Embassy interview.  On Friday, we'll travel to the orphanage in Nazret (a couple hours south) where Hudson spent most of his life and then start our journey home that night. 

 

We are really enjoying our time in Ethiopia.  I miss Paul and Belachew, of course, and am looking forward to getting Hudson home and settled.  Hudson is doing great!  He is eating well and his energy level has increased a lot.  He loves cheerios and bananas.  He smiles a lot and we've gotten some laughs out of him. 

 

I will not have much internet access the rest of my time here, so this may be one of my last posts.  Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers and I look forward to introducing Hudson Muse to our family and friends.

a little more about Hudson

Hudson is feeling much better and eating more.  He is a little smaller than I expected, but his growth should catch up after his surgery.  He isn't crawling, but he scoots on his bottom across the room.  He gets tired easily from scooting or playing and rests his head every few minutes.  He smiles a lot and has a lot of personality.  He let's you know what he wants- if you try to give him a bottle or toy that he doesn't want, he'll push it away.  He LOVES his bottle and gets mad if you try to take it away before he is finished.  He started waving and giving high-5's today.  He is very alert and follows people with his eyes.  He is shy at first, but warms up to people quickly.  He'll let others hold him, but prefers his mommy.  He loves to snuggle.  He is a good sleeper and is sleeping through the nights, waking up just briefly a few times and needing to be comforted.  He loves being carried in my sling carrier and smiles when he sees me put it on. 

New friends

Today we met Abebaw's family. Abebaw has been living with Paul and I since August and will return to Ethiopia in a few weeks. I know Abebaw misses his family, and they miss him as well, so it was great to get to know his family and share some gifts with them.

With Almaz (Abebaw's sister), Ephrata (his daughter), and Tirhas (his wife)

Grandma and Grandpa are here!

Grandma and Grandpa Heintz arrived safely last night. Hudson was a bit shy at first, but has warmed up to them. I am so glad that my mom and dad can experience Ethiopia and this special time. I'm also thankful for Paul's parents who are helping out with Belachew while I am gone.

Hudson is feeling better today and has gotten his appetite back. He's had more energy today and has been playful. We are so thankful that he is feeling better and are praying for his continued health.

Health care

Health care is a hot topic in the U.S. right now.  I thought I'd share a bit of what I'm learning about health care in Ethiopia.

We had a few people ask during our adoption process if Hudson Muse could get the heart surgery he needed in Ethiopia.  The answer, unfortunately, was no.  There is no heart surgery performed in Ethiopia (that any of the knowledgeable doctors I've spoken with here know of).  There are a total of 4 pediatric surgeons in the entire country- a country of 80 million people.  There is 1 doctor for every 40,000 people in Ethiopia.

 

I share this with you not to make you feel guilty or to make you feel sorry for people here.  I've heard people say, "Well that is Africa, this is the U.S., you can't compare the two."   Sure, there are a lot of differences in our political system, history, and resources.  But why shouldn't we compare them?  Do people here deserve less just because of where they were born?  Shouldn't their lives be valued in the same way?  As I learn more and my eyes are opened, I hope and pray that I can have a small role in bringing justice and improving the quality of life for those in need.  I don't have answers and I know these issues are complex, but I wanted to share a bit of what's been on my heart and mind.

 

I'll return to posts about my adorable Ethiopian baby tomorrow...

An EthiopianThanksgiving...and much to be thankful for

We had Thanksgiving dinner tonight with several American and African families, most of whom work for the Center for Disease Control, World Health Organization, World Bank, or Peace Corp. It was fun to meet so many Americans living in Ethiopia and to celebrate this Thanksgiving day together. We had turkey and all the trimmings- even pumpkin pie and cheesecake for dessert.

I've had many people tell me what a great thing it is that we are adopting Muse and how lucky he is. But the truth is, we are so blessed to be his parents (and Belachew's) and humbled at the opportunity to raise these boys. So on this Thanksgiving day, I am thankful for many things- my faith, my husband, family, friends, community, but I am especially thankful for the newest member of our family, Hudson Muse. For this little life that God created, sustained, and is entrusting us with.

My uncle did manage to get a turkey that was shipped from Kenya and currently thawing, that we will enjoy with my parents this weekend.

Hudson is still sick (not much of an appetite, temperature, spitting up, diarrhea), but we have him on antibiotics and hope he starts feeling better soon.

Happy Thanksgiving!

sleeping baby

Is there anything cuter than a sleeping baby? We got started Hudson Muse on antiobiotics today and hopefully that will help him to start feeling better.

Good thing we are staying with a doctor (my uncle).  Turns out Hudson has an ear infection, on top of his virus.   Please pray for his health and healing of his little body. 

Our day together

Our first 18 hours together consisted mostly of Hudson Muse sleeping, eating, or pooping (sorry if that is too much information for some of you).  He definitely has had some kind of cold or virus.  He had an appointment at the US Embassy this morning to have blood drawn, which he was a trooper for, but not my ideal way of spending our first morning together.

After his afternoon nap, he was awake and alert and played for a few hours.  I got to see him smile and experienced more of his personality.  He loves his bottle and kisses, he likes to be held, and stacking cups are his favorite toys.  I kissed his forehead a few times and if I stopped, he would move his forehead towards my lips for more kisses.  I think he is on the mends from his virus and I am so glad that I was able to come here early to be with him.  Thanks to family and friends for helping make this possible, and for our agency's support in this decision as well.   We have plans to spend Thanksgiving with some of my uncle's colleagues from the US Embassy, then my parents arrive tomorrow night.

Worth it

We had to pay extra to change my plane ticket to get me to Ethiopia three days earlier

 

I had a 9 hour layover at Dulles Airport in the middle of the night and slept on the floor

 

22 hours on one airplane (6 of those were spent on the ground fixing mechanical problems)

 

But in a second, it was all worth it.  I met Hudson Muse today and he is sleeping next to me as I write this.  He is adorable in every way.  He still has a bit of a cold, but is so sweet and cuddly.

 

 

Change in plans

We've been planning and preparing for me to leave for Ethiopia this Wednesday to meet Hudson and bring him home. We got a phone call yesterday that he was very sick and in the hospital. My uncle (who lives in Addis) was able to check on him and it turns out that it is just a severe cold and he is back at the orphanage. Colds aren't too big of a deal, but when you add that to a child with a heart condition and a weak immune system, its not a good combination. After much thought and prayer, Paul and I have decided that I should get to Ethiopia as soon as possible to be with Hudson. We really couldn't think of any reason why I shouldn't try to go early, and there are plenty more reasons why I should.

So I'm leaving Sunday night and will arrive in Ethiopia on Tuesday morning. Hudson will be in my arms that afternoon. My parents will join me in Ethiopia on Thursday, as we had originally planned our flights. We'll return home with Hudson on December 5.

We'd appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers:

-For Hudson to stay healthy and strong
-For smooth travel
-For Hudson's transition and attachment to us
-For Paul and Belachew while I am gone

My cry for the day

I'm full of emotions these days, as I approach leaving for Ethiopia and meeting our newest son, whose face we first saw in February, who we have prayed and hoped and longed to have in our arms ever since then. I just watched this video, and it filled my heart with joy and my eyes with tears. I can't wait for that moment that Hudson and I walk off the airplane, meet family and friends, and officially begin our lives together as a family of four. Grab a kleenax and watch it.

http://teamalexander.blogspot.com/2009/11/o-praise-him.html

Countdown to Ethiopia

I am leaving for Ethiopia on November 25 and am counting down the days!  I've got my plane tickets, and now am just working on packing and crossing things off my "to-do" list.  I'll try my best to post some blog updates from Ethiopia, but internet access can be unreliable there.  

Belachew will be staying home with Paul, and I will be traveling with my mom and dad.  This is the longest I've left Belachew and I asked him the other day if he was sad that I'll be gone for a while.  He thought for a moment and said, "No, just hurry up and bring my brother home."  He is so excited to be a big brother.  I know Belachew will have some hard moments will all of the changes that are coming, but I am confident that he will be an awesome brother.   

What I watched tonight

Paul and I were invited to a screening of this movie tonight. Amazing. We loved it. And I hope that you go and see it.

One of my favorite lines in the movie is when Mrs. Touhys, the adoptive mother, is praised by another woman, “You’re changing that boy’s life.” Touhys shakes her head with a smile and simply says, “No, he’s changing mine.” It is so true. As Jed Medefind shared on his blog, "When we open our lives to an orphan, the transformation most always happens in both directions. Certainly, orphans do need us. We may need them even more."

We passed court!

We passed court yesterday in Ethiopia! We are so excited and thankful! We are not sure of travel dates, but will hopefully travel by mid-November.

Introducing our newest family member, Hudson Muse. Muse is his Ethiopian name, which means Moses, and Hudson is a name we have chosen for him.

Chosing to hope

I haven't posted much about our adoption lately, but yes, we are still moving forward with our adoption. We've faced many delays and obstacles this time around. I haven't wanted to go into too much detail on our blog and honestly its been hard to talk about. Although the process has been different than we had expected, I know once we have our baby in our arms, the wait will have been well worth it.

Our baby is now 14 months old and his health is stable, although he will need immediate medical attention after arriving home with us.

We have a court date tomorrow (Oct. 30) in Ethiopia. At this time, if the judge approves our adoption, our baby would officially become part of our family and we could hopefully travel a few weeks later to bring him home with us. Of course, there are cases that don't get approved the first time in court. We are prayerful and hopeful, and ultimately want to trust in God's plan and timing. If you think of it, we'd appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

We hope to have good news to share soon!

Fall days

We've been enjoying this fall together! Belachew started preschool two mornings a week and loves it. We've been enjoying time outdoors and went apple picking this week. Belachew liked picking apples, but enjoyed climbing trees and eating candy corn even more.

Our little helper

A night with U2

We went to Chicago this weekend to see U2 in concert. It was an amazing show! We love U2 for their music, of course, but we also love Bono's passion for justice and fighting poverty in Africa.

More time with our Ethiopian friends

As I've mentioned in previous posts, we are very blessed to have a great Ethiopian community in our city, which we love. We attended the Ethiopian Evangelical Church today and had a wonderful time of worship and fellowship. Afterwards, we had some delicious Ethiopian food and coffee. We are thankful to have these special friends in our life.

Our houseguest

Meet Abebaw. Abebaw is a professor from Addis Ababa University who is living with us for until December, while he does research for his PhD in Social Work. He is also co-teaching some courses at our local university. He has been with us for one week and we are enjoying our time together.

Belachew and Geremu together again!

Last weekend we headed up to Chicago to meet Geremu and his family. Belachew and Geremu were close friends in Ethiopia and have a special bond. Thankfully, we were able to connect with the family that adopted Geremu and have stayed in touch. We visited them last year and decided it was time to get together again. The boys had so much fun together. They didn't talk much, but they sure wrestled and laughed a lot. I think they have the same energy level and same sense of humor, so they have a great time together. We want to do everything we can to keep this special friendship going. Here are some photos of their time together (from Geremu's mom).

A Remarkable Woman

My friend Jody has been recognized by Lifetime as a Remarkable Woman. Check it out here: http://www.mylifetime.com/my-lifetime-commitment/ewc/every-women-counts-salutes/index. Jody has been an inspiration and encouragement to me. I'm thankful that she and her efforts to raise awareness and money for Charity: water to provide clearn drinking water in Liberia have been recognized

My birthday boy!

This is the first year that Belachew has started to understand what birthdays are all about. He went to a birthday party for a friend in May and after they sang "Happy Birthday" to the birthday girl, he told everyone at the party they should now sing happy birthday to him. He decided he wanted to have an orange and red puppy dog party and invited just about everyone he knew.

Belachew had special guests come for his birthday- both sets of grandparents and two of his cousins. On Thursday, we had cake and ice cream with family and some of Belachew's grown up friends. Then today we had a party for his "kid" friends.

I wasn't sure at first how to make an orange and red puppy dog cake, but I came up with an idea and the birthday boy approved.

I think his favorite birthday gifts were a harmonica, a horn for his bike, and a laser gun.

He is a special boy and has added so much joy to our lives. We are blessed to have so many family and friends in our life who love Belachew and were able to celebrate his birthday with us.

"Look, I'm 4!"

Puppy dog cupcakes and cake (not real dog treats-

those are graham crackers in the shape of dog bones)

Fun with cousins

Guess who had a birthday today?!?

Belachew turned 4 today! Birthday pictures to come...

Please pray...

Some friends from St. Louis have been working on a documentary about poverty in Africa. Paul and I were with Dan on his first trip to Kenya several years ago and we have been supporters of his project. They were in a plane crash Saturday in Nairobi and thankfully they survived, although they have injuries. Unfortunately, the pilot lost his life. Please pray for the pilot's family, and for Dan and Rob's physical and emotional healing.

http://www.marketvolt.com/custapp/cv.aspx?cm=93709399&x=38887013&cust=3629507

A few more reasons why I haven't posted lately

We had a great time in New Hampshire, visiting family and introducing Belachew to more cousins. Belachew is an amazing traveler and did great with the nearly 20 hour drive each way.

Our "Opia" friends

We are very blessed to have a wonderful Ethiopian community in our city. We are even more blessed to have some special friendships within this community. Belachew talks about our Ethiopian friends as his "opia" friends. Friday night we had dinner with another adoptive family who has a sweet 2 year old boy from Ethiopia. Then on Saturday, we had the privilege of welcoming the newest Ethiopians into our community. The father/husband moved to our city several months ago, to find work and get established, and yesterday his wife and two children joined him. We waited at the airport for their arrival, then witnessed the reunion of this beautiful family. They have come to the US in hopes of a better future. It is our small gift to be able to welcome them to our city. We are thankful for our Ethiopian friends and look forward to developing more relationships within this community. Here are a few of our friends.