Weekend of Craziness

We had a WILD weekend around our house. My brother and sister-in-law had to fly to Florida unexpectedly because her grandmother passed away. My mother was out of town with her sisters so they had no one to watch their three children. Our kids were very excited when we said we would keep them. SO, this is how we ended up the proud parents of 7 children this weekend.

SEVEN children ages 5 and under!

I took this picture just to prove to everyone that I got 7 children up and ready for church by 8:40 am with no help! Zach has to be to church by 6:30 so I was on my own. I have to say they all look pretty cute too!

Naps were also a little interesting, although it was my children that were causing the problems. This is what Sophie decided to do during her nap time. She actually had the door totally blocked off so I had to squeeze in to take the picture. She is becoming a little OCD. She washes her hands at least 30 times a day and every day at nap time she folds all of her blankets and lines up anything that is in her room. It is actually quite impressive.

Lastly, we have been needing a new table in our eating area for a while now. Ours only had 4 chairs so Sophie and Addis both have to sit in highchairs. Sophie is beginning to protest and since she is almost three we felt like it was time for her to join us at the table. So, we took a trip to SAM'S CLUB (Zach jokes that it is the only club he has ever been to) today and purchased a new table. I really love it and we got a great deal!


It is actually a lot darker in person, but the flash lightened it up a bit. It fits our family well, though Zach's mom wanted to know why there weren't seven chairs. She is still hoping for more grand babies!

Gladney Family Gathering

So, we haven't posted in a while. We really should be better about it, but I am still not really sure how to do this whole blogging thing. Zach always does it for me, and I pretend like it is from me. (Like right now, as I lie in bed and he sits at the computer typing what I say.)

This weekend, we traveled to the great state of Oklahoma for a Gladney Family Association gathering. We got to meet a few of the families we have been stalking on the internet through blogland. It is odd when people know your name and details about your life and you have never actually met in person.

We met the Bottomly crew. Addis and Silas were big buds. Actually, I am not sure they paid that much attention to each other, but they were really cute together. It was the referral pictures of Silas that first awakened the call in us to adopt, so it was really cool getting to see our sons together.


We also got to meet the Silvestri's and Winter's. Tara and Eric took pictures of Addis when they traveled to Ethiopia to pick up their son Malak, and we took pictures of Rebekah and Ben's son Eli when we traveled to pick up Addis. It was awesome to see all of our boys together. It made us very excited for all of the families in Northwest Arkansas to bring home their babies.

Andrea (who did our home study), Natalie (Gladney), Nikki, Tara, Amy, me, Corrie (a NWA mom on the wait list), and Mary (Gladney).


Thanks Bottomly's for letting us crash at your place. We hope to get together with all the Oklahoma families again soon. Maybe next time we will bring ALL the kids.

Generational Blessing

In the early 60's, a man came into my grandfather's veterinary clinic in Austin to ask about a sick deer at a youth camp. What started with a trip to take care of a deer turned into a lifelong love for Camp Peniel in the hill country of Texas.

When I was four, my dad loaded up my brother and I to make the 10 hour trip to Marble Falls for our first Father and Son Camp weekend. It became a tradition, and we only missed one year of camp until we graduated high school.

This past weekend, I loaded up my four year old son to continue the tradition. Four generations of Kennedy's rode 10 hours to the Texas Hill Country to spend a weekend together.


Easton was so excited that he woke up his great grandfather (papaw) at midnight saying, "Get up! It is time to go!" My brother brought his son, Mark, for the first time as well. They had the time of their lives. We rode horses, shot guns, arrows, and slingshots, slept in a cabin and stayed up way past bed time. It was the ultimate man weekend.



In a generation where good fathers are the exception to the rule, our family continues to be an exception. And I am better because of that.

And Easton, Addis, Catherine, and Sophia will be the beneficiaries as well.

Thank you papa. Thank you Dad.

Welcome Home Cupcakes

We have had a really busy spring break and I will post about all of it over the next few days. In the meantime our boys got home today from father and son camp and the girls wanted to make welcome home cupcakes. This is what we came up with....They turned out really cute and I have to say my personal favorite is Sophia's. Notice she is the only cupcake at the sleepover that is awake!! How fitting!?

The Wandering Butterflies

It was a rainy Saturday, so we had the kids write and act in their very own play. We started with characters, letting each of them choose their own costume and name.

Catherine wanted to be a ladybug princess named Butterfly Belle. Sophie chose tinkerbell, and Easton wanted to be spiderman. They all determined that Addis should be a fireman, because he likes to wear hats. Seems like a logical choice.

So, how do you get lady bug princesses, spiderman, and a fireman in the same story? Leave it to the imagination of four year olds and they will figure out a way. Here is the plot in case you can't follow it.

The ladybug princesses are flying to see their friends, the birdies. They stop for a drink at a water fountain and a fire breaks out. Enter fireman Addis to save the day. Then, Bittem, the miniature stuffed dog/bad guy enters the scene from stage left. Spiderman to the rescue. Physically assault stuffed dog/bad guy. Everyone (mom) cheers. The end.

Lost? Maybe the video will help.

Not much to say...

I really don't have much to say but I had to post these pictures. Sophie didn't make the post this time since she was sound asleep this morning when I took the pictures.

So this is what Addis looks like each morning after his usual hair picking out process. I have to say it is pretty impressive. His brothers and sisters think it is hilarious.



Every time we take out a camera he poses and says "cheese!!!" Today he used his brother and sister as a prop for his pose. I have to say he is pretty sweet.

The Indoor Tent

About once a week, Easton and Catherine beg to have a sleep over. No, we do not invite other kids to our house EVERY week. Since they were born, they slept in the same room. Now that they are older and in separate rooms, they miss each other every once in a while.

This time, Sophie was invited and we made them a tent in the girl's room. A king sized sheet and some rubber bands can make for hours of fun.

No, Addis was not invited. Once it was bedtime, he had to head off to his crib.


This is a random picture of the craziness that 4 kids create. In the picture below, Easton and Catherine are playing mom & dad, complete with baby Sophie in the stroller. Addis is looking a little like the crazy uncle.


Sophie has a baby doll's pacifier in her mouth to complete the look. Catherine gets it for her everytime they play the game.

Love is here...

Here is a video I created today to show some of the ministries of our church...

Learning Spanish

Easton and Catherine are learning Spanish at preschool. We were going over our colors and the conversation went something like this.

Dad: What is Red in Spanish?
Catherine: Rojo!
Dad: What is amarillo?
Easton: Yellow!
Catherine: Dad, what is black in spanish?
Dad: Negro.
Catherine: Addis, you're negro!

Brilliant. Who would have known learning a foreign language would bring up discussions of racism among 4-year-olds.

From Ashes to Africa

AJ and Sara sent me a copy of the Bottomly's new book, From Ashes to Africa, for my birthday. I picked it up around 11:30 one night to read a few pages, and I turned the light off at 2:00 am after reading the whole thing. I kept thinking, one more chapter and I will go to bed.

What I appreciated most about the book was the raw honesty. I felt like I was reading my own journal as they detailed their experience while in Ethiopia. I only wish I could have read it before I left, as it would have prepared me for so many life altering experiences.


I had no idea what visiting the orphanages would do to me. I initially thought it would be fun to see the kids and play with them, bringing a smile for the day. I did not expect to see Addis' eyes in theirs, an experience Amy describes in detail. She writes:

"I could see Silas at 10 years old, with holes in his jeans and lice in his hair. I could see him at 18, with no education, no marketable skill, and no job prospects. Through such glimpses I felt more full the gravity of our decision to adopt."

I wish I could have been more prepared...


I had not processed what meeting Addis' birth mother might be like. Ashes to Africa dives into the deep feelings that you don't expect. Feelings of guilt and great sadness as you see the final goodbyes. Then the process your heart and mind go through in the hours after as feelings of gratitude and love flood back in.

"Part of me felt the rightness of adoption, the rightness of Hermela's courage and sacrifice. The other part of me felt the the wrongness of adoption, the wrongness of broken families and abject poverty."

I wish I could have been more prepared...

This memoir is so important to both the adoption community and the world of Christians who have no idea what it means to care for "the least of these." If you are alive, you should read it. (I tried to condense this down to certain groups that should read it, but wasn't successful, hence the all inclusive mandate.) Just make sure you start reading in the morning and not at 11:30 at night.

fromashestoafrica.com

Clumsy Kid

This might as well be titled the Sophie and Addis post. We will post some great twin stories later this week.


Addis may be the clumsiest kid ever created by God. Coupled with his clumsiness is his knack for being clumsy around sharp things. Corners, bolts, tables, doors, anything that will leave a mark. Thankfully, he is also the toughest kid ever. He might cry if he gets hit really hard, but I think it is more out of the frustration of falling down than pain. In the above photo he managed to slice his head open on a bed frame. Dr. Brent glued it back together with Addis playing dead on the table. Never cried. Ever. Amazing.


Addis got a little bug a few weeks ago. He literally sat in this position for 30 minutes without moving. He was a sick little dude.


We have been working on the girls room lately. In the process, Sophie (aka "The bad kid") decided she didn't want to go to sleep anymore. After her third time of coming out of her room to say "I love you momma" she was sent to timeout. She screamed for about 5 minutes, then went completely silent. I looked into the dining room and she was crashed out in the timeout chair.

Ice Storm 2009

First things first... Our good friends the Maners made the wait list this week. Go drop them a comment and congratulate them on the completion of all the paper!

This past week, one of the worst ice storms EVER passed through Northwest Arkansas. Well, maybe not ever, but certainly the worst I can remember. The kids loved it, but it wasn't so fun for mom and dad. Here is Easton and Addis getting ready for the ice to come in last Monday.

Sophie and Catherine actually went to dinner at Chili's in these outfits. We heard it was going to be bad, so we decided to have one last dinner outing.


This is what our house looked like when we woke up on Tuesday morning. Our tree was still in pretty good shape.

After another full day of ice, our tree wasn't looking so good. You can only imagine how bad the real trees look.

We woke up Tuesday morning with no electricity. Once Tuesday night rolled around, it was starting to get old. We ran the gas fireplace and piled the kids into the living room. I even managed to power a small tv off of our mini-van. Yes, the mini-van rescues the day again.


Our power came back late Wednesday afternoon. We were the lucky ones. There are still lots more people around here that are still without power. Here are some pictures of the aftermath. We will be cleaning up trees for a while around here.

Fly Free to Ethiopia

Well, kind of. I get Google alerts for Ethiopia which sends me a daily email of all news stories concerning Ethiopia, and this came in today. I wanted to post it for any families that will be traveling before March 30th. Just ask for the Obama special!

Free flight to Ethiopia. Companions fly free on Ethiopian Airlines, under the airline’s celebration of Barack Obama’s inauguration. Buy one ticket at regular fare from Washington, D.C. (the airline’s only U.S. stop) to any of 32 African destinations and get a companion fare free. Must complete your travel by March 30; trips of up to 21 days are allowed. (800) 445-2733, www.ethiopianairlines.com.

Verbal Curiosity

It seems almost simultaneous. The moment you announce you are adopting internationally, many people around you lose all common sense in exchange for verbal curiosity. Key word in the last sentence is "verbal." If they would keep their curiosity to themselves, it would save us all a little embarrassment. But they don't, and in the process we get to laugh. A lot.

So here is a non-comprehensive list of some of the funniest/awkward things people have said concerning our adoption journey. The names of those who said the following have been omitted to protect their good name. If you are on the list, don't feel bad. You are not alone.

One time we were at a park and Addis would'nt keep leaves out of his mouth. Every time we put him down, he put a leaf in. A friend at the park with us asked, "Is that what he is used to eating in Ethiopia?" Yes, we found him roaming free on the savannah foraging for berries. He is a baby, not a herbivore.

Ethiopia is in Africa, right? So is he going to be (pause because they aren't sure they are supposed to be saying it out loud) you know, African, black? Generally, this question is posed as informational, as if we haven't considered that we will be raising an african american son.

Speaking of african american, that particular term was difficult for a friend once. "No, he will be african" he told me. "And American," I added. "Yeah, I guess. But it's still not the same." Not sure why that mattered, but it did during that bout of verbal curiosity.

There are various poorly planned stereotypical comments made, generally surrounding sports. Football is the topic of conversation that usually draws out these awkward moments. I have a standard answer for this one that I will pass along for the moment that it comes up in your conversations. "Yes, and next we are going to adopt an asian baby because we really want an olympic gymnast."

And, my all time favorite, "will he speak english?" This question has been asked in a hundred different ways. "It will be interesting to see what he speaks once he starts talking." "I wonder if he can understand anything you are saying." "He will probably need some speech therapy to get caught up." My general response is, "when your baby was 8 months old, what did they speak?"

Alright fellow blog friends. I know we are not the only ones with stories, so please pass along your funniest moments in the comments.

UPDATE:

Annie reminded me of one of our all time favorites in the comments section. It has been asked by at least three people at this point. "Do you plan on telling him he is adopted?" My answer is usually a polite, "Yes." What I want to say is, "No, we prefer him to think his mother had an affair and we don't want him to know his biological father."

Christmas Vacation Catch Up

We haven't been around much lately, as evidenced by our lack of blogging. Here is our last few weeks in pictures, because they usually say it best.

Christmas morning, we woke the kids up because we were so excited. Needless to say, we should have waited just a little bit longer. They could hardly keep their eyes open walking into the living room.

If you are wondering, that huge box that Catherine has is FULL of make up from Grammy and Poppa. Don't worry, she got another big box of it from Lovey and Poppa. Aren't grandparents great?

The only thing Easton asked for consistently was a superman costume. Here he is prouder than ever.
Sophie wanted a "hosey I can ide on." For some reason, I don't have any pictures of her on her spring horse but she loved it. Here is a funny picture of her and her brother.

As payback for the make up kit, Sophie painted Poppa's toes.


In the end, no one was exempt from the make up. Even Addis had to get in the mix. Notice, one of the girls drew something on his forehead. This one will make his wedding picture video one day!


And finally, our baby girl is growing up. Since she wouldn't stay in her crib anymore, we decided to bite the bullet and convert it into a toddler bed. She came to Erin and said that she didn't need her passy anymore since she was getting a big girl bed. In one night, she moved into a toddler bed and got rid of the pacifier. She is fine. We are still recovering.

The Christmas Sweater

Our small group at church got together for a Christmas party slash tacky sweater party. There were some pretty great looks, but Erin and Angela won top prize for the tackiest. Special thanks to Erin's mom for the sweetastic christmas swag. I mean, who can top blue gingerbread men?



The kids went to see Santa and Sophie managed to NOT cry this year. It was definitely a Christmas miracle. As usual, Addis sat quietly while Catherine and Easton ran down everyone's list for Santa. Sophie even managed to tell Santa she wanted a horsey.



And, just to get everyone in the Christmas spirit, all of our kids got on stage to tell the Christmas story to our entire church staff. There were a good 200 people there, so they got a bit shy once it was their time. They are a little mumbly, but the payoff at the end is well worth the wait. Somewhere in the middle Sophia starts to take her shirt off, which is not strange behavior for her. Only slightly more embarassing on the stage of a church than at home.

Enjoy the video! (Sara, you will have to leave click "read more" and go to our blog to see this.)

Holidays and Random Stuff

I know I hardly ever blog but since I have been basically husbandless this week due to the preparation for our churches Christmas program I felt like I should at least try to figure out how to post some pictures.
We had a great Thanksgiving break in Hot Springs. We spent two days with Zach's family and two days with mine. The kids got to play with all of their cousins and had a blast.
Addis turned one on Thanksgiving day. It was pretty crazy being on a holiday but he did have his own cupcake and enjoyed every minute of it...Isn't he a cutie!!!



I actually have a lot of really cute pictures of our family and both sets of cousins but they are all being used on either my parents, Zach's parents, or our Christmas card so I guess you will all have to wait with anticipation!!!

After Thanksgiving we decorated our tree. The kids all thought it was pretty awesome. Especially Addis who still continues to eat all of the ornaments. Can you tell how much help they were?...





The day after we decorated our tree it snowed!!!! I would have taken a picture but it really wasn't worth it. I would say less than a dusting. But we HAD to make snow ice cream. Lovey (Zach's Mom) told Easton, after hours of begging that he could set a big bowl outside and if it filled up we would make snow ice cream. Of course we knew that it would never fill up enough to get ice cream out of it...we were wrong. After catching the children scraping dirty snow of the table and grass they filled up the bowl. I have to say it turned out pretty good minus the occasional gritty bites that had sand in them.
All in all a great holiday!