We have some smart girls!

Ruby and Elizabeth have only been home with us for a week, and they can already sing the entire alphabet and count to ten! Wow!

Oh, and Nora has taught Ruby to ask "Why mamma" about everything!

Our beautiful daughters!

Ruby takes pouting to the next level...

Geez! So here's the current drama...

Ruby fell down and hurt herself...slightly (all she did was trip and land on a toy on the carpeted floor). When she hurts herself she is NOT tough. She cries like a two-year-old. I comforted her and held her and kissed her boo boo, and she just wouldn't quit howling. So I held her hand and walked her to a quiet place to sit down. Then I went to look in on the other girls. Now she's quit crying but has been pouting for about 30 minutes. I'm pretty sure the pout is due to the fact that I didn't keep on and on babying her. She even refused a fruit gummy when the other girls were having one, which is not like her at all -- she just gave me the shoulder shrug and turned her head.

Maybe by lunch time she'll be ready to join in the play time again!

The Olympics

When did beach volleyball become an olympic sport? I must be getting old... I just don't get it. The Olympics were once a dignified sporting event, and now everyone has gold chains, sunglasses, bikinis, and sports like BMX and beach volleyball are fair games for Olympians. Like I said...I must be getting old.

How many bananas can three girls eat?

The answer is...more than you can imagine! Ruby and Elizabeth would eat six or eight bananas each per day if I'd let them. I've been limiting them to about three each. And if they're eating bananas you better believe Nora won't be outdone -- she's eating just as many! I think we've gone through five pounds of bananas in the past three days! Had to make another trip to the store today to buy more!

Derrek met his new sisters tonight!

Do you think they liked him? This picture makes me smile!

We're still adjusting...

The girls are doing great and continue to adjust little by little. I can't believe we've only had them for eight days, and we've only been home with them for three days. It's not always easy or perfect, but all in all I think they're doing great -- better than I expected!

Ruby Nigate and Elizabeth Amsalu get very sad sometimes and just seem kind of far away, and at other times they are completely engaged with all of us and laughing and being clowns. Nigate loves to imitate Daddy at the dinner table and then cracks up laughing. It's really cute. They both have to get used to being part of our family, being hugged and kissed, and they have to learn enough language to start to understand the rules and limits. Nigate, for example, will just open up the front door and start to head outside if that's what she wants to do. She doesn't understand that she has to ask or wait for Mommy. I think we're replacing our deadbolts with the type that use a key on the outside AND the inside! Oh, and we've had no major pouts (Ruby) or tantrums (Elizabeth) today, only minor ones.

Nora continues to adjust. She's acting out a little and trying to compete at every single thing. And I mean everything! Even if one of the other girls has to go potty Nora thinks she needs to race into the bathroom to beat them to it. And if Nigate is being a clown to get us to laugh at her, then Nora tries to be funnier and louder. It's a big adjustment for her, but that's what we expected. They funny thing is that even when she's feeling jealous or competitive she's still so happy they're here and says things like "Mommy, Ruby and Elizabeth my sisters forever and ever and ever."

Well, better go try for a nap while they're sleeping. Yesterday I got in about 20 minutes of good napping before Ruby Nigate fell out of bed and started crying. Here are a few more pictures.

First trip to the store with three kids!

Whew! I'm exhausted! We went to Wal-Mart Super Center this morning for groceries and stuff. Ruby and Elizabeth were in awe of everything -- especially Ruby. They got to pick out a new toy. Ruby kept putting everything she saw in the cart, and not just toys but food, paper plates, you name it! I'm worn out so I'd better go take a nap while they are napping.

Oh, and I didn't mention that they totally have the Ethiopian kid shoulder shrug and pout down to a tee! These kids know how to pout. And Elizabeth Amsalu is VERY spoiled! She knows how to throw a major fit. :-)

More later...

Our daughters are home!

Hi everyone! We got home last night, and we're all doing great. Nora, Ruby Nigate, and Elizabeth Amsalu are quite the trio! They're having fun together, and the adjustment is going well so far. It is so beautiful to watch them all playing together. We are so amazingly blessed.

Thanks to all the family and friends who were praying hard for us to travel home as planned. When we got to Hope to get the girls, Genanew (he runs things at the orphanage) informed us that because of a paperwork problem the earliest we could leave Ethiopia was a week later than planned. To make a very long story short, the staff there was able to pull off a near-miracle and get the girls' paperwork in order in very short time.

Ruby Nigate was really sick while we were in Ethiopia, but she's feeling better and will be going to the doctor tomorrow. They are such amazing little girls! Here are a few pics, and I'll post more later. I MUST take a nap for an hour while they're sleeping or I think I'm going to fall over!

Today is the day!

In a few hours we'll be off to the airport! We're finally going to get our girls! We can't wait to see Ethiopia, and we can't wait to meet our girls! I will not likely be able to post while in Ethiopia, but I'll update everyone as soon as I can after we get home, which is next Saturday night!