Classic Yosef

30 degrees outside

snowing

carsick

sweet boy

always smiling

loving daddy who never complains

(On the way home from Kevin's parents' house last month, Yosef's poor tummy succumbed to the terribly curvy roads. He is such a good-natured child, still able to smile amidst chattering teeth as Kev stripped him down to a diaper to clean him up!)

China and HIV+ adoption

Adoption Advocates International has been in China this week and is being given the amazing opportunity to faciliate the adoption of an HIV+ child, which will hopefully be the start of an HIV+ adoption program (which would be new to China!) Check out Erin's blog for more information! (20 HIV+ children have now been adopted from Ethiopia--so exciting to see this program growing and hopefully more starting.)

Ethiopian or African-American?

Along with its beauty and richness (doesn't this picture speak volumes), adopting transracially has its complexities, although probably not what the average outsider would assume. It doesn't seem strange having two children who visibly weren't born to me; in fact, I rarely think about that. I don't think our annual Christmas card picture looks funny or "different" from other families' photos; it's just our little (okay, maybe not so little) family. And I don't feel a strange distance from my sons on the basis of their skin color, or their cultural origin. They're just my sons.

Rita Radostitz, a fellow adoptive mom with girls from Layla House (and who now is employed by AAI), recently wrote a great article for Adoptive Families magazine that is worth reading, especially if you have little ones from Ethiopia. We're not there yet with Yosef and Biniam, so I'm grateful that parents with older kids are willing to share their experiences dealing with some of the more complicated aspects of having a multi-racial and multi-cultural family.

My Ethiopian Daughters

A merry Christmas

This year for Christmas we packed up the kids and headed for Northern California to spend the holiday with Kevin's parents and sister.

They live in the mountains about 200 miles south of the Oregon border, in a really remote place that doesn't have a name. Kevin used to ride the bus an hour and a half to get to high school--a born commuter! It sure is beautiful though!

The day after we arrived, Kevin's friend Matt (from high school) came over, and they had a good time catching up. (Matt was in our wedding and we haven't seen him in about five years!)

Kevin's dad built a sled for the kids in the event that it snowed, which it really didn't, but he pulled them around on it anyway. (Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain...or the bright pink gloves on Biniam.)

Kaitlyn refused to sleep and I spent all night, every night nursing her, walking her around, anything to calm her down. She is apparently a bit of a bed snob and will only sleep in her crib. Bummer.

I guess she was also happy sleeping on Grandma Heldt.

Excited about new pj's, and a new toothbrush. Kids love Christmas!

The whole group on Christmas Eve.

Losing to my husband at pool (no, that's not me drinking, I was holding the photographer's glass--though I wish I could blame my loss on something!)

Sweet Katie Jane's first Christmas...


...Laughing with Grandpa Heldt...


...Smiling with Daddy.


Enjoying my kids.


Watching Grandpa Heldt build a fire.


The kids loved wearing their winter clothes and playing out in the cold.

A good time was had by all! Thank you Heldts for having us!

They're so excited

To be meeting Snow White! Makes waiting in the hour-long line worth it! Disneyland was a lot of fun but a little like running a marathon when you have four little ones. Anna wasn't too impressed with Fantasyland; instead, she preferred the Matterhorn Bobsled ride--who is this kid?!

It was pretty unreal to be there with my own children--growing up we'd go about once a year or so, and my grandparents used to live in Anaheim (right near the park) so we'd watch the fireworks from their backyard. It's cool seeing it again through a child's eyes, having so many fond memories of it yourself.

I'll share more pictures later! (Two Heldt children are not pictured: Biniam was too scared, and Kaitlyn didn't seem interested. :) )

Glowing endorsement

I just have to sing the praises of Burt's Bees "Baby Bees" products! When the dermatologist diagnosed Kaitlyn with Atopic Dermatitis, I immediately set out to find some skin care products that were gentle and natural, since I knew I'd need to be using them a lot. So I stocked up on the Diaper Ointment, Baby Shampoo and Wash, and Buttermilk Lotion. Within DAYS, the eczema on Kaitlyn's arm and leg (which had been horrible) was COMPLETELY GONE. It is seriously a miracle. She still has a small rash on her diaper area, but apparently due to the ointment, it doesn't itch much anymore, isn't getting worse, and therefore she's not scratching it and has been infection-free for weeks now!

Anyway, I HIGHLY recommend these amazing products, especially if you have a child with dry/sensitive skin. Kaitlyn's skin is so smooth now and I feel so happy that I can fight her eczema with safe, mostly-natural, over-the-counter products!

ONE Vote '08

This is a great and easy-to-use resource to learn what the presidential candidates plan to do to help the world's poor. You can compare them, watch video responses, etc. Check it out--these are issues that matter and for which I believe God will someday hold us accountable.

On the Record

2008

I just finished reading a book by Margaret Feinberg, The Organic God, which I loved. Simple, not real long, an easy read. I think it resonated with me because for awhile now I've just felt burned out. I've been a Christian and weekly church attendee for all 26 years of my life. And lately I've felt distracted by the trappings of the Christian life and my love for God (and His for me) got crowded out. I think I've made gods out of things that I shouldn't have--desire for Christian fellowship, church involvement, what people think of me. I think God is wanting me to love Him and to find contentment and peace in His love for me. I think He's wanting my husband and children to be my heart's priorities.

I'm not sure what the practical upshot of all this will be; there probably won't be much of an outward change, but more a heart one. My heart feels hopeful and excited about falling more in love with God and embracing the unique blessings He's given me, and trusting Him for the future.

So while I'm not much for resolution-making my prayer for 2008 is to enjoy the beauty and simplicity of God's love for me, get to know Him better, and enjoy God's freedom from the Christian rat-race. (Oh and to not be such a procrastinator, but I figure some things are just out of the realm of possibility! :))

Just some questions

Could I be any more tired?
Did we really spend 14 hours at Disneyland yesterday?

Do I really have 3 three-year-olds?

Did we honestly not get home until 5 a.m. this morning?

Did I really scrape up our van on a post at a gas station last night?

Have we really not been home for more than two consecutive nights in two weeks?

They say Disneyland is the happiest place on earth--maybe that's why ten billion people were in attendance yesterday. We had a blast and made some great memories, but it was exhausting and I think it'll probably be some time before we venture there again. I'll post pictures later--but right now, I think it's naptime. The above picture is of Kaitlyn playing on our suitcase a couple of weeks ago, representative of our nomadic way of life these days. :)

This and that

Okay I know it's been forever since I've blogged! We've been out of town at Kevin's parents' house, at my mom and dad's house for a few days, and tomorrow we're headed for Disneyland...so I guess we've been busy. :)

Nothing is really new per se. Christmas somehow came and went, my house is a disaster, I still haven't mailed my neices' gifts, the laundry is piled up. Sigh. If anyone is ever tempted to think I have all my ducks in a row, I'm here to tell you I don't. (And people who know me well know better anyhow.)

Our only real "news" is that we got Kaitlyn's bloodwork back. I talked to our immunologist/allergist on the phone today and praise the Lord, the allergy tests all came back NEGATIVE, and her zinc levels are completely NORMAL!!! So that means that there doesn't appear to be an underlying problem, and she's not allergic to any foods! Meanwhile Kaitlyn is standing up a lot of the time and cruising around holding onto furniture, and babbling like crazy (mostly "dada"). She's constantly laughing and smiling and reminding me that life is precious, God is good, and I am blessed.

(I've included some pictures of an outing to Klondike's pizza last month--on Tuesday nights it's all-you-can-eat, and really cheap for the kids. We went once last year, and once this year, and our kids love looking at the assorted animal heads on the wall!)

Christmas fun

I love making things festive for my kids. They're enjoying the Christmas season so far--we had so much fun decorating our (fake) Christmas tree a few weeks ago, complete with hot chocolate, popcorn, and the classic movie "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."

I've been loving baking, too--fudge, chocolate mousse pie, triple-chocolate peppermint trifle. Mmmmmm.

Anna, Yosef and Biniam sang up front with their Sunday School class this past Sunday. Totally cute, and Yosef actually sang part of the song during the third service. (I'll post pics later I think.)

We haven't done our Christmas cards yet. Will we do them at all this year? Only time will tell!

Another day, another specialist :)

This morning (whose bright idea was it to schedule these appointments so early--oh wait, it was mine!) Kaitlyn and I met with Dr. Johnson, the immunologist/allergist we've been seeing. He took one look at Kaitlyn's skin and also pronounced it Atopic Dermatitis! He also feels confident that it is to blame for the multiple infections. He ordered blood work that will pinpoint what she's allergic to food-wise, and blood work that will see if she's zinc-deficient. (We had her blood drawn after our appointment so we should get the results in about a week. She was SO GOOD, hardly any crying at all, just at the very end.)

He said that there are really rare immune-deficiencies out there that would make someone prone to staph infections, but that he doesn't feel like he wants to get into testing for those (pretty invasive) because people who have them have repeat respiratory issues, pneumonia, etc., and Kaitlyn's healthy as can be. Not to mention, he said that now we have an explanation for the staph that fits.

Dr. Johnson's biggest concern is Kaitlyn's weight-loss. He said if she's not vomiting and doesn't have diarrhea then he really doesn't know why she'd fall off her growth curve. Some possibilities he threw out there were a fast metabolism, her getting ready for a growth spurt and needing more calories than maybe she was getting. Or, food allergies.

So, that's that. We'll wait for the results of the blood tests. It felt good to have the immunologist confirm the dermatologist's findings, and I'm so happy that we did some more testing. I'm experimenting with some Burt's Bees products and so far am happy with them. I guess I still feel worried about the weight loss, but she eats so well, is developing fine, has eight teeth, and never stops crawling around and playing, so I'm resting in the fact that for now, she's okay, and we'll keep our eye on it.

Thank you so much for all your kind words, prayers, and thoughts. We are blessed!!! (Oh and I just thought I'd share some pics of my sweet baby girl.)

Atopic Dermatitis

According to the dermatologist, that is Kaitlyn's diagnosis and accounts for all of her health issues lo these many months. This morning Kaitlyn and I met with Dr. Stewart who looked at her, listened to my stories and concerns, and said Kaitlyn has EXTREMELY sensitive skin, horrible allergies (probably tied in with food), and the reason for the repeat staph infections in the diaper area is that because Kaitlyn itches so bad, and scratches, the staph gets in there. She really wasn't surprised/concerned by the repeat skin infections and in fact prescribed a topical antibiotic to keep on hand in case it happens again and seems necessary. She said she didn't think we needed to do the orals so much, just topical.

I told her I was most concerned by the weight loss, but she really wasn't too worried about that either. I kept reiterating that Kaitlyn lost a good 12 ounces which is a big deal for a baby, but she said that that can be tied in with allergies/eczema as well. During the visit Kaitlyn was babbling and bouncing around and the doctor said she looks healthy as can be and therefore really doesn't suspect a zinc deficiency. The doctor asked me if Kaitlyn was pretty active, and I said yeah, she's always been squirmy and wiggly and loves crawling around. The doctor said her own son was big at first, then lost a bunch of weight and remained pretty small for his age, so it happens. Plus yeah, apparently allergies can affect weight gain or something.

I asked about Kaitlyn's foot, and Dr. Stewart said that honestly it sounds like Kaitlyn just has really, really sensitive skin. She prescribed an ointment for the eczema. She said it can be difficult to pin-point what foods I'm eating that might be aggravating it, so pay attention but not obsess over it. She also thought Kaitlyn should outgrow it.

I guess I feel cautiously optimistic about the diagnosis. I tried my darndest to convince Dr. Stewart that my baby was on death's doorstep, but she just kept saying that these things are the result of bad eczema/allergies, and that staph infections on the skin are to be expected if a baby's diaper area is scratched up badly enough (which Kaitlyn's had been. It was awful.) Tomorrow we'll see the immunologist, who I'm sure will order more invasive tests and I'm going to request he test for zinc deficiency. But if everything comes back normal, then it looks like my kid just has a nasty case of regular old eczema.

Little things...

...make me happy. Like:

1.) My Martha Stewart Living arriving today. Can't wait to put my feet up later and enjoy!
2.) I've got red potatoes boiling, fish marinating, fresh lettuce for a salad. I love when I take the time to prepare a nutritious meal for my family!
3.) Receiving Christmas cards from dear friends and family.
4.) My kids enjoying a movie, currently "Cinderella."
5.) Kaitlyn's smile and the fact that she zips around this house like nobody's business. Man I love that kid!
6.) Kevin just now arriving home...and the fact that he's off work from now until January 7th.

Off to hug the husband and finish dinner prep. Have a happy Friday night enjoying the little things!

Christmas and Africa

Christmas involves gift-giving, and it can be overwhelming trying to figure out what to buy for loved ones, co-workers, and those people who already have everything. I wanted to share a few unique gift ideas with you that are not only pretty cool but more importantly help Africa.





1). AHOPE Blend Cofee


A Washington-state coffee house makes this special blend of fair-trade coffee. $12.95/pound, and $1.50 goes to the charity AHOPE for Children, an Ethiopian orphanage caring for HIV-positive children. What a perfect gift for a coffee-lover, and a great way to raise awareness for this wonderful organization. (I'm currently sipping some right now and it's wonderful!)




2). BenefitOrphans.org


This website offers a variety of items from Ethiopia and Ghana, as well as some related books. All proceeds go directly to Adoption Advocates International's humanitarian projects. (AAI works in Ethiopia, Ghana, Thailand and China.) Anything from this website would make a wonderful gift for an adoptive parent, adopted child, grandparent, or the internationally minded. Fast shipping, too. (For those of you with children from Layla House, check out the amazing new book "Faces of Layla." A must-have--we just purchased ours recently and it is BEAUTIFUL.)




3). Our Day to End Poverty: 24 Ways You Can Make a Difference


This book comes highly recommended and makes a neat gift for a socially-conscious family member or friend. $14.95 from BenefitOrphans.org--and every penny goes to humanitarian causes.




5). Amani Ya Juu


Means "higher peace" and is an amazing sewing reconcilation project and home for women in Africa! You can purchase fair-trade items that these talented ladies have made and know that your money is going towards helping marginalized women in Africa work towards peace. (They hail from Rwanda, Ethiopia, Burundi, Congo, Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, and Somalia). I love the passport purses and the kitchen items! Their children's toys are adorable too!



6). Donations


Why not consider tacking a donation on in addition to a gift you're giving, or in lieu of one for that person who literally has everything and has a passion for humanitarian causes? Check out these cool gifts you can give in someone's name!
International Justice Mission--works to free people around the world from violent forms of injustice. Has been featured on both Oprah and Dateline. See their 2007 Gift Catalogue and give gifts like Advocacy or Aftercare.
AHOPE for Children--facility in Ethiopia that cares for HIV-positive orphans and assists families in caring for their HIV-positive children at home. With a minimum donation of $25, a card will be sent to the recipient saying a donation was made in their name. Besides a one-time donation you can give the gift of sponsorship of a child (for one year, $360), or choose to provide a school uniform and school supplies, holiday gifts, a new chalkboard for the classroom, etc.
Heifer International--their motto is "Ending hunger, Caring for the earth." Through this wonderful charity you can give the gift of an animal to a family in the world that will help provide sustenance for them. You can give heifers, ducks, water buffalo...the list goes on.
World Vision--you can provide anything from the share of an alpaca ($15) to education for a child.
(Some of these charities are faith-based, and some are not. Please don't let that deter you from giving either way--they are each doing amazing work and helping those who need it the most!)