Community

One of the many blessings of adopting our SJ is finding an incredible new circle of friends! We had SO MUCH FUN at our Ethiopian picnic! We had great Ethiopian food, met new children now home with Forever Families like KB and Katie, and shared about our journeys to our children. This group gives me girlfriends who fully understand my passion for orphans, sweet Julie who brings beads for the kids, Tracie who takes amazing pictures, Stacy who happily runs to the store for more plates, Julia and Theresa who are instant friends, and Danielle who is our walking adoption encyclopedia. And also there's Karey, and Kelly, and Robyn, and Julie B, and Amy, and...
<--------Click over to The A Team for more about our day.

East TN Ethiopian Families Picnic

You are invited to join us on this Saturday from 11-3 at Nicholas Ball Park for a picnic lunch and fun in the sun! Please bring a dish or two to share, your lawn chairs and drinks for your family. Feel free to pass this info along to any interested folks!

Famiversary Trip

To celebrate our Famiversary, we took an overnight trip to NC to visit SuperDaddy's extended family (love them!). We got to visit with the kids' Great Great Aunt Edda, Aunt Jeep, cousins Eddie, Rachel and Jeff and their sweet kids M and SG, Uncle Bill and Aunt Jan. Rachel was kind enough to let us crash M's birthday party! We had a blast and it was the perfect way to celebrate.

1 Year Home

This weekend marks one year of being a family of 4 at Our Coffey House. One year since we arrived home with our SJ from Ethiopia. She arrived here a lonely, scared, confused little girl. One year later, she is confident (loud!), active, and loved by so many.

During our travels, we were so enamoured with our girl. We still are, I'm amazed at her resilience, beauty and smarts. We are head over heels in love! When we arrived home, our son ran to meet us and I collapsed in sobs. I was overwhelmed with joy and relief at the answer to our prayers. Our family was finally whole.

During this past year, we have grown to fit together. The practicalities of having 2 kids feels normal and easy now. B and SJ have a typical sibling relationship, and I smile watching them play and interact. I like that they have each other, now and in the future.

Our 3 favorite things about our 3 1/2 yr old girl:

*her sense of humor, she knows how to get laughs and keep 'em coming.

*her willingness to help out and work together. She likes to tell Daddy when his coffee is ready, and likes to help Mommy clear the table after meals.

*her love for music. She loves to listen to music, sing and dance. She holds a pretend microphone, sings every word of songs, and dances!

To celebrate our "Famiversary", we're going on a quick trip to North Carolina. We'll get to introduce SJ to SuperDaddy's extended family (hi Jeep!) and take her to see her favorite band, Donna the Buffalo. She is so excited to meet everyone and see DTB play!

We also remember SJ's First Mother, that every year we enjoy with our daughter, is another year she misses her. I often think of how proud and amazed she would be of SJ. We all are.

PICTURES: Cuddling with Granny for the first time (May 08).

Going to see Dora Live with cousin Jelly (March 09).

Florida Trip

SuperDaddy had a business trip planned for Orlando, so the kids and I flew down to meet him and enjoy a few days in Florida.

We spent 3 days at the beach and 1 day at Disney Hollywood Studios. The kids loved playing in the sand, they were filthy!

We also had the privilege of stopping for a visit with ParkerFam. We travelled to Ethiopia with this sweet family as they picked up kids #3 and #4. It was a joy to see A and A adjusting so well and spend time with their awesome mama.

Learning to Communicate

In the 9 months since SJ has been home, she has become fluent in English. Within 1 month home, she could obviously understand what we were saying, within 2 months, she was conversing back and forth. Within 3 months, she was fluent. By fluent, I mean she was babbling to herself in English, talking quickly without thinking of words, and learning new concepts like the alphabet, colors and numbers. By 6 months, I didn't think or notice much about her English as it was second nature to her and the family.
Here we are at 9 months home and SJ is a talkbox! She talks constantly and asks what you are doing at each step. I think her inquisitive nature has helped her learn faster. Her great communication skills were present yesterday when I was writing our grocery list. SJ said, "Mommy, you making words on paper?" So since she did not know the word "write", she was still able to communicate effectively and learn a new word too. "Yes honey, I am writing on paper."
Cross-cultural adoption means the child will most likely be losing their native language and learning a new one. It is quite sad to think that she will not speak Hadiya, but the speed of her learning is a delight to watch. The difficulty of the first months fade away as your child's communication grows and the family bonds.

East TN Ethiopian Adoptive Families Potluck!

We had such an amazing turnout at the potluck today! Over 21 families in process of adopting or with children at home! Also joining us was Almaz, a local Ethiopian lady, who was kind enough to come. We had some wonderful Ethiopian food with injera (thanks Lori!) along with some American favorites like mac & cheese.

The kids had fun, running, jumping and playing foosball. The adults had the chance to talk and share our stories and pictures. It is so special to be able to support each other on this journey.

I was playing hostess, so I didn't take any photos. Please check out The A Team's page for lots of gorgeous photos. Thanks Mrs. A! http://tnateam.blogspot.com/

One year Ago...

we saw this precious face in a grainy photograph from across the world. We soaked up every detail of her, lurked on forums and blogs looking for people who knew more about her, and proudly showed her picture to everyone we passed. Waiting for a referral was difficult, but the pain vanished with her smile.

Since that day, we dreamed of our meeting, prayed for her continuously, prepared her big brother, decorated her room and stocked it with little girl things. We were so excited to finally meet SJ, to hold her and be her forever family.
Becoming SJ's mother has been better than any of those daydreams. She is somehow more perfect than I imagined and fits with her forever family seamlessly. Even the difficult first months with SJ forged us together. She trusts us and knows she is loved. I still look at her and can't believe she is here and that I get to be her mom.
SJ is funny, she retells funny stories to get another laugh. She is smart, this girl has a gift for music and loves to hear music, play music, & go to concerts and shows. SJ is stubborn, she stands up for herself. She has the cutest smile, with a dimple on her right cheek and a freckle on her top lip. SJ is loud! She sings at top volume, shrieks while playing and will quiet down for a moment when she's asked. But she's right back at top volume in minutes, singing her heart out! SJ loves her brother and cousins deeply. She looks out for them, asks often about them, and loves to be B's "Little Mother". God matched this amazing girl to us, He planned for us to be a family.
Getting to know SJ has been a great joy. We are so blessed to be her mom and dad. God is so good!

East TN Ethiopian Adoptive Families Potluck!

You are invited to join us for a Potluck Lunch on Saturday, January 31st from noon to 4pm at Cornerstone Christian Church. http://www.cccknoxville.com/

We welcome any family interested in Ethiopian adoption, or paperchasing, or waiting, or home with their children. We meet together to support each other in adoption joys and challenges, daily parenting, and mostly to celebrate the birth culture of our precious children.

There is a full kitchen available, bathrooms, changing tables, plenty of toys and running room, and a playground.

Please email me or contact me on Facebook if you need additional information.

I can't wait to see you all again!

A Visit from Belachew!

Today we enjoyed a visit from Belachew and his sweet parents, who were travelling through town on their way home after Thanksgiving.

Belachew and SJ were in the CHSFS Care Center at the same time, we first met Belachew in Ethiopia when we picked up our girl. Cindy and Paul travelled to Belachew about a month after we were there. I called Belachew the "Big Man on Campus" as he strutted around the Care Center confidently and made sure the other kids ate their lunch and followed directions. It is beautiful to see him again now with his loving parents, Cindy and Paul.

The kids played together well and shared muffins and orange slices. We parents shared about our adoption experiences and future plans. We are so thankful for their visit and hope to see them again soon.

http://paulandcindyadopt.blogspot.com/

Caring for Orphans

James 1:27 NIV
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

You can-

-adopt! Really, you can! Domestically, internationallly, fostering, there are many options to bring a child into your family. Consider adopting an older child.

-support adoptive families. Be excited during joyful times, and stand by in the hard times.

-treat new adoptive parents just like you treat parents of newborn birth children. Bring casseroles, celebrate new additions, understand that they are tired, help out with the other kids.

-sponsor a child with World Vision, make Operation Christmas Child boxes, or mentor a child through Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Your involvement will show a child that he or she has NOT been forgotten.

-learn. Read, discuss, travel and explore this world. Open your eyes, heart and mind to those less fortunate.

-conserve. Consider buying less and giving more. Consider giving donations in a friend's honor rather than a gift. Consider giving Fair Trade goods and handicrafts as gifts.

-teach your children. Teach them about children around the world, to be thankful for their blessings, and that they can help too!

-PRAY. Pray that God opens your heart to ways that you can help, pray for these lonely children, pray for the workers who bring God's love.

A Heavy Heart

As we approach the first anniversary of SJ's relenquishment, my heart is heavy for SJ's First Mother. We had the honor of meeting this amazing woman and it widens the gash on my heart as I think of what she must be going through at this time. SJ's First Mother made the painful choice to give her daughter more than she or her community were able to offer. I pray God gives her peace and the knowledge that her daughter is well loved. And, we will raise SJ to bring honor to Ethiopia and its people. Adoption stretches the heart more than humanly possible, this is God's work.

East TN Ethiopian Families Enktatush Party

This past weekend, we attended an Ethiopian New Year party with our East TN Ethiopian families. We had 14 families and 58 people attend! Families drove in from the TriCities and Nashville, and many local yokels too. L brought injera and 3 of us made Ethiopian stews to serve, the food was FABULOUS! And it brought me such joy to see Rusie and SJ eating happily the food of their home country. Thanks so much to the Casa de Chaos for hosting us!

Some of these families are already home with their children, some are waiting for referral, some are paperchasing, and some are in the beginning stages. It is amazing how much this group has grown! And what a blessing it is to share the journey with other families, to support each other in the hard times, to share the joy of adoption, and to marvel at the gift of these children.

A Big Week for SJ!

Our little SJ had a big week! We completed her readoption and celebrated her 3rd birthday!

For the readoption, we went to the courthouse on Tuesday and she's officially a US citizen.

And we celebrated her 3rd birthday on Saturday, complete with a flip-flop cake for our Flip Flop Bandit. We decided on a small family swim party, which was a good choice. SJ knew everyone well and had a blast. SuperDaddy took her out in his truck to pick out a toy while B and I decorated the room and her cake. She was so excited to go out with Daddy, just the 2 of them, and was even more excited to come home to the party. We had a great time, and enjoyed seeing SJ so happy. She is so loved, this sweet girl!

Off to meet Eyerusalem!

I'm gonna sneak out after the kids are in bed to meet Eyeruasalem and welcome the Mizes home. I hope to see some of you there!
EDIT: We did not do a big airport welcome, we were pretty sure SJ would not fare well. We were right and she barely tolerated the 4 grandparents we invited to the airport. I was touched at how well adoptive parents already know their kids so well. BECAUSE, the Mizes wanted a BIG welcome and they got it! There were probably 40 people there and OE hugged and kissed EVERYONE. I was stunned at how comfortable she already was and that she knew this was her party! She gave me a big squeezy hug and made me cry, this precious one. I showed her a picture of SJ and she seemed to understand that I also had an Ethiopian princess. OE opened lots of presents, played with her new brothers (who already tried to put hairbows on her!), and ran up and down the terminal. I was so honored to join the celebration and look forward to many years of watching OE grow. And yeah, it is among the funnest events in life, big ridiculous airport welcomes. Thank you Mizes for including us, and for letting me post her pic!

The Mizes have left for Ethiopia!

N and K Mize left today for Ethiopia to pick up their 4 yr old daughter. (They also have 3 boys at home!) They were in limbo with USCIS regarding immigration visas for their girl, but the situation was resolved today. We'll be counting the days til they return and we get to make a crazy fun scene at the airport! Airport homecomings are sooooo fun, hee hee, can't wait.

East TN Ethiopian Families Pool Party RAIN OR SHINE!

(For security purposes, I'm not posting extensive details here.)

THE PARTY IS RAIN OR SHINE! COME ON OVER!


If you are an Ethiopian adoptive family, we would love for you to join us this Saturday, July 26th for a pool party! We welcome any family, whether you're thinking about adopting from Ethiopia, paperchasing, have a referral (like Eyerusalem's family!), or have your precious kiddos home.

Bring your swimsuits, towels and a lawn chair. We are having pizza and watermelon for lunch. Please email me for details and directions.

I look forward to seeing YOU there!

Another Victim!

Adoption is like a drug, highs and lows and all consuming. My name is Coffeybunny and I'm an addict.
A new victim, T, and her sweet family have decided to adopt from Ethiopia and last night decided on our agency, CHSFS! I'm so excited for them and that her dream is LITERALLY coming true. See her blog at http://eastiesandcompany.blogspot.com/ and read about their decision.
I was given the chance to speak at an informational meeting for our agencies, Holston Methodist (home study) and Children's Home Society (Ethiopia). I invited myself over to speak, knowing this was God's plan, and it went well. The kids behaved decently and God gave me confidence in my words. There were several families interested, hopefully we helped answer their questions and maybe even more will succumb to the power of adoption!

Dedication Sunday

This past Sunday, we had the privilege of dedicating our daughter to the Lord. We dressed her in the family christening gown (which fit a 2 yr old!?!), an Ethiopian headdress, an Ethiopian cross necklace and of course, new shoes. B wore a traditional Ethiopian shirt. We were able to hold a lit candle in honor of SJ's First Mother during the ceremony. Most of our family and friends were able to join the festivities. Following the service, Auntie Jo, Miss Missy and Mamaw were kind enough to serve lunch for us. I made doro we't for SJ, which she inhaled. It was a special day and we are honored to parent this little lady.

Please Pray for the Chapman Family

My heart is breaking for the Steven Curtis Chapman family as they endure the tragedy of losing their 5 yr old daughter, Maria. The family has done much to promote international adoption and their foundation, Shaohannah's Hope, has helped 1700 families with grants to offset the financial burden of adopting internationally.
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080521/TUNEIN/80521174/1005/ENTERTAINMENT
Please pray for the entire family as they grieve this loss, especially for the son who was driving. Maria is with Jesus now.