Our next son will be coming from Ethiopia.
Don’t know who he is yet, or when he will be coming. But Ethiopia will be the place.
When I was in 9th grade, my family lived in Ethiopia for a year. It will be very, very fun to go back, especially for this reason.
Our home study is almost done. Onwards with the dossier!
I was dreading camp this year.
I was tired. Exhausted, really, from a totally crazy June. We had the smallest group of kids sign up in the seven years we’ve been doing this camp, and I was discouraged and frustrated. Plus, this year I would have three children to keep track of instead of two, and I wondered if it was even worth it for me to go.
But it was. Oh, how it was worth it.
Over the course of the week, it became so clear why each of those students was hand-picked by God to be there. They each needed it, each for different reasons. And because the group was smaller, those kids got a lot more attention than they normally would have.
The team of leaders sent out by Hillside Church did a fantastic job. Everything went smoothly and was stress-free (which has never really happened before!) I enjoyed myself immensely.
And why did I worry about having three kids there? They had 40 laps to sit on and 80 hands to hold.
The Annual Talent Show. That’s all I have to say about that.
Grace and Mommy ganged up on Daddy. Sorry, Daddy!
And this is what they played on and under every day. Who wouldn’t be inspired?
Gil’s annual bonfire trick photography using glow sticks.
They had the time of their lives.
So did they.
This was most likely our last-ever youth camp. What a great way to go out.
Lily’s adoption was finalized today. Today! June 27th, 2012.
I wasn’t there, actually. I had showed up for the last 4 court appointments, the last one being yesterday, and the judge didn’t show up. The clerk said to come back today.
But today I didn’t have anyone to watch my kids, and I was feeling like they needed me and I had been leaving them too often. And since I don’t really need to be there for the ruling, and since I had already gone 4 times with nothing happening, I decided not to go.
And of course, as Murphy’s Law would have it, today was The Day. So I am bummed that I missed hearing the ruling myself, but not bummed that I would have had to sit for 4 hours in the court house waiting with my kids in order to hear it.
Our lawyer Brooke told me that hearing a judge grant an adoption order is like being in the delivery room when the head pops out. So yesterday, when we were discussing whether or not I would come to court today, she told me, “Well, just look at it this way. For your first two, you had natural births. This time, if you miss it, it’s because you had a c-section and they had to knock you out.”
So since I wasn’t actually present during the ruling today, she texted me, “At 12:40 pm today you had a c-section under general anesthesia. Lily Zawadi Medina is now legally all yours. You might be sore for a couple of days.”
Brooke’s pretty awesome like that.
She said that the judge was pretty dramatic when he made the ruling, and he made sure to tell Brooke that this adoption must be full of “love and tenderness….not just love.” And then proceeded to tell everyone present the difference between love and tenderness.
Well, Mr. Judge, we will do our best to give Lily both love and tenderness.
I am struck by the contrast of how profound the event was that took place today, and yet how oblivious Lily is by it all. She really hasn’t a clue. Grace gets it; she shouted with joy, “The judge said YES! Lily is my sister forever!” But Lily? Just gave me a long stare and went back to the Legos.
Grafted in. My history is her history. My name is her name. Bound not just by love, but by law. Her past, present, and future all re-written. Inextricably linked. Her identity determined without her permission, without even her knowledge. And it all came about by the declaration of one man. What a beautiful mystery.
Makes me wonder about the Divine Transactions that have taken place without my full understanding, while I am just interested in the Legos.
The Family Graduation Dinner…..
…and the Ceremony on Thursday.
I’ve been on the graduation committee for….forever (long story how that started), so I wasn’t too pleased with the interesting decorations this year (a job we hire out) and the fact I ordered the wrong color tassels from Jostens. But since Jostens is a continent away, what could I do? Eh.
(Note to self for next year: Tell decorator we want flowers, not birds’ nests.)
This amazing husband of mine was chosen by the students, for the second year in a row, to be the commencement speaker. And he was awesome. Really and truly. I’ve got to get that speech from him and post it.
Jessi and her (Swiss-German) family. Jessi won the Christian character award, and this is the kind of family that keeps churning out remarkable children. All three older kids were on Student Council this year.
And this one’s off to Harvard.
German–Finnish/Zimbabwean–American–Greek/Dutch
Our four “Lifers” this year: All 13 years at HOPAC!
Our Executive Student Council this year
HOPAC Class of 2012: Off to change the world!
4 1/2 years old, only 30 pounds. All muscle. Energy coming out of every pore. Got to get that kid some gymnastics lessons.
There are a few advantages to having lots of blown out tires.
Daisy says, I’m getting too old for this….
He’s not saluting Hitler or Black Power. It’s all about Superman these days.
See? Superman.
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