My Wes Update with a Neat History...

Well, I'm so thankful HOW well our agency keeps us updated on our kiddos...It really helps that our director goes to ETHIOPIA almost EVERY month to personally check on things..which allows for great pics and videos... BUT ...I have a REALLY cool connection with one of the families that just traveled for court and they got to LOVE on my boy for me...AND..they sent some GREAT pics that i'll cherish FOREVER...BUT...before I share the pics...let me tell you our NEAT HISTORY...SO:

My friend Tara (from www.tara-theolivetree.blogspot.com ) and I were AGCI (my first agency for LL) PEEPS together!! She was adopting a toddler girl..and I was adopting a baby girl: Miss LLM!!! We followed each other's blog and ended up in the SAME travel group!! I was so excited to finally get to meet Tara..when...at the last minute...the U.S. Embassy wouldn't allow her to travel for the new "TB testing" reasons!! So, AT THE LAST MINUTE...they couldn't leave and were postponed..I was so sad for her...our entire travel group was sad for them!! But..I got to meet and play with her daughter while I was there..and she was ADORABLE!!! And, I got pics and such of her too!!! Well, they eventually got cleared (their daughter never had TB after all) and picked up their daughter!! I was able to finally meet my "almost" travel buddy this summer at the AGCI picnic:
Now...over a year later (pictured above)....my daughter was the "toddler" and her daughter was turning into a beautiful young girl!! And...I snapped this pic cause I thought it was wonderful that our girls were "back together" again..since they'd once been at HH together..and they were even holding hands in the pic!!! :)

**Ok, so fast forward to this fall/winter...I hear Tara has signed and taken two children off the "wait list" with a NEW agency!! And, what do ya know..I'm traveling over in December WITH THE VERY AGENCY SHE HAS SIGNED WITH!!! I realize once again that I'll be meeting HER CHILDREN BEFORE SHE DOES!!! And, that's just what happened!! I first met her new son...and oh, I LOVED him!! He was so round and smiley and happy!! He was a doll baby...AND..he was in my Wes's southern orphanage...So...Tara's son was hitching a ride with us for the 7 hr. drive back to the city...and I GOT TO HOLD HIM THE ENTIRE WAY:
He's actually the guy dressed in hot pink (above) ...and my sister Kelly takes and holds the little gal in purple for the ride...So, Tara's son and I laughed and slept and smiled and played for 7 hrs. to the city!! He was just awesome!!! So, then...we went to the transition home in the city where I met Tara's new daughter: Yes, i got to give her her gifts from her new parents..and this girl was seriously the happiest, cutest most adorable little girl ever!! You couldn't get the smile off her face!! She loved all her new presents and was so excited over every new thing!! PRECIOUS!! Then..the best part: I got to hand this little girl her NEW brother and witness as they explained to her that THIS little guy would be her NEW brother!!! They would be adopted together!! I'll NEVER forget the JOY on her face when she realized SHE HAD A FAMILY ALREADY RIGHT THERE WITH HER NEW LITTLE BROTHER!! She was NO LONGER alone!! She had this little guy to share this adventure with! She could visit him upstairs in the baby rooms and spend time with him if she wanted!! Her happiness and instant love for him is something I'LL NEVER FORGET!!! She must have kissed him a hundred times!! :)

**Well, as ya know...we came back home and started the process for our little guy that was a "waiting child" too!! And, this time it was my friend Tara's turn to hug and love on MY kiddo while I sat back home....and that is just what she did!! She's been sending me updates on Wes from Ethiopia while she was there for her court date this week!! They passed court for their precious two!! Praise God!! and she also spent numerous days visiting and loving on my Wes!! She told me HOW WELL HE WAS BEING TAKEN CARE OF!! How wonderful his nanny is and that she sleeps next to him at night! She said he has a little window behind his bed and, of course, how SWEET HE IS!! :) I'm so thankful for these updates and ESPECIALLY the pics...I get to see HOW his hair is growing and what his little bed looks like!! All so wonderful!! So, thank you Tara...I know he's in good hands..and I appreciate you hugging and loving on him...Here's a few of her pics:

And, this is my friend Tara:

So awesome!!! thanks again Tara!! It's so much fun to be able to share this crazy road together FOR BOTH of our Ethiopian Adoptions!! Who would have thought that we'd have shared the exact same journey!! So neat!!!

**And, we got our son's CITY medicals this week TOO! I praised God and thanked Him LOTS to learn NOTHING NEW in my boy's medicals!! Everything in there was STUFF we already knew!! Praise God...NOTHING new was found!! But, the report was a very sad little report anyways!! I, obviously won't share his details...but...it was hard for a Momma to hear the adjectives that describe your child...even if I already KNEW THEM ALL!! I just hurt for him and if I even let my mind GO to thinking about what his first year of life was like....I could cry!! For some perspective: He's over a year old..and is smaller than TWO of my children AT BIRTH!! And, I only share this SO YOU'LL remember him in your prayers...cause he has a long road ahead!! And, we LOVE him SOO much and can't wait to WALK that long road with him...I'm just feeling so blessed that God has called me to be HIS MOMMA!! He's one little boy that has a HUGE future and purpose...and I know God spared his life for a reason...because 1 in 10 children in Ethiopia NEVER make it to their first bdays..and he could have VERY easily been ONE OF THEM!! He's our little MIRACLE and I'll praise God each and every day for his precious LIFE!!! And, I KNOW God worked through our agency to save our son!! I'll forever be grateful to CCI for getting our son the care he needed and getting him back on the road to RECOVERY!!! THANK YOU!!!

**Ok, I'm out of steam..I was gonna tell ya about all the diapers coming in..but more on that soon!!! I'm a tired Momma ! :) I'll leave ya with a cool video i found though ... Happy Friday to you all, kj