GOTCHA MARCH 10TH

US IN ETHIOPIA

FIRST DAY HOME...BABY LEGS AND ALL :)

WE LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU MAYA ANNABELLE HANA!

March 8, 2008

This day last year we were on a plane to Ethiopia to pick up Maya. Where did the time go. She was 17 months yesterday. Last March she was 5 months when we first met her. The most amazing thing about adoption is that it never leaves my mind. Ever. I am always thinking about Ethiopia, Maya's birthmother, the day we met her, the day we got our referral, the day we were put on the waiting list. Over a years time there are so many markers regarding our adoption I can't not think about it. We are so blessed beyond measure to have Maya as our daughter.

The craziest thing, my sister is going on a missions trip with World Orphans to Ethiopia, Addis Ababa on Tuesday A YEAR AFTER WE GOT MAYA! THE SAME PLACE! CRAZY...she is going to Kenya also. What an amazing experience she is going to have...Please pray for her not to get sick!

(I have been TRYING for a year now to upload a video I made to my blog. I made it on Microsoft Windows Movie Maker and it wont upload to youtube or blogger. It says it wasnt saved correctly and i have to go to the source of the video. I have no idea but its getting frustrating. Anyone know what i should do????

Okay back to March 8th. Here are some pics of that day since the video doesn't work!! :(

us in the airport waiting to go!

at the union hotel in Ethiopia doing paperwork before we got to meet Maya. That was a tough one, you wait for months to finally meet your child and u have to do paperwork first! I dont know how i got thru it...

FINALLY in my arms...

First bottle with Daddy.

At Traditional Ethiopian Restaurant with Almaz, I was SICK int his pic. Very nervous for our birthmother meeting the next day. I was so overwhelmed and nervous I was crying in the bathroom. Almaz came and made it all better...the meeting with her birth mother was the biggest blessing of our LIVES.

us in the "car" driving to the embassy appt!

Hanging out at the union hotel...

The gates of Hannah's Hope.

So all this to say...March 10th, 2008 was our gotcha day and it was the most amazing day of our lives. Here is my Maya today.

Tracie took the most amazing pics of Maya and Abel! I absolutley love them and plan on putting them all over my house. Look at Maya and Abel is there anything cuter?? Thank you Tracie. I LOVE THEM!

17 months old and wild as can be! 17 things we LOVE about Maya.

We LOVE...

1. Her baby talk...it sounds like she is speaking Chinease. Its so funny. She goes on and on and on.

2. She LOVES Ollie, when Barney's I love you song comes on she hugs and puts her head down on Ollie.

3. How much she says Da...everything and everyone is Da. Josh is Dada or Daddy. My mom, dad and me are Da.

4. Her HUGS...she now puts her arms around your neck and squeezes...nothing is better.

5. Her LOVE of the cell phone. Talks on and on and even laughs in mid converstation...

6. Her love of people, especially women. She has the most amazing people in her life that take care of her and love her. Its beyond anything i could have imagined.

7. Her love of Papa and NiNi. She is crazy about my parents. The thought of papa and nini coming over is to much, it makes her legs kick and her point.

8. Her new thing is when its time to pick her up from school, whatever she is doing, dancing to music, playing with the bubbles, she sees me and does whatever she was doing harder. Showing off for her mommy! Its better then when she used to break down and cry!

9. Her cuddle time...we are working on bedtime but during the rocking phase we have a routine and if shes not tired or doesnt want to go to bed she breaks out in this fake laugh...i try to ignore it.

10. Her big toe. In all her referral pics i always noticed her big toe was always up. I thought oh whats wrong with it...now it looks exactly the same as in her pics. Its still straight up and FINE.

11. She has a way of making everyone feel special. If its someone at the store or a stranger she does this thing that makes u feel like she likes you and wants to be with you.

12. Her new word is "HI" with a hand wave, doesnt matter if u see her or not. you are getting a Hi!

13. Her TEETH...they are very cute. SHe still only has 4 but another is coming. They are very cute white teeth.

14. DANCING. When she hears music she dances in a circle. The girl LOVES music.

15. She knows where her belly button is. If u say wheres your belly button she lifts up her shirt.

16. MY FAVORITE. When we are driving in the car...i'll hear her make her noise, like mommy notice me and she sticks her hand out and wants to hold my hand for the drive. She only does this with me :)

17. I love her Ethiopian name Hana. I also love her middle name Annabelle after my grandma. Her name has so much meaning.

Maya we are crazy about you. You were created to be in our family. There isn't a day that goes by that we dont thank god for you. You are the LIGHT of our lives. U light up a room.

Our Journey to Maya (long overdue)

Maya Pictures!

Maya wasnt in the best mood for these pics but it was snowing and we had fun. Notice Ollie doubled in size LITERALLY! :)

Amy Bottomly does this not look exactly like your pics u sent out for Silas!!!

I wish this pic was me looking soooo tiny but its my mom wearing the Omni Peace Africa shirt.

They want to end poverty in Africa in 2025! Cool pic right...

Able's Gotcha Day

Yesterday last year (does that make sence) Able Ancelet was placed into the arms of Tracie and Ted. Knowing that Trace was in Ethiopia a year ago picking up Able and holding Maya for the first time makes me soooo miss the experience, yet i am FULL OF JOY that my little girl is home forever.

Here are some of the first pics we saw of Able...

what a sweet face! This was one of his referral pics.

Look at him now!

The craziest thing about this picture is this is EXACTLY what Maya is doing! The other day I look at her and she is walking down the hall pacing talking on the phone! (in Maya talk)

we are so thankful for you Abel Tesfaye!!!

This was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The day Ted and Trace came home with Abel.

one day our kids are going to appreciate that they were in the same bedroom in Ethiopia for a couple of months before their parents came to pick them up and bring them to the USA where they live 15 minutes away from each other! amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we love you Ancelets.

PS

this day last year we got our travel call!!!!

Our FUNNY Valentine!

okay so I didnt think i could possibly be anymore in love with Maya then I have been but somehow it keeps getting better and deeper. THE GIRL is amazing. Today we spent 50% of the day kissing eachother on the lips, then kissing daddy, then mommy, then eskimo kisses mommy then daddy then tight squeeze cuddling. All of a sudden i feel a little arm around me and its Maya's! Just putting her arm around me! HELLO. Who would have thought one can love their little girl this much! Okay enough gushing about Maya. I am just so above and beyond thankful to have her with us this Valentine's Day!

Sleeping is MUCH better. She is sleeping in her crib no problem. Naps still tough but we are on our way.

Eating, HUGE change! She eats almost everything now. Compared to the little girl who wouldn't eat a thing...its amazing. Bolagna, spagetti, strawberries, oranges, chips, chicken nuggets! I can't believe it.

She still only has 4 teeth though but they are coming.

CONGRATS to Troy and Amber on their referral of their GORGEOUS and AMAZING SON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO many referrals its soooo exciting. I remember this time last year tooooo well. Tracie was about to leave in a week!!!!!!! I was home DYING. She was amazingly emailing me everyday, calling telling me all about Maya on her trip to get her son! Oh i will NEVER forget it Trace.

We left on March 8th less then a month to the year to get our girl. MEMORIES that will never leave.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Abby

Please read the Riggs blog by clicking HERE.
They can really use prayer. Its just unbelievable what this little girl is going through.


This is a pic from the airport after we came home with Maya. I am so wanting to start the adoption process again! We still have to pay off our loan but hoping and praying soon we can start the process for our next child from ETHIOPIA in a few years.
We are having some bedtime problems with Maya or shall I say with her parents. We let her fall asleep in our bed. I KNOW BAD! I KNOW. So now we are paying the price bc when i put her in her crib when she is awake she freaks. Freaks means hyperventilates, screams "MAMAMAMA". It is absolutely awful. Screaming on top of her lungs. I want her to go to bed earlier and in her crib like a big girl so tonite...Josh was out so i rocked her at 7:30 til 8:15 at least. Put her in her crib and the freaking out began. Then for an hour i sat by her crib, rubbed her back, her hair, put music on, held her hand tight and she finally fell asleep in her crib. The tight hand holding thru the bars was to die for adorable and made me keep going and not give up. It would be so much easier to put her in our bed and she would fall asleep and then i would put her in the crib but this is a good lesson and has to happen at her age...I felt accomplished that I got her to fall asleep. Everytime i took my hand back (bc the circulation was being cut off) she would jump up and i would say mommy is here, its ok, lay down and she would. SO...i hope tomorrow night will be easier. I can't stand the sight of Maya crying which brings me to Abby Riggs. I just am heart broken. I imagine her crying from the pain and the vision seems unbearable BUT The RIggs have the most amazing faith. Read their blog when you can.
Love
Jul