Updating

Whew, it has been a while since I have taken opportunity to post pictures of my fabulous children:) Here are some of my favorites over the past few weeks.

Aliya is doing fantastically well. She is walking behind a walker, waving hi and bye and absorbing her world in amazing ways. She continues to be THE best baby. I included a crying photo during our Christmas picture attempts, partly due to it's novelty.

I hope everyone has had a Merry Christmas and has taken time out to enjoy family and praise God for making this trek to earth to give us life everlasting. May we seek to make this new year joyful.

OH... MY... GOODNESS...

This is Aliya's NEWEST talent. We are calling it - Kissy Face.

Christmas

Christmas Morning. She is enjoying herself!

Micah REALLY likes it!

What is in HERE?

Uncle Steve is lots of fun.

Grandpa Farrand is SOOO funny:)

Pretty Sarah all dressed up for the occassion.

My handsome men.

The Bracy grandkids. Satoshi, Mukai, Joshua, Sarah, Micah, Aliya. Oh... and Grandma and Grandpa:)

Joshua's Art Work

This was at the Christmas Showcase that our Co-Op puts on.

Merry Christmas. Every One.

This one didn't make our Christmas card.

Other Notable Mentions

Dinner Conversation

This is a sampling of our dinner music every dinner, all dinner.

"Hi"

Yes, she is precious!

Part of the "Christening" of every Farrand child is THE sink bath up north. She is official.

Oh Yeah.

Two Weeks

What a difference a couple of weeks can make. Two weeks ago we picked up a little girl from an orphanage. In that time we have been to Rwanda, Ethiopia, our home, and then on vacation in northern Michigan and then Lapeer, and now back home again. Where we have been is less important than what Aliya has already become. Two weeks ago Aliya was quite expressionless. When I received her referral pictures I began to fret over the somber face staring back at me. In all four photos, Aliya was serious somber. Not all the babies in her room were so serious. My friend is adopting a little girl that I had the privilege of meeting and cuddling for a few minutes two weeks ago this morning. She needed little encouragement to spread out a wide gummy smile. But Aliya was stone faced. We remarked at what a good baby she was, never crying, never fussing. I remember her first half hearted cry. I was pleased she began to understand that she could communicate and express needs to me. Today, she fusses and cries to show her displeasure. Her first smiles were tentative and quick. Now, her smile lights up her face. She needs precious little encouragement to flash her adorable dimples your way. She didn't ever squirm, not in diaper changes, not in face washings, not in nose wipings. Now I practically need a harness to hold her still long enough to change her diaper. I remember her first sounds. She hasn't made them quite the same way as she did the first couple of days she learned she had a voice. I don't know if she couldn't quite hear her own voice before, or if she didn't bother much with it before we met her. But there was a definite voice learning time. She would open her mouth to its widest "o" position (and that was considerable might I add:)) and make the smallest little "aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh" babble. Last night at dinner we all laughed at her and told her she was making far too much noise as she was chattering away. She says "dadadada" with great skill. We are working on "mamama". I think the first few days were overwhelming to her. That is understandable. She was minding her own business when all of a sudden two strange faces came and swooped her away. She entered a world of new sights and sounds and feels. She was captured by the enormity of it all. She is doing phenomenally well. Aliya Grace seems to have been a Farrand for quite some time, but when I look at the calendar it tries to convince me that it has only been two weeks.

Extra Precious.

Dimples.

Check out her expression!

Check out this great website...

http://www.awaablog.org/blog/rwanda_update/

Cute photos of a beautiful baby.

 

 

Proud Grandpa.

 

Micah and his cute turkey.

 

In Ethiopia at the Ethiopian Guest House.

 

After our first plane trip. She is such a happy camper!

 

Sarah trying out the Rwandan way of life.

 

On the 17 hour leg of the plane trip home. What was I worried about???

 

Sister love.

Ethiopia - We are not in Kansas anymore!

This will be my new edition - coming soon:)

"Rwanda - Africa for Beginners"

I love Nyanja's quote about Rwanda. She is totally right as far as the amount of Africa I saw (which of course was very limited). Rwanda is a beautiful place to begin a trip to Africa and ease in to the African culture. Kigali is a beautiful city kept clean religiously with beautiful people that are as a group, the friendliest I have encountered in my life. Prepare yourselves for stares. Not rude stares. Interested, questioning stares. Accompanying the stare will be a smile and a wave. Life goes by at a different pace in Rwanda. I quickly learned not to look at my watch. Things would happen eventually. And happen they did. It was truly amazing how God worked out the details while we were there. Countless times over the week my doubtful mind would taunt me with “knowledge” that this cannot happen in one weeks time. There are not enough hours in the day for every piece to be completed, especially when one of the offices had called an emergency meeting and they were not able to do what we thought could be done early in the morning (9am) until late in the afternoon (about 5pm). Even with a WHOLE day “glitch” I could hear God soothing my fears, seemingly asking if I trusted Him and His timing. One thing that really struck me while in Rwanda and Ethiopia both were the things often not seen here. People I did not know, people who would not receive anything from me, bending over backwards trying to be helpful and going that extra mile to help us. I don’t want to be misunderstood. There are many kind people in America. So often I have been touched by the kindness of strangers here. So often in my life have people come alongside me and lifted me up. Maybe the difference is that in Rwanda, government officials and business workers were willing to do things outside of status quo. I must say this is not typical here, though even this happens in America. One of the dear people I have been privileged to meet was an AT&T phone operator who went that extra mile to help a stranger on her way to Rwanda. She will probably never know that I think of her kind words and helpful spirit often. I guess the world is full of beautiful people. Rwanda has more than their share of them though!

Welcome Home Aliya Grace

I so want to update my blog for the days that we missed while in Ethiopia, but it will not be tonight:) Tonight we are cuddling and reuniting and turning in early. I do want to share a couple of irristable photos and thank everyone for the prayers for our family. God has worked in marvelous ways and I want to share in detail soon. In the meantime, here are some winning pictures:)

 

The kids all together at long last.

 

I think he likes her:)

 

It has been a LOOONG day. It tuckers a girl right out to travel from Ethiopia and meet her new siblings!