Our International House of People: November 2010

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Pictures with Santa

Well to complete our holiday season photos we had the annual visit to Target to meet Santa. The girls did great and of course were too cute. This year they get Christmas which will make it awesome. They also are getting into the real meaning of Christmas and that we celebrate Baby Jesus's birthday. I just wish they would leave him alone under the tree. LOL.

I guess to just also drop a note about where we are in the adoption is NOWHERE. Honestly, I am more and more frustrated each day because our agency said that we would be very quick to get a match. Yeah! Not happening. I am not sure what to expect at all when adopting through the state foster care system but we have inquired about quite a few sets of siblings and we hear nothing back. The system is so frustrating because there are so many kids in the US that need homes but honestly the system does not seem to work fast enough. We had Delylah's referral quicker and we were out of country. I know everything is in God's hands and timing so we will still wait but who knows when we are going to expand our family. Either way I am very Thankful this upcoming Thanksgiving because I have the most wonderful husband, two beautiful little girls, and great family and friends.

Anyway, my rant is over but enjoy the Santa photos.

Monday, November 15, 2010

It's that time of Year

Yep! Christmas is coming and we get super excited over here. I have the trees up, the outside got decorated yesterday, and we even found time to get the girls formal holiday pictures done yesterday. It is a good thing I got them done yesterday since Lennah and I are both nursing colds. Anyway, we have had a busy past few weeks. Unfortunately the transmission went out in my car (no I was not happy about that large expense so close to the holidays and the girls birthdays), Keith has been working a lot since his company got bought up by another and they have a massive amount of business right now, and I have been plagued with massive school work. But overall I love this time of year and best of all I think the kids get it this year. Lennah has been creating a very long Santa list and Delylah just keeps telling me how much she wants Barbie fashion fairytale from Santa. It is so cute watching them get excited as we talk about Christmas. Anyway, I am keeping it short since I am sick but here are the girls latest photos. This weekend is pictures with Santa so there are more to come so Stay Tuned.

History of Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of the oldest known cradles of civilization known to man. Christianity was brought to the Kingdom of Axum around the 4th century AD and later in the 7th century Islam was introduced. Foreign missionaries were introduced to the region around the 1630's. Because of these unwelcomed guest Ethiopia did not welcome foreign Christians and Europeans into their lands. Its isolationism may have saved the country from 19th century colonialism. In 1936 Italian facists entered the region and forced its emperor into isolation but was later returned when the British and the French defeated the Italians. Civil unrest would lead to the demise of the aging emperor and in 1974 a socialist sort of government was named. The country went through a period of red terror that was funded by the Soviets and Cuba. This lead to the implementation of a communist government being installed in the late 1970's, early 1980's. In 1989 the country went through a period of famine that also lead to a change in governments. Finally, in 1994 the country would declare its independence and later hold free elections.

History of Vietnam

For about two thousand years Vietnam was ruled by China, following this period it would become independent for the next almost thousand years. In the 1800's it would be colonized by the French. The early 20th century would bring about visions of an independent republic. In 1945 Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam independent and renamed it the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. By 1947 a full-scale war would break out between the French and the Viet Minh (Ho CHi Minh's followers). China also began to aid the Viet Minh at this time due to its own communist revolution. July, 1954 the Geneva Accords would be sign paving the road to France leaving Vietnam; however, it would partition Vietnam into 2 independent states seperated by the 17th parallel. The South was helped by the United States, while the North would be dominated by the Viet Minh. By 1963 the South's government was very unstable. 1965 President Lyndon Johnson would send troops into Vietnam. The North would lead a massive attack in 1968 destroying much of the South. In 1969, Ho Chi Minh died but his forces remained in tact. By the early 1970's many Americans viewed the war as unwinnable and would prove unsuccessful at containing communism. January 1973 the Paris Peace Accords were signed ending the United States role in the war. In 1975 Saigon would fall to the North Vietnamese and in July of 1976 the two parts were reunified into the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The war was disastrous for the Vietnamese people leaving an estimated 1 million to become boat people, 1 million imprisioned, and more than 100,000 killed. Today, Vietnam still has a communist form of government and although they are a developing nation many people remain extremely poor.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Pictures with Santa

Monday, November 15, 2010

It's that time of Year

Ho Chi Minh City

Addis Ababa

Hohhot City

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