Our International House of People: February 2012

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Decisions Decisions

We are still waiting for our final court date for the big kiddos. While I am passing time I have been searching and looking over agencies to begin our China journey left and right. Wow looking at all of them could be so frustrating. Who does what, who will work with us with 5 kids already, who does not charge outrageous agency fees? Finally it seems that we are settling on an agency we are being drawn towards. Now we just need to have the big kids finished up so we can start the paper chase. Hopefully Paulding County won't fail us once our lawyer files the petition and we will have a quick court date for Heather, Logan, and Zach.
It is hard to believe that I am now truly getting excited about a new child because I was really taken back by Keith's desire for another child when he approached me with it. I know I always had a desire for another opportunity to raise another baby but I figured we were pretty full with 5 and was ruling the idea out in my mind. It is crazy how in such a short time we have managed to become a family of 2 to a family of 7 and then heading into becoming a family of 8. God works in mysterious ways. Geesh who would think when you think your opportunity to become a parent may not exist and then you are just flooded with the opportunity. I am blessed beyond belief.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Are We Done Yet?

Mallorie, Lennah, Delylah, & Elana- A girls night

Happy Birthday Girls

Yes it has been a month and a half almost since my last post. I even missed posting on Delylah's birthday. It is so hard to believe my baby is 4 now. She has grown so much and becoming such a big kid. Gosh she says the funniest big kids things. You just have to love her. I also missed posting for the girls joint birthday party and Lennah's first sleep over so I am tremendouly behing.

The big kiddos are all doing well. We have Logan's birthday this month and his first sleep away trip with the science club at school. He is super excited. It is always great to watch the big kids get to do a lot of firsts that they never had the opportunity to do before.

But I am writing on another note we have decided to go for another baby. Yes it sounds crazy number 6 and no I was not planning on this until Keith brought it up. Yep it was his initial prompting that is leading us to this. But we have officially decided on adopting from China through their special needs program. We are still looking and comparing apples to apples when it comes to agencies. We are not in a rush so we do not have a child chosen already because we believe God will lead us when the time is right. But yes number 6.

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.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Decisions Decisions

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Are We Done Yet?

Ho Chi Minh City

Addis Ababa

Hohhot City

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