Making Progress

It is crazy that we have been home for over three months now.  The time is flying and just doesn't seem to slow down.  This last month has been full of kids birthday's.  Eyerus turned 12, Mahlet turned 8 and Capri turned 3.
The kids are all doing really well, considering they have only been apart of our family for a few months now.  We are progressing like we would have expected.  Their English skills are improving daily.  Mahlet has almost forgotten all of her Amharic.  We hosted a friend for dinner a week ago from Addis Ababa and he was trying to converse with her, but she couldn't remember many words.  I would like them to be able to retain Amharic, but with her inability to read and write it, and her refusal to try and speak it to Eyerus, she is losing it quick.  Eyerusalem had learned how to read and write it so we have her reading her Bible in Amharic with the hopes that she will be able to retain it.
We have had a few challenging days lately that reminded us of the hardships that our kids have endured and that there is still a lot of adjusting and healing that needs to take place.  However, the hard days are becoming less and less frequent and good days are taking their places.  It has been an adjustment for all of us as we learn to be a family together.  I have spend some time this morning looking back on some home videos from ET and reminiscing our time there.  One of the things that is glaringly different now compared to only a few months ago is the posture and attitudes that our kids have.  They now stand tall, are proud, and have smiles plastered across their faces (most of the time.)
It is so awesome to see the change in their lives right before us.
Both Eyerus and Mahlet have now learned how to swim and going to be like fishes before the summer is over.
God is good.  He continues to provide for us. 
It was awesome to meet with our friend from Addis last week.  Heather and I continue to miss ET and our friends there.  I hope that some day we can get back.  The pastor from the church we were apart of in Addis posted some pictures recently of hundreds of street kids being fed, inside the little property of the church.  It was awesome to see the church going strong, and ministering to the people there.  I miss being able to worship with our brothers and sisters in another language.  It is an experience that everyone should have at some point.