What a year 2012 was

We now step into 2013 and we look forward to what it will bring for our family.  However, as we continue to go forward it is healthy and good for us to look back at how far we have come.  

A year ago we were in Ethiopia fighting to gain custody of our children.  We took custody of our girls on Jan 4th and Yosef a few months later.  Last year, we spent Christmas as a family of five, overseas, visiting our kids for a couple of hours in the orphanage (transition home).  We skyped with family and celebrated a wonderful, different and exciting time.  Fast forward to this last week.  We watched in amazement as our three new children were engaged with their new sisters and other family.  We watched them open presents, and worship God at our Christmas eve service.  

Yesterday, we all shared some of our favorite 2012 memories.  Here are mine for each of them:

My beautiful and amazing wife-  It has been incredible to see her transform into the mother that she is.  Handling three kids was hard, but taking on six of them with their education is a lot to ask.  Heather has done this with grace and wisdom.  I am incredibly proud to have her as my wife and to walk this journey with her.  

Eyerusalem-  My proudest moment of the year with Eyerus came when I was able to baptize her.  Seeing her grow and learn has been nothing less than amazing.  She has come a long ways in the last 12 months.  

Mahlet-  Watching her transition from a very shy, scared, angry little girl into the girl that she is today has been watching a miracle from the inside.  What an incredible transformation we have witnessed.  

London-  I have been incredibly proud as I have watched her learn to read.  It is so fun to snuggle up on the couch with her and have her read a book.  She has also settled into the role of no longer being the oldest incredibly well.  She may not be the oldest, but she will always be the longest.  She is very proud of that.  

Geneva- My favorite memory of her came at the beginning of the year.  We went to visit one of our sponsor children and seeing her heart there was so great to watch.  She gave away a couple of her toys, including her Barbie.  Not just any Barbie, but the one that she had just received for Christmas, her favorite one.  She was telling me about it this week and she still remembered the Barbies name and that her hair changed colors.  She was still happy that she gave it away.  Geneva has an incredible heart for those less fortunate.  

Capri-  We have watched our little girl turn into a big sister this year.  She loves Yosef so much and is his big sister.  She does so well with him and they are best friends.  One of my favorite things of this last year has been seeing her learn how to dress herself, choose her own clothes and do her own hair.  She is probably the funniest girl in our house.  

Yosef-  My favorite time with him came a few months ago.  It was the simple act of running to me to give me a hug as I walked in the door after a 24 hour shift.  He started off this year in the orphanage for the first three and a half months.  He then would only let Heather carry him and wouldn't leave her sight.  He did not like me at all.  Seeing this transition of a bond forming between the two of us has been wonderful.  It has not always been easy, in fact it has been one of the hardest things I have ever done.  

2012 was a year of transformation.  The kind of transformation that can only come by the grace of God, through the Holy Spirit.  We have been incredibly blessed to be a part of it.  We have learned what adoption really means.  We have learned about our own failures over and over again.  We have also learned that even amidst our failures our children still love us and forgive us, but better than that, our God still loves us and forgives us.  

We are looking forward to 2013 as we walk together and continue to see transformation in all our lives, but hopefully with a little less drama and stress.