Wiki Walking

We took a long walk around Addis Ababa on WikiMapia and found to within a couple of blocks of the house where my kids lived in Ethiopia. We located two nearby churches, the grade school they attended, and a police station that is "very close!" They just couldn't relate the aerial view to the streets they may have walked on or the distance traveled from the churches or school to home. But it was fun to see the general area. Hopefully we will all be able to take a trip there someday. I've told them we'll go once they graduate from high school, but the more I research and learn, the more itchy I get to go sooner.

Mutant Ninja Laundry

How can two small children generate so much laundry? And get it so dirty? One of the first questions I took to my network of parents was "how do I get their clothes clean?" (The answer was OxiClean, and it does work pretty well). I am also so thankful I can do much of this towering mountain of laundry at work. Yes, I did say 'at work.' I work in an appliance showroom and we have a live laundry display. I sort and pre-treat at home, then pop it the washer when I get to work. A couple of short breaks to switch loads and fold and I am done. I still do socks and unmentionables at home ... for one, I don't want our unmentionables spread all over the employee lounge and two, all those small items take longer to fold and I don't want to take undue advantage and jeopardize my good fortune. And yes, that is Ninja Josiah inside the laundry basket. They like to hide under the clothes and then pop out and "scare" me! Or I will call around for whoever is missing, feign giving up, and then pick up the basket and carry it away to dump elsewhere. This elicits many giggles, but is getting very hard to do -- they weigh about 55 and 64 pounds!

Ethiopia Reads Founder Named Top 10 Hero of the Year by CNN

Thursday, October 09, 2008
Yohannes named Top Ten Hero of the Year by CNN

Denver, CO -- Yohannes Gebregeorgis, a native of Ethiopia and children's literacy advocate, has been named a Top 10 Hero of the Year by CNN. Mr. Gebregeorgis was selected from more than 3,000 individuals nominated by viewers throughout the year. Finalists were selected by a Blue Ribbon panel of judges that includes Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Jane Goodall and Deepak Chopra. The Top 10 Heroes will be recognized in CNN's "All-Star Tribute" to air on Thanksgiving.

Mr. Gebregeorgis was first recognized as a "hero" by CNN in May for his work championing children in Ethiopia. A former political refugee who worked as a librarian at San Francisco Public Library, Mr. Gebregeorgis is the co-founder of Ethiopia Reads, a non-profit organization that works to create a reading culture in Ethiopia by connecting children with books. In a country where 99% of schools have no libraries, Mr. Gebregeorgis and Ethiopia Reads are improving lives, one book at a time.

ABOUT YOHANNES GEBREGEORGIS

ABOUT ETHIOPIA READS

Still praying for Samuel Phillipson

Please continue to pray for Samuel Phillipson. He is a 3-1/2 year old boy adopted from Ethiopia just 6 weeks ago. A week ago (on October 4) he was critically injured in a tractor accident. He lost both legs below the knee, his right arm is seriously damaged, and he suffered trauma to other areas of his body. He is improving and God has done miracles already in his healing. He has been moved out of intensive care and is starting to interact with family and visitors. Praise and hallelujah!

You can follow Samuels' healing journey and offer emotional support for his family at their Caring Bridge website.

An account has also been set up at the Premier Bank in Sullivan Wisconsin to help the Phillipson family during this time of need. Samuel will need many more surgeries over the next few months and he will have a lengthy stay at Children's Hospital in Milwaukee. The family will also need to make accommodations to their home and vehicle to allow Samuel to be able to get around in his environment. All of this will come at a hefty price.  We cannot imagine what a rough road lies ahead for this family. But we know that our God will supply all of our needs as He promises in His word. Please pray for guidance in supporting the needs of this wonderful family in their time of tragedy.

"The Samuel Phillipson Fund"

Checks can be sent to: 

Premier Bank 

PO Box 38 

Sullivan, WI 53178

Checks should be made to Samuel Phillipson Fund or to Carole Phillipson with 
Samuel Phillipson Fund in the memo portion.

The following was taken from the Phillipson blog

Samuel was injured today in an accident involving the tractor. He was airlifted from the park behind our house to Children's Hospital in Milwaukee. We need prayers.

Currently he is still in surgery and will need many, many more. He has lost one leg below-the-knee and the other they are trying to save to the ankle. One arm is broken near the shoulder but the elbow is more critical - open fractures with tissue damage/missing.

His pelvis is also fractured on one side. His buttocks and back are injured and he needs a colostomy. If he continues to do well in surgery tonight that will be performed now.

His vitals are good. He was awake up until surgery where we were able to kiss him.

Please lift him up. He's such a precious, vivacious, mischievous guy.

Marty and I are good and feeling the prayers and have our faith to sustain. It is the other children (Paul especially and Mary) that I worry about - they are with their Uncle Mike and Aunt Sheryl at our house tonight . . . . all the kids are piled in bed together (Paul usually sleeps with Samuel).

We love you all. We appreciate the power of prayer. We have a caringbridge.org website titled samuelphillipson that does not require a password and will keep all the medical stuff there.

Blessings to all. We praise God that we are His children and that we are in such a place where Sam is being tended to so well.

Family Math Night at school

The kids' grade school has monthly featured events to promote fun in learning. Recently it was math night! There were tables set up around the gymnasium with games an activities all related to math and numbers. The kids moved around the tables playing the various games to earn tickets. All of the tickets then went into a raffle for fun prizes. Naomi won a Farkle game!

Happy Enkutatash!!

Enkutatash is the first day of the New Year in Ethiopia. It occurs on Meskerem 1 on the Ethiopian calendar, which is September 11 (or, during a leap year, September 12) according to the Gregorian calendar. The new current year according to the Ethiopian calendar is 2001.

Literally, Enkutatash means 'Gift of Jewels'. The date traditionally marks the end of the season of heavy rains and is more recently or historically set by the return of the Queen of Sheba to Ethiopia after her visit to King Solomon in Jerusalem. It also marks the commemoration of Saint John the Baptist. Enkutatash is not only a religious holiday but it is also a day for young boys and girls to sing and dance and for exchanging New Year greetings among urban and rural inhabitants.

My kids received a small gift at home and their teachers (whom I told of the holiday) had noise makers and treats. We go out to dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant every Friday night, but hope this one will be a bit special for them -- the holiday made them really homesick for Ethiopia. And we will go to Ethiopian church on Sunday, dressed in traditional clothing, to celebrate.

HAPPY ENKUTATASH!

Getting better at braids ...

This was our first attempt at beads as well ... Naomi loves to swish tham back and forth!

Thanks Snapaholics for the great hair products and gallery of braiding style ideas!

Soccer champs

We finished our church summer soccer league undefeated!!! Josiah & Naomi were a big hit ... of the total 56 goals scored by the team, Josiah made a whopping 45 of them! Naomi saved the day many a time with her strong kicks from the backfield, getting the ball back into scoring position and defending our goal. AND they both won their medallions for memorizing all of their Bible verses. Proud mama! We look forward to joining the kids again next summer.

In the meantime, Josiah will continue with soccer on a fall rec league and Naomi is excited to start a dance combo class where she will learn ballet, tap, and jazz.

Not my usual post

"Well done, good and faithful servant …
Enter into the joy of your lord"
~ Matthew 25:21

After four years of living with excellence even in the face of terminal brain cancer ...

"Joy comes in the morning for Trent … at 6 a.m. Saturday morning, October 9th, Trent went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is more alive than he ever imagined and just where he desired to be. Friday afternoon the ventilator was removed and he took an immediate turn for the worse but God in His grace calmed things down and those gathered had an awesome time preparing for the healing of Trent’s body. If human wills could produce effect, Trent would have jumped off the bed healed and whole but human wills don’t hold any power. God had a plan for Trent and at 6 a.m. it was accomplished. He has finally realized what he longed for so greatly, to bask in the light and glory as a coheir with Christ in the Kingdom, and to experience the fullness of the love of God as his adoption as a son. Well done, Trent, Well done." (as written by a friend)

In honor of Trent's memory, his wife, Cathy is asking memorials be given to Gospel for Asia

Donations may be mailed to:
Gospel for Asia
1800 Golden Trail Ct
Carrollton, TX 75010-9954

Phone donations may be made at: 1-800-946-2742

Please reference "Given in memory of Trenton Frick" and let the family know you have honored Trent in this way.

My sweet friend Cathy, you are in my heart and prayers.

"Those who sow in tears
will reap with songs of joy."
~ Psalm 126:5

PRAISE GOD

Finally Five Fabulous Family Photos

The adoption training suggests that family photos are taken within a week or two after arriving home. Wellllll ... we finally got our photos done, I FINally picked them up, and am FINALLY getting them posted. My apologies to the casual viewer or you who have stumbled upon this blog by accident. This is my forum for sharing with family and friends and I can't resist these pictures. Their smiles light up my life.







With Love,
~ Nancy
~ Josiah John Naol
~ Naomi Grace Firaol

Time flies when you're having fun

I can't believe it has been over a month since my last post. The kids are typically bored with summer, but we have been keeping busy with swimming, soccer, and other activities. I made the mistake of taking them to an amusement park and they loved the little go-carts. Now they ask every day to drive the small cars. 

It is soooo fun being a soccer mom!! Josiah & Naomi are both on the same coed church soccer team. They play games twice a week and that serves as practice too. They played allot in Ethiopia -- though I'm not sure if on organized teams or just going for the gusto -- so are the stars of the team. We have four wins in as many games under our belts. Josiah will continue on a rec league this fall, but since the two are so competitive with each other and he is such a natural athlete (at all sports) I want Naomi to do something else. She is excited to start dance!

Hair continues to be a challenge.  With all their swimming even if I had done nice braids they were fuzzy in a day. So Naomi has cute extensions for the summer. She loves them! I'm afraid she is going to be disappointed when they have to come out. I thought they would last 6-8 weeks, but her hair seems to be growing fast so it may not be far off. Josiah's hair was getting a bit unmanageable as well. He didn't like to brush it out so we took a clipper to it. At first we tried to cut it just part of the way down, but what a disaster. He said, "Josiah no go outside. Josiah no play." So off the rest of it went. He looks very cute and it it's already growing back. 

I'm so loving being a mom. People are always saying what an adjustment it must be and how much work and what I must have given up. But it feels so natural and so right and I adore them and feel like they always been with me. Work? I suppose, but it doesn't seem overwhelming in the least and I feel like I've gained a life I've always missed. NO REGRETS!!!!!!!