Back to school - lite

We are treading back lightly into the school arena. I thought we could take off until Christmas. We even started back early in the summer so we would be able to break when Geb and Abri arrived. However, I have realized that I cannot stand the chaos. Five kids without anything in particular to do and freezing weather outside is a recipe for insanity!!!! So we pulled all the school books out today and got back into the grind. I'm singing a happy tune and everyone else is a bit bummed. Actually there is one very happy student....

Actually, the boys are really great students, and as their teacher, I have nothing to complain about. When people say, "How in the world can you teach your own children?!?!" I can answer honestly, "There is nothing in the whole world I would rather be doing."

One student could use a little discipline, though. Every teacher has to have one of these kind in her class and homeschool teachers aren't excluded. He complained that the kitchen was just too hard a place for him to concentrate and asked if he could go to my room to do his work. This is what I found when I went down the hall to check on my little angel, Kellen...

Maybe this is some kind of physics experiment that he and Geb are working on!

Week in review

Paul and Abri having a great time on their flight home!

More good times with Abri on the airplane!

I wanted to post all the happy photos from my trip, but couldn't find any. This will have to do!

Definitely the happiest part of my trip!!!

First photo of all five

Meeting Nana and Poppy

First breakfast altogether. I confess, I was a little shell shocked.

Boys enjoying their first interactions with a "sister"

We've all been exhausted...even the cat!

Scrumptious!

Channeling Reese Errington! She's got fashion and she knows how to use it!

Congratulations guys!

Congratulations, Kellen! You earned your orange stripe belt in karate! You worked really hard!

Congratulations, Pres! You earned your red stripe belt in karate! We are so proud of you!

They are coming!

Just got an e-mail from Paul. Abri Nardos was able to get her visa today. Praise God! They will be leaving in a few hours. We will pick them up at 2:00pm tomorrow.

1/2 Home

It's 5:30am. Geb Nahom and I have been up since 3:00. Isn't jet lag great? I am so grateful to be home it is indescribable. I won't talk much about the trip home. Some things are just too horrible to retell. Just imagine a 24 hour jouney with a sleep deprived totally untrained/undisciplined 2 1/2 yr old in a completely confined environment. Enough said!

I am still waiting to hear final word from Paul and Abri Nardos. We're not sure whether or not they will be able to travel. Please pray for them. It is very hard for Abri to be separated from us after all she has been through this week.

I owe a huge thank you to Shirley and my parents. When I arrived, the house was spotless, the laundry done, and the refrigerator full! What more could a girl ask for?

Kellen went home with my parents. He was a little sad, but I think it's for the best. We are so wiped out, I knew he would have more fun there. After Mom and Dad left with him, I just crashed. Hayden and Preston entertained, fed and bathed Geb and got him ready for bed. I got back up long enough to tuck him in. They are awesome. I am so proud of them and grateful for them. I look at my family now and am so overwhelmed by God's goodness to me. Now I just pray for the safe and rapid return of the rest of us!

One day at a time

Paul here. Today, we eagerly waited for news concerning Nardos’s TB test results while getting Stacey and Nahom packed and ready for homeward travel alone. For if the test returned negative, we could return home soon. Otherwise, it would be more waiting for processing the necessary waiver paperwork for approval to travel from the CDC and DHS. Well… we finally did hear some word earlier this evening… both good and not-so-good news, as has been the pattern all week. The good news is that the test did return negative, but unfortunately the people who understand the rules which have recently changed are not reachable… and those making decisions for now are indicating that we must wait longer for completion of other test results. Our adoption agency is working hard to do all they can to explain and pull strings where they can. Bottom line though is that we wait to know more after tomorrow… one day at time.

Seven days ago when entering the country, these were not the plans we anticipated, but it obviously is the provision that God has made. Whether we can explain and understand it or not doesn’t change God’s hand in it. I must confess, however, while I do believe, I still struggle to say this without some question and doubt. God help my unbelief.

Hopefully, Nardos will be issued a visa and cleared for travel in a couple of days.

We did reschedule our flight in anticipation that we can leave out on the next flight, which is early early Thursday morning. Until then, Nardos and I will be hanging out in Ethiopia learning each others language while bonding as father and daughter. Having only experience with boys until now, I must say it is a bit odd, but in a very beautiful way. However, she does like to be tossed high in the air, so she’ll fit into the McKee clan just fine.

Sunday pics