taking inventory

so we've had a little sickness floating around our house.  eden had a fever on saturday.  I felt flu-ish most of the weekend.  and even little char-char has a stuffy/runny nose, cough, and other ickiness that is super gross in cloth diapers. 
but I'm hoping it will all be gone soon.  I've washed the sheets and washed everyone's hands a million times.
I'm a little bummed that I don't have a new wait list number to share with you.  we've been on the list for over a  month and NO movement. I was fine up until yesterday.  now I am checking everything and anything I can that might indicate someone got a referral and that we've moved up the list.  I just need a little something that suggests progress, that's all.  ugh.
soon soon soon, I hope.
ALSO...today I took inventory on our adoption t-shirts.  here is what we have left for anyone that would still like one.
Adult sizes: S-1, M-6, L-14, XL-8, XXL-1
Kids sizes: XS-1, L-2, XL-3

So, hurry and get them while we have them!  and thanks to everyone who has already supported us!
and one more bit of miscellany.
we decorated for Christmas the day before Thanksgiving.  we are leaving before Christmas and won't be back til after the new year...so we decorated early so we could enjoy it for a bit.
every year I say I am going to put our names on our stockings...and then I never do.  SO, this year I am finally doing it.  I started with charlotte's because her name is the longest.  and I have "e" and "d" put on eden's...so I'm making progress!

we don't have a fireplace so our stocking are hung on an antique suitcase with care.
I can't wait to add another stocking to that line up.  I keep dreaming of holding him.  wondering what his hair will smell like when I kiss the top of his head.  mmmmm.

thanks give away!

a fellow adopting blogger is having a great give away and I think you should go check it out!  click HERE to see everything you could win from lara and her family. They are simply asking for a $10 donation for the chance to win all that stuff.  so go buy a slice of their pie by clicking HERE!!
help bring another sweet child home to a family that will love it for always.

candy corn cookies

while we were in GA eden and her mimi made candy corn cookies.  and I documented the process.  it was an easy, fun activity for both of them.
here's how to make them.  you know, just in case you'd like to....or you need a fun last minute thanksgiving dessert idea.

start out with a tube of sugar cookie dough and mix in 1/2 cup of flour.  then separate the dough into 3 equal parts.  leave one of the parts alone...then use food coloring to dye one orange, and one yellow. 

then, roll them into long cylinder/rope shapes.  flour your surface and line them up together. then roll them together with a rolling pin so it looks like one long line of candy corn dough goodness.

slice them into triangle/candy corn shapes and bake them at 350 degrees until they are as done as you like them.  I prefer a softer cookie.  maybe 10 minutes?

then...enjoy! I think they are so cute.

how great is our God

well. I'm back!
and today I have a little story about my daughters. surprised, aren't you?
when charlotte was a few hours old my cousin amy brought eden up to the hospital to meet her little sister.  when eden arrived she hopped up in the hospital bed and sat with me.  charlotte wasn't in the room just yet.  both of our girls were surprise deliveries and we hadn't told eden if the baby was a girl or a boy.  when they wheeled charlotte into the room eden reached out her arms and said "let me have it! let me have it!". so pete placed charlotte in her arms and told her she had a baby sister.  she looked her over and said some sisterly greetings.  and then, without prompting, she started to sing the words to the song 'how great is our God'.   in the sweetest 2 year and 9 month old voice you've ever heard.  and between grandparents, parents, and cousins...there wasn't a dry eye in that hospital room.  I'm not making this up, either.
the splendor of the king. clothed in majesty. let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice.

so, this morning the girls and I were headed home from a doctor appointment.  'how great is our God' came on the radio.  eden yelled "turn it louder, mom!".  and then charlotte started singing some sort of jibberish, because her sister was singing.  she was also clapping her hands and smiling.
and I couldn't help but think back to that very first day of charlotte's life.  and I couldn't help but hope that eden continues to belt "and my heart will sing...how great is our God!" for her entire life.  and teach her little sister the same sweet words.

doro wat!

tonight I made an ethiopian chicken stew in the crock pot called doro wat.  I love trying/making new foods, and it was especially fun making something ethiopian.  I also attempted an easy injera recipe that certainly wasn't the real deal...but it was yummy, too. 
TA DA!

I am staying with my in-laws this week and they were willing to give it a shot...and it was a success!  everyone tried it and liked it!  eden said it was too spicy, but I was glad she tried some bites.  and even little charlotte had some boiled egg, injera, and chicken.  love my sort of adventurous eaters.

after dinner we read the new book we got in the mail today called a mother for choco.  it is my new favorite book to read to the girls.  choco is a bird who needs a mother...and he finds one that doesn't look anything like him...mama bear. 

'twas an ethiopian-ish, adoption-y day.

three little pumpkins

every year we carve a pumpkin for each child.  so, this year I thought our baby in ethiopia needed one, too.  pete is always the designated pumpkin carver...but I gave it a shot and it wasn't so bad.  I actually liked it.

eden was dorothy this year and charlotte was a flower...that we called a munchkin.  I LOVED watching them trick or treat with their cousins for the first time ever. 
oh and I made them cute little pumpkin shirts for the pumpkin patch this year...so I had to show those off, too!

such a fun october!