Happy One Month Home (and a little song)!

I was working on updating from our first trip (12/9-Court Day) but decided I should document Hermela’s one month home day!


These blog entries have gotten a bit out of order, as we shared happenings from our second trip as well as updates since we’ve been home. Hopefully these writings and pictures will still be a wonderful gift to Hermela someday, when we present her with this blog’s journey in book form.

I’ll post her court day…when we heard those awesome words, “She’s yours”… tomorrow, but until then, I’d like to share a bit of our 20 year old daughter’s journal that she shared with me today.

Hey mom (and Hermela!) -


I was looking back on what I wrote a month ago today, and wanted to send this to celebrate Hermela's month anniversary...


This is from 21 January 2011:


Abbey & Bekah's prayers for our sister Hermela...


Hermela comes home today! As Bek and I sit by the fire, 9:13am, Dad, mom and Hermela are in America! Washington D.C. We read Psalm 21 and 121 this morning as we prayed. These are our prayers for a precious sister...


-Her adjustment to America and our family


-That she wouldn't be scared at night (all get rest)


-That she would stay warm - even in the snow!


-Safe trip and travels to Ohio


-That she would feel welcome in our home, church and community


-That she would make friends soon


-Openness and vulnerability with all of us


-Learn English quickly


-All of us be refined to look more like Christ through her


-That her help would come from the LORD (Psalm 121)


The house is brimming with excitement... it has been all week. Hermela - We are all SO excited to see you walk off the plane and into our home. You are so welcome here - and we rejoice that the LORD has led us to you and you to us. I pray that in all of this, Jesus' saving sacrifice would be so clear and evident to you. May Jesus save you! We love you dearly and have looked forward to this day literally for years... :)


So that's my journal entry! Love you all and wish I was there to celebrate together tonight.

This past month has brought my family and me through a variety of emotions. There have been so many smiles, laughs and happy times. We’ve also experienced the daily sudden onset of tears, when we have no idea what’s wrong, the shut down of communication and the withdrawals, when we thought all was going well. We all have to constantly remind ourselves that this adjustment is going to take time…that we need to be patient even when we feel frustrated. Our kids (and even mom and dad) have so greatly enjoyed their new sis, but have also had to work through their discouragement when they can’t “fix it.” Our communication is so limited. We don’t always know what she’s feeling (She may not even understand her emotions at the time) so we are not always sure why she’s reacting the way she is. As Abbey mentioned in her journal entry, YES, we are all being refined to hopefully look more lie Christ through Hermela.

We are all learning the fruits of the spirit (love, peace, faithfulness, joy, goodness, patience, kindness, and self control) in a whole new way thanks, to Hermela!!

We are grateful!

Hermela sang this song to me and I was so thankful I had the camera sitting on the counter!
(I need to learn how to adjust the video so it's clearer when uploading it...  I just like listening to her voice even though I don't know what she's singing about!)