Ethiopia Day 2-3 Pictures

Here are some pictures from some of what I wrote about here.

I haven't had much time to post updates on how we're doing now that we're home. Up until now I've always eagerly checked the blogs of families who have returned, and have wondered why on earth they don't post as much. Ha!! Now I know! There's not much time to be on the computer, and that's as it should be. I've spent months and months dreaming about this wonderful person and now he is HERE. I want to spend as much time interacting with him as possible!

We have had a wonderful week and a half home... complete with two birthday celebrations (Minte's and Bethany's), Minte jumping right into karate class with all his new friends and playing in our church's soccer league. (I swear, he smiled for the entire game last Saturday!) We also had a wonderful celebration at our African church last Sunday, where he got to wave his Ethiopian flag and sing with the other children. He enthusiastically enters into every activity, whether it's dinner as a family, playing ball with his Dad and I in the backyard, attending church or a birthday party in his honor. He is genuinely a happy boy! We have had some great conversations involving lots of charades-style motions and pointing to objects, but we always know what the other one is trying to say! He is learning more and more English every day. We have begun his schoolwork this week, and he is eager to do his work and loves to show Dad when he gets home. (I'll post more specifics about this on my homeschool blog. When I can. LOL)

Okay, here are a few more pictures I just uploaded today:

He loves the camera. He has photographed many things around his new home. I like it when he takes pictures like this!

And this!

A lovely shot of me, vacuuming. LOL (The sign says "Welcome Home Mintesinot" painted by my sister-in-law Tammy and waiting here when we got home. We left it up for awhile!)

And the ever-popular, "picture-of-a-picture."

Finally, here are Kyle and Minte singing with the other precious children at Africa church on "Celebrate the Nations" Sunday. Fun!

I have SO many more thoughts I want to share, and I need to get it all written down so I don't forget, but I'd better close for now. Thank you SO much for stopping by to check in on us, and for those of you who have commented and emailed us. I know I keep saying this, but you are very much a part of this process with us. We love y'all!