I've Been Waiting for 9.5 Years. . .

To hear this.

Garrett is a good reader.  He's always been at or above grade level, but to be honest, he couldn't care less.  He would rather be building legos, shooting hoops, playing video games, or really anything else that doesn't include sitting still and reading alone.  (He loves to be read to.)

So, last year, he read all of the Diary of  Wim.py Kid books.  And loved them.  He went full speed ahead on them, and I thought we'd really turned a corner on the whole, 'not loving books' thing.  Until he was done, and he said, "I think I'm not going to read for a while- I'm just going to do something else."  Point taken.

However, throughout the past year, reading has steadily been gaining momentum with my sweet boy.  And as the 6th book in the series came out last week, Garrett insisted that I order it.  I did, but I am too cheap to pay for expedited shipping on Amazon so even though the book came out a few days ago, it won't arrive at Casa de Gibson until tomorrow.

Enter our hero, Nana Pam.  She scored a copy at her school and offered it up to Garrett until his arrived.  This was yesterday afternoon.  He's been reading every chance he's gotten since then.  For the first time EVER I had to TELL him to turn his flashlight off last night; he usually does it after his obligatory 20 or 30 minutes.  After he came home from playing in the neighborhood this evening he has been on the couch, reading.  No requests for video games.  No fighting with siblings.  He stopped to eat, and then back to reading.  He'll definitely finish the book tonight, which is another first for him!

Just now, (and this is the reason for this blog), he said to me, "Mom!  I have a really big problem!"  I asked him what it was and he answered, "Well, this book is just too good to stop reading.  But I know the one you ordered comes tomorrow and I don't want it to be a waste, so maybe I should stop!"

I assured my sweet, funny boy that he was welcome to finish the book, and that buying a book was never a 'waste.'

I really like him!

 

Snapshots

Oh my word, Rebeka is SO funny.


Today I was cutting up some mango for her.  "Mama!  I need more flamango!  More flamango, please!"


And last night Joel bbqed steak for us.  "Daddy, I love snake!  Thank you for the yummy snake!"


She loves 'blueblerries.'


And her mama.  {It's mutual.}

Home

I've been home from Ethiopia for 3 weeks now, pretty much exactly.

I still don't know what to say.

It was good and big and emotional and what I needed and yet didn't even come close, how could it?

I missed my babies and everyone, but part of me felt more whole than I've felt for a year and a half.

I loved flying without four children.

I ate the best doro wat of my life.

The kids did great without me.  I was so worried about them, especially Rebeka.  She did so well though.  She told people, "My mama is in Ethiopia, eating doro wat and injera!"  (I totally was.)  Carter went to Camp Tilikum for the first time, and even went on the Big Swing.  (The youngest any of my kids did it!)  I swear he grew three feet while I was gone.  My biggest Bigs were great too.  Ah, I love them so!

I love traveling, so much.  I would travel all the time, with my crew, if I could.  Seriously, constantly.

I belly laughed with Visty, a lot.  She was a great travel partner!

I have a lot to talk about, hopefully soon I can sort it all out.

Dire Dawa, the city where our sweet girl was born.

60 Hours. . .

.  .  . from now I'll be boarded on my plane.  Hopefully I'll be done crying from the heart wrenching goodbyes to my sweet babies and husband!


I'm almost packed.  I've found my TSA locks and my bright luggage tags.  I have 3 money belts to choose from (hate those things), and my passport is out.  I need to find my yellow fever paper, but my granola bars and wintergreen lifesavers are ready to go.  (Road trip or international travel- I always, ALWAYS, have wintergreen lifesavers!


I am focused.  I am excited.  I close my eyes and can feel Ethiopia.  Oh, I can't wait.  And I'm just so thankful.  I haven't done my Father's Day post yet, but I still have to shout out to the Daddy of my babies.  Honestly, as much as Joel loves Ethiopia, and as grateful as he is to Ethiopia for giving us Rebeka, he hasn't felt the pull or the urgency that I've felt and that has culminated in me returning.  But.  He's supportive.  He understands that I have to go.  Without his blessing I couldnt't and wouldn't do it, and I am so thankful.  And also, through all my preparation, I realize what a great team Joel and I are.  I'm going to really miss him on this adventure.  So, thank you Joel! I love you so much!

Last Days of School

These kids are getting bigger and bigger.  It's okay though, they are still pretty sweet!

Last Day of Kinder 

 Last Day of Sixth Grade

Last Day of Fourth Grade

Big Bigs walking to the bus together.  Sweet. 

If Mrs. M looks familiar it's because she's been in our first/last pictures for the past FOUR YEARS. Garrett had her for K, 1, 2, and now Carter had her again for K.  (And before all that, Maddy had her for K.)  We are going to M-I-S-S her- major!

Proud of my kids this year.  They worked hard, were responsible, and stretched themselves socially and academically.  It was an awesome year!

Out With the Old

Out with the old teeth, that is.  And the old kindergarten.  Tomorrow is the last day of school for my little Carter Mac here and today he lost his very first tooth.  That first sweet little tooth that first showed up about 5.5 years ago.  I cried when it came in then (no more toothless grin from my tiny baby boy), and I cried when it came out today.  Milestones, and all that.  He's such a big boy now.  He can ride his bike and swim and hit a baseball (t-ball).  He's scored soccer goals and can read books and do math in his head.  He's funny and smart and curious and the thought of sending him to first grade next year just about does me in.  (He'll have a wonderful teacher, I just will miss him so.)

I wish I would have gotten Abby's face here too- it was pure amazement, even though she's lost SIX TEETH already! 

 Congratulatory hug from Nana, who happened to stop by, just before the big incident!

So, yesterday Carter discovered that his tooth had gone from moderately loose to very wiggly, complete with a drop of blood.  This alternately sent him into hysterics, curled up in my lap- "I CAN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT LIKE THIS!  YOU HAVE TO SLEEP WITH ME!" to pure excitement, even going next door at 8:00pm to show off.


He did make it through the night, and this evening that tooth was even more wiggly and twisty.  (I know, it makes me squirm too.  Carter told Nana Pam, "My mom doesn't do teeth!" when she asked if I was going to pull it.)  He tried an apple, but it hurt too much.  There was much wiggling, twisting and a little tugging by many family members, but we finally all gave up when it was decided that it wasn't quite 'hanging by a thread' yet.  Maybe five threads.  Carter wasn't sure he could make it through another night in this state, but Nana (who had stopped by to see the very loose tooth) gave Carter a cookie and he was happily munching it, when he came over and declared that he had a loose tooth on the top too.  What he in fact had, was a WINDOW IN HIS MOUTH because that sweet little bottom baby tooth had popped right out .  .  . AND WAS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN!


Cue the huge tears and deafening sobs because swallowing one's first lost tooth was just too much to bear.  Thankfully I found the little thing, in the carpet, near many telltale cookie crumbs.  All happiness was restored and Carter paraded around his siblings and closest friends.  Happy boy.  As you can see!


Before he went to bed Maddy gave him her 'tooth pillow', which was mine as a little girl too.  His white and pink and frilly, and he is so happy.  He said to her, "Maddy, I've never done this before.  Do I just put it in there, and the tooth fairy will come?"  {He melts her heart too.}  She got him all set up!  Hopefully the tooth fairy remembers to stop by The Gibson Six household tonight!


{Had to jump back here and add this link of when Garrett boy lost his first tooth.}

Rebeka, today.

Today Rebeka woke up at 5:40 or so.  That is unusually early for her, so Joel pulled her from the pack-n-play into our bed to snuggle her back to sleep.  (She still sleeps in the pack-n-play next to our bed.)  About 10 minutes later, Rebeka whispers to me, "Mama?  Go downstairs?  Eat yogurt?"  I answered her that it was just too early and not time to get up yet.  Joel gently shushed her.

About 5 minutes later she tried a different approach.  In her syrupy sweet voice she said, "Mama?  Go downstairs?  Get coffee for Mama?"

I couldn't help but giggle, even though it wasn't even 6!  She has this mama all figured out, doesn't she?

Making Plans (17 'Sleeps' to go)

The countdown seems to be spiraling faster and faster while my lists are getting longer and longer.


Today I spent some time pinning down what we want to do on our days in Addis.  As I told some friends, I think I struck an emotional geyser because I spent the afternoon in tears.  Ethiopia does that too me.  I really hope I don't just ugly cry the entire time I'm there!


When I sat down to think through what it is really going to mean to be there again, when I imagined it .  . . oh, it just overwhelmed me.  And what it is going to mean to be where my daughter drew her first breaths?  I never thought THAT would be an incredible privilege to me, but here we are.


Meanwhile, in living color, right here in front of me, Rebeka is amazing.  She's funny and vibrant and is coming back around to be sweet and snuggly.  For a while she was the opposite of snuggly, even with me, and it was starting to scare me.  But she's back and she's wonderful.  She's still busy and exhausting and curious and a little bit naughty, but more and more she's stopping when I tell her 'no' and she's answering with "Okay Mama!"


Today she pointed to a picture from Ethiopia that Joel hung and she said, "Daddy make it!"  I answered that yes, in fact, Daddy had hung it and that it was from Ethiopia.  She agreed, "Like me!"


I laughed and said, "Yes!  You were born in Ethiopia too!"


She said, "And you come and get me," as she nuzzled into my chest.


Yes Baby, I came to get you.


And that, my friends, is why I'm going to Ethiopia.  Because my baby is just two now, and she already knows that I went to Ethiopia to get her.  As she grows and her understandings multiply, exponentially, I want to be able to answer her questions.  And when I can't answer them, I want to be able to look in those incredibly deep brown eyes and tell her from the bottom of my heart that I tried my hardest to get the answers for her and to understand for her.

Three Weeks and Donations!

In three weeks I will BE in Ethiopia!  I've been alarmingly relaxed so far.  I don't know what suitcases I'm going to pack and I don't know what I'm taking.  I do have probiotics and my shots and Ehtiopian VISA are still good from the last trip.  It's probably about time I start making lists, but honestly I'm more worried about getting things organized for my crew here than what I need to do for me.


But I am excited.  I've thought a lot about what I will be doing there- visiting the city where Rebeka lived until she was 3 months old.  I'm looking forward to seeing the orphanage and getting a feel for the city, so when she's older, I can tell her about her roots, as much as possible.  


I have had many people ask me if I'm taking anything, and I am.  The orphanage we'll be visiting is fairly lacking, and I am really excited to be able to take some things for them.  I'm collecting some diapers here at home, to fill my suitcases.  The orphanages usually use cloth, but during the rainy season it is difficult to get diapers to dry.  So I'm taking a bunch of disposables.  Also, I'm collecting cash donations so I can purchase goods in Addis to take to Rebeka's orphanage.  My plan is to buy formula, flour, etc.  We will have a guide with us to help us purchase things for a fair price and also to help with delivery.  If you are interested in donating diapers or cash, please email me or leave a comment on here and I will get back to you.  I don't want anyone to feel obligated- I have had individuals ask, so I thought this was the easiest way to let people know!  If you do want to participate, please let me know asap.  I need to start packing suitcases and I also need to order money SOON!! (New, crisp bills are required for exchange in Ethiopia.)  


Can't believe I leave in less than 3 weeks!

Adventure

In one month from tomorrow I am going back to Ethiopia.

I can't wait.

I haven't told many people because it's complicated and hard to describe and I'm fearful that people won't understand and I don't always have it in me to explain.

But I'm going.  For 11 days.  With V.  And I am really, REALLY excited.

I had several paragraphs typed out, but when I reread it seemed so dramatic.  So, for now, we'll leave it at this: I'm going.  I can not wait.  I'm sad to be leaving my babes, but I know they will be in good hands.

I'm going to Ethiopia!!!

Birthday Season: Part 5

Whew, Birthday Season is nuts around here!  Add in all our regular life stuff like school and work and friends (and friends' birthdays) and tball and softball and more soccer and eating and brushing teeth and more and more and IT IS CRAZY.

And I love it.

The last birthday in our house is Madeline's.  It's today and she is 12.  TWELVE.  That means I've been a mom for 12 years.  That means that she is 2/3 done with us.  (Okay, not really, I know you always need your parents and blah blah blah, but seriously.  TWELVE.)

But the thing is that while sometimes I close my eyes and imagine the sweet almost three year old who came to the hospital with a latte in hand when her baby brother was born, with the wispy soft hair, the chubby cheeks, and the darling one liners, I would not turn back time.  I love the young lady she is turning into.  She is smart smart smart.  (Straight A's all year, and mostly straight A+s.)  She is kind and empathetic.  She is thoughtful and funny.  She is an old soul and feels deeply; a blessing and curse, but mostly a curse in 6th grade.  She is beautiful and strong.  She is hilarious and brave and I would not change one thing about her, and I especially would not turn back the clock.

But still, I can't believe she's twelve.

Birthday Season: Part 4

Garrett has turned 9.  I know it's cliche and all, but I truly can hardly believe it.  He is nearly 5' tall and I know that if I let myself blink he'll be taller than me.  But, oh, he is so sweet.  He has the most tender heart.  He can not keep his hands off of his little sister, and I will often catch him laying a kiss on the top of Carter's head.  He adores his big sister as well.  The other day he came home with soccer jerseys for his new team.  They had the number '11' on them.  I asked him if he picked the number or what and he said, "I picked 11 because it's Maddy's birthday AND her favorite number."  (Ironically, Maddy and Carter both randomly were assigned the #11 for their softball and tball jerseys- so all my kids are #11 this season!)  A few weeks ago we had a family movie night and Maddy and Garrett spontaneously shared our overstuffed chair.   It was so cute and sweet, both of them sitting on it sideways, with their legs spilling over the side.  I didn't dare take a picture and break the spell, but I am both in awe of and thankful for the relationship they have, even while in such different stages of life.

He's funny and stubborn and athletic and smart.  I love to watch him play soccer or basketball, he's so focused and I get more and more frequent glimpses of the man that he'll be one day.  It's heart breaking and wonderful and exciting and humbling and so much more all at once.

I really love being his mama.

He got a new bike for his birthday, something that was NOT on his list, and I was worried that he wouldn't be happy about it or that he wouldn't like it because it's SO much bigger than his old one.

Wrong and wrong.  He loves it- LOVES.  He's ridden it every day since.  It's gigantic, but he makes it work.

 For his party we went to Sky High.  With eight other third grade boys.  Let me tell you, that was a fun car ride!  He was a happy boy and it was a fun afternoon.  Thankful for his great friends!

Mama's Birthday (Birthday Season: Part 3)

Smack dab in the middle of Birthday Season is my birthday.  I'm 34 now and while I'm not 'sad' about getting older (at all), it's just really weird!  It's so bizarre that I can say to Joel, "Remember 10 years ago when . . . " or that I have an almost 12 year old, or that I graduated high school 16 years ago.  SIXTEEN.

Anyway.  Joel and my babes were so sweet to me today (and always).  I'm so proud that our kids are so thoughtful and kind.  They all piled into bed with me in the morning and Joel brought me Starbucks.  I stayed in bed as long as I possibly could and they all got themselves ready for school without fighting or being weird and spazzy like they are some mornings!


In the afternoon Carter just snuggled me.  He was so sweet and loving.  He said, "Mama, I wish you were still 33."

I answered, "Why buddy?"

"Because now you're 34.  And you're just going to get older and older and older.  And then you're going to die.  And I don't want you to die!"  (And then he did this fake crying thing that he does sometimes.)

It was pretty funny.

When Garrett got home, he marched in the door and said, "Don't say a word!"  He headed straight for me (on the couch), and threw his arms around me. "Happy Birthday!  How was your day?"  So kind.  Then he sat on the couch with me, his long legs on my lap and did his homework and visited with me.  Love that boy so much!

Sweet Maddy helped the boys make a 'scavenger hunt' with clues all over my messy house.  When Joel got home my mom came over and I found all the clues.  They led me to flowers from my kids and a gift card from each of them!  (Fro Yo, Starbucks, Pedicure)  The kids were all so proud!

We went to dinner with my mama and then went to her house for HOMEMADE Angel Food Cake- my favorite!  She spoiled me with new red Toms and new clothes.

It was such a fun day, and sprinkled throughout were text messages, emails, phone calls, Facebook notes, and real life greetings.  I felt so loved.  I don't mind getting older even a bit.  But my husband does think it's pretty hilarious that I'm older than him!

Birthday Season: Part 2

Not even a month after Carter, it was this girl's turn for a birthday.

I mean, come ON.  Is she pure sugar or what?   She is now a big TWO year old, but she loves to tell people she's three.  Or six.

Rebeka at two .  .  . full of life.  Just completely full.  She doesn't do anything half way.  She loves her mama so much.  She throws gigantic fits.  She headtotoeupanddowntoptobottom ADORES her siblings.  She squeals every night when her daddy walks in the door.  She stands up each morning in her pack and play (she still sleeps in our room), and smiles shyly at us.  We (usually Joel) gets her, puts her in bed with me and we snuggle.  If I'm already up, she'll tromp across the floor and from down stairs I hear her slide down the steps to me and she'll say, "YOGURT?" with her sweet smile.

She asks for things (like candy, one more book, or permission to go outside) with a tilt of her head, a smile, and a sugary sweet voice.

She knows Goodnight Moon, Pajama Time, Time for Bed, Good Night Gorilla, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, and several other books by heart.

She sings constantly.  Jesus Loves Me, Jesus Loves the Little Children, Twinkle Little Star, Mary had a Little Lamb, Eensy Weensy Spider, Wheels on the Bus, Old Mac Donald, and Happy Birthday.  Often she'll combine songs into what I like to call a 'Rebeka Mash Up.'  Like, "Twinkle twinkle little star, all the children of the world!"


She says "later alligator" when she means 'later.'  The other day we were going Garrett's soccer game, and then to Baby Animal day at the local Feed Store.  On the way to the game she was explaining it all to us.  "First we go to soccer ball!  Then we go to Baby Animals.  First soccer ball and then LATER ALLIGATOR baby animals!"  A couple of months ago she when someone would tell her goodbye she'd answer, "Alligator Friend!" instead of "See you later, Alligator!"  When she explains things, her eyebrows go up and she talks so intently.  She really means business!

Of course, if you come over and I try to show off all her mad skillz, she'll give you completely blank look.  With her tongue out a little bit. So you'll have to read about it all on Facebook!

I could write an entire post (or five) about how full of grief I was on the days leading up to her birthday.  Not because my baby is growing up, I'm used to that by now (MADDY IS NEARLY TWELVE), but because of how complicated adoption is.  But, I had a good cry on her birthday eve, and felt good on the day of.

I LOVE being her mama.  LOVE.  She is an incredible little person and I am so honored, so humbled, so blessed, to be trusted with the task of raising her!

Birthday Season: Part 1

We are smack dab in the middle of Birthday Season around here.  Yes, it's capitalized, because Birthday Season an actual major event.

First, a few weeks ago this guy turned six.  SIX! Carter is such a fun boy.  He has a sweet little freckled nose and he can't quite say his 'r' or 'k' sounds yet.  (So his name comes out a little like 'Tahdoh."  I love how he talks, I love how he still slips his hand in mine, without hesitation when we're walking.  I love that he knows how to read, but not too much, so it's still a REALLY big deal and he swells with pride getting his 'just right' books out.  Age 5 was so fun- he learned to ride his bike, he learned to read, he started kindergarten, and in general his independence soared.  I can't wait to see what SIX has in store for us! 

Happy Martin Luther King Day

On this snowy, cozy day I paused to think about the impact that Martin Luther King Jr has had on our world.  I dug out my copy of Happy Birthday Martin Luther King, and sat my three Bigs on the couch and read it.  I cried.  Yes, I did.  (I know you are shocked.)  My kids listened intently as I read and asked questions along the way.  Then I made them sit through the You Tube video of his speech.  Before you imagine my calm and cozy living room, lit by candlelight with halos hovering over each of my angels heads as they were inspired by the low resolution, low sound video, let me just tell you that 1/4 of my children really got something out of it, 1/4 stayed in the Ergo saying, "Muffin please!  Water please!", 1/4 slouched, sighed, and basically watched it upside down (and said "WHAT?!?!? when I tried to make him sit nicely), and the last 1/4 counted the ships on his Star Wars pjs.

But I don't care.  Because before I read to them, I asked them what they knew about MLK and my boys answers ranged from "He was in a war?" to a shrug of the shoulders and verbal utterings that equals, "I don't know."  And now they do know.  And they heard about The Dream.  And next year, when I sit them down and read to them and have them watch it again, they will hear and understand a little bit more.  And more.  And at some point they will realize why today tears ran down my face as I held their Ethiopian sister and told them about Martin Luther King.

Thanks to him and others who have dedicated their lives to justice, at great personal cost, the world IS a better place for my children.  Yes, we still have a long way to go.  But The Dream IS so much more real than it was a generation ago.  And, without The Dream that King and others like him have, our family would not look the way it does today.

Thank you, Dr. King.  Happy Birthday.