Remiss

I have definitely been remiss in my blogging as of the past two months.  It has been complete chaos around here!  We have really adjusted well to having 3 young boys around the house!  We have been fighting off one bug or another since we have been home, but are doing so much better!

So, to talk about the family - the boys are amazing!  All three of them.  Mason adores his little brothers!  He hugs and kisses them all the time.  Knocks them over to give them hugs quite a bit.  He also loves to wrestle with them as well and they have figured it out.  They are all doing so well.  Sieber is walking all over, running (or at least trying to) at times.  He has gained weight, but is still small!   He is trying to communicate.  You can tell that he wants to talk and tell us things, but can't.  I look forward to when he can tell us what he wants.  He is our impatient one also.  When he is ready to eat, he has no patience to wait for you, you must provide food NOW!!!  It's kind of comical.  He also absolutely adores the dog.  Can't seem to get enough of the mutt!   Justus is not walking yet, he crawls everywhere and is definitely a mama's boy.  He is trying to walk and has taken a step.  He is a beast!  I would love to be able to weight him and see where he is at, but it is at least 26lbs if not more!  we call him Chewie.  He doesn't really cry and scream, he moans and makes weird noises that sound like Chubaca (forgive the spelling) from Star Wars.  Too funny!  He is pretty laid back though, which is great!

They are just absolutely wonderful, and I have promised myself (and my mother, who will hold me accountable) to keep this blog updated.  We live apart from numerous family members and I am trying my best to get better at updating the blog to help keep them updated on our family and the boys.

I am enjoying staying home with the boys and Dan is doing great at work!  He loves working as a mechanic!  He is definitely in his element.  They are getting super busy already for the summer rush.  Dan is starting to work longer hours and starting to work Saturdays as well.  His boss is great.  Dan gets to eat lunch with his family every day - there will be the opportunity for me and the kids to join them as well.  Mason adores their little girl Karly.  I am enjoying staying at home.  It has been a huge transition for me!  I mean HUGE!  I have worked for so long out of the home, that being here all the time is so different.  The kids keep me busy!  Also, there is endless laundry, and dishes, and cleaning, and sweeping  It's hard!  I am definitely getting better at it.  I have never been the best housekeeper (any roommate I have had will attest to that - gladly I am sure), but I have learned to love to do the dishes and keep the kitchen clean.  I am working on a system to keep up with the laundry so it doesn't become such a huge project.  I am trying to deep clean things, organize things, and simplify things. It has been a good challenge for me.  I found and ave started working through the book - 31 Day to Clean, Having a Martha house the Mary Way.  It has been interesting to read and has been challenging at the same time.  It's been good and very helpful for me. 

Well, It is 10 and I need to head to bed so I am ready for a new day tomorrow!  I will post more soon!!!

Enjoy the pictures!!!

Reply to some comments

I had a couple of comments recently regarding our family having the measles.  I am sorry that I have offended you in any way.  We have done everything in our power to contain any spread of the desease.  We have been home bound for close to 3 weeks to help keep the disease from spreading.  The local health department has been absolutely wonderful!  They have been caring and concerned and we have heeded  their advice.  As the newspaper stated, we picked up the disease while traveling internationally and are unable to do anything about that fact.  We have definitely been concerned about the spread of the disease, hince the quarantine.  Unfortunately, there are some things that are and were out of our control and we are sorry for anyone who contracted it due to that.  We are continuing to pray daily for others out there who are having to go through what we went through.  I am sorry.`

The 5 of Us.

I am going to try and do some updates over the next couple weeks.  Hopefully our life mellows out a bit and everyone gets healthy!  That would reduce the stress level a bit and give me more of a chance to get posting done.  But, I found this today and thought it was cute.  This is the first picture we have as a family of five.  We got in late in the evening to Denver (where Mason was staying with Dan's sister Trista!) and we spent the night at her house.  Mason was already asleep when we got in so he didn't meet his new brothers until the next morning!  U can tell Dan and I are pretty shot!

we are home!

Wow, how things have been crazy!  We made it home for Christmas Eve service, which was wonderful to attend.  We woke up to a chaotic Christmas around the house with 3 little boys.  This post is to introduce the world to:

Sieber Sodeno - 8/29/2010

Justus Tegegn - 12/23/2010

Our Three Sons!

In Ethiopia

We are so enjoying the time in Ethiopia, and spending time with the boys and rediscovering their personalities.  The US Embassy appointment went well today, and we will have all our paperwork in hand tomorrow afternoon.  We will be leaving Ethiopia thursday with both boys and returning to the United States for our youngest boys first birthday.  After we stay the night in Denver, CO with Dan's Sister who is watching Mason, we will be flying to Kansas Saturday morning.  If all goes well we should be able to make Christmas Eve service with our friends and Church Family. Can't wait for everyone to meet the boys!!!

Getting all Ready to Go!!

There are so many great things about the timing of this trip to get the boys!  Item #1, we will be home as a family of 5 for Christmas.   Wow, that seems so odd...a family of five... ok, well now, onto Item #2, we will be with our youngest for his 1st birthday!  Item #3, there is room at the guest house!  If we went next week, we'd have to stay at a hotel down the road.  Those are the top three, but needless to say, we are so excited.  We have someone taking care of our house and dog, we are almost done cleaning the house.  I need to go to the office and get some claims sent.  We have women's Bible Study at our house tonight, and then it is off we go!  We just are soaring! 

A couple people have asked when we fly in so they can come to the airport and welcome us home as well as meet the boys!  We land in Denver on the 23rd at like 8:15pm or so.  We will have to go through customs, so I am not sure how long that will take in Denver, but we would love to see you there if you are in the area.  It is flight UA949 from London.

We will then fly into GC on the 24th.  Our flight lands at 11am or so.  We would love to see anyone there as well!  Depending on how we are all doing...and if it's open... maybe grab some lunch at Napoli's.... now that's an idea...  We will just have to play it by ear! 

We stayed up until 1:30 last night finishing up the packing, here is the fruit of our labor:

4 army duffels, 2 big rolly suitcases, 2 rubbermaid tubs, 4 carry ons and 2 personal bags!

Miracles DO Happen!

We have been cleared by the embassy!  It was completely unexpected!  What a great suprise this morning.  We are praying we get to head out of town in the next couple of days!  We will have to see what happens in getting us an embassy interview!  We just are beside ourselves with excitement! 

Please continue to pray though!  We have 3 sets of friends who we traveled with back in July who are still waiting and working to bring their babies home.  Having been there and seen others get to bring their kids home, it's hard.  Pray for peace for them as well as a quick resolution.

Also, finally, traveling around the holidays, travel expenses are also going to be a big higher than initially expected.  If you are looking for an end of the year giving for taxes, and you so desire, you can send tax deductible donations directly to West Sands for us.  Just put a note in the envelope that the money is to be credited to our account (Dan and Tara Simmons).  Their address is:  West Sands Adoptions, 1240 East 100 South #1, St. George, UT 84790

We thank you in advance for any help you may be willing or desiring to give. 

All we can say now is YAY!!!