a perspective that I want to remember

Yesterday as I had a rare spare moment to breath and think, I looked around our house and started to get overwhelmed. Then I caught myself...I have so much to be thankful for! And I want to remember this!

I'm thankful for my loving Heavenly Father that is so gentle and forgiving!

I'm thankful for my loving, devoted husband... who also provides so well for our little family!

I'm thankful for healthy, robust children! They wear me out regularly, but I love watching them grow and change!

I'm thankful that I have the health and some energy to keep up with our little family!

I'm thankful that we have a house, car, and food!

So, with these simple and wonderful things in mind... the piles of laundry, dishes, crumbs under the dining room table DON'T MATTER AT ALL!

Because we only have one life to live!

I want to be more present and thankful!

Introducing the Gibler family of 4!

Our very first pic as a family of four! This was taken at the airport when we arrived Sunday, May 6th! Elshaday was a great little traveller! She only fussed when she got bored...and there is plenty of time for boredom on those long international flights. So we would walk around the plane and find folks to chat with. Overall the flight home went a lot better than we anticipated. We were so excited to see Trek again. It seemed like he grew a ton while we were gone, but probably was because we had been around little Elshaday for a week, and then seeing them together really shows their size differences. Trek was happy to see us also, however I don't think he was really prepared for how "big" and capable his "little" sister turned out to be. We are finding that loads of patience and time is helping with this issue.

Travel Dates!

So the US Embassy confirmed an interview appointment with us for May 2nd. So we fly out of Portland on Saturday, April 28th to DC. We stay overnight in DC and fly early Sunday morning the 29th nonstop to Addis Ababa. We went this route for our court trip and it was great. Even though we fly 13 hours, then arrive in Ethiopia at 8 am Monday morning local time, we felt fairly rested because of the stop in DC. We will leave Ethiopia Friday, May 4th, late local time, and arrive in DC early Saturday May 5th. We are going to stay overnight in DC again to "catch our breath". Then we will fly out of DC early Sunday May 6th, with a stop in SLC, then quickly head out to Portland...arriving around noon on Sunday May 6th!!

We are super excited to introduce little E to you all through pictures or in person!

Now to get ready!

CASE CLEARED!!

These are the wonderful words that we have been waiting to read in an email from the US Embassy in Addis Ababa. We are clear to come pick up our sweet little E!!! We are literally in shock...this all seems to have happened so fast! We left Ethiopia just over 6 weeks ago, and we get to go back and be with our daughter forever!!!

This is also bitter sweet though as the other families that we travelled with for our first trip are not yet cleared to travel. We are the only family travelling at this point. We have our fingers crossed that their clearance will come in the next week or so.

So currently we are waiting for the US Embassy to schedule an "interview" appointment for us. All this entails is going to the Embassy while in country with our child in hand and answering a few short questions. Then her visa will be issued. So in the next couple of days we should have confirmation of dates.

The soonest we will be leaving is Friday 4/28, with return 5/3 or4...already have been checking flights and we do have a couple of options!!!

Feeling really crazy and scatter brained right now!!

** It was so cute last night, Trek said, "I miss E, do you?" And we agreed that yes of course we do, and hope that we can go get her soon, so Trek could meet her!!

All for now!! Still hovering on cloud nine!

Happy 13th month little E!

Today little E is 13 months old! It is actually hard to believe that just over a month ago we met her face to face. It has been a busy month...just normal life stuff though! Another reason I think this time has flown by is because so much has happened since we left Ethiopia. E's birthmother was found and appeared for her court interview, we are officially legal guardians of E, her Ethiopian birth certificate and passport have been issued...and as of Tuesday all of the documents regarding her adoption have been submitted to the US Embassy. Now we wait again. As soon as the US Embassy does their investigation and issues her visa, we can travel to pick her up. We really don't know how long this wait will be...as with each stage of international adoption...but one thing is for sure...she is worth the wait!!!

Happy day sweet girl!

1!

Happy 1st birthday little E! We feel so privileged to be able to have spent almost 6 hours over two days with you last week! You were very unsure of us at first, but you were quick to warm up to us! You have the sweetest smile, adorable laugh, and a spunky personality! We can't wait to hear when we can return and really start to get to know you! In the meantime, we are so impressed by the love and care you are receiving at the care center. The nannies love you and you love the nannies! This mommy and daddy are now learning some serious patience! So glad the God is in control of all!

11 months!

Happy 11 months sweet baby girl!! Oh, and just 22 days until we meet our daughter! We are so excited, but have so much to do! Trek will not be traveling with us so we need to get some documents organized related to his care while we are gone!

So bittersweet to leave our son to go meet our daughter. Then to leave our daughter shortly after meeting her and rushing back to be reunited with our son. We hope that it won't be too long before we are together as a family of four!