One year.

One year ago today our sweet Macy was relinquished by her birthmother at a local government office, and then taken to an orphanage to wait five months to join her Forever Family.

That was a year ago.

This was today.

We are so thankful that Macy had two and a half years with her birthmother. We firmly believe that is why she was able to bond so quickly with us. She knew the love of a Momma. She had experienced bonding and attachment before. And as soon as she was placed in my arms, the process started with her new Momma.

So a year ago today our little girl was scared and alone. Today she jumped waves with her family.

Life's good, folks.

What being in a family for just 6 months can do for ya'!

Today we celebrated our Macy Bereket being home a HALF OF A YEAR! And since I practically have a camera attached to me at all times, I just HAD to take a picture to remember the day. And then I had to go back and look at OLD pictures of her. What a SHOCK to see these pics side by side. She doesn't even look like the same kid! Sure she's grown, and yes she has hair now (yippee!), but look at her eyes. You know how they say the eyes are the window to the soul? Well, whoever "they" is, they are totally right. Do you see the hopelessness, confusion, and fear in that first pic? Can you even imagine what she was thinking? She had just been brought to the orphanage in that picture. Imagine the uncertainty my daughter had going through her innocent little mind. Little did that precious child know that we were praying and waiting and praying some MORE for HER.
And then look at that silly, happy little girl in the second picture. Wanna know what she was thinkin' in THAT picture this afternoon? She was wishing her Momma would hurry up and snap the stinkin' picture so she could run off and play with her brothers and sister. Oh the JOY in that picture! And the safety and love you can see in THOSE eyes. THAT picture makes me smile!
So, in six months Miss Macy has done some growin'. That's because the girl can EAT. And eat and eat and eat. Since her first dr. appt here on American soil 6 months ago, she's grown TWO AND A HALF INCHES! And FIVE POUNDS! That's a LOT for a little girl who started out at just 22 pounds for almost three years old! (FYI, my other kids were OVER that weight by their FIRST birthday.)

Her favorite foods: Pizza and Pasta - she's totally our Italian Ethiopian
Her favorite activities: Picking out her many outfits (total diva!), coloring, taking all toys away from Houston, her "bigger, little brother".
Her favorite sayings: "Oooh la la", "More snack, please", "Rock me, Daddy".

Her language skils are crazy good. She can understand EVERYTHING we say, follow directions, and talks a TON. Gone are the days of her using any of her native language and singing the songs she learned with her birthmother (which makes me a little sad). Hannah will still try to use some of her Sidaminga and Amharic words with her little sister, and Macy just gives her that "Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis" look.

Thanks for sharing our journey with us!
I'm looking forward to looking back at these same two pictures in ANOTHER six months!!!

Happy SIX MONTHS HOME, Miss Macy! We love you more than you will EVER know!

P.S. One more thing...I have been AMAZED at the response we've gotten to Macy's adoption video. Completely DUMBFOUNDED, in fact. I've had people- total strangers- from other parts of the country contacting me saying what an impact it's made on their friends and family. And I'll tell ya, folks. That's what I WANT. I want others to see our journey, and to be moved. And prompted. 'Cause ya know what? There's 146,999,999 more Macys out there needing a home.

3 months home!!!

Look who's been home in Tennessee for 3 months tonight!! Whoop whoop! But GOOD GRACIOUS where has that time gone? I mean geesh! - 3 months is a quarter of a year! Has time really flown by that quickly??? And then on the other hand I feel like she's been ours forever. Oh how we just love her to pieces. I can't imagine life without her. And every "lost" piece of paperwork, every extra day we had to wait for our referral, and even counting down the days until we could bring her home are ALL becoming a distant memory. I was reminded of that this week as a sweet friend of mine is waiting to bring home her kiddos - how when you are in that moment it seems like it's taking forever. OH how I cried while I waited to bring our Miss Macy home just TRYING to be patient. And NOW that she's home - that just seems so long ago! She was worth every single day of waiting though!

Unfortunately, Macy's "3 Months Home Anniversary" wasn't all that fun. Both she and Houston were up screaming during the night (very odd for our house since everyone sleeps 12 straight hours) and then I was awoken this morning with Houston puking his guts up. I spent the entire day in the rocker or on the bed cuddling with him. And JUST when he started perking up this evening, Macy spiked a fever of almost 102 degrees. AGHHH! So then the evening was spent cuddling with her on the couch. But that girl is one tough cookie - she's dealing with it much better than her bigger-little-brother. But I WAS able to snap the above picture while we were cuddling tonight. She's even cute when she's sick, ehh?

Happy 3 Months Home, Macy B!!!!