What a great idea Kyah has to play barbies in the sun!

Gabey-Baby

God had other experiences planned for Gabe while he was in Mozambique.   He and the team had one day of work repairing wells,  when Gabe was struck down.   He became severely dehydrated (even though drinking 2 or 3 times as much as the others) and got heat stroke.   He was brought to a nearby clinic, after experiencing a seizure,  then transferred to 2 different hospitals before becoming stable.   He was combative,  agitated,  sedated and unable to speak for over a day.   He was than flown by a medical jet back to South Africa where he remained for 5 more days.   

Todd joined him in South Africa to relieve our dear friend Brent,  who tirelessly stayed by Gabe's side.   Brent did everything from keeping us updated on everything that was happening,  cleaning up vomit,  making sure Gabe was drinking and coherent, layed hands on Gabe and prayed over his unconsciousness body, etc, etc.... What a gift he was and is to us and we will never forget what he did for our son when he was so far away from home. 

My boys are home now.  Whew!  Gabe went to his medical Dr. and is making a full recovery!   He gets very tired and has lost a lot of weight,  but had much to be thankful for!!  

The big issue: spiritual warfare.   I know about this topic a bit because of what the Bible tells us.  I have never known anyone who has had this,  but am becoming well educated.   It is real people!   It's happening in our house!   And it's attacking my son!   

Gabe is very deeply rooted in Christ and in God's Word.  And, without going into details,  this NEEDS to STOP!  Right now,  he is to the point of less fear and mainly finds it a nuisance.  Gabe knows God wins, and so does this intruder!   All I know is Gabe's faith and trust in God had never been so deep and that God has BIG plans for my Gabey-Baby with Satan working this hard to bring him down!

Mozambique, braces, shoes, birthday & snow day fun

Gabe left for Mozambique today!  He will be gone for 12 days repairing wells with 5 guys from church with a group called VOX.  He's was pretty excited, as you can imagine, and has a busy week and a half planned.  They hope to repair 30 wells, which will literally mean water to hundreds and prevent natives from having to spend hours a day walking for water.  I'm so proud of him and thankful for this opportunity he has to be used by God in this way!

Me with Gabe just before he left for the airport.  (photo-bombed by Jesse!)

Having fun shoe (and silly slipper!) shopping!!

 

Shoe shopping for my daughter who wears a SIZE 3 and just had to try on these!

All 3 teens got braces!  Decided to get them all done at once...now they can compare their issues and complain to one another.  haha!

Kyah, Salem, Tsinat, Bethlehem & Frehiwot hanging out at our house for the day.  We are so blessed that our girls have 2 of their Ethiopian friends living so close by.  I found a store that sells injara and am learning to make Ethiopian dishes that are so yummy!

Bethlehem even makes taking out the garbage look fun!

Enjoying the sledding hill at Sandyview on our snow day!

Jordan, my favorite white daughter, who is rockin' out her senior year, despite having "senioritis" in a big way!  She maintains being on the Dean's List @ MCC while continuing with her required high school classes.  She is looking so forward to Gabe & Kaylie's wedding and praise Jesus remains in remission with her ITP!!

Kyah & her new friend, Nede.  Seriously, instant friends and had so much fun together!

What to do on a snow day??  Well, Solomon and a friend (with help from Jesse) decided to make a bungee cord for one of Kyah's dolls and throw it over the balcony.  LOL

Gabe & Kaylie purchased a new bed, so we put Gabe's old mattress to good use in our TV room!

30 year tradition for my dad and I...he takes me, just me, out for lunch!  LOVE this & LOVE him!

Tsinat, looking stylish as always, and my fun-loving man!

Celebrated my birthday and my sweet husband gave me flowers, brought me to Victoria Secret and let me pick out my favorite perfume & lotion AND got me a hand-gun safe.  =)

Happily married to the love of my life for almost 25 years!

Tsinat made this birthday card for me.  Yes, she tells me that she loves me in it.  Yes, I cried.

Bethlehem getting a horse-back ride from her dad.  Hmmm, who's having more fun here ??

Snuggling with my sweet girl!

Blessed beyond imaginable....

 

Found this written on the chalk plaque in Tsinat & Bethlehem's room.  Seriously brought tear to my eyes to see in writing what they feel in their hearts.  Precious words from my precious girls!

People are constantly asking "So, how's it going?"  Truly, it is going far better than we ever dreamed!  Yes, we've had our up and downs, tough days, struggles, etc...however, overall we have been blessed beyond what we deserve!

Why did God choose me to be Tsinat & Bethlehem's adoptive mom?  They literally could have been placed with any family or never placed at all.  It just floors me that they are home with us and a part of our family!  It was a long wait and yet, it seems like they were always with us.  I recall saying those exact words after Kyah joined our family.  How God orchestrated my family is truly beyond imaginable and I am beyond blessed!! 

We have overcome a lot and know we have a lot to overcome.  The girls miss.  They miss Ethiopia.  They miss their friends.  They miss warm Ethiopian weather.  They miss Ethiopian school.  They miss their caregivers.  They miss everyone around them speaking Amharic.  They miss eating injera every day.  They miss....    We pray with them often and, in a much less profound way, miss too.  Ethiopia is so amazing and the birth place of 3 of my precious girls.  I truly love it there and can't wait to return!  Our recent trips were fantastic and we enjoyed each moment of it, even the long flights to get to that beautiful country!    

Wanting to remember these times while Gabe still lives under our roof!  We have lots of laughs together and LOVE when Kaylie, Gabe's fiance, can join!  Can't wait for wedding happenings!  Knew we raised a smart kid and so glad he picked her!

OK, I know I look 8....but MY daughter did this for me!!  =)

Daily breakfast with 3 teenagers, at 6:30am, drinking coffee ("bunna" in Amharic), eating scrambled eggs with berbera and, of course, Tsinat playing some sort of card trick to impress Jesse.  haha!!

Another airport picture, welcoming home our newest 2.  I looked at this picture closely the other day, and noticed how Kyah literally melted into her new sisters arms!  We get told frequently how well our kids all get along.  I've been taking notice of that as well.  Again, blessed beyond....

Hanging out with our friend, Frehiwot, who was welcomed home a month after Tsinat & Bethlehem.  LOVE how God is working in bringing home their friends from Ethiopia!

Kyah and her friend, Luke, enjoying a snowy play date at our house.  Just before I snapped this photo, Luke slipped her arm around Kyah's shoulder.  =)  They look like little models!  As Luke would say "they are cutie-pa-tooties"!!

Both girls have swimming as part of their PE class.  Since Tsinat was curious how we could swim in Michigan with all the snow and cold temps, we thought we would have a family swim day at the Hamilton Pool!  They never knew there was such a thing as an in-door pool and were amazed....and jumped right in!  The are brave and swam well in the area where they could touch and we all had a blast!  Guessing they will both be pro's by the end of the summer with all the swimming we usually do at our pool!

 

These are the beauties I get to see every day, just because I said "yes" t

o God.

Beautiful Home-Coming!!

Bethlehem and Tsinat welcomed home their friend, Salem, on Saturday!  She's in the green and looks amazing for just traveling on a long flight home!  Our girls were surprised to see 2 other friends, who they had NO idea were also living in West Michigan, at Salem's Home Coming party!  There was LOTS of screaming when the girls got together!  Kyah tried to fit right in - haha!  God has some pretty big plans here with all their beautiful Ethiopian girls all being adopted in West Michigan.  Can't wait to see what it is!!  

Our God is an Amazing God!

Straightened hair on our snow-day!

First day of school ... with their protector :)

This pretty much sums up our Beti!!

Merry Christmas & 4 weeks HOME!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all!  What a totally incredible Christmas was had this year!  Many times, I would just sit back and observe my family.  Listen to what was being said or sung, either in English or Ahmaric...THAT is truly beautiful and music to my ears!  Watch what they were doing, how creative they all are and how they were including one another.  LOVE that we are all together this year!  How my heart sings Glory to God for the gift of His Son and for allowing my girls to be home with us forever!

There are traditions that we do in America that I am becoming aware of since trying to explain many things to our new teenagers.  Many, to me, simply don't make sense and I have to tell them "I have no idea why we do this, we just do."  So, I am rethinking a few things and simply doing away with them to make life simpler and less complicated.  However, I also like to create new ideas and traditions.

My moms name is Linda, whom we call Gramma Linny.  My middle name is Lynn.  Jordan's is Jacklin. Kyah's is Gracelin Marie.  And I really wanted to continue the "Lin" tradition somehow for our girls middle names.  So, introducing:

Bethlehem "Beti" Emeylin Klaasen!

 

Tsinat Rahzlin Klaasen!

Our beautiful crew, plus Kaylie, on Christmas Morning!!

Thanks for "Taking Time to Pray!"

I looked back at my blog from 11-19-15, just less than a month ago, and re-read my words of pleading for prayers "that the Embassy would respond Friday and grant us a date for next week!"

Not only did the Embassy respond with approvals, but after receiving a call from our social worker on that Friday, Nov. 20 at 9:30am, we literally booked tickets and left that same day at 2:30pm!  I had our girlies packed already, and completed packing for Todd, Jordan and myself, finished tasks around the house, made emergency lists for kids staying home and was literally floating on adrenaline!  It truly didn't "hit" any of us that we were finally on our way until about half way across the Atlantic.  LOL!  It was such a rush and we played it over in our heads for well over a year.  Ahhh!!  Love how God worked all of this!

We landed in Ethiopia at 7:30am on Sunday, made it thru customs and were transported to our guesthouse. We changed and drove immediately to pick up our girls for church and lunch.  Our girls found out we were coming on that Sunday morning....they didn't have much time to process either!  Although they both were quiet (except for many giggles during church! =) the day with them was amazing!!  We brought them back to their orphanage for their final night there and we headed back to our guesthouse for some much needed rest.  Honestly, they must have thought we were such duds.  We all tried to put on our best face, and although we were really thrilled to be there with them, we were whipped and needed sleep!  

Monday morning, Nov. 23, 2015 a.k.a. our girls official "Gotcha Day" we arrived early and took our girls with us forever!  Teary eyed just thinking of that day!  Our whole trip was simply the best, but driving away from the orphanage with them next to us .... a dream come true!!

Thanks to you all so very much for your prayers to bring our girls home!  YOU are a very important part of these adoptions!  YOU are a huge part of this!  God listened to your prayers!  Thank YOU so very much on behalf of these 2 beautiful girls that I have the privilege of calling mine and tucking in each night!!   

 

Together at last!!

Take time to pray

Our girls cases got submitted to the US Embassy on 11-10-15 after all the required paperwork was obtained.  Typically when our agency submits this, the adoptive family is given an Embassy date that same day or the following....well, that is typically what happens. It's been 10 days so far!! Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING has been typical about our processes.  Sure makes for an exciting journey.....I say with much sarcasm!

We are again calling on YOU, our faithful prayer warriors, to call on the Name of Jesus to get this process completed! John 16:23 says "I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name".  Usually it's a 3 -5 week turn-around time, we are over 4 weeks.  Still in the time frame and hoping and praying that we get an Embassy date for next week!  Not really sure why I even hold onto dates and time frames, since they just come and go.  So thankful that my God has this already planed and has this all worked out.  (Although, I wish He's let me in on it already!  =)

Our prayer is:  that the Embassy would respond Friday and grant us a date for next week!  I know, not in our timing, but in God's.  I know He continues to hold this all in His control and that alone is my comfort.  Our dream would be a Thanksgiving with our girls, on a plane traveling, taking them to meet their forever family!

Just waiting for my girls and the room will be complete!

Got the girls packed!

I've been really procrastinating with this one!  I'm the "get 'er done" type of person...except when it comes to packing for these 2.  I hope what I bought for them fits and they like it.  :) Jordan and I literally went out one day and bought and entire wardrobe for 2 people!  Should have seen all our packages!  It would be nice if I didn't have much clothes shopping for them to do when they get home.  Anyway, whew!  Feels good to have this under control a bit.  

Should be hearing very soon about our Embassy appointment!  So stinkin' exciting to think about flying home with them!  

Kyah, A.K.A. Captain Jack Sparrow, poses in front of "T" and "B's" suitcase...that we hope to be using really, really soon!!

Not 2...but, 3 GIRLS!!

The month of October has been really amazing for our family!  Let me begin by introducing my soon-to-be daughter-in-law Kaylie!  Gabe proposed October 10th and she said yes!  WooHoo!!  His proposal idea was really thought out and planned and totally him!  ....let's just say it had to do with target practicing! 
They are planning a summer wedding.  LOVE this and we are so excited for them!  

October 20th, we passed Ethiopian Court!  "T" and "B" are now official Klaasen's and we long to get them home!  We have all the required documents completed and are waiting for them to be submitted to the US Embassy in Ethiopia to get a date to travel!  (Literally having just completed them at 4am today!...yes, we check our email at all times of the day and night when waiting for international adoption documents and do whatever it takes!) 

Praise the Lord for 3 new daughters!!!

Thank you all for your continued prayers!  What amazing peace we feel.  Our trip went unbelievably well in all ways, thanks to your prayers!  We truly feel them!  Please continue to pray for our girls as they wait.  Days must seem like weeks for them....they do for us!  The girls both long to have families, which was evident by our visits with them.  Although we realize all they must soon leave, it brings me more joy to think about all they will soon gain.  Pray they are at peace about leaving their homeland and adjust well to life with their new family.  Each one of us is so anxious to have them home!  Can't wait for all their "new firsts" here in Michigan!  

Gabe & Kaylie

Literally a minute before meeting our girls for the first time!  =)

Gorgeous Ethiopia!

This day was almost too good to be true!  Jesse totally amazed us in so many ways while on this trip together.  I plan to write about this day in particular later, but will give you a brief description now.  Jesse choose to sponsor a child in Ethiopia, while in Ethiopia!  AND, literally got to meet her 20 minutes later!  Here, she is thanking him =)

Jesse & our guide overlooking the view at Debre Libanos, north of Addis

Mt. Entoto, after court =)

The view from the top of our guest house!

Jesse with our dear friends at the Morning Coffee Guesthouse! 

Jesse tried every food set before him!  Here, he is eating authentic Ethiopian food- which he really liked!  His favorite was shiro eaten with injara.

 

Since we aren't able to share pictures of the girls yet, their hands will have to do!

AHHHH! God is so good!!

WooHoo!  So, so much to update.....first, I need to apologize for not updating since we've gotten back.  Lots of excuses; jet lag, catching up with my kids, laundry, meals, etc...then, repeat....

We literally had entire days without electricity or any kind of Internet in country, so nothing I tried to publish went thru.  I intend to load pictures soon and are they beautiful....meaning our beautiful girls and beautiful Ethiopia.

We were blessed with 4 visits with our darlings!  This is more than we thought we'd get, so were delighted!  We arrived in Addis on a Friday morning and by 5 pm that day we had seen them!  Talk about AMAZING!!  I literally ran to them and hugged them close.  Wow!  All the months of waiting and there they were in our arms.  They took us to their room where we talked thru the interpreting help of their social worker.  They immediately took to Jesse!  They were laughing together and joking around like they knew him forever.  They were a bit shy, but really loosened up quickly and with each visit.  By the 3rd visit, "T" was teasing Jesse and grabbing his baseball cap and telling him it was now hers.  "B" and Jesse had a stuffed animal war and she was joking that her name was Jesse.  :) We found they relied on the help of their interpreter when he or she was with, but really did fine without. They were both unsure of their English around us at first, but that changed quickly and with each visit.  Thinking of when they get home and how much growth in their English language we are sure to see.

Both are very good students and wanted to show us their school books, that are full of little stickers apparently for a job well done.  They are very proud of their school work.  "T" read aloud to us both in Ahmaric and English and is SO stinkin' cute when she laughs and crinkles up her nose!  Every time, without fail!, "B" would start giggling and end up falling over on her bed!  So cute!!  Both have a great sense of humor, as do all the kiddos at their orphanage.

We spent a lot of time with them, but also with their little buddies at the orphanage.  Again, Jesse was a huge hit!  He was loving on all of them.  We joked with them, hugged them, talked with them and spent time just looking in all those beautiful dark eyes and loving them.  Oh, it was better than we could have ever dreamed!

PASSED COURT!

We are officially a family of 9!  The judge approved the paperwork on Tuesday, and the adoption is finalized!