5 Weeks with Kyah home!

It's been 5 weeks with Kyah home with us.  In many ways, it feels like she's always been here.  She fits in with our family perfectly...just as God planned.  Her personality shines brighter each day and we are amazed at what she has accomplished!  She seems to understand us so well and follows simple instructions.  Her vocabulary consists of; momma, poppa, Gabe,  hot, hi and poop.  (She plugs her nose to let us know she has a dirty diapers!  ha!)  She gives hugs and kisses, knows how to blow kisses, is ticklish, likes being outside, waves to our cows, climb up steps (thank you Gabe!), loves playing with her siblings, plays peek-a-boo, likes dropping food to our dog, Bree, and enjoys being the center of attention!   ...a very well deserved place for a little girl who just became part of a family!

I am so thankful to our family and friends who have accepted her and love on her.  I watched our extended family with her on Thanksgiving and it just warmed my heart.  Cousins were laughing with her, carrying her, playing with her and just welcoming her into our family.  What a fun life to suddenly have 10 cousins!  Adoption is not a new thing for our family, but it was incredibly sweet to see Aunts, Uncles, cousins and grandparents loving their new little Ethiopian relative.  

Helping me sweep the floor

First ride on our lawn mower

Kyah loves to hear Grampa Jack sing

Good Morning hugs from Jesse

Sharing a latte' with big sister   =)

Playing with her friend, Grace

Solomon helping her ride her bike

Looking at herself in the mirror wearing her tankini   =)

We are having SO much fun having this little one around!! 

Life with Kyah

Kyah and a nanny ready for the orphanage "goodbye" ceremony

With our new little daughter finally in our arms again.....

We joyfully leave her orphanage!!!!!!

Kyah at home and in her new crib.

LOVES to look at herself in the mirror!  =)

Checking out her new baby-dolls.

How could I ever say no to those big, brown eyes!!?!

Enjoying her first Zeeland Bakery donut!   yummmm

Bree and Kyah are buds!

She loves music, dancing and playing our piano.

 

Kyah is usually found here...in her chair...eating!  She has gained an entire pound in 3 weeks!

Trick-or-treating with Jesse and Solomon!

She fits in her toy shopping cart which her brothers push her around in.  =)

All cleaned up after her bath and ready for the day.

Our 3 weeks with Kyah home have been so much fun!  She is such a little sweetie and has a wonderful sense of humor.  She sleeps through the night and eats through the day.  LOL!  She gained an entire pound since she's been home (that's a lot for her little body!)  She's now on the charts at 2.67% in weight and 0.05% in height.  Hooray that she's on them now!

Makes me think of all the little ones who remain in orphanages and don't have good nutrition and will never make it on "the charts".  How is this fair?  My heart rejoices for Kyah and that she can eat whatever and whenever she desires.  There was a time (just 31 days ago) that Kyah could not.  She was given a specific amount at each meal and had to eat quickly while she had the nanny's attention.

What about all those that don't eat until their tummies are full? 
What about those that don't have their nanny's attention or don't have anyone's attention?

Oh, thank you God for giving Kyah a family and hope in life!  Thank You, Father, that You chose us to be that family for her and teach her about the hope that can only be found in You!

Following God's plan for my life has placed me in a mountain-top experience!  As I watch this little 16 month old wobble around our home, I just thank God for all we've been through to get her home.
When we started our paper-work with Bethany Christian Services about 28 months ago, Kyah was not even conceived yet!  Just to think that we had this idea of adding to our family through the blessed gift of adoption and God was just creating her half a world away!  AMAZING!  That her biological parents had to go through some major sacrifices and unfathomable experiences for us to parent her just boggles my mind.  So many things had to work out so perfectly for all this to happen.  And, God did just that!  He, only He, worked in our hearts so that we could hear His calling for us to adopt.  He has made it so clear that this tiny little child needs to be raised in our home.  I don't think I've ever felt more sure of anything else than I have going through this adoption process.
Yes, it took a very long time for it to happen.  Looking back, that's just what I needed.  Not wanted, but needed.  My reliance on God and the growth of my faith during this journey have blossomed.  I know that I couldn't have done this without Him.  
Both Todd and I are humbled that God chose us to be Kyah's parents.  It is an honor and we are so privileged to do so! 

Kyah is SO much fun!  We are blessed to have her in our family and are thankful that God chose her for our new little girl!
Now that we are finally able to put pictures of Kyah on-line, I'm gonna take advantage of doing so!

Sunday afternoon fun in the swing

Outside fun with grampa Jack, one of her favorite people!

Jesse and Kyah checking out our cows.
She loves watching all our animals and 
likes to wave to them.  =)

 

             



Kyah made easy friends with our dog, Bree.
She drops food ...  Bree cleans up!





                                                                                    
  Love this girl!!

        

                                    Wonderful to have our little angel home!

     


                       Meet
           Kyah!!
      
We are thrilled to have her home with us and it's been a great week of getting to know one another!

She did amazing on all our flights home.  Prayer is a powerful thing!

She liked watching TV and eating cheerios and crackers while traveling home.  =)
She also received her "Delta Wings" from the pilot!

             

      


     Todd cuddling Kyah at our guesthouse in Ethiopia and loving every minute of it!!

      Enjoying the sights and our time    together in Ethiopia!

 A lovely home-coming welcome at the airport with excited siblings and grandparents.

Home at last!






We want to thank those of you who helped welcome us home at the air port!  It was a wonderful celebration and you helped make the day even more special!  We are truly blessed with all your friendships!  

"For this child we have prayed and the Lord has granted us what we have asked of Him."
1 Samuel 1:27    

October 15, 2010 AND 2012

We're coming home!  Can't believe our 10 days in Africa is almost done.  God has brought us through this amazing adoption of Kyah and we've experienced so much!

We ate breakfast with Sarah Z, our social worker from Holland!  She, and Jill, are doing training in Ghana and Ethiopia and happened to stay at our Morning Coffee Guesthouse last night!  

We will return to Grand Rapids on Monday, October 15....our 2 year DTE date!!  (Dossier To Ethiopia).  The date we officially get to the US is the same date that our Dossier was sent to Ethiopia 2 years prior!!  2 years!  ...well, plus 5 months of home study, paper work, etc... but I think it's pretty cool it's exactly 2 years later.  October 15 will always be a favorite!

Our flight info is:

Delta flight 6141 in GR on October 15th at 4:50pm

We have about 26 hours of travel.  Yes, 26 hours with a 15 month old...please pray she tolerates it well (and that we do, too!)  We have lay-overs in both Amsterdam and Detroit to re-group.  You know how it is when you're finished with a trip and you just want to get home...we'd love prayers for patience, safe and on-time flights and for our emotional entry home with Kyah.

Kyah Gracelin Marie

Kyah is feeling SO much better!  Thanks to everyone for praying for her!  Her antibiotic and Motrin are helping.  I have actually had her get off my lap and we're seeing glimpses of her silly personality.  She's eating and drinking pretty well now and sleeping great at night.  Praise to God!  Although none of this is fun to deal with, it's especially difficult in a foreign country with a 15 month old who can't understand our language.  ha!  God has been our guide through all of this and we feel privileged to parent her!

Things about Kyah:
Her favorite toy is an orange matchbox truck  (against Jordan's approval)
Enjoys looking at herself in the mirror
Feeds Todd cheerios
Likes to kiss us
Sticks her tongue out
Is fussy about her sippy cup (we've tried several!) 
She's so tiny that her leggings are like sweat pants

Today (Saturday) we visited a place called Yezelalem Minch, which is a ministry that provides care for about 1300 children.  We have had many opportunities while in Ethiopia  and this was a high-light!  We were there when they feed the children, most of which do not have any living parents.  These children who literally have nothing, were some of the happiest little people I've ever seen!  They patiently waited in a line of well over 150 children for their food without complaining.  Then literally went and sat on rocks and in the dirt to eat their lunch.  Again, with smiling faces.  

Tonight will be our last night here.  I write this with tears in my eyes.  We have had an amazing time in Ethiopia and it's bitter-sweet to leave.  This place will forever be special to our family and we have enjoyed our time here immensely! But, our time is coming to an end. We can not WAIT to have all 7 of us all together!  Oh, how I miss Gabe, Jordan, Jesse & Solomon!!  I can't wait to see them at the airport!

Thanks so very much for all your encouragement and prayers.  We have felt them on the other side of the world, with God graciously carrying us every step! 

p.s.  Does anyone have a pack-n-play or something similar that we could borrow?  email us @ klaasen7@gmail.com