1 1/2 and loads of fun!

Kyah has turned 1 1/2 now and continues to be adjusting really well!  She is a real momma's girl (which I totally admit that I love!)  I have said from the day we brought her home that it feels like she's been with our family from the beginning and it still feels that way.  She has many Klaasen characteristics such as loves coffee, Mexican food, books, playing games on people to make them laugh, enjoys being outside and her silly personality.  Oh, she is just so much fun to have around and I enjoy my days with her immensely!  How thankful I am to be a stay at home mom!! 

Her vocabulary continues to amaze us.  She can say over 50 words, although we may be the only ones to understand all of them.  She absolutely loves her siblings and plays with them well.  She's very orderly and insists and closing things or shutting things immediately after use.  (My other kids could learn from her - ha!)  She loves shoes and boots and tries wearing other peoples as often as possible.  Although she still plays with tractors and trucks, I see her playing with her baby-dolls more often, much to Jordan's approval!  She likes chunky puzzles and, with a bit of help, will put them together over and over.

We recently met with our church elders and are planning on getting her baptized and are working on details.  I am very excited for that day!  Todd & I were asked if we would share a bit about our adoption experience at that service.  We are honored to and need to organize our thoughts.  Please pray we will be effective in sharing to others the wonderful gift that adoption can be!

 Thank you Trista, for your patience and beautiful photo's!!

It's a tough wait!

I just got off the phone with a dear friend of mine who is waiting for their Ethiopian referral.  It makes me tearfully sad to think of her pain she is going through right now.  It's tough!  She and her husband are nearing 25 months of just wait time.  ...not to mention the months of paperwork to get to this point!

I'm going to use this blog today as an opportunity to ask everyone to pray for my sweet friend and her family.  They need some news, any news.  They are at the "top of the list" and yet they wait, nothing happening.

I know God is at work and He's preparing their hearts and their Ethiopian child for each other.  I know that, but it's still tough!

Following God's plans are usually quite an adventure!  When I look back, I can see Him and His plans and how they've come together in such a grand orchestration, something I could never even have thought of!

Join me in praying and I thank you all!

"Dear Lord God,
You know the plans for this family.  You want the very best for them.  You know the plans for their future baby boy.  You want the very best for him.  We ask You to continue to give this family patience as the wait to bring their child home is growing longer.  Hold them in Your hand and surround them with Your perfect peace!  Love that little boy and put people in his life that love and support him until his Michigan family can.  Lord, this is all in Your timing and may Your will be done.  Now, we ask that they get matched with their child soon.  That the process for court & embassy happen quickly after their referral and that they can become the family you have always planned them to be! 

Father, You can do all things and we ask in the Name of Jesus for this family to get their referral and bring their little boy home!!  AMEN."

Pictures of Christmas

Christmas morning "pile-up on Todd!"

 Sisters having fun!

Kyah LOVES her her pink chair & tea-pot set!

Getting ready for her first time in the snow!!

Little snow-bunny!

Wearing new out-fit from Great Aunt Judy & hat from Pam  =)....and talking on the phone again!

Relaxing in her new pink chair

Loves to hear Gabe practice guitar

Fun in the snow with Grampa & Jordy

Jesse pulling Solomon & Kyah

Jesse & Solomon

Kyah & big brother Gabriel

MUCH to celebrate!

That's what this season is all about...celebration!  It began with Thanksgiving and feeling an overwhelming gratitude to our Heavenly Savior for the addition of Kyah!  Then, the celebration of Jesus' birth!  That He came to this Earth in human form and live among men and remain sinless.  I celebrate His life and how vitally important it is for me to continue to follow Him closely.  And now a New Year celebration! Our family adventures in 2012 were literally "over the top!"  We continue to have MUCH to celebrate!!

The Girls!

The Boys!

Kyah is officially Kyah!  We received her Michigan Birth Certificate last week and it's neat to see it in writing and on official documents with her name change.  We're finding out as we go what paper work is still needed and how we are to go about getting it.  Once in a while I'll say her Ethiopian name to her and she looks at me and laughs.  She still knows it but apparently thinks it's funny that I would call her that.   =)

She is such a little smartie!  When I think it's been almost 9 weeks that she has been around the English language and how many words she can say and what she obviously understands, I am amazed!  I've talked to her since day one as if she should understand me and rarely does it even seem like she doesn't.  We are pretty sure that English is now her 3rd language that she's been exposed to.  She can say about 20 + words and seems to say something new every day.  I love this age when the "wheels are turning" and new things are learned daily!

Her siblings are amazing with her.  They love her so much!  Each of them take time with her and their love for her is obvious.  They watch over where she is, what she's doing or eating, etc..to make sure she's safe and having fun.  They are so good with her.  Jesse is already sure he wants to adopt some day.  So, if there are any 10 year old little girls thinking the same way...look him up!  It's just such a wonderful thing for our children to be exposed to adoption.  It's what God calls us to do and these 4 see first hand how following God's will can be a blessing.  We have been able to learn and teach them about the Ethiopian culture and how to except people of different races and backgrounds.  They love their little sister.  And, as Solomon puts it:  "She's just so cute!  I would even kiss her with mud in her mouth!"

The 5 Klaasen kiddo's

Looking cute in her pink camo!

Wearing an outfit we bought for her in Ethiopia.

Still fits into her traditional Ethiopian dress she wore at her ceremony.

Feeding her baby-doll.

Our Christmas beauty!

 

Please join us in praying for our friends Robin, Kerri and Carmen (and their spouses and families) as they are in process of adopting their children from Ethiopia.  It's a long, sometimes very stressful and discouraging process, that is worth every single minute of it!!  Pray that the process goes smooth for them and that they can be united with their new additions one day real soon!

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!!