Mother's Day thoughts....

As you can imagine this was an extra special Mother's Day for me!  I smile and LOL just thinking of how things have "played out" in my life.  My mom is one of the most important people in the world to me and I was reminded often in the past few weeks just how blessed I am to have her!


Gabe is about to graduate, Jordan will soon take drivers training, Jesse will end elementary school, Solomon will move on to 2nd grade and Kyah learns and amazes us more each day!  I can not imagine my life without one of these super special kiddo's!  Knowing that I was chosen by God to be their mother is a pure honor!

Shortly after we were matched with Kyah last summer, my friend, Myrna, forwarded an adoption blog that she follows.  In it, the adoptive mother wrote a wonderful poem that touched my heart.  I thought about that many times and decided that I needed to write one similar and make it my own.  I certainly am no poet (unlike my dad) but I feel that now is a perfect time to share.  I have only shared this with Todd and Myrna, until now.  When I wrote it, I was thinking about Kyah's biological mom.  The love that I feel towards both she and Kyah's bio-dad grows when I think about the complete sacrifice they made so that she could survive.  Unfortunately, we were unable to meet them face-to-face while in Ethiopia, however, I know that someday I will meet them....       


Pure Religion 

What was I doing that day?  Did I realize, deep within me, that that day was something special?  Something special happening so far away, but yet would impact me so close.  Did you know what was happening?  Were you able to be with someone who cared about what you were going through?  A family was created.  A family that was for a moment.  But not meant to be.

What was it like to look down at her beautiful little brown face?  Does she resemble you?  Did she cry?  Did you cry?  What was I doing that day?
Perhaps making breakfast for my kids.  Going through the many choices and having them decide what they wanted.  Making plans for the day, which would include an afternoon in our pool.  Did you have enough to eat that day?  Were you scared?  Did you cradle that babe in your arms tightly, knowing that it wasn't meant to be?

Oh, how I thank you for giving her life!  I'm sure it wasn't easy!  Probably no doctor, perhaps no roof over your head.  You could have ended things for her.  I'm so grateful you didn't!  I thank you that you gave her a second chance at life.  Are you able to have a second chance at life now, too?

Humbly, I will give her everything that you were not able to.  I will smother her with all the love and affection I can.  I will raise her as I do my blond haired, blue eyed babes.  I will show her no difference, since she in now my own.  With joy I celebrate her little life!  I adopt because I am adopted.  I am adopted into Christ's family.  His holy chosen people and I will raise this little one to know Him so saves.

written by Carrie, adoptive mother

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27 


 

Time goes fast when you're having fun!

Kyah's been home with us officially for 6 months now!  For an entire 1/2 year already!!  It still feels like she's been with us from her very first breath.  Sometimes I think about the 15 months that I've missed with her, time that I'll never get back.  But, let me tell you...we're making up for it now! 
Oh, this little girl is changing!  She is so social.  I keep joking that she will be the perfect girl to be on a float in a parade.  All she wants to do is say "hi" to people, wave and blow kisses.  Like the teller at the bank who gave her a sucker and she says in a very large voice "bye" and then blows  him a kiss.  =)  She has made it all the way through 2 church services (that's a big step for an almost 22 month old!) and loves wandering around church greeting people.   Hey, she could be the official welcomer there!  LOL  She absolutely loves living on our farm.  She begs to get her coat and shoes on to go out and visit our calves, goats, bunnies and cats.  She has no fear of any of the animals and tries to feed and touch each of them.  Never would have believed we'd have an Ethiopian farm girl around here!  =)  
Although I haven't had her weighed lately, I can see that she's growing.  She's outgrowing some clothes and getting taller.  Her little feet are still a size 2 - 3.  Her hair is about 4 inches long and curls up tight when wet.  I've been coming up with new hair styles and am enjoying working with those beautiful little curls of hers.  She's got great dimples and is such a happy little girl.  Can't wait to see what she'll think of our pool this summer.  I'm guessing it won't take her long to jump in like the rest of the kiddo's!
She absolutely loves her brothers and sister!  She just squeals when they get home from school.  She "talks" on the phone all the time.  When it's really Todd calling, she talks and talks to him like a little adult.  (wonder where she gets that from ??)  She always wants her nails painted and has even sweet-talked Todd and her grampa Jack into painting them for her.   =)  She is fascinated with bugs and, at this point, isn't scared to pick up worms.  ha!  She drags Jordan to our computer and says "buke, buke"  meaning Luke Bryan.  She dances like crazy to his music videos!  And, her favorite food is still cheese!  =)
Family happenings;  Todd and I recently celebrated our 22 wedding anniversary, Jesse and Solomon were in Little Hawks wrestling, Jordan and Jesse had their 7th and 2nd piano recital and we're getting ready for Gabe's graduation!  Love this family and am so thankful for each one of them!

Can't wait for a ride on the gator!

wants to see every calf

They're so cute she even kisses them!

Kyah poses with her John Deere

Jesse & Solomon at their wrestling tournament

Loves books and being read to

EASTER at the Klaasen's

Grampa Jack painting nails (his very first attempt!)

I found her playing in her empty bath tub

Coloring with Solomon

   God is good, all the time!!

Baptized in the Name of the Father....

Kyah was baptized during a wonderfully themed orphan service a couple of weeks ago.  She did really well and it was a special day for our family!
Grampa Lee prayed for her and for us as we raise her in a Christian home.  Grampa Jack sang "Lullaby of Love" to her (the same song he sang for all 5 of his grandchildren now!)   Todd and I told about our adoption journey and how God totally had this all planned according to His purpose for all of our lives.  We were also able to share about how each one of us, as Christians, are called to care for orphans.  Yes, that may take us out of our "comfort zones" but if we truly do what God wants us to do, we may have to "get dirty".  Our good friend, Lisa, shared about the new orphan fund that our church recently began.  Hooray, that our church has this vision and can now help families in this way!  And finally, Tom, a representative from God's Littlest Angel's in Haiti, spoke and raised awareness of the needs they face each day.  He has a blog, check it out at:   http://godslittlestangelsinhaiti.org/thoughts/2013/03/13/story-16-are-we-willing-to-get-dirty/
Jordan created a fantastic video that was played during the service and it went through all the events that took place during our wait to bring Kyah home.  I treasure that video and watch it often!
After the service, we celebrated with family and special friends.  It was such an amazing day for all of us and we owe it all to the One in charge!

Grampa Lee praying for Kyah

Grampa Jack singing "Lullaby of Love"

Kyah joined Todd & I on stage

Lookin' good, Solomon!!

Couldn't have done it without my "girls!"

Love, love my girls!!

 We praise God for uniting us with Kyah and being able to parent her!  She is a precious little gift and our prayer would be that others find this much happiness in what the world considers to be "the least of these".  As the song goes; "if not us, who will be like Jesus to the least of these?"

February 12

We want to thank each of you who prayed for our dear friends who were struggling with their Ethiopian adoption referral wait.  On February 12...they got it!!  
After 25 1/2 months of waiting they are now able to look into the eyes of their darling little boy's picture!  Oh, is he ever a cutie! Once again, God pulled them through their valley as they longed for news of him.  Their process of waiting continues as a court date will be assigned, but they are feeling so very blessed to be chosen to parent this little angel!

Thank you so much for crying out on their behalf.  I ask that you continue to remember in prayers all those who are waiting to bring their newest family members home forever.  My friends Kerri, Carmen and Lisa are all in the long waiting time right now.
God bless each of you.  Your prayers are being heard!!

I miss

I am feeling a bit sentimental.  I am blessed beyond what I deserve in life, and yet, I miss.  I fell in love with Ethiopia in so many wonderful ways.  You know what it's like when you visit a place and just really, really like it?  Well, it is more, so much more than that.  My sweet little daughter's life began there.  Her Ethiopian family is there.  Part of my heart remains there.  I miss it!  

We look through our photo's and video's from our 2 trips often.  I wish I was there to hear their accents, see their expressions, watch them herding their animals in the streets  =)  , admire their determination, taste new and delicious foods, sip their macchiato's, be encouraged by Burtikan, climb all those marble steps at the guesthouse, see their amazing mountainous views, visit with the homeless, parent less children at the feeding program,  even (gulp) be chauffeured around their crazy roads.  Our trips to Ethiopia will remain some of the best times in our lives!  AND, our lives will forever be changed because of them.  

God is faithful.  God is able.  God is good, all the time!

Some of our special friends in Ethiopia:

 

Our Ethiopian Family

Todd, Carrie & Firew just before heading out to pick up Kyah!

The Morning Coffee Guesthouse with Burtikan & Nasibu

We were fortunate and blessed on both trips to have a wonderful Christian man named Firew (pronounced Fray-O) be our Bethany guide.  On one excursion, we were at the top on Mt. Toto, which over looks Addis Ababa, and asked if we could video him saying his famous phrase "God is good, all the time".  Not only did he say it for us, he sang it!  It is a treasure to me.  

The way that I'm feeling.....

I realize that this is for an animal adoption, but I couldn't resist! :)

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!!