Old Acquaintances and New

One of the unexpected blessings of our foray into the world of international adoption has been the wonderful people we've gotten to meet who share (or soon will share) this unique experience. In the last few months I've exchanged numerous e-mails with a few other families who have already or want to soon adopt from Albania through Bethany. Last night I got to meet two of them in person when they came to Wilmore for a visit! The occasion was a visit from David and Melba Harmon, houseparents for 6 years at Bethany's orphanage in Tirana. Now retired, they travel around the U.S. to visit children they knew who were adopted by American families. Knowing the Harmons would be staying the night in our home last night, about a week and a half ago I proposed a visit by two ladies in Tennessee whom I thought might be interested in meeting the Harmons and picking their brains about adopting from this unique corner of the globe. I was thrilled when they accepted our invitation and came! They're photographed with me below.

Here are the Harmons with Ellie. We met them in Albania in 2004 and discussed in detail the process of adopting through Bethany. Now here they are, three years later, in our home with Ellie!

After company left, Ellie wanted to 'help' with the dishes. She kept the bubbles fresh. I couldn't resist a photo-op, even if it shows our kitchen in less than stellar conditions. :-)

Incidentally, Mommy did help. Her job was to dry.

Happy Father's Day, Nathan!

...from Cydil and Els

Enjoyin' KY beauty!

Next week is going to be absolutely zany for us so when we discussed last Sunday when to do "that kayak trip" with Siobhan, we decided there was no time better than the present and scheduled it for this morning. We only had a few hours on the river as we had to be back at the center by 1 to give missions advice to some missions-minded high school students in town for Icthus (their youth leader, Bonnie Olds, was a classmate of ours at Asbury). But fortunately we can drop into the KY River about 10 minutes from home and it's just a few paddles to the Dix, a smaller, quieter river where we met lots of friendly folks out enjoying the peace of nature too. It was just what I needed and a nice time spent with a good friend!

If you could see this photo full size, you would see that Ellie is stuffing her mouth with Cheerios.

This is the other view of Ellie one sees in the kayak. Next time we're going to have to bring a rope to tie around her waist. She just wanted IN the water! It made for several whiney moments where we were beginning to re-think what a wonderful idea this was for 'family time'! Other than that, we got a lot of smiles and even a photo request from another kayaker who thought we were 'so cute'!

Ellie's Birthday in Photos

We took a long lunch break and fit in a quick trip to the pool before (Ellie's) naptime. We had never been before (even though it's just down the road in Nicholasville)! Ellie enjoyed it overall and forgave us for dressing her in her swimsuit and not putting her in her little wading pool (which is where she thought she was going until we put her in the car -- she was NOT happy).

College friend Mark stopped in for a visit after naptime!

Nonna & PaPa sing Happy Birthday over the telephone

We ended the day with an evening walk around the neighborhood to check out the crowds rolling into town for Wilmore's famous Icthus music festival which began tonight. All in all, I know Ellie didn't know it was her birthday, but probably a better day for her than most. :-)

June 14

As the calendar has flipped closer and closer to June 14, I have found myself thinking more and more about Ellie's birthday. Not THIS June 14 but Ellie's day of birth 2 years ago. On June 4 I posted some photos of the hospital where she was born. Last Sunday evening I got a peek of the building's interior thanks to Mrs. Bush's visit and the accompanying staff photographer who documented the First Lady holding a newborn there (see http://www.whitehouse.gov/). Other than those images and a small polaroid we have of an infant Ellie in a baby swing, the events and circumstances surrounding that day are largely unknown.

On June 14, 2005 Nathan and I were completely unaware of events unfolding across the Atlantic that would change the rest of our lives (not to mention, hers!). The date on my Outlook calendar is blank. It was probably a normal, quiet Flag Day here in Wilmore. We wouldn't begin the process of adoption for another 5 months, but the Lord had already been preparing our hearts. While we haven't shared much of our adoption journey on this blog, I thought I might use this opportunity today to post a a few pictures that I dug out of an album in a closet that show a few events and people that God placed in my life that I have looked back on as influencing our decision to adopt, and from Albania:

My sophomore year Christmas break was spent with my family in Albania. For a couple of days my sister, Bug, and friends Pam & Becca and I stayed at a group home for teens in Tirana called the Vocational School. At age 16 they were supposed to move out as they were no longer supported by the State. Whenever I remembered that visit I would often wonder what became of those girls. A few years ago my mom bumped into Dhurata (bottom photo, left) on the street and at the time she was nanny-ing for some missionaries. She beat the statistics!

Fast-forward 2 years to 1996, I'm back in Albania for a 2nd visit. (Above) Me at Bethany's group home near Tirana for toddlers and infants. At the time I had no idea that I would apply to adopt through Bethany and pray that others would hold babies like our daughter!

The Many Faces of Elisona Waggoner

Ellie on her Deere

Ellie Turns Two!!

Though Ellie technically doesn't turn two until Thursday, we had a little celebration with Nonna, PaPa, and Aunt Rebecca on Sunday while they were in town. Here's a few photos from the festivities.