tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3878222821666515302024-03-12T16:28:22.945-07:00The Brown BunchJustin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-82698875044722115112011-08-21T08:03:00.000-07:002011-08-21T11:14:19.180-07:00Chera and Kenenisa are home!
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<br />After over two years of waiting, Chera and Kenenisa are finally home! They got in late last night at 9:15. Chera running to hug me when he walked through the gates was the greatest feeling ever. Both boys were very excited to meet their new brother and immediately gave him kisses and tried to hold him. They still constantly give him kisses. It's a good thing he is a pretty laid back baby!
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<br />There were a few other kids at the airport. The boys and the other kids very naturally began playing together. It was pretty sweet. I'll post some pictures of the airport later.
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<br />Overall the boys slept well. I guessed that their sleep schedule would be off since Ethiopia is 4 hours ahead and they took a four hour nap at the airport in Washington. They went to sleep at 11:30 and woke up at 7:30. It was much more sleep than I expected they would get. We have had a great day so far. The boys have been busy with soccer, puzzles, coloring, and swinging. They are the sweetest boys. Here are some pics of yesterday and today.
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<br />Thanks for all the prayers and support!
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<br />Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-70878556078842766982011-08-20T14:14:00.000-07:002011-08-20T14:16:06.341-07:00Another Change.It's changed again! They are estimated to arrive at 9. There is a small possibility that they could leave earlier. I will send out a message if they do. I understand that it is late for people to come to the airport, especially with kids. So please don't feel bad if you planned to come and can't now. :)
<br />Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-84059302910156839472011-08-20T10:33:00.001-07:002011-08-20T10:33:55.941-07:00ChangesJustin's itinerary has changed. He will now be arriving from Washington at 6:30. Flight number UA6029.
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<br />The boys got some sleep on the plane, but were pretty restless for the rest of the flight. I think they are having fun checking out all their new surrounding. Justin said that they had their first water fountain experience and Kenenisa thinks of it as more recreational as opposed to drinking.
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<br />Thanks so much for the prayers!Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-18676711167205443592011-08-18T19:14:00.000-07:002011-08-18T19:47:56.494-07:00UpdateTalked to the boys today. Everyone was doing good. They actually all got sick from the food they ate on Wednesday night, but seemed to be better by Thursday evening. Everyone is ready to come home and I am ready to have them home. I know Brittney and her kids are ready to have James home as well.
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<br />Tomorrow night they will start their journey home. Here are some specific prayer requests that we have:
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<br />-That everyone stomach fully recovers.
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<br />-That they are able to make it to all of their flights in time.
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<br />-We are expecting the trip home to be exciting but scary for Chera and Kenenisa. Prayers that they are able to sleep and stay calm.
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<br />- That Justin and James get some rest on the way home.
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<br />Thank you so much for the encouragement, prayers, help, and food. We appreciate it all!
<br />Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-12533736262852307442011-08-17T14:31:00.000-07:002011-08-17T14:52:37.612-07:00Airport Arrival As most of you know, adoption airport celebrations are pretty fun. A few people have asked when Justin will be back with the boys. He will be arriving on Saturday at 4:00. They have very little time to get to their plane in Chicago. Lots of prayers that their plane from Washington is on time. Check the blog on Saturday and I will post if I know he is running late.
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<br />Since I haven't seen the boys in a while, I would ask that instead of meeting at security, it would be great if everyone could meet downstairs at the bottom of the escalators. I could get a gate pass, but taking a double stroller and two kids through security is difficult. Thank you to everyone for understanding!
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<br />Also, for the first few days we will be "cocooning" with our new family. Coming home is going to be an exciting, overwhelming and new experience for the boys. This will give them a little time to adjust and help us to provide a stable and consistent environment. We ask that everyone saves their visits until we have had a little family time. This doesn't apply to people bringing meals! We really need you to come! :)
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<br />Here are some great pics from Zoey's airport arrival.
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<br />Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-10588392564816632052011-08-17T06:36:00.000-07:002011-08-17T08:23:10.196-07:00Embassy Appointment!Just talked to Justin and the boys passed their embassy appointment! This was a huge relief since it is really the last hurdle before bringing your kids home. It's rare that families have any problems at this stage, but glad it's great to have it over with.
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<br />I think the all the boys are finally a little rested up. They seemed a lot more calm this morning. Both boys are ready to come home. They are talking about America and getting on a plane. After being in an orphanage for almost 3 years, I can understand why. They were also the only older kids in the transition house. I could imagine they were pretty bored.
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<br />The boys are really into everything. They want to tear through every single thing Justin brought for them. Justin is trying to gradually get out things so they stay entertained. It sound like they are really into arts/crafts, puzzles, and of course soccer. They love their backpacks and want to put all their belongings in them.
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<br />This was pretty sweet. I have menioned that Zoey is having a hard time when Asher cries. While I was talking to Justin, Zoey started crying because she heard Asher over the monitor. Chera immediately ran over to the webcam and started trying to comfort her. Hoping he is successful at this once he gets here. I could use the help!
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<br />Thanks so much for all the prayers! I will post more updates as I get them. Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-86576535940013913192011-08-15T19:32:00.000-07:002011-08-15T20:17:19.300-07:00Happy Gotcha Day Zoey Hiwot!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uuM4M4yFglY/Tknfd9PK3bI/AAAAAAAAArE/j_WfB949vu4/s1600/DSC_1663_962.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uuM4M4yFglY/Tknfd9PK3bI/AAAAAAAAArE/j_WfB949vu4/s320/DSC_1663_962.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641285714005646770" /></a>
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<br />One year ago today Justin and I brought home our beautiful Zoey Hiwot. This past Tuesday was the anniversary of her "Gotcha Day", the day we first came together as a family. We celebrated by putting Zoey in one of her Ethiopian dresses and going to the Queen of Sheba, our local Ethiopian restaurant.
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<br />It's hard to imagine she has been with us for a year now. It feels like we were just walking into the orphanage picking up our chunky baby. I am so thankful that God put her into our lives. Deciding to adopt her was a scary decision. She had so many unknowns and we were also in the process to adopt Chera and Kenenisa. We are so grateful that God made it very clear the path we needed to take.
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<br />She has come so far this past year. Our little girl who could barely hold her head up has improved by leaps and bounds. Zoey is the happiest little girl that brightens my mood if I am feeling down or tired. She is such a little social butterfly and makes friends wherever she goes
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<br />Although it's been hard waiting for Chera and Kenenisa, our year with Zoey has been precious and we will always treasure it. Happy Gotcha Day Zoey Hiwot!
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<br />Our first meeting with our beautiful girl!
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<br />Arriving at the Airport
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<br />Our Gotcha Day Dinner
<br />Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-8167325040527376422011-08-15T08:06:00.000-07:002011-08-15T08:19:16.327-07:00They made it!Justin and James made it to Ethiopia! i was able to skype with Justin and the boys this morning. The plan was for the boys to stay the first night at the orphanage. We both thought it would be an easier transition for them. Both boys didn't want him to leave them, so he went ahead and took them back to the hotel. After all this waiting, it sounds like they are ready to come home!
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<br />The boys were super energetic and hyped up about everything. It sounds like they were really excited about their pajamas. I doubt they have ever had any before. It's crazy to think that pajamas could be so special. There are so many things that we are just used to having in the US. I can't imagine what they are going to think about their own room, a closet full of clothes, bikes, etc.
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<br />I will hopefully get to skype with them again this afternoon. Praying that they all get some sleep. Justin seemed pretty tired.
<br />Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-13625213405956961562011-07-26T18:18:00.000-07:002011-07-29T19:05:50.320-07:001 Down, 2 to Go!One of our beautiful boys is officially here! Asher Josiah Brown made is debut Sunday afternoon at 1:08pm. He weighed 7 lbs 3 oz and is 20 inches. Both of us are doing great. Although he was a week earlier than we expected, the birth went great. Thankfully everything went according to our birthplan with no medical intervention. I couldn't have done it without Justin. He was so strong and encouraging throughout the entire labor. We are very thankful to the wonderful staff at Clark Memorial and our fabulous Doula Jackie. <br /><br />A few people have asked about bringing meals. Our friend Emily from our church has organized a meal calendar. You can sign up using the calendar by going to www.takethemameal.com and use our name: brown and password: 111<br /><br />Enjoy some pics of our first few days with our new little guy! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aCRsYFPNj3Y/TjCytJo-FzI/AAAAAAAAApU/4ts8wd350BA/s1600/DSC_1602_903.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aCRsYFPNj3Y/TjCytJo-FzI/AAAAAAAAApU/4ts8wd350BA/s320/DSC_1602_903.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634199622592108338" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dPMlg2Uyplw/TjCzOx03LKI/AAAAAAAAApc/82-4GUAJxDA/s1600/DSC_1606_907.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dPMlg2Uyplw/TjCzOx03LKI/AAAAAAAAApc/82-4GUAJxDA/s320/DSC_1606_907.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634200200315088034" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I2vm_TUNC8I/TjC23jpXLSI/AAAAAAAAAps/E8y1RoG6KOc/s1600/DSC_1608_909.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I2vm_TUNC8I/TjC23jpXLSI/AAAAAAAAAps/E8y1RoG6KOc/s320/DSC_1608_909.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634204199418277154" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S-VYr4wyde4/TjC30kr36QI/AAAAAAAAAp8/ovVRh_WZFvE/s1600/DSC_1634_935.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S-VYr4wyde4/TjC30kr36QI/AAAAAAAAAp8/ovVRh_WZFvE/s320/DSC_1634_935.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634205247669266690" /></a><br /> Some Kangaroo Care with Dad.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f5ZWLtuppZ0/TjC3cjExm-I/AAAAAAAAAp0/j4heYIt2k4E/s1600/DSC_1622_923.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f5ZWLtuppZ0/TjC3cjExm-I/AAAAAAAAAp0/j4heYIt2k4E/s320/DSC_1622_923.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634204834919980002" /></a><br /> Zoey's first time meeting her baby brother. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4j_21JECG-o/TjNgwCPKREI/AAAAAAAAAqE/MnRjGPeqRzE/s1600/DSC_1636.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4j_21JECG-o/TjNgwCPKREI/AAAAAAAAAqE/MnRjGPeqRzE/s320/DSC_1636.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634953937121068098" /></a><br /> Meeting Nana<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-caMZL-07v5I/TjNhLlNxg3I/AAAAAAAAAqM/uK0oZXClOPs/s1600/DSC_1640_941.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-caMZL-07v5I/TjNhLlNxg3I/AAAAAAAAAqM/uK0oZXClOPs/s320/DSC_1640_941.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634954410366960498" /></a><br /> Intense conversation between Pop and Zoey.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3jI-hP5Eihw/TjNiB8ERjSI/AAAAAAAAAqU/vS1RMHiGo78/s1600/DSC_1647.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3jI-hP5Eihw/TjNiB8ERjSI/AAAAAAAAAqU/vS1RMHiGo78/s320/DSC_1647.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634955344214068514" /></a><br /> Asher rocking his Dad's favorite hat from Ethiopia<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PAQVFbiEJ9o/TjNiUCHgjrI/AAAAAAAAAqc/6_aS-9slR14/s1600/DSC_1652.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PAQVFbiEJ9o/TjNiUCHgjrI/AAAAAAAAAqc/6_aS-9slR14/s320/DSC_1652.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634955655075892914" /></a><br /> Hanging out with Mimi and Papaw during his first day home. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zu9bM_gx9Hg/TjNiwBRYE_I/AAAAAAAAAqk/u9fnTBZrc4w/s1600/DSC_1655_956.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zu9bM_gx9Hg/TjNiwBRYE_I/AAAAAAAAAqk/u9fnTBZrc4w/s320/DSC_1655_956.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634956135885181938" /></a><br /> Zoey and Buddy welcoming their brother home.Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-34525382853782159072011-07-16T07:41:00.000-07:002011-07-16T07:47:38.482-07:00Official Date!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZBPQorAys9Y/TiGjzCWd2bI/AAAAAAAAApM/JzKHNCtHOpA/s1600/bjb.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZBPQorAys9Y/TiGjzCWd2bI/AAAAAAAAApM/JzKHNCtHOpA/s320/bjb.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629961106389588402" /></a><br /><br />We have officially been assigned an embassy date! Justin will be traveling to Ethiopia on August 14th with an Embassy appointment on August 17th. It is so wonderful to finally have this. Being in such limbo has been hard. Hopefully Baby Brown, who is due August 1st, will come on time so Justin can have a couple weeks with him (and me) before he goes.Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-36264117738072991612011-06-16T07:49:00.000-07:002011-06-16T07:58:17.467-07:00Great News!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PsyUFkzZ-jU/TfoYrMbbznI/AAAAAAAAApE/fupAfyEkeCs/s1600/DSC_0104_106.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PsyUFkzZ-jU/TfoYrMbbznI/AAAAAAAAApE/fupAfyEkeCs/s320/DSC_0104_106.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618830615447850610" /></a><br />Check out those handsome guys! Yesterday we received the letter we have been waiting for. USCIS(immigration) has approved us to bring the boys home! God is good. It was definitely news that we needed to hear. Next, our file is forwarded on to the Visa processing center and then to the US embassy in Ethiopia. We are not completely sure how long it's going to take, but we don't expect it to be too long. <br />I spoke to someone in Ethiopia yesterday and he told me that the boys are doing well. We can't wait to get them home. Life is about to get extra crazy, but wonderful at the same time! Thanks for the prayers. I will update when we know more.Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-42994147929505990922011-05-21T16:57:00.000-07:002011-05-21T18:24:39.836-07:00Not a FanAs most of you know, Justin and I attend Southeast Christian Church here in Louisville. We are very blessed with two wonderful pastors who challenge us each week. One of our pastors, Kyle Idleman is releasing a book based on a previous sermon series, "Not Fan, Completely. Committed. Follower." The concept challenges Christians to not just be an enthusiastic admirer of Christ, but to live as he lived and love as he loved. We found out last week that Kyle would like to donate a portion of book sales at the book signing to our adoption. This was very unexpected. A few days before we were stressing a little about the continued cost (mostly travel related). Why should we be surprised that God was going to provide? <br /><br />More than the funding though, we are so happy that adoption will be highlighted. The article in the Outlook did a fabulous job telling our story. I love that the article expressed how we thought and think of Zoey Hiwot, Chera, and Kenenisa as our children even before they became legally ours or lived under our roof. Making the decision to start the adoption process can be very overwhelming. There are so many possible fears; What will our family say?, Can we afford this?, What if the child we adopt has mental or physical health problems?. Can I love a child that is not biologically related to me? We hope that the message of the book will inspire others to step out in faith and let God lead them to something that will likely be difficult, but may bring more joy to their lives than they could ever imagine. <br /><br /> Having our story expressed in an article was and is something that is uncomfortable. We in no way want it to look like we are anything special at all. Thankfully, the article wonderfully focused on God's plan. Our entire journey as parents was led and constructed by God. I know that we are not completely committed followers in every aspect of our lives. There are so many areas of our lives that we could better honor God. Thankfully, he does not expect us to be perfect. If we were, there would be no need for him. <br /><br />Please join us tomorrow, May 22, 7:30, during a live web cast/book signing that will be held at Southeast. There will be great speaking from Kyle and Lee Strobe as well as fabulous music with Mark Hall from Casting Crowns. For more info about Not a Fan, check out: http://www.notafan.com/Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-39791608797126236712011-05-01T15:45:00.000-07:002011-05-01T17:45:13.461-07:00Happy Birthday Zoey Hiwot!Today we celebrated the second birthday of our sweet Zoey Hiwot. Since Zoey came so close to not even having a first birthday, today was very significant to us. It's very hard to process what a hard start to life she had. We are so blessed that God saved her life and placed her into ours. <br /><br />Zoey had a great time. She had pizza and cake, two of her favorite things. Thank you to everyone who came out and celebrated with us. Big thanks go to Amy and her fabulous cake making skills! <br /><br />Click on the picture to see a few pictures of her day:<br /><br /><a href="http://goo.gl/photos/qgOX5QitiX" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:1em"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_ptbnhIcYD3s/Tb3mUjkZJPE/AAAAAAAAAos/4ZEDs2Dvvls/s160-c/ZoeySBirthday.jpg"></a>Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-49504504222206534522011-04-14T19:05:00.000-07:002011-04-15T07:13:18.856-07:00Surprise!It's been a while since I have been on here. Sorry! We have been pretty busy. We have an exusce though. We are expecting another addition to our growing family. This time, we are going the traditional route. We found out late last fall that we are expecting. It was a complete surprise. We hadn't planned on getting pregnant until after the boys were home and settled. As we have been made very aware over the past couple of years, God has his own plans in mind. Although it is a little much right now, I know we will look back years from now and see just how perfect his plan was. <br /><br />I know many of you are saying; Yes, this is not news, its been obvious for a while that you were pregnant!" Thank you for humoring us! For quite a few reasons, we chose not to share our news. At this point, it is pretty much impossible to keep it a secret! <br /><br />Everything has went well. I have been blessed to have a pretty easy pregnancy. Zoey will still be the princess of the family, we found out that it's a boy. <br /><br />No news on Chera and Kenenisa. I spoke to our immigration official who told us he/she had not started working on our case yet. They also let me know that the average turnaround time is now 75 days. He/She received our case on March 16. Good news, I spoke to the social worker at our orphanage. He said that Chera and Kenenisa are doing great. He also explained to them about our delay and that we loved them and missed them. As hard as it is to have to wait for them, I am so thankful that they are happy and healthy. Although an orphanage in Ethiopia is not the optimal place for any child, I do believe that all the staff love the kids and take care of them the best they can. <br /><br />Thank you for your continued prayers and encouragement! We are so thankful for how much support we have received from everyone!Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-7050185989635291432011-02-07T08:40:00.000-08:002011-02-07T08:51:47.916-08:00Apologies and Thank You!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptbnhIcYD3s/TVAhb1rMxHI/AAAAAAAAAk8/kw1Rym3I6GM/s1600/Dawit%2BTrip%2B2%2B052.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptbnhIcYD3s/TVAhb1rMxHI/AAAAAAAAAk8/kw1Rym3I6GM/s320/Dawit%2BTrip%2B2%2B052.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570989501205759090" /></a><br /><br />First of all, so sorry to everyone if I have forgotten an event, not returned a call, not returned an email, or forgotten some other thing. My mind has been all over the place lately and I have been even more scatterbrained than normal. Thanks for your patience! <br /><br />Also, in my last email, I forgot to thank a few people who helped us get our homestudy done in record time. Thanks to Katherine, Trina, Bill, Alice, Cindy, and Dustin. Also, thanks to Susan for pushing those who needed a little encouragement to speed everything up. <br /><br />Enjoy a picture of Zoey when Brittney and James visited her a little over a year ago.Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-776400478355451322011-01-25T11:12:00.000-08:002011-02-05T07:26:56.955-08:00Brown Family Update<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptbnhIcYD3s/TT8hYDKwUdI/AAAAAAAAAkw/YMDmDToA7eM/s1600/DSCI0008-6.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ptbnhIcYD3s/TT8hYDKwUdI/AAAAAAAAAkw/YMDmDToA7eM/s320/DSCI0008-6.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566204361504215506" /></a><br /><br />Check out these handsome boys! A friend was just in Ethiopia picking up his beautiful little girl and snapped this pic for us. He was able to tell the boys we loved them and would come get them as soon as we could. He said they were doing great. <br /><br />We have had a little bit of a set back in our process. We found out a couple weeks ago that our home study(a document that summarizes our lives and approves us to adopt in the US) had ran out. I got confused, thinking it ran out in 24 months(which was the old standard), but it was actually 18 months. Our home study agency did not catch this either. Along with our home study running out, we also had to update since Zoey is home. All of this means that our home study had to basically be done completely over again. Thankfully, we have finished that part. Next, we have to be approved again by USCIS(United States Citizenship and Immigration Services). I spoke to someone yesterday who explained that we had to start over with this process as well. There is no real way to expidite the process, but she asked that I send the application to her attention. She said she would fit it in her current cases and try to get it done as fast as possible. In a normal circumstance, our application would sit on a shelf and wait for an officer to have an opening. I am very grateful for her willingness to help. I was very worried since friends have not had the best experience when asking USCIS for a speedy process. I sent everything yesterday and it should get there by Monday morning. I don't know why, but you send everything to Texas and it then has to be sent to another location. I have no idea how long it will take to get to the officer I spoke to. We are hoping for March, although we have no real idea how long it will actually take. <br />Its been such a long process to bring the boys home. Every step of the way has been full of unexpected bumps. Adoption requires so much faith and trust in God. Everytime we get discouraged, we try to remind ourselves that there is a reason for everything. It is of course still hard, but the fact that God is in control gives us hope.Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-36301536044979301262011-01-02T06:36:00.000-08:002011-01-02T11:02:09.535-08:00Happy New Year!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptbnhIcYD3s/TSCOdwtpdCI/AAAAAAAAAkg/jArjDzcJciE/s1600/Zoey%2Bin%2Bthe%2BHospital.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ptbnhIcYD3s/TSCOdwtpdCI/AAAAAAAAAkg/jArjDzcJciE/s320/Zoey%2Bin%2Bthe%2BHospital.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557598582118904866" /></a><br />This is going to be a long one! I am still processing yesterday, so I may ramble or be overly detailed. <br /><br />Zoey started the New Year off with a bang! She started the New Year's Eve off with her first sleep over with my mom. She did great. She slept and ate good and had tons of fun playing. I was worried because she doesn't always sleep well in new places, but everything went really well. We were proud of her for being such a big girl. <br /><br />We picked her up late morning and mom was a little worried that she seemed to have a little chest congestion. When we got home, I took her temperature and it was a little high. I took it again to make sure it was right and it had actually increase by a degree in that short amount of time. I didn't think much of it and gave her some tylenol. Since it was her nap time anyway, we left her in her crib. I heard a really loud and strange sound come from her. I didn't go in immediately, but something told me I needed to check on her. When I did, I saw that she was awake. I picked her up and at first thought she was just really sleepy. Her eyes were open, but she was unresponsive and totally limp. Her eyes were slowly shifting front to back. I immediately felt that something wasn't right. Justin came in and took her as we decided to take her to the emergency room. As he was taking her out to the car, he ran back in because he realized she wasn't breathing. Her lips were no longer pink and were now dark and dull. At this point, it was obvious that she had a seizure. Our neighbor Amy is a nurse and Justin ran to get her. I gave Zoey two rescue breaths and decided I would go to our other neighbor's who is a fireman. While I was running I had another neighbor call EMS. As I was running to get Scott, I felt her muscles strengthen back up and I hear her make a sound. It was the most wonderful sound ever! Scott was not home, so we went back to our house where Justin was frantically looking for us with Amy. Amy thought she was having a febrile seizure since she also had a fever. Since she was responsive now, we decided to just take her downtown ourselves. In the card ride, she was groggy, but more herself again. <br />Thankfully, Kosair was not crowded and they saw us immediately. They all agreed that it was a febrile seizure and was not a big deal at all. It was not long, probably two minutes at the most and she came out of it really fast. Since they said it was okay, we let Zoey take a nap, which she desperately wanted to do. When she woke up, she was her happy squealing self. The nurse told us "If she is this happy when she is sick, I can't imagine what she is like when she's well!" <br /><br />We had to have a few tests run to see what what was causing the fever, but she tested negative for everything. Their conclusion is that she has a very minor viral illness. She seemed like she was fighting something all week, I guess it finally hit her. It was nice to know that we didn't have to worry about some horrible, highly contagious illness. I hadn't planned on giving the flu shot to her, but it looks like we are getting it now! <br /><br /> When children have febrile seizures, they are likely to get another one. Good times. Even though we now know that they are not a big deal at all, I can't imagine seeing that again. Many of the adults and kids I work with have seizure disorders, so I am pretty used to seeing them. I have had a few clients that have died after having a seizure, so when I realized she was having one, I was pretty scared. Turns out, febrile seizures are not anywhere near as bad as the seizure most of my clients have. They do not last long, and the babies recover from them really fast. It is very rare that a child would have any brain damage from a febrile seizure. We have some medicine to give her in the rare case a seizure lasts 10 minutes. Now, all we can do is try to be aware of her temperature. But, since it is usually a reaction to a sudden fever, they are very hard to prevent. <br /><br />It was a rough night worrying about every little sound she makes and constantly checking her temperature, but we made it. She is doing great today. She has a slight fever, but it is controlled since we are giving her medicine to keep it down. She is having a fabulous day eating her favorite foods and doing her favorite things. You really wouldn't know she was sick at all. We are very thankful that this scary event is really not a big deal if it happens again. We are of course praying that it never happens again! <br /><br />Thank you to our neighbors Amy J, Amy H, Gary and Lisa for your calm presence as we were flipping out!Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-72266096791576788942010-12-11T12:07:00.000-08:002010-12-11T12:07:26.806-08:00Pictures from EthiopiaHere are some pictures from our trip. Since we are at the transition house, we are able to take pictures of the kids. All of them have been adopted. They are in very random orders, sorry. <br /><br /><a href="http://goo.gl/photos/7gnBXeKoV3" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:1em"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ptbnhIcYD3s/TQOjddpAI9E/AAAAAAAAAjg/cZCjzQT3FKs/s160-c/TripToEthiopiaDecember2010.jpg"></a>Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-30535841645120911972010-12-11T07:40:00.000-08:002010-12-11T07:42:51.565-08:00Christmas CardChristmas Card is complete! Check out our first complete family photo. I will post more pics from our trip soon. <br /><br /><br /><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidget" style="width:425px; height:494px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetTop" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/top.gif);"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetCenter" style="height:482px; padding: 0 6px 0 6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bg.gif); background-repeat:repeat-y;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewLogo" style="width: 105px; height: 34px; padding: 14px 0 0 14px;"><img src="http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/logo.gif" /></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewContainer" style="height:350px; text-align:center; padding: 0;"><a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery"><img src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/prs/v1/0AZOWjNy3auGVA/0AZOWjNy3auGVOLA/p/67b0de21b3127d902548/JPEG/1292081820000/0/" /></a></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewMessageContainer" style="height:55px; background-color:#f4f4e9; text-align:center; padding: 15px 0 15px 0; line-height: 19px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewTitle" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 15px; color: #333333; font-weight: bold;"><span>Pop Art Ornaments Christmas</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewSEOText" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>Personalize your <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards" style="color: #6666cc;">Christmas photo cards at Shutterfly</a>.</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewViewCollection" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>View the entire <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery" style="color: #6666cc;">collection</a> of cards.</span></div></div></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetBottom" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bottom.gif);"></div></div>Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-37007397396999128312010-12-09T09:11:00.001-08:002010-12-09T09:11:43.090-08:00Last Update<DIV>Today was a great day. We picked the boys up this morning and took them to the Zoo and out to lunch. It was nice to get them away. Although we love being around all the kids, many of the younger ones are very needy and want all pf our attention while we are trying to get to know the boys. </DIV> <DIV>The main attraction at the Zoo was the lions. They had multiple cages with lots of lion pairs. You can get lot closer to them here than you can get in the US. It was neat, but said becuase all the animals were in pretty small cages. There were also a few monkeys, birds, a gessel, and a little deer tied to a string. </DIV> <DIV>There was a little amusment park and playground at the Zoo as well. This was Chera and Kenenisa's favorite thing to do. They road a few rides and played on a playground. I can't wait until we take them to an amusment park or the fair. Pretty interesting, a maintinance man was welding metal, right in the middle of the walking path. Justin wanted to take Zoey's stroller off road to go around it and our driver could not figure out why. She told us "No big deal, can't hurt you!" Hopefully he wasn't welding a part for one of the rides the boys were on!</DIV> <DIV>Good bye to the boys was hard, but we know we will see them soon. Hopefully, we will receive an embassy date late January or early February.</DIV> <DIV> We have to go now, off to the airport. Thanks for all the prayers! </DIV><BR><BR> Donna Brown MM, MT-BC <br>Louisville Music Therapy, LLC <br>(502)376-9064 <br>DonnaMT@insightbb.com <br>www.louisvillemusictherapy.com <br>www.justinanddonna.blogspot.com</BR></BR> Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-70969659022168456752010-12-08T11:30:00.001-08:002010-12-08T11:30:36.358-08:00Update<DIV> <DIV>We had another wonderful day today. I brought coloring books, notepads, and crayons to the orphanage. This was a big hit for all the kids. They all enjoyed coloring and drawing. The coloring books were Mickey Mouse and almost all the kids new exactly who he was! </DIV> <DIV>The boys are getting more and more comfortable with us. Both times we went today there were waiting for us at the courtyard gate with big smiles. Both boys initiated interaction with Hiwot more today. Kenenisa wanted to feed her and Chera wanted to sit with her while he was coloring. Most of you have seen the ergo carrier that I carry Zoey in. Everytime I put it on, Chera wants to help me. Today while he was helping, a toddler(who is kind of a wild kid) ran up and started touching Zoey. Chera protectively put himself between the toddler and Zoey. I know the little boy meant no harm to Zoey at all, but it was sweet to see how protective Chera was of his sister. </DIV> <DIV>It seems that the orphanage has done their best to explain what will be happening. While they were drawing, Chera drew a plane. Justin asked if he wanted to go on a plane to come home with us in a few months and he said yes. Later, he drew a plane and wrote </DIV> <DIV> MDCKH(Mommy, Daddy, Chera, Kenenisa, Hiwot) inside of it. Very sweet. I am very happy that they have tried to explain things. I know it will still be scary, but at least they will have some idea of what is going to happen. <BR>Zoey is doing very well. I am proud of how she is handling such a hectic schedule. I am so happy that we brought her. It has made the nannies so happy to see that she is doing good. The first question I get is: Have you taken her to the doctor? They are always very excited when I tell them that she has multiple doctors. </DIV> <DIV>This trip we have both been very aware of the mental health issues and disabilities of people on the streets. We have seen many people with obvious mental impairment and horrible physical disabilities. We have been told that there is very little help for people in this situation. Its impossible to imagine what it would be like to live here with any special need or what it's like to have a child with special needs. I saw a girl who did not have use of her legs pulling herself with her arms down the street. I couldn't help but think that this could have been Zoey's life if she wasn't given the chance to live in a place with good medical care. I am very grateful that God has brought her into our lives. </DIV> <DIV>Tomorrow is out last day. We will leave late tomorrow night. Tomorrow morning we are going to be able to take Chera and Kenenisa to the Zoo. Afterwards we are going to go to a traditional Ethiopian restaurant. We are pretty excited. It's going to be a lot of fun. Now, off to sleep!</DIV></DIV><BR><BR> Donna Brown MM, MT-BC <br>Louisville Music Therapy, LLC <br>(502)376-9064 <br>DonnaMT@insightbb.com <br>www.louisvillemusictherapy.com <br>www.justinanddonna.blogspot.com</BR></BR> Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-64817146470229836602010-12-07T09:19:00.001-08:002010-12-07T09:19:21.955-08:00We passed!<DIV>We passed court this morning! We went to the courthouse this morning and waited in a large room with all the other couples. There were quite a few families from our orphanage there. We have gotten to know all of them through hanging out at the transisition house with our kids. They called us back one by one to the hearing room to aswer a few questions. It really only took 5 minutes. It was basically for them to establish that you knew that these would be your children and you were responsible for them. They asked a few questions about Zoey and that was it. At the end she said: "They are yours." After all we have been through waiting and fearing that we would not even be able to adopt them, hearing that was the most wonderful thing we had ever heard. It would have been nice if they boys had been there with us, but I doubt they would have understood any of it and we may have scared them with our crying. </DIV> <DIV>After court we went shopping. This was a fabulous shopping trip. Our driver Ayni took us. It was great to have her their to transate and let us know where was the best place to buy things. We got some really cute traditional outfits for the boys, some decor for home, gifts, and a necklace for Zoey when she gets older. In Ethiopia, the Orthadox Christians and many Protestant Christans wear wooden Coptic crosses. Chera had mentioned he liked crosses so we bought a few for all the older kids in the transition house(only about 11). It was amazing to see how excited all these kids got for these tiny little inexpensive neclaces. Everytime we have brought anything for them; bubbles, stickers, suckers, it's like they hit the lottery. As I have mentioned before, all the kids want to make sure that everyone got one. It is sweet to see how they look out for one another. </DIV> <DIV>We had a good day with the boys. We played some soccer, passed the ball and spinned the boys around. Our close friend Haley made the boys a book with pictures of her and her brother, our house, church, us, Zoey and soccer. I thought they would like it, but I had no idea how much they would like it! All the kids gathered around and watched as Justin read it to them and Anyi translated. We read it a few more times and Chera has it memorized now! Haley-thank you so much for making the book for the boys. I took pictures and I have a video of them saying thank you to you and Nathan!</DIV> <DIV>After hanging out at the orphanage we came back to the hotel for some dinner. Justin went ahead to get us a table at the restaurant and Zoey and I were going to meet him there after we changed his diaper. We were comming down the elevator to the restaurant when it jarred and went completely dark. I knew this was just a power outage becuase it happens all the time. Thankfully our hotel has a generator so it does not last long. Zoey started screaming and I couldnt see which button to press to call for help. I just hit every button that was on the wall. I started banging on the door and yelling for help. I heard someone bang back at me and casually say in an Ethiopian accent: Don't sweat, its alright" For those of you who have been to Ethiopia, you know that nothing to big of a deal big deal. It only lasted for a few minutes, but its hard not to sweat when you are in a pitch black elevator with a screaming baby! At least it is an interesting story for us to tell. </DIV> <DIV>Better go now, we all need to get some rest. Thank you so much for all the prayers regarding our courtdate. God has definitely worked throughout this process. <BR>----- Original Message -----<BR>From: Donna B Brown <donnamt@insightbb.com><BR>Date: Sunday, December 5, 2010 10:36<BR>Subject: Update!<BR>To: donaldparker@vzw.blackberry.net,lesleys@ariseforchildren.com>, susank.ariseforchildren@gmail.com,susancallander@gmail.com>, ronda.cosby@jefferson.kyschools.us,lupitacross@hotmail.com, rebecca.edney@yahoo.com,jessicanaber@yahoo.com, brittneyj.armstrong@gmail.com,<kdozier@sobmlegal.com><BR>Cc: drae48@insightbb.com>,donnamt.ethiopia@blogger.com,coram deo abf <coramdeoabf@yahoogroups.com<BR><BR>> Two seperate updates. I tried to send the first one this <BR>> morning but the internet wasn't working. <BR>> <BR>> Update 1<BR>> We made it to our hotel last night at around 3:30 am. This was <BR>> about 6 hours later than we expected. All of the flights except <BR>> our flight from Louisville to Detroit had delays. One for snow, <BR>> one for mechanical reasons, and one becuase of another <BR>> passengers medical needs. The snow was so bad in Amsterdam that <BR>> the airport was shut down. Once it opened back up there was only <BR>> one runway. We sat in the plane for around 3 hours waiting. The <BR>> KLM staff were wonderful though. There was plenty to eat, drink, <BR>> and lots of movies to watch. Zoey was great. she didn't sleep <BR>> much, but was pretty happy most of the way. The only time she <BR>> got cranky was after our stop in Sudan. It was only an hour trip <BR>> from Sudan to Ethiopia, so it wasn't too bad. <BR>> <BR>> We only got around 5 hours of sleep so I am sure we will sleep <BR>> good tonight. In a half hour we are going to go visit the boys! <BR>> I am very nervous and excited. I just wonder how much they <BR>> understand and what they will be thinking when they see us. <BR>> Justin is ready to play some soccer with them. We even brought a <BR>> ball with us. <BR>> <BR>> Please keep us in your prayers. I really want us all to stay <BR>> healthy. Also, our court date is tomorrow afternoon. Which will <BR>> be early in the morning your time. <BR>> <BR>> Brittney-Justin gave Jared your gifts. He liked them very much. <BR>> We also gave him some paper and a pen so he can write a letter <BR>> to you. We will take a little video of him as well. <BR>> <BR>> Haley-I will probably give the boys your book on Tuesday after <BR>> we know how the court date went! I know they are going to love <BR>> it! <BR>> <BR>> Update 2<BR>> We spent a lot of time with the boys today! They have already <BR>> been moved to the transition house. This is where all the kids <BR>> that are close to coming home go. When we got there, they were <BR>> both napping. It took them a little while to warm up to us since <BR>> they had just woke up from a nap, but that changed quickly. We <BR>> were having fun and were covered in stickers in no time! <BR>> Both said they remembered us from our previous trip<BR>> Words can't describe how beautiful these boys are! Its just so <BR>> amazing to actually get to know them after only looking at <BR>> pictures for so long. Justin took his football(soccer for you <BR>> Americans!) and played with all the kids. Suprisingly they also <BR>> like basketball. Not sure if they have played with an actual <BR>> basket, but they like to dribble and pass. Justin had such a <BR>> great time coaching them, it was fun to watch. I video taped <BR>> them with our flip and both boys cracked up watching themselves. <BR>> I have a feeling we will be doing that a lot! <BR>> We brought dum-dums for all the kids. Big Hit! I learned today <BR>> that it makes the caretakers happy to get the candy as well. <BR>> They were very appreciative to get some candy. Chera wanted to <BR>> make sure everyone got a sucker. He asked for extras and took <BR>> them to staff who hadn't gotten any yet. I was very proud of <BR>> him. There are many negative behaviors that come from living in <BR>> the orphanage, but I think there are just as many if not more <BR>> positive behaviors. All the kids are looking out for each other <BR>> and love to share with others. <BR>> Zoey did great. The response when the nannies saw her was worth <BR>> any trouble that it took to get her here. They were so happy to <BR>> see her doing well. When we walked in the gates we heard many <BR>> high pitched exclamations that "Hiwot is here"!<BR>> <BR>> Going to eat dinner now. Ready for some Ethiopian food! Then, a <BR>> lot of sleep! <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Donna Brown MM, MT-BC<BR>> Louisville Music Therapy, LLC<BR>> (502)376-9064<BR>> DonnaMT@insightbb.com<BR>> www.louisvillemusictherapy.com<BR>> www.justinanddonna.blogspot.com<BR>> </DIV><BR><BR> Donna Brown MM, MT-BC <br>Louisville Music Therapy, LLC <br>(502)376-9064 <br>DonnaMT@insightbb.com <br>www.louisvillemusictherapy.com <br>www.justinanddonna.blogspot.com</BR></BR> Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-72369825610000114202010-12-06T08:08:00.000-08:002010-12-06T08:09:07.638-08:00Re: Update<DIV>We were reminded this morning that with Ethiopia, nothing is definite and the details are not so important. Apparently, the orphanage in Ethiopia told our agency the wrong day! Not to big of a deal though, it's tomorrow. </DIV> <DIV>As I have mentioned to most of you, I was worried about the birth-parent court date.Their family lives about 9 hours away, so I was worried that it would be hard for them to come to Addis. . I thought this was supposed to happen on the same day as our court date. Apparently that rule has not been enacted yet and it took place a month ago and everything went great! Tomorrow's court date is just a formality. </DIV> <DIV>We also found out a lot more about Chera and Kenenisa's story and about the area they are from. Most of their story is quite different than we thought. We will share more details once we learn a little more ourselves. </DIV> <DIV>We had a great day hanging out at the transition house. I brought bubbles and all the kids had a great time. A lot of the kids thought they would make their bubbles last longer by adding some water. This led to no more bubbles. </DIV> <DIV>All the kids at the transition house are so wonderful. We are particularly impressed by the older girls. They have such a maturity and sweet spirit. I could talk to them all day. Since they are at the transition house, this means they will all go home soon. Everytime I get to know another one of the kids I just think about how blessed their new families are going to be. </DIV> <DIV>Today we tried to include Zoey in our interactions with Chera and Kenenisa. When we walked through the gates today Chera ran up to us and patted Zoey on the head and said "sister." Later Justin tried to teach Chera how to say Zoey. He would point at her and say "Zoey." Chera looked at him like he was crazy and said "thats Hiwot"!</DIV> <DIV>We had fun playing soccer, passing and dribbling. The sun was very bright, but it wasn't too hot. I think all the hard playing and the sun made the boys really tired. Chera fell asleep in Justin's lap and Kenenisa was exhausted. </DIV> <DIV>We are off to dinner now. All of us are pretty hungry. Hopefully we will have good news to report tomorrow! Thanks for all the prayers!</DIV> <DIV><BR><BR>----- Original Message -----<BR>From: Donna B Brown <donnamt@insightbb.com><BR>Date: Sunday, December 5, 2010 10:36<BR>Subject: Update!<BR>To: donaldparker@vzw.blackberry.net,lesleys@ariseforchildren.com>, susank.ariseforchildren@gmail.com,susancallander@gmail.com>, ronda.cosby@jefferson.kyschools.us,lupitacross@hotmail.com, rebecca.edney@yahoo.com,jessicanaber@yahoo.com, brittneyj.armstrong@gmail.com,<kdozier@sobmlegal.com><BR>Cc: drae48@insightbb.com>,donnamt.ethiopia@blogger.com,coram deo abf <coramdeoabf@yahoogroups.com<BR><BR>> Two seperate updates. I tried to send the first one this <BR>> morning but the internet wasn't working. <BR>> <BR>> Update 1<BR>> We made it to our hotel last night at around 3:30 am. This was <BR>> about 6 hours later than we expected. All of the flights except <BR>> our flight from Louisville to Detroit had delays. One for snow, <BR>> one for mechanical reasons, and one becuase of another <BR>> passengers medical needs. The snow was so bad in Amsterdam that <BR>> the airport was shut down. Once it opened back up there was only <BR>> one runway. We sat in the plane for around 3 hours waiting. The <BR>> KLM staff were wonderful though. There was plenty to eat, drink, <BR>> and lots of movies to watch. Zoey was great. she didn't sleep <BR>> much, but was pretty happy most of the way. The only time she <BR>> got cranky was after our stop in Sudan. It was only an hour trip <BR>> from Sudan to Ethiopia, so it wasn't too bad. <BR>> <BR>> We only got around 5 hours of sleep so I am sure we will sleep <BR>> good tonight. In a half hour we are going to go visit the boys! <BR>> I am very nervous and excited. I just wonder how much they <BR>> understand and what they will be thinking when they see us. <BR>> Justin is ready to play some soccer with them. We even brought a <BR>> ball with us. <BR>> <BR>> Please keep us in your prayers. I really want us all to stay <BR>> healthy. Also, our court date is tomorrow afternoon. Which will <BR>> be early in the morning your time. <BR>> <BR>> Brittney-Justin gave Jared your gifts. He liked them very much. <BR>> We also gave him some paper and a pen so he can write a letter <BR>> to you. We will take a little video of him as well. <BR>> <BR>> Haley-I will probably give the boys your book on Tuesday after <BR>> we know how the court date went! I know they are going to love <BR>> it! <BR>> <BR>> Update 2<BR>> We spent a lot of time with the boys today! They have already <BR>> been moved to the transition house. This is where all the kids <BR>> that are close to coming home go. When we got there, they were <BR>> both napping. It took them a little while to warm up to us since <BR>> they had just woke up from a nap, but that changed quickly. We <BR>> were having fun and were covered in stickers in no time! <BR>> Both said they remembered us from our previous trip<BR>> Words can't describe how beautiful these boys are! Its just so <BR>> amazing to actually get to know them after only looking at <BR>> pictures for so long. Justin took his football(soccer for you <BR>> Americans!) and played with all the kids. Suprisingly they also <BR>> like basketball. Not sure if they have played with an actual <BR>> basket, but they like to dribble and pass. Justin had such a <BR>> great time coaching them, it was fun to watch. I video taped <BR>> them with our flip and both boys cracked up watching themselves. <BR>> I have a feeling we will be doing that a lot! <BR>> We brought dum-dums for all the kids. Big Hit! I learned today <BR>> that it makes the caretakers happy to get the candy as well. <BR>> They were very appreciative to get some candy. Chera wanted to <BR>> make sure everyone got a sucker. He asked for extras and took <BR>> them to staff who hadn't gotten any yet. I was very proud of <BR>> him. There are many negative behaviors that come from living in <BR>> the orphanage, but I think there are just as many if not more <BR>> positive behaviors. All the kids are looking out for each other <BR>> and love to share with others. <BR>> Zoey did great. The response when the nannies saw her was worth <BR>> any trouble that it took to get her here. They were so happy to <BR>> see her doing well. When we walked in the gates we heard many <BR>> high pitched exclamations that "Hiwot is here"!<BR>> <BR>> Going to eat dinner now. Ready for some Ethiopian food! Then, a <BR>> lot of sleep! <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Donna Brown MM, MT-BC<BR>> Louisville Music Therapy, LLC<BR>> (502)376-9064<BR>> DonnaMT@insightbb.com<BR>> www.louisvillemusictherapy.com<BR>> www.justinanddonna.blogspot.com<BR>> </DIV><BR><BR> Donna Brown MM, MT-BC <br>Louisville Music Therapy, LLC <br>(502)376-9064 <br>DonnaMT@insightbb.com <br>www.louisvillemusictherapy.com <br>www.justinanddonna.blogspot.com</BR></BR> Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-63657494727053399332010-12-05T07:36:00.001-08:002010-12-05T07:36:37.709-08:00Update!<DIV>Two seperate updates. I tried to send the first one this morning but the internet wasn't working. </DIV> <DIV> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></SPAN> </P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Update 1</SPAN></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">We made it to our hotel last night at around 3:30 am. This was about 6 hours later than we expected. All of the flights except our flight from Louisville to Detroit had delays. One for snow, one for mechanical reasons, and one becuase of another passengers medical needs. The snow was so bad in Amsterdam that the airport was shut down. Once it opened back up there was only one runway. We sat in the plane for around 3 hours waiting. The KLM staff were wonderful though. There was plenty to eat, drink, and lots of movies to watch. Zoey was great. she didn't sleep much, but was pretty happy most of the way. The only time she got cranky was after our stop in Sudan. It was only an hour trip from Sudan to Ethiopia, so it wasn't too bad. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></SPAN> </P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">We only got around 5 hours of sleep so I am sure we will sleep good tonight. In a half hour we are going to go visit the boys! I am very nervous and excited. I just wonder how much they understand and what they will be thinking when they see us. Justin is ready to play some soccer with them. We even brought a ball with us. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></SPAN> </P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Please keep us in your prayers. I really want us all to stay healthy. Also, our court date is tomorrow afternoon. Which will be early in the morning your time. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></SPAN> </P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Brittney-Justin gave Jared your gifts. He liked them very much. We also gave him some paper and a pen so he can write a letter to you. We will take a little video of him as well. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></SPAN> </P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Haley-I will probably give the boys your book on Tuesday after we know how the court date went! I know they are going to love it! </SPAN></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></SPAN> </P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p>Update 2</o:p></SPAN></P><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p>We spent a lot of time with the boys today! They have already been moved to the transition house. This is where all the kids that are close to coming home go. When we got there, they were both napping. It took them a little while to warm up to us since they had just woke up from a nap, but that changed quickly. We were having fun and were covered in stickers in no time! Both said they remembered us from our previous trip</o:p></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p>Words can't describe how beautiful these boys are! Its just so amazing to actually get to know them after only looking at pictures for so long. Justin took his football(soccer for you Americans!) and played with all the kids. Suprisingly they also like basketball. Not sure if they have played with an actual basket, but they like to dribble and pass. Justin had such a great time coaching them, it was fun to watch. I video taped them with our flip and both boys cracked up watching themselves. I have a feeling we will be doing that a lot! </o:p></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p>We brought dum-dums for all the kids. Big Hit! I learned today that it makes the caretakers happy to get the candy as well. They were very appreciative to get some candy. Chera wanted to make sure everyone got a sucker. He asked for extras and took them to staff who hadn't gotten any yet. I was very proud of him. There are many negative behaviors that come from living in the orphanage, but I think there are just as many if not more positive behaviors. All the kids are looking out for each other and love to share with others. </o:p></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p>Zoey did great. The response when the nannies saw her was worth any trouble that it took to get her here. They were so happy to see her doing well. When we walked in the gates we heard many high pitched exclamations that "Hiwot is here"!</o:p></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p>Going to eat dinner now. Ready for some Ethiopian food! Then, a lot of sleep! </o:p></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </DIV> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><BR></P></o:p></SPAN> <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT face=Calibri> </FONT></o:p></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT face=Calibri></FONT></o:p> </P><BR><BR> Donna Brown MM, MT-BC <br>Louisville Music Therapy, LLC <br>(502)376-9064 <br>DonnaMT@insightbb.com <br>www.louisvillemusictherapy.com <br>www.justinanddonna.blogspot.com</BR></BR> Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387822282166651530.post-41621445206660382552010-12-03T04:13:00.001-08:002010-12-03T04:13:15.345-08:00Test emailJust sending out a test email/blog for updates during our trip. We are leaving today and should arrive Saturday night. Our court date is on Monday so keep us in your prayers. <div><br></div><div>Thanks!</div><div>Justin and Donna</div><div><br><div><br><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"> </div></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "> </div></span></span> </div> <br></div>Justin and Donna Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322043352323965193noreply@blogger.com1