Chasing After Love

One Year Ago Today...

2012-01-15T17:39:00.000-05:00

So, exactly one year ago, we held our babies in our arms for the first time. It's all on our photography blog today, so hope on over and relive the memories, and see a few new family pics! Click HERE!

First Christmas Tree with Black and White Memories...

2011-12-06T16:16:00.000-05:00

I know, I know...I've been terrible. I haven't updated anyone. I guess I figure most people follow me on facebook and follow our family adventures there, and I get lazy. But just for fun, I thought I'd post pictures from our first Christmas preparations as a family of 4. It's so strange to think that this time last year we had seen their faces, but had never held them. We had been dreaming about them for years, but had no idea what to expect when we finally met them. And here we are a year later, putting up a tree together, in anticipation of my favorite holiday! I decided to make it all black and white today. At heart, I am a documentary photojournalist, but sometimes I forget my roots. I love shooting weddings, and setting up beautiful, fine art portraits, but for this post, I got back to the good stuff. I just took pics of the kids and Wes as they worked and played. I love seeing the curiosity in their eyes, and the excitement of something new in the house. Even Blue got in the action. Such a great dog! I hope you enjoy getting a glimpse into a few of our family moments!

Okay, so maybe it's not a real tree, and you've got to get the right size branches in the right spots, but it's still pretty when all is said and done!

They are not really allowed to touch the tree or ornaments now that it's up, but for the first few minutes we let them explore.

Alex loves to say, "Wooooowww!", now. So cute!

I think Eliana had just pushed Alex's hand away from the tree, and I made her say she was sorry, and give him a hug.

All our babies with Daddy.

There is no one they get more excited to see than Daddy! Eliana is our little hugger.

Lately.....

2011-10-23T20:48:00.000-04:00

Lately, Alexander & Eliana have been growing and growing. They are talking up a storm. I don't know what they are saying, but they are saying a lot. They walk, and run, and LOVE to go through grass and fields. They just turned 16 months old, and life is exciting and fun for them. For us too! Here are just a few shots from the other day.

Oh how they grow....

2011-09-18T16:06:00.000-04:00

People are always commenting on how quickly Alex & Eliana are growing. I look at them myself and think, "They look just like they did when we first held them!"

It's difficult for me to see the changes when I am with them day in and day out. But every once in awhile, I step back, and see what is really happening to my tiny babies....they are growing. They aren't so tiny anymore, and when I look at these pictures we took yesterday, I realize that they are getting so much bigger.

Both of them are walking (Eliana started 3 months after Alex...she's her own woman, and nobody get her to walk but herself!). They eat like little piglets, no matter what we put on their plates. They talk all the time, but we still don't know what they are saying. They are quite good at signing, "Please, Thank you, Milk, Banana, and I love you." And as you can see in the pictures below, they LOVE being outside, and they are quite the little dare devils. Oh how I love our babies!

We continue to be quite amused by our little comedian. She's a laugh a second.

First time on the slide, and she went for it over and over again.

Alex also loves the slide. Isn't he nice and squeaky clean?

This is what happens when Mamma & Daddy don't catch them at the bottom of the slide. Face plant. That boys mouth is FULL of dirt. I LOVE this picture!

They love walking through the grass, especially with Daddy.

A year ago we saw their faces...

2011-09-10T09:15:00.000-04:00

A year ago yesterday, on September 9, 2010, we received the phone call of a lifetime. The phone call that everyone going through adoption waits for. The referral call. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. That is the day when we saw these beautiful faces.

Eliana Tizita

Alexander Mikiyas

I remember when I couldn't tell the difference between them. I felt awful when I would go through their pictures (we got 7 pics for each of them that day), and I couldn't tell who was who. When I look at them now, it is so obvious. My how far we have come.

I never could have imagined the journey we had yet to endure once we received that call, but every little part of it was worth it.

A year later we are healthy and happy in our home here in Kentucky. We are blessed beyond measure.
Here are a few pics of them now.

Timeout.

Miss T. "I pity the fool."

Alex the cutey.

I think they are SO cute at bath time.

They LOVE to comb their hair.

When she first got her ears pierced (yesterday). She's so proud.

That little turtle chair used to be Wes's.

Once they go on, they stay on. She loves sunglasses.

Doctor Visit


"Cause I am livin' in a material world, and I am a material girl...or boy." Oh my they are so 80's!

When we first saw their pictures they weren't even 3 months old yet. Today they are almost 15 months old. Crazy!

And just for nostalgia's sake, here is our referral day video. What an emotional day!

I can't even imagine the adventures and dramas yet to come, but for now I will cherish this baby time. Mamma & Daddy love you, Alex & Eliana!

2011-09-08T08:46:00.000-04:00

So after all that has happened this past year, good and bad, I feel things stirring within me again. I feel the power and utter importance of the Gospel, and it's need to be taken to all the nations. I feel the need to do something, not just dream something. I feel the need to take action, and not just talk about taking action. When will we take ourselves beyond just talking about what we want to do for the Kingdom, and actually start doing them? Oh Lord take us beyond ourselves.

The trailer below is just one sampling of what others around the world are sacrificing for their faith in Christ. It is about the persecution of Christians around the world. You'll even see Francis Chan in this trailer for a second. My friend has been a part of writing the original score for it (from what I've heard so far, is beautiful!). Check it out, and see what it stirs up within you.

"Love Costs Every Thing" Trailer from CIY Move on Vimeo.

Eliana's first steps....

2011-08-28T18:29:00.000-04:00

It finally happened! Eliana took her first steps today! Woohoo! No matter how much we tried to coax her, she is a fully independent little girl, and she wanted to do it on her own time. So today, she took one step to get to the couch from the pillow on the floor, so a little while later, I took this video, and this time she didn't mind a little coaxing. Sorry about my screechy voice in the background. I was quite excited! Our babies are growing up so fast!!!

4 months ago...

2011-08-11T11:01:00.000-04:00

I can't believe we left Ethiopia exactly 4 months ago. That blows my mind. I feel like it was an eternity ago. And while we were there, it felt like an eternity (does 3 months count as an eternity?).

Well, time seems to have flown by, and here we are on August 11. In two days Alex & Eliana will be 14 months old. Wow.

They went from having no interaction at the orphanage, to being inseparable here in the States. They get into fun and trouble together all the time. Then they get themselves into predicaments that they can't get out of. Eliana seems to enjoy the "face to face" time with Alex. Alex doesn't seem to like it as much.

Brother/Sister Affection...

2011-08-07T21:30:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I've been horrible with blogging since we've been back home. Honestly, it's hard to know what to say at times. You realize the journey is not quite as exciting to others once you are home with your children, and it kind of makes you feel a little sad. Well, at the very least, I'll give you a little taste of what is happening with Alex & Eliana. Here's a little video to whet your appetite. :)

A word about the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia....

2011-07-19T10:38:00.000-04:00

So this is a big hot topic for me. And over the last couple of months, I have received emails from several families asking about communication with the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa. The biggest question I have gotten is, "Is it okay to contact the U.S. Embassy?" Ummmm...here comes the answer....Are you ready?....a BIG.....RESOUNDING.....YES!!! But let's talk about why this is such a common question. I mean, you would think it would be obvious that American citizens can contact their own embassy. Our tax dollars pay for these embassies, don't they?

Here's the deal. There are a lot of agencies that tell their clients not to contact the embassy while going through their adoption. While I could speculate about the different reasons agencies tell their clients this, I'm not going to do that right now on a public forum.

Most of you know that Wes and I ended up staying in Ethiopia for three months. There are several reasons for that long stay, and many long stories to tell, but we are not quite ready to share that yet either. It left us deeply wounded, and we are still trying to heal from much of that experience. But at the end of that long 3 months was the U.S. Embassy. In the end, we finally decided to contact the embassy ourselves, and we are SO thankful that we did. We are SO thankful we spoke up.

Here is part of an email from the embassy in response to an email our agency sent to them. The embassy cc'd us in the email, so we also received it.

"We encourage the families to contact us with any questions they may have regarding their paperwork, the status of their cases or any other questions regarding their adoption. Our email address is posted on the U.S. government website www.adoption.state.gov.

If the agency and the embassy work together we may be able to help them to get home sooner than later. Our goal is to assist all of the adoptive families to the best of our capability in this very emotional journey."

There you have it from the horse's mouth. It is VERY okay to contact the embassy. Of course there is nothing you can do until your paperwork is submitted to the embassy, but once it is, if you email them, they usually respond within 24-48 hours. Many parents just want to know the status of their case, and that's okay! Many parents want to know when the soonest possible interview after clearance would be, and that's okay! Many parents want to make sure that what their agency is telling them, lines up with what the embassy is telling them, and that's okay! This is all okay, because your child/children come first, and it is okay to be eager to bring them home. It's okay! Did I mention that it's okay? ;)

During our final week in Addis Ababa in April of 2011, we physically went to the embassy ourselves for the first time. We were so nervous, because we had no appointment, and we had been told by certain individuals that it was not okay to go there. But we were desperate, given the fact that a government shutdown was looking very possible, which would mean we could be stuck in Ethiopia for several more weeks until they reopened. We were not okay with is. We were going to do everything in our power to get our family home. When we finished speaking with the wonderful man at the embassy, I asked him one more question before we walked out the door. "Is it okay that we came to see you without an appointment?" His response went like this: "Yes, we encourage any American citizens to come see us with any questions they may have. That is what we are here for." I cannot tell you how relieved he made Wes and I feel, because we did not want to be trouble makers, and we did not want to be disrespectful of the process. His words were like music to our ears.

I hope this post helps and doesn't hurt. I hope it encourages any adoptive parents who have questions to feel free to contact the U.S. embassy in any country they are adopting from. I want to reiterate that there is not much the embassy can do for you until they have your paperwork in hand, but once they do, they will tell you what they can. And if you aren't sure that they have your paperwork, just email them and ask them. If they have your names and your child's name, and the agency you are with, they will be able to look you up in their system. I would encourage you to be very respectful and understanding in any email you send to the embassy, though. I know that probably goes without saying, but I'm saying it none-the-less! :) They work very hard there, and it is important to treat them accordingly.

Here is the email for the American embassy in Addis Ababa.

consadoptionaddis@state.gov

And here is the U.S. government website on Ethiopia which also has their contact information.

http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_info.php?country-select=ethiopia

Last of the Holiday Weekend...

2011-07-04T21:01:00.002-04:00

Okay, so here is the last of the holiday weekend posts. Wes and I and A&E got to travel down to South Carolina, and spend a little time at my parents' house on the lake. My brother and his family were also there, and A&E had a blast with them. I never thought that my nephews would be so great with Alex & Eliana. They were awesome! Alex and Eliana LOVED their cousins. It was a sweet time. I look at these pictures, and I am constantly in awe of the fact that these are my children. Alex and Eliana are my son and daughter. And 3 months ago, we were in Ethiopia, just hoping that we would be coming home soon. It's amazing how much can change in so short a time.

This is the look she gave me after I told her not to pull on Bestemor's flowers.

Daddy & Son.

Adam, A&E, and Evan.

Corn hole. My brother, Rune, could not beat Wes, no matter how hard he tried.

This and the next 3 pics demonstrate the many faces of Eliana. The girl is a ham!

Handsome Evan.

Eliana LOVED being held by Evan.

Tyler was so good with Alex.

Entire family. We are just missing my oldest brother and his family, who are currently in Ethiopia, waiting to complete the adoption of their twins. We miss you guys!

First Haircuts...

2011-07-04T13:02:00.000-04:00

So it was a little scary to think of our little boy getting his first haircut, but we were confident this was the right thing to do. The hair on the sides of his head was starting to look a big haggard, so we decided it was time to take the plunge.

We went to Sharkey's Cuts down in South Carolina, which is geared toward kids (as is made obvious by the car Alex is sitting in). Alex LOVED it there. He got to honk the horn while they cut his hair, and he had a blast looking at himself in the mirror. They did a fantastic job, and we were so proud of how well he did.

It will be a while until Eliana gets her first haircut, but she still got some time in the Barbie car, which she also loved.

Look at all that hair!

We think he looks like a Who from Whoville here. :)

Proud Parents.

Another Kind of Meetcha Day...

2011-07-03T09:45:00.000-04:00

Okay, so maybe I have slacked a little in the blog department, but we are in the peak of wedding season, and being a full time stay-at-home mom, and a full time work-from-home mom has taken a bit of precedence. But we are all well and happy in the Mullins home, and currently spending the 4th of July weekend down in South Carolina with my family.

Until this weekend, the only part of my immediate family that had met Alex & Eliana were my parents. I have two brothers who live in New York and Oregon, so needless to say, we don't get to see each other too often. My one brother, Erik, is currently in Ethiopia with his wife and children, waiting to complete the adoption of their newest additions, Haakon & Nyah (their 9 month old boy and girl!). My other brother, Rune, and his wife Kerrie, and three boys, Evan, Tyler, and Adam, are here in South Carolina. On Friday, they met Alex and Eliana for the first time, and it was a sweet little meetcha day for the Williams Family.

Yup, I still love to show off my "mean" face!

Everyone was a little shy at first....

Tyler was the first one to brave coming into the room.

Eventually they all made it in, and just stared at Alex and Eliana, and A&E stared back.

Tante Kerrie & Eliana

Alex is making his cousins laugh with that face again.

Sweet moments with Tante Kerrie.

Eliana wasn't sure what to think about her Onkel Rune.

Happy 1st Birthday and Never Before Seen Footage!!!

2011-06-13T17:22:00.002-04:00

Sounds like the title of a tabloid, right? I just wanted to get your attention. But it IS true.

Today on the blog, for the first time, you will get to see the first pictures we saw of our babies. On September 9, 2010, we saw their faces for the first time. I can hardly believe 9 months have already gone by since that first phone call. It seems like yesterday, and yet it seems like 5 years ago at the same time. So enjoy the plethora of pics and video we received before we ever got to Ethiopia. There is no way to describe what treasures these pictures and videos are to a parent who is waiting to meet their little one for the first time. We clung to these little treasures, and could not WAIT for the day when we saw those little faces for the first time in person. On January 15th, 2011, we finally saw those precious babies face to face. And today is their first birthday. I can't believe it! Enjoy the journey!

Alexander, August 2010

Eliana, August 2010

September 2010

October 2010


October 2010

November 2010


December 2010

January 2011

Cherrie Cornish made us this amazing video while we waited to go to Ethiopia!
She, along with our favorite Berhanu (from Project 61) got to hold them and love on them. I cannot even tell you how I cried through this video the first time I saw it!

And finally, here are a few shots of the twins' first birthday party that we had yesterday. Wow. Talk about chaos! Kids everywhere. Adults everywhere. Food. Dogs. Toys. Chaos. But it was so great to have everyone there to celebrate with us. And yes, they got their first taste of cake yesterday. Ummmm....they are fans, to say the least. It was a little disconcerting, though, when they both started getting random shakes while eating their cakes....sugar high, perhaps? They were seriously giddy on sugar! And I think we can all tell from the pictures who the messiest eater is. As soon as Eliana saw Wes come to take the rest of the cake away, she started smashing it all over the tray. It was hilarious! And both of them were stuffing both hands full of cake, and shoveling it into their mouths. Once we got them to bed, they slept for 11 hours straight. It was a great night for all! Happy Birthday, precious babies! We love you SOOOOOO much!

Just a sampling of the many people that came.

Alex has no patience when it comes to food. See that look of anxiety on his face? Yeah, he needs the food to be in his belly yesterday.

Eliana's hands were immediately lodged into that cake.

I bet Eliana's thinking, "Hmmm...how can I get some of his cake too?"

"I like to make artwork with my cake."

Alex: "Ummm...Eliana...you have something on your face." Eliana: "Ummmm...why haven't you eaten all your crumbs yet, Alex?"

"I rule."

"Want some?"

"We don't really know what do do with these big bulky items called 'presents', but we'll eat some of those puffs."

"I will rule you, Abacus."

First steps....

2011-06-06T14:21:00.000-04:00

Okay, so maybe I have already posted this on facebook and sent it via text messages and emails, but seriously, I am just way too excited about this to not post it on the blog. I know what you're thinking....What could be so monumental? Well, it's not really monumental to anyone but the members of this family. Alex started walking a couple of days ago, and today he took more than just a couple of steps. SO exciting! I can't believe how emotional I got about it. I must love these kiddos or something. ;) Eliana should get really motivated now. She doesn't want her brother to out-do her.

Packing List for Ethiopia...

2011-06-02T17:58:00.001-04:00

So oddly enough, I've been having a lot of people emailing me for advice about staying in Ethiopia, especially for those that are considering staying between court and embassy. So the next few posts will be about long-term stay in Ethiopia. And when I say long term, I mean planning for about 2 months in Ethiopia. We ended up being there for 3 months, and we ran out of many items, formula being the most important. So the following list is certainly not exhaustive, neither is it necessarily for everyone. Not everyone may need or want all the items we packed. We found that we used almost everything we had, and we were very glad we had it. Oh, and keep in mind that this packing list was for us and our 8 month old twins (at the time), so that is what we packed for.

Clothing for Babies

10 outfits each

1 Sweatshirt each

Robeez Shoes (these were awesome to have because they stay on!)

10 pairs socks each (tight ones)

Hair Bows (for a girl)

Swimmy Diapers (in case you hit the Sheraton. Trust me. You will want to.)

Swimsuits

2 or 3 Sleepers each

Bloomers (for a girl)

Diapers

Size 2 & 3 (We counted on about 8 diapers per baby per day)

Aveeno Diaper Rash Cream (Desitin smells awful!)

Wipes (1-3 wipes per diaper depending on “content”)

Changing Pad (this is a lifesaver!)

Feeding

Plastic Bowls for food

2-4oz. Playtex Bottles with disposable liners for trip home (target brand is great!)

Stage 1 & 2 foods

4 Dr. Brown’s Bottles

1 Bottle Cleaner brush

Plastic Baby Spoons

Formula (1 can lasts about 3 or 4 days between the 2 of them)

Gerber Oatmeal (they LOVE this! And it goes quite a ways too.)

Gerber Rice Cereal

*When it comes to formula, yes, you can buy some kind of funky brand of formula in Ethiopia. Keep in mind that the cans are smaller, though, and are a bit expensive. If you can, I would pack formula and bring it with you. If you can't, rest assured that you can buy some there.

Mischellaneous for Babies

Nail Clipper

Snot Sucker

Meds for Babies

Baby Tylenol

Baby Ibuprofin

Gripe Water

Pedialite

Nasal drops

Lice Meds

Medicine Dropper

Toys

5 Board Books

Plastic Rings (the ones that connect)

2-3 Stuffed Animals

Bouncey Balls

Blocks

*Don't overdo it on the toys. They will not need many, and we found they loved playing with water bottles and boxes just as much as their toys. Still do!

Toiletries for Babies

Shea Moisture or Carol’s Daughter Hair product

(I used Carol’s Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey while in Ethiopia to tame the frizzies)

Shampoo and body wash (I used Aveeno for both hair and body while in Ethiopia)

Towels

Washcloths

Miscellaneous

Camping Lantern (battery powered) – for when the electric goes out (we were REALLY glad we brought this with us)

Flash Lights

Citranella Candle if it is bug season

Air Freshener (Febreeze, Candle)

Matches

Powder Laundry Detergent

Clothes Pins

Bug Spray

Dirty Laundry Bag

Plastic Bags for dirty diapers on the road (to contain the smell while traveling)

Dryer Sheets (left these in our closets to keep things smelling a little fresh)

Blankets for babies (one nice fluffy one is nice to have with some thinner ones)

Books for reading

Journal

Pens

Cell Phone Chargers

Cell Phone (you can often get a sim card to put in your cell phone once in Addis)

Laptop

Duck tape (for packing on the way home)

Luggage scale (bought a cheap one from walmart so we could weigh our stuff for the trip home)

Sewing Kit

Voltage Adapter/Converter (sometimes more than one is nice if using more than one appliance at the same time)

External Hardrive for pictures

Meds for Adults

Zyrtec-D for allergies (you can only get one pack at a time under your name)

Vitamins

Probiotics (these really help!)

Nasal Spray (you won’t regret it! it is very dry in Addis Ababa!)

Ibuprofin (don’t forget it!)

Cipro (get this from your doctor. You will need it at least once. It’s an antibiotic for stomach bugs. It has to be prescribed, but you shouldn’t have to go see the doctor. Just call and tell them what it is for. Find out if there is a different dosage for Kynzi & Karston.)

*I can't stress enough how much vitamins and probiotics help while in a foreign country. The first time we got sick was when we ran out.

Clothes for Adults

1-2 Sweatshirts

2-3 Pairs of pants

7-10 T-shirts

1-2 longsleeve shirts

2-3 Tanktops

1 Swimsuit

4-5 pairs of socks

1 Pair of walking sandals (I recommend Chacos! Mine have lasted for 11 years

hiking through about 11 different countries.)

1 Pair of sneakers

1 Pair of dressier shoes

10-15 pair of underwear

2 bras

1-2 skirts

1-2 nicer shirts/blouses

1-2 pairs of pajama bottoms

1 Swimsuit

1 Pair of flip flops

*It all depends on the season for clothes, but Addis Ababa is usually nice and warm for the most part. I think it is in the mid-70's to mid-80's year round. The only time when it is really different is during rainy season in July-September, a time we were not there. You will find it to often be cool in the evenings, which is really nice.

Toiletries for Adults

Ponytail Holders

Barrettes

Bar Soap (10-12 Bars) *

Hairbrush

Shampoo *

Conditioner *

Toothbrush

Toothpaste (2)

Face Lotion

Body Lotion

Facial Cleanser

Q-Tips

Makeup

Razors (5-10)

Kleenex (can be bought in Ethiopia but it is not very soft)*

Nail Polish (fun on days when you get bored)

Nail Polish Remover

Nail Clipper

Contacts

Contact Case

Glasses

Hair Dryer

Curling Iron

Flat Iron

Dental Floss

Sunscreen

Tweezers

Tampons/Pads

Liquid Hand Soap and dispenser (this isn’t a necessity but was nice to have)*

Deoderant (2)

Hair Product (spray/gel/detangler)

Thermometer

*-these things can be bought in Ethiopia, but are usually a little pricey. If you don’t feel like packing them, though, you can always get them once you are in Addis.

**-Another great packing resource is Ashlie Fulmer's blog here.

Meetcha Day...Families Unite in Ethiopia.

2011-05-26T14:29:00.000-04:00

During the three months we were in Ethiopia, we got to shoot several families meeting their children for the first time. What an amazing moment to be invited into! It is difficult to put into words what it’s like to meet your child for the first time, whether it be in a hospital room or a foreign country. And then to be able to capture this moment on camera….what a privilege! Thank you to the Mann, Morgan, Shubin, and Bishop families for allowing Wes and I to be a part of something so intimate and life-changing. We love you all, and can’t wait to see your little ones grow!

The Shubins

The Bishops

The Morgans

The Manns

Happy 11 Months & We're in the News...

2011-05-13T14:32:00.000-04:00

....well, the local news anyways. But that's still pretty great, right?!

Just over a year ago, the news did a story on our adoption before we ever knew about Alex & Eliana. We had just switched from the Nepal program to the Ethiopia program, and we were deep in the fundraising part of our journey.

Well, exactly a month from the day we returned from Ethiopia, they aired a story on our entire journey. They included clips from our referral video and from our meetcha day! It was awesome!

We have come full circle, and it is absolutely amazing to be here.

For those of you who haven't already seen it, check it out RIGHT HERE!

Our Meetcha Day....Finally.

2011-05-09T12:47:00.000-04:00

Yes, I know this is a bit delayed, but for some reason it just took me a long time to get it together. Many of you saw pictures from the day we met our little ones. You read about the feelings we felt. But you never saw the video. I love the song that we used to go with it. It's called "Where I Belong" by Cory Asbury. It is absolutely beautiful, and I thought very fitting. We originally called our blog, When We Belong, hence the blog address. We named it that because there is something powerful that happens when we know we belong to somebody. For those of us who follow Christ, something amazing happened when we first said "Yes" to Him. We finally belonged to Him. We became His children in that very moment. And in the same way, when children are left orphaned in the physical world, they long to belong to a family. They long for a mother and father. On the day that we held Alex & Eliana in our arms for the first time, we knew that they belonged to us, and we belonged to them. We were a family, and that was amazing and oh so powerful.

I hope you enjoy this little peak into the first moments with our children. It forever changed our lives!

Still Photography by Cara Dee Photography

Does Mother's Day Include Me???

2011-05-08T10:31:00.002-04:00

So today is Mother's Day. Apparently, I am supposed to be included in the celebrations of this day. I'm a mom. Weird. Really???

A couple of weeks ago, one of my friends (who is also a new mom) tweeted about something she wanted for Mother's Day. And then all of a sudden it hit me....that must mean I'm a part of this celebration too. Wha'???!!!

You see, in so many ways I don't feel like a mom, or at least what I always thought a mom should feel like. I guess I always felt like the day I became a mother, this supernatural gift would come down from above, and make me the most selfless and angelic/patient creature on the planet (well, at least in my own home). Ummmm....yeah....that didn't happen. Honestly, if anything, being a mother has once again shown me how I am still pretty selfish, and I am ANYthing but angelic.

It's amazing how the blood pressure can start raising when I hear the high-pitched screams of my little girl. It's amazing how infuriated I can get when my persistent son continues to disobey. Hmmmm....where is that angelic patience I was hoping for? And then when they wake up from their afternoon nap before I am finished resting.....???? Uh, hello? Don't they know I need a rest?! Hmmmm...apparently I haven't gotten the supernatural selflessness thing yet either.

But, I can't deny that these two bring so much joy to my world. They make me laugh ALL the time. Honestly, the funny and sweet things they do are much more plentiful than the disobedience and screaming. I. Love. Them. They really are amazing. I realized that being a mom is going to look different for me in some ways, than it may look for my friends. We all have different experiences, and our children are all very different. This world that I live in now is what motherhood looks like for me. And truly....it ain't bad. ;)

These guys are incredibly good when we go shopping (especially if they have cookies to chew on). And sometimes I can't help but play a little dress up.

I can't get enough of this picture. Seriously, they are so incredibly cute! Oh how I love them!

Some say that you know you're a mom when you get a minivan. Well, I must be a mom, because I am rockin' that minivan!

And, of course I have to wish a Happy Mother's Day to my own mom. Mamma, you are a sweet and kind woman, who gave me life and helped me become who I am today. I love you, Mamma!

And finally, I want to send a million Amasagenalo's to the woman who gave birth to my children. There is no way I can ever say thank you enough. I know the tremendous sacrifice you made. I know how brave you were to give your children a chance at life. Thank you, forever and ever.

2 Weeks in America....

2011-04-26T22:09:00.000-04:00

Yes! It's true! We've been home for 2 weeks and it has been glorious. It feels like we've been home all along.

Some people have asked us how it feels to be parents day in and day out. It's a hard question to answer. What I keep telling people is that it feels normal. I feel like Wes and I are the same as we've always been. Life is the same. We just have two little babies added into the mix. No, I'm not saying it's all easy and breezy (although, I AM breezy....I know some of you will get that reference), but it hasn't changed who Wes and I are. Oh, there have been days where I wanted to crawl out of my skin when Eliana was doing her ear-piercing, I'm hungry and tired, scream. I've wanted to pull my hair out at times when Alex has started his obnoxious, I'm hungry and tired, cry (which involves his nah-nah sound mixed in with an angry growl/lawn mower sound). But, as I've alluded to, that mainly only happens when they are tired and hungry, which in all honesty, if I stay on top of things, doesn't have to happen too often.

For the most part, our little Alex & Eliana are pretty amazing babies. They laugh a lot. Eliana is still hilarious. Oh my goodness. She keeps Wes and I laughing daily. Alex's little personality is really starting to shine. We've taught him to do a mean face, and now he's kind of addicted to it. So all in all, we just laugh a lot with these two. They are so funny!

Getting back to life in America has not been a huge adjustment for us. It's funny, but once we were home, I think we were just so happy to be here, that everything else paled in comparison. We fell right back into life here, but we fell into it with a ginormous amount of appreciation for the life we have here. Oh how we've appreciated strollers, and car seats, and booster seats, and microwaves, and drinkable tap water, and grocery stores, etc. etc.

Speaking of grocery stores, I was telling my brother (who is waiting to bring home his two 6 month olds from Ethiopia!) about my first real grocery run with the twins, and he said I should blog about it.

So here goes....It has been raining cats and dogs here all month, and today was no different. Once I managed to get them out of their car seats and into the stroller, the three of us raced through the rain and got into Kroger. Since I didn't think I wanted to try and conquouer pushing the shopping cart while pushing the stroller at the same time on this first trip (although I have seen many-a-mother doing this dance), I decided to carry a basket. Well, once I filled up the first basket, I dropped it at the customer service counter, and they agreed to hold it there for me until I checked out. Then I filled my second basket, and then I started filling the basket underneath the stroller. And throughout all the basket filling, Alex & Eliana are starting to reach their hunger limit, and I forgot to bring in their bottles, and the crying is beginning to commence. Luckily, I happened to have a few cookies left in the stroller (compliments of my buddy, Aimee!), so I just fed them a steady stream of cookies while I shopped. Alex devours his, because he has 8 teeth. Eliana combines her gums and two teeth (although as of yesterday, tooth number 3 up top is breaking through! Yeah baby!), and kind of creates a kind of cookie paste, which she kindly spreads all over her clothes, neck, face and hands. Oh, and let's factor in the constant, "Oh they are so cute! Are they twins? Are they boy and girl twins? How old are they? They are so beautiful." All nice things said by nice people. Unfortunately, it tacks on a lot of time to my shopping adventure. People literally walk right in front of the stroller so I can't move forward, just so they can talk to me and ooh and aah over the twins. I guess I need to get used to it, eh? :) I finally got most of what we needed, and headed over to check out. And wonderful Kroger actually had someone take my groceries out to the car, and put them in the car for me, while I got drenched as I put the twins back in their car seats. Good times. Good times.

Yes, I'm sure that story was a bit anticlimactic, but it's the everyday stuff that has changed for me.

So, there you have it. Two weeks back in the States, and I'm going grocery shopping with the twins. Life is truly exciting!

Mean Face. Love it.

Cookie Paste Girl.

Welcome Home Mullins Family....

2011-04-17T17:23:00.000-04:00

To say coming home and leaving Ethiopia was bittersweet would be a lie. Coming home was all sweet, sweet, sweet. It was the best gift ever!!! And for about the last month in Ethiopia, Wes swore that once we got back to the States, he would kiss the ground. This is very uncharacteristic of Wes, so I held him to this promise. It was fantastic. Once we got outside in Chicago, he knelt down, with Alex strapped to his chest in the Ergo, he knelt down and kissed that sidewalk. Woohoo!!!

While we were in Ethiopia, we made lots of new friends. Many families came and went while we were there. The Kohls were one of the first families we spent time with. Their little Amanuel was in the same room at the same orphanage as Alex & Eliana. We became instant friends, and Christina and Amanu met us in Chicago. I totally cried. Seeing a familiar face on American soil was so good for my soul. We missed seeing Kevin, but I guess somebody has to work. :)

Here are all three of them before they left the orphanage.

Amanuel and Christina.

Friendships that will last a lifetime.

And then came the moment....it was time to go down that escalator at the Bluegrass Airport in Lexington, KY. I had been dreaming about this moment for the last 3 months. Who would be there? Would there be a lot of people or a few? Would I cry? Well, all the questions were finally answered.

Photo by Cara Dee Photography.


We got interviewed by the local news. Photo by Cara Dee Photography.