Dear family and friends,

While I sit down to draft our Christmas letter in our living room this year I look around and see sights vastly different then a year ago! I see a blanket fort covering my coffee table and couch, children’s toys, homemade colored pictures hanging by the desk, and I hear two sweet children going over math flash cards inside the fort. Our cat Scat periodically jumps out of the blankets to attack our dog Belle. Wonderful pictures of God’s kindness and faithfulness to our family. I pray that each of you have also experienced a year full of the love and joy of family.

As you know, we traveled in January of this year to Ethiopia to complete our adoption of Fikadu and Tigist. This journey was extraordinary in numerous ways. While we had fallen in love with the pictures of two adorable children we got to embrace them for the first time and take in much of the culture they spent the first years of their lives in. This 7 day journey was memorable in so many ways and you can read all about it by clicking HERE and reading about our time in Ethiopia.

The months that followed were filled with many changes as we sought to understand each other and teach Fikadu and Tigist English. While we experienced our fair share of misunderstandings this transition went better than we had ever imagined and stretched us as we focused on communicating in creative ways. Our greatest lesson learned was that love and playfulness go a long way in easing this major life change. We’re a family that loves to play, share, dance, and laugh together. You can click HERE   for some great dancing movies and HERE for some fun pictures and Taylor home videos.

This summer Fikadu and Tigist experienced the awesomeness of Northern Maine that was preceded by the not so awesome car ride that took as long as the flight from Ethiopia to Virginia! (17 hours) We spent a week in Maine attending Aunt Hillary’s wedding and meeting Joshua’s side of the family, followed by time at G & G Blackstone’s house and camp. You can see the photo highlights HERE.

The summer ended with a trip to Ohio for a Silvieus family reunion. It was a fantastic long weekend spent camping out in Grandma and Grandpa Silvieus’ front lawn, swimming and fishing in the pond out back, and seeing the vastness of Lake Erie. The kids loved the waves and sand; and Josh and I had a wonderful chance to reconnect with family we haven’t seen in such a long time. You can see pictures by clicking HERE.

Since Fikadu and Tigist have joined our family we have made the decision to home school. This started in January when they first came home with a desire to have as much time as possible with them and focus on catching up with English and reading skills. But we have loved our time together and this fall we decided to jump in full swing and order an entire 1^st grade curriculum. I have gained a love for teaching and watching Fikadu and Tigist learn new things each day! In August we had a little family celebration complete with certificates of accomplishment and a chocolate cake! I’m continually amazed at their progress and ability to absorb so much information in the short 11 months they have been in our family!

Just recently we celebrated our first family Thanksgiving together and what a plethora of things we had to be thankful for! We drove to Lynchburg and stayed with Melissa and Aaron and had a great time visiting with Luke and Anna and Mom and Dad Blackstone who flew in to celebrate. Some of the highlights were baking together, puzzle building and Lego cars. You can see the photos HERE.

As we prepare for our first family Christmas we look forward to seeing the delight in our children’s eyes as they open presents and are blessed with gifts like never before. Because for sure there will be more packages, bags, and bows then they have ever seen gathered in one place as we visit Grammy and Grampy Blackstone, Nana, and Grandpa and Grandma Taylor. They’ve begun to catch wind of the idea that there may be a gift or two or ten involved with Christmas and its fun to watch their excitement grow. But even as I realize that they have no idea of the extravagance they are about to encounter I also remember the poverty and sorrow they lived in less than a year ago. They have never had a Christmas before. Last year they were waiting in an orphanage for a mommy and daddy they did not know, with only a hope and prayer that their lives would soon change.

I simply can not end our Christmas letter without mention of the 143 million orphans still in need of a family. You see, what we thought was a simple decision to create a family has become so much more. We are changed by what we have seen and experienced. You just CAN’T walk away from 5 million orphans in Ethiopia alone and go back to normal American life. In the Bible Ephesians 1:4-7 says,

“Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure. ” (NLT)

Everyday we have a very tangible reminder that God loved us enough to adopt us into his family. And this motivates us to reciprocate this same kind of love to others. We are excited to begin pursuing a second adoption in 2010 and look forward to having another face or two in our Christmas cards to come! Feel free to stop back by our blog often for updates, or read through previous posts.  May you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year! God Bless You!

With love,

Joshua, Bethany, Fikadu, and Tigist

We had a wonderful time spending Thanksgiving with family in Lynchburg.  Here are some photo highlights of game playing, puzzle solving, and great food!  you can click on any photo for a larger picture!

I think every parent gets a peak through the window per se into their parenting when their children “play house.”  This is a rather recent playing past time for Fikadu and Tigist and its been wonderful to see it unfold. 

This morning I loved hearing them tell “their children” about God.   Their “daughter” (doll Lisa) had broken her arm and she was scared, and George their “son” (the monkey) was afraid his mommy would die.  The conversation to their children went something along the lines of:

“We are your mommy and daddy and God is very kind to you.  Did you know he is a good shepherd?  He sent Jesus to die on the cross for your sins and rescue you!  You don’t have to be scared anymore.  You can pray and God will help you!  Lets pray and ask God to help us today.”

I still keep thinking what their lives looked like 11 months ago.  I am so blessed.  Many times I think people get it wrong in thinking Joshua and I did some “great thing” in giving a home and family to orphaned children.  The truth is, I think we’ve changed more because of it.  When I think of the most sanctifying seasons on my life this past 11 months has to top all.  You see, I like to “play house” too.  Thinking I control my own little world when in reality I need to remember that God is my “Good Shepherd” and that I can turn to him with all things in prayer.  Perhaps you too need to pray and ask God to help you today, with the faith of a little child.  I’m certainly glad for the reminder.

Tigist was recently invited to a tea party hosted by one of her friends at church.  The night before we sat down and painted our nails and talked about how fun it was going to be to dress up fancy and drink tea from beautiful dishes. 

After I put her to bed, I couldn’t help but tear up at the thought that only a year ago she was still living in an orphanage in Ethiopia.  Alone, with no mother or father.  There were no special dresses or parties to go to.   It made me ponder again the beauty of adoption and the difference it can make.  Having Fikadu and Tigist in our family has brought such incredible joy this past 10 months.  I can’t help but think about which children are currently in an orphanage right now that may be gathering around our dinner table a year or so from now. 

I also want to ask a question for those who haven’t given to caring for orphans or adopted.  What were you and your children doing a year ago?  Perhaps you were preparing for the holidays?  Filling out wish lists?  While silent children slept alone in orphanages across the world.  Its so easy to not think about when its not in front of you everyday.

November is National Adoption Month and I want to encourage you to think about what role you might be able to play in either caring for, or providing a home to one of the 143,000,000 orphans in the world.  Who knows, maybe one or two of them could be enjoying tea parties this time next year!

Hope you enjoy!  These are some pictures from our trip to Ohio, goofing around at home, and some water and mud fun out back.  You can click on any picture for a larger view.

Laugh out loud!  The kids and I certainly did.  I thought I was actually going to pee my pants.

I thought I’d try giving Fikadu a mohawk. . . He and Tigist thought I was crazy. 

So I asked him if he’d rather have this instead. . . .  =)

Tigist lost her very first tooth yesterday. . .

Then Fikadu, not to be out done, pulled out one of his own. . .

Then Tigist decided her TWO bottom teeth should also come out today!

That makes 4 teeth out in 2 days for the Taylor kiddos!  Craziness!

I visited the Salon de Tigist

Daddy and Fikadu showing off their muscles

I got the most colorful bunch of flowers in the entire store as an anniversary gift from the kids!

We dressed up like cows for a free meal at Chick-fil-A . . . . mysteriously there are no pictures of me! =)

The kids saw their first fireworks on the 4th of July

Well I’ve officially gone for the longest non-posting spurt since starting the blog, but I’m back.  There are just way to many wonderful things I want to remember and share, and since I still stink at scrapbooking, this is my best alternative! 

Here’s some snap shots into what’s been taking place in the Taylor household:

Both children learned how to ride bikes.

We celebrated my first Mother’s Day!

Made a fun trip with friends to the National Zoo

Made a trip to Maine for Joshua’s sister Hillary’s wedding

The kids held their first bunny at the wedding reception

The kids and I stayed a week with my parents and Fikadu and Tigist were introduced to many family members for the first ttime.  They met 2nd cousins Jordan and Jacob.  Fikadu tried so hard to have normal boy conversations!  One of his memorable (and laughable) lines in the hot tub was, “Hey boys! Did you know polar bears eat penguins!”

Tigist liked a quieter relaxing soak!

Fikadu was enthralled with everything boy!

Tigist loved the playhouse

A favorite was four-wheeler rides with grampy!

I think we’re in trouble!

Fikadu was introduced to this. . .

Tigist had her first cornrows, compliments of very talented grammy!

Both kids were pumped about their first boat ride!

More to come. . .

Our dear friend Alyssa has a professional photography business and was so kind to take our first family photos.  You can head over to her blog at www.alyssaannephotography.blogspot.com for a sneak peak of our pictures.  We are so grateful to you Alyssa for these precious photos!  Thank you!