So I’m wondering if People magazine ever saw these kids…if they did, I’m fairly certain they would make the Most Beautiful People list every year…but I may be a bit partial.

These pictures are of my two eldest climbing the Alpine Tower the other day. They are the two youngest climbers on it yet and loved every single minute! Dailah gave it a go for two steps with her daddy’s full support. She truly wanted to go further but we had to had to draw the line of safety somewhere.

So few words tonight because Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters is on and I know you all are only here for pictures. 🙂 Yippee!

So if you’ll notice in my comments from the last post, a blog stranger left me an interesting comment. Apparently not everyone loves everything I say like my mom, who would’ve thunk that?

I kept it there (after, admittedly, thinking about deleting it) as a reminder of what I believe. Overall, I believe in the power of one. It’s the reason I’ll vote come November, the reason I pray, the reason I love and so much more. I believe the power and passion of one person can compel 20, which can become 100 then 1,000 and so on (either for good, i.e. Jesus or bad, i.e. Hitler).

So perhaps my last post came off a bit soap boxy but that’s fine with me as that was not my intention and since this blog is not really for you all (I know, shocking) but more selfishly for me and mine, I’m okay with interpretations.

I just had to comment to my new interested, stranger blog friend person that I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to question my intentions. My intentions, as always, are to be a little more like Jesus every day and every day I fall short of that but every once in awhile (typically one in every 4,000 minutes or so) I get ever so close. I don’t think my thoughts and prayers for Ethiopia are too far from that.

Quite frankly I’m not entirely convinced Ethiopia will be affected by little ole’ me but I’m certainly convinced me storming the gates of heaven in prayer for Ethiopia can do a whole hell of a lot. Because that God of ours can change the course of Ethiopia in ways I never thought possible.

So here here to the power of one and let that One be the One to bring Ethiopia to the glory it deserves.

(And in true humanly spirit…how do you like them apples?)

LOTS of people ask me what I took from Ethiopia, not literally but ideas, knowledge, etc.

That’s a really tough question to answer. I really think there was a Tesi before Ethiopia and a Tesi after Ethiopia. My personality hasn’t really changed much (except I like to think I’m more compassionate towards people and their situations) but certainly the way I think of my place in the world and the world in general is different. It’s not something we can learn on the sidelines, it’s one of those where you just have to be there. In some ways it’s both the world’s saddest inside joke and most ironic.

It’s so fascinating how many comments we get about our adoption being a “good thing to do”. This says nothing towards the person saying it, except for perhaps they just don’t know us all that well. Zach and I are human, that’s why I can say this adoption was purely selfish. Even though we are certain God called us to adopt, we are also certain we did not save Tariku. Truth be told the care center he was in was a very loving, comfortable, beautiful environment. It doesn’t make up for a family but it was a lot better than a lot of families kids have to live in these days. I dare say in many ways our adoption of Tariku saved me. I’m certain God called us to do this because of what we would get out of it as well. For all intents and purposes I think God was kind of killing two birds with one stone with us. Sure Tariku could’ve used a family and we could’ve used a child but certainly it was more than that.

So with that said, I also cannot erase Ethiopia from my mind (not that I want to necessarily but it is SO PRESENT). When I’m in the car, I think of that special person we were able to meet on Sunday. When I see a food market I think of the Merkato, when I see an African person I think of Ethiopia. I think of Ethiopia when I drink coffee and when I eat a really large meal. I think of Ethiopia when I wear my scarf or look down at my arm. I think of it ALL the time. And I know God’s doing it for a reason.

I finished Kay Warren’s book, Dangerous Surrender. She has a chapter on becoming gloriously ruined, which is to say seeing the world through the eyes of the “lesser of these”. The ones Jesus so obviously has a huge heart for. There are a few points in this chapter that reminded me of why God called us specifically to Ethiopia, though perhaps it will mean something entirely different to you.

“You don’t have to go to Africa to prove that you’re seriously disturbed and gloriously ruined. That’s where dangerous surrender to God led me, but it’s not a litmus test of the depth of your obedience to God. What is a litmus test of your surrender and obedience to God is how you treat the least among us.”

Love this one…”As long as suffering people are a mere statistic to you, you will never become ruined for life as you know it. When suffering becomes personal–with faces and names–and when you hear their stories, you won’t be able to remain disconnected.”

And this one is what I’m dealing with now..”It takes time–weeks, even months–to settle into a new equilibrium that allow you to feel the pain and sorrow of our world without being overwhelmed by it.”

I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I’m a gloriously ruined by knowing Ethiopia. And in knowing Ethiopia, I know many other nations in the same situations. I’ve said it before, Ethiopia is so beautiful and it CANNOT be pity we feel towards the country. The fact of the matter is there are people starving there, this cannot be ignored even when they are some of the most beautiful people on this planet. There are crimes against humanity there, this cannot be ignored even when I only saw goodness in their people. Recognizing the ways we might be able to help Ethiopia does not negate the awesomeness of the country.

I just had to put this all down. I haven’t slept much wondering how in the world I will be used for this country. I’m both excited and terrified to see what’s in store but I love this country with so much depth and passion I know I’ll answer “yes” to whatever I’m called to do.

So my dear friend Jody, who I’ve mentioned one maybe two times should be heading to Sierra Leone to pick up her twins any day now. We are so very excited for her. The problem is, as many of us adoptive parents have found, travel is always so much more expensive than we originally thought it might be. This will be Jody and Andy’s second time going over there but this time they are obviously bringing back 2 more! So…we’re helping out and you can too.

I posted a picture of the bags we are making. Can you believe how cute it is? And all for the low price of $50. The bag pictured is mine, all mine and I use it all the time. Heading to the shower? It’s on me. Heading to the bathroom? There it is. All the time because you just never know when some weirdo will have a camera stalking you and perhaps he needs a bag with the outline of Africa on it.

So there it is. We are, at this time, doing just Africa. We’ll put the heart anywhere you like. So even if you’re not adopting from a specific country but are particularly troubled with the happenings in Darfur, you can request a heart there. If you don’t necessarily have a country to specify, we’ll put Sierra Leone on it as we are all hoping and praying this country opens it’s borders more widely for adoption (and because this wore torn country needs more prayers and attention!)

SO, if you would like one (and who wouldn’t?) go to Jody’s blog and click on the sidebar, there is a place to order one. You can also follow their adoption through that and see that they are genuinely good, funny, beautiful people and worth every cent. So dear blogger friends, let’s blow this blogosphere up with support for this amazing family and this truly perfect bag. If you have any questions or concerns you can also comment here and/or email me. Thanks in advance. Much love, much, much love.