From 4 kids to 5 kids to 6 kids

Beau here. Will keep this short. A couple weeks ago we got certified as foster parents. On Wednesday, October 6, a new born girl named "L" was placed with us for foster care. On Thursday, October 7, we got a call asking if we would consider adopting (not fostering) a baby girl who was not born yet, but due on that day. We said yes. Michelle was born on Sunday, October 10, and she came home from the hospital with us last Tuesday, October 12. So we went from 4 to 5 to 6 kids in less than one week's time. We are praying for baby L's family and hope a person in her family will be qualified to foster her in the near-term. If not, we will count it a blessing to continue having her in our family as long as the Lord wills. More later.

And yes, we went out this week and bought a Chevy Express large passenger van. I think it is cool. Nat is not there yet... :)

Beau

Our Community Group

Watermark's story of life change in the church bulletin today was about our community ground. Here is a link to the story.

http://watermarkblogs.org/stories/08/deciding-to-adopt/

Foster Care Update - we have completed 90% of our paperwork. Our home study in on August 17, a week from this Tuesday. I think we will be certified foster parents in early to mid September, which means we might have a kid in our house by October. We are still thinking through the specifics, but our current intention is to foster one child up to age five.

Our Next Journey

July 4, we celebrated one year since we met Beck and Deshi in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We had a great family vacation to celebrate. Here is a recent family photo.



Since then, we have been excited to see the other three couples in our community group start again. The Tucker's hope to bring a sweet nine year old girl home from Ethiopia in August. The Leventhal's hope to bring a big three year old boy home from China later this Fall. The Butler's are in the early stages of another Ethiopia adoption, this time a girl around three or four years old. So Natalie and I decided we needed to jump in on the fun! We are starting our journey into becoming foster parents. We hope to be fostering by the end of the year, and God willing, we would like to adopt from the foster children.

Here is a recent photo of our community group with all the kids. We have 14 right now across the four families. We hope there are 4-5 more kids in the photo this time next year.

Happy Birthday Beck and Deshi

Serving The Least Of These

Hey guys,
Beau here. I wanted to share with you a sorta funny, sorta sad, sorta odd story. To make sense of this, let me first share with you a passage that is at the heart of this. It is from Matthew 25.

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

So when I see beggars, I often struggle with what to do. Many are looking for beer money. Others just beg for a living and will lie to get what they want. Others truly have needs where God might be calling for me to be His means of grace.

In the spirit of the passage above, I don't want to say "no" when "Jesus" asks for me to help him. So I committed a few weeks ago to truly engage with folks asking for help, trying to really engage in creatively meeting the need they ask for. Today I had my most interesting experience yet.

About 7PM, I was in a parking lot at a restaurant and a guy asked me for help. Here is the dialogue:

The guy: "Hey man, I need some help. I am driving to Lubbock with my family, and I just got a flat time. In the name of Jesus, can you help with some money to buy the tire?"

Me: "Man, I would love to provide all you need. Let me give you a ride to buy the tire, but first I want you to let your family know, so they won't be worried. Walk back to your family, and I will pull over there."

I go get my car and drive to the nearby gas station parking lot where he is.

The guy: "Man, my family is gone. Maybe they ran across the street to McDonald's."

Me: "I don't mind waiting. Why don't you go over there to find him, and I will wait for yall to get back."

The guy crosses busy street to McD's. Comes back a minute later...alone.

The guy: "They aren't there. Maybe someone stopped to help and they went somewhere with them."

Me: "I tell you what. You wait here for your family, and I will go buy the tire. That way they won't panic if they return not to find you. Let's go check the car, so I know what tire to buy."

The guy walks to a car. I notice all four tires look fine. He points to a tire and feels around on the inside wall.

The guy: "You see, there is a crack and bulge on the inside wall of the tire."

I reach in to feel it myself.

Me: "I don't feel it. You should be fine to drive to Lubbock."

The guy: "It makes a really bad sound when I drive it. If you heard it, you would understand."

Me: "Let's take a ride."

The guy looks over my shoulder and then starts walking away. I look over my shoulder and see a lady walking over.

Turns out the car is not his. The lady works at the gas station and saw the two of us on the security camera messing with her car!

I need to think quickly. She looks Ethiopian.

Me: "Hey, that guy was a scam artist claiming that car was his. Are you Ethiopian?"

Her: "Yes, I saw him scamming someone else earlier. He got money from the other guy. Yes, I am from Ethiopia." She looks surprised.

Me: "I have two Oromo (note: Ethiopian tribe) kids."

Her: "Have you been to Ethiopia."

Me: "Yes, Addis Ababa as well as Guragie Zone."

Her: "Oh, I am Guragie."

Me: "I work with an orphanage in Gunchire in Guragie Zone."

We chat a bit longer. I find out she is here on a visa and only has two more years of work to get her citizenship. Her husband is back in Addis, and she visits him once per year. In two years, she will work to get him over here. Any way, I want to go back and meet her again to maybe invite her to dinner with our family.

The guy didn't get his money, but maybe God used this to have me meet this gal who might be here with no family. TBD...

2009 in photos

New Blog

Beau here. I just wanted to note that I have been blogging on another site lately (http://watermarkblogs.org/africa/). The focus is the ministry I get to do with my Watermark friends over in Africa. I think it will encourage you. I am currently posting stories from my trip to Africa last week.

Personal update - Life is really good. We are entering week three without anyone sick in the house! That is a huge praise. Beck and Deshi are doing great. Their English has progressed significantly, which really improves our communication! Caleb and Hannah still love being older siblings...most of the time. Overall, I am loving life today and curious what God has in store for tomorrow.

Helping Orphans

There are two less orphans in this world...in this video....Beck and Deshi are shown twice, look for their sweet dancing. And please look into your heart to see what YOU can do to help orphans still without families.

As for us....people are wondering how we are doing....when/if we will keep blogging....I never have been much of a writer....and life has been....well....very hard lately. And this current transition has been challenging.....90% beautiful and lovely but 10% very very exhaustingly hard....we are trying and learning and progressing and we are committed.....but it is physically and emotionally exhausting....I have told some that I felt very well trained and prepared for the expectations of adoption....but the one big surprise has been my own reaction....I expected myself to have more patience and grace and...love than I have had over the last few months....I have learned a lot, including how to lean daily on the Lord who is the source of all grace and love. If this all sounds like one big mystery...I am sorry...maybe I will get back to blogging one day soon:)

Things really could not be any better....considering the huge transition we all are going through. We are so very thankful for all of our children, our family and the life the Lord has given us.

This was it!

**Disclaimer...we had been travelling and not sleeping for I don't know maybe 36+ hours so no judging the clothes, hair, or tired eyes on me:) And just as an FYI the man with the cool fashion is Travis who works for Gladney in Ethiopia....he's the great guy who brought us the babies!

Splash Park

Here are Beck and Deshi playing at their first splash park with their favorite Ethiopian twin friends, Glory and Josh:) They all had sooooo much fun!!!!! Thanks Christine for making this fun video!

Are those kids yours?

Last night we got the question..."Are those kids yours?" But it's not what you're thinking....

We were at Fuddruckers celebrating the Tuckers passing court (YEAH!!!!!!!!) We had finished eating our yummy dinner....and while the adults were visiting the kids were....ummmm.....running around wild and crazy:) The big kids were having fun with the twins.....and the twins are now comfortable enough with others to allow some freedom. While we were enjoying a little adult conversation.....we were definitely keeping a very close eye on all children of course:)

Well maybe we looked away just for a second....just a really quick moment.....

The manager comes over to our table and asks the question "are those kids yours?" as he points to our kids over by the soda machines.

"Well yes they are, sir"

"Well your kids are licking the ground and trying to eat ice off the ground"

And while everyone around us and the soda machine looks on in horror, Beau and I casually grab the twins....and then hand them to the Tuckers. Figure they needed the practice and we didn't want the judgement on us:)

Crazy Hard Stuff

I am way overdue for a blog post but things have been soooo crazy....good crazy mainly:) I am more exhausted than I have ever been....oh I so wanted to blog about Ethiopia....Everyone said it is indescribable and unforgettable. It truly is!!! The sights and sounds and smells stay with you after you leave....and make me want to return tomorrow! I can still hear the music playing in our neighborhood while we played in the yard, smell the food cooking, and coffee roasting (and deisel fumes) There is still a lot for me to process, a lot of hard things and different emotions. We are still lacking on sleep....so processing and dealing with heavy stuff will have to wait.

Obviously meeting the babies was the biggest, craziest, surreal moment of the trip. It was very very surreal to actually have that moment. Most of you know the amount of time we waited for a referral, then the time we waited to pass court to bring these babies home. Well in that moment all the time waiting seemed a distant memory....HONESTLY!!! And having given birth to two of my children (which was an amazing experience of course)....I have to say that the moment of having these two children placed in my arms was even crazy bigger! I kept asking myself if I was dreaming. To fly across the planet, to have two children entrusted into your care....it was so humbling and overwhelming. And I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!!! I am truly confused on why more people don't adopt....we are called to care for God's children and there so much joy in that obedience. I know all of parenting (and life) is hard, but we are not called to an easy life:) I'm not going to lie....this is the hardest thing i have ever done....CRAZY HARD! But it is so awesome at the same time....and I really pray more people consider, pray and move to action on their thoughts about adoption because the blessings are so huge!!!!

While we are trying to keep this crazy life as simple as possible while we all adjust....we still spend "some" time in the car. Can I admit that I was so excited when the babies liked chicken nuggets on the go one day....helped this Mamma out....

Wish I could put into words how awesome it to see these children with their amazing father....having been cared for by only women their first 2 years of life....it is beyond huge to me to see them loved by their father. Deshi especially took her time (about 2 weeks) to let Beau love her and she just decided one day to accept his affection:) Now they are both CRAZY about Daddy!

Hannah and Deshi in traditional Ethiopian clothes. Hannah loves for them to match.

How did I ever get so lucky?

Hannah and "Kit" .....just love my Hannah!

Caleb on his last day of baseball:) So handsome:)

AND GOD MADE...

Beau here. So nine days into being home, we are slowly learning the little things that bring us relief...I mean joy to our sweet new kids. So here are the things I am grateful God made.

1. Berbere. The Ethiopian spice. If Beck and Deshi don't like the food, we throw this on, and they all of a sudden like it a bit more.

2. Child Bike Trailer. Beck and Deshi love a ride on the back of daddy's bike...which also give my sweet bride a little rest.

3. Rice. When the kids won't eat anything else, they are always up for rice. And Deshi loves feeding the floor with some of her rice.

4. Swimming Pool. Beck and Deshi love our swimming pool, especially Beck. He loves to throw himself underwater. When we are not up for the pool, we hand him the hose in the backyard, and he goes to town spraying himself.

5. Cowboy burgers. My Texas friends have likely had the cowboy burgers from Central Market. Nice and spicy, full of spices, japalenos, and sausage. I smothered one with onions (and salt lick sauce) tonight, and Beck and Deshi went to town. Yes, they are certainly my kids!

6. Crib Tent. So when it came time for the kids first nap in our house, Nat put them down and went to the living room for a touch of rest. Next thing you know Deshi is coming to her...yep, we have a climber. A click or two on Amazon...problem solved. When it came in the mail today, Caleb said "mom, that means I get to see you at bedtime."

7. Salt Lick BBQ Sauce. My Austin friends know what I am talking about. We buy the spicy kind. Tonight I learned Beck and Deshi like it on their onion smothers burgers...and in their rice.

8. Shopping at Central Market. My Texas friends know what I am talking about. This is Disney World for feed addicts...like me. We put the kids in a grocery cart Sunday and strolled the store...trying every free sample in the store...learning new foods Beck and Deshi like...including sole sole fish sauteed in a sweet sauce.

That's it for now. I am sure we will learn more of God's creations this week...

Kidmia

Beau here. Over the last few months I have been wrestling through how best to remain plugged in with serving orphans in Ethiopia. This is important to me as part of our adoption of Beck, Deshi, and [God willing] some more in the future.

As I have prayed about this, the Lord graciously exposed me to The Kidmia Foundation, which is an organization some of you may already be aware of. It was started by a small group of folks, including Scott Brown over at Gladney. It's Executive Director is a great guy I have gotten to know over the last two years, Matt Brost, whose wife if also over at Gladney.

So Kidmia's vision is to find Christian families in Ethiopia to adopt children locally in Ethiopia. This is a relatively new concept in Ethiopia, the idea of taking in a child as your own who is not related to you. And when you see the vast number of orphans in Ethiopia and the fact that only a couple thousand per year will be adopted internationally, you can understand why it is important to grow adoptions locally to care for all these sweet kids in Ethiopia. So that is what Kidmia is committed to doing for the glory of God. They have largely built the infrastructure of their first campus in Gunchire, Ethiopia, about four hours southwest of Addis, in the region of the Gurage (aka Guragie) ethnic group. I got to visit the campus on July 5 of this year, and I have included some pictures for you. They currently have about 23 children on the campus, which includes three that have arrived in the past month. I got to play with them for a few hours which was a lot of fun.

I am excited and humbled to say that last Friday I accepted an invitation to join the Board of Kidmia, something I look forward to pouring countless hours into in the years to come.

If you would like to support Kidmia, there are a few ways to do so. First, you can pray for God to raise up families in Gunchire to adopt these children. Second, you can visit when you visit Ethiopia. We have some sweet friends in Addis who would love to bring you to Kidmia and share the story with you. There are also some neat things you can bring with you for the kids. Third, you can join the Facebook group to get updates, pictures, etc. Fourth, you can contribute financially, either at the Kidmia website or by sponsoring me on someone else in their annual golf tournament fundraiser.

If you have more questions about Kidmia, please don't hesitate to ask!

Dinner time with the kids

Home

Beau here. Got home around 1am last night after our Houston to Dallas flight was delayed. More later, but here is a pic from right after we got them. Some questions for you guys.

Anyone know who the parents are for a girl at Gladney around two years old named Hayat? That is Beksisa's best friend, and I have some fun stories and pics.

Alexander's, Havonic's, and Bradshaw's...I have a camera chip for each of you I need to mail. Includes pics and videos. Please e-mail me your address at bfournet@hbk.com, and I can mail it out tomorrow from the office.

Who gave us a letter from their daughter to bring to Kechne to give to one of her friends? The sweet girl wrote a long letter back in response, and I want to mail it to you tomorrow. Send an e-mail to the above address.

More later!