Thursday, December 8, 2011

Thanks for the reminder

Greetings -
I spent the better time of today running around trying to find the "PERFECT" outfits for the boys to meet Santa in for the first time!  And as any mother of boys apparently knows and I learned today - boys clothes at ages 5 and 6 are just not all that perfect!  If I looked at one more plaid shirt and jeans I thought I would scream!!!  So I came home from the mall empty handed and a little sad.  You see I want that perfect photo. You know the one you see in Martha Stewart and Parents Magazine. I want to make up for all they have missed in their short lives, I want them to have the awe and wonder that is this holiday season.  And I thought that would all come with this "PERFECT" outfit.  Than I logged into facebook to distract myself from the fact that the boys may be going naked this weekend to brunch (okay not really but you know what I mean) and there it was - a shared video from a dear dear friend. I watched this video for the first time (which amazes me since I am a HUGE SCC fan) and there right in front of me was the answer I had been searching for all day.  The boys don't need a "PERFECT" outfit they needed a family and this Christmas that is what we are.  So I still have no idea what they will wear but I do know I am not going to loose sleep because I know there are 2 less orphans in this world and GOD will answer there Christmas list!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving


From the Hammons House to your house we wish you A very Happy Thanksgiving 2011!  May the holiday season be off to all things MAGICAL

Kenneth, Courtney, Tariku, Teddy, 
Oliver, Annie, Touchet and Pepsi

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Last year at this time -

Greetings -
WOW O WOW!  What a difference a year makes!  As I sit in my brothers New York condo writing this today - I am thinking back to where I was last year at this time.  While friends and family were busy preparing for Thanksgiving Kenneth and I were once again in Ethiopia.  This trip a little more unexpected than all the rest!  We were there for court for Tewdros "Teddy" Joshua Hammons.  Little did we know the journey that God was about to send us on.  So today I sit in the condo and watch my dad play basketball with his two little Ethiopian princes and  I pray for all our friends still on this journey.  May they know the love that comes with these children.

Wishing you a Magical Day ~
Courtney

Sunday, September 11, 2011

My 09.11.01

Greetings -
As we reflect today on the American Tragedy of 9.11.01 Kenneth and I reflect on a very different 09.11.01  At the time Kenneth and I were both working for Walt Disney World - we had been seeing each other for a few months and 09.11.01 was the day I was scheduled for surgery at Celebration Hospital for endometrosis.  My recollections of 09.11.01 are small (at best!) When Matt Lauer came on the T.V.  about the first plane hitting the world trade center  I was being sedated for surgery.  I woke up to news that the pentagon had been hit and that Celebration Hospital was being shut down to any voluntarily scheduled surgery.  Celebration was the fall out shelter should anything happen and Walt Disney World and so they needed to prepare in case there was to be an attack on Walt Disney World.  It turns out I was the only elective surgery to have taken place that day because of the attacks.  While America was wrapped in the tragedy unfolding on TV Kenneth and I were learning that a biological child was not in my future (remember Kenneth and I had only been together a few months so who knew if he would stick around with this news!!!)  And yet there was peace amidst the tears there was the belief that God had a different type of family in store for me.  And so we headed back to my apartment - roads bare of cars, news blaring about the terrorists and our own silence.  Today 10 years later I look back on that day as a new beginning - AMERICA rose to the challenge and was not defeated by those terrorists - Kenneth did eventually propose and we were married - and now on this 10th anniversary we have 2 AMAZING boys from Ethiopia that are not only our pride and joy but also our rise to a challenge.  Tonight we will talk to the boys about 09.11.01 - we will tell them about the city that Uncle Josh and Au ntie Megan lives in, we will tell them about the boys and girls that lost their moms and dads that day, we will talk about the heros that came when they were called and we will tell them how it began the journey to today.  From our family to yours we pray for God's blessings and peace during a monumental moment in time.

Wishing you a MAGICAL day ~
Courtney

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

GOTCHA Day - 1 Year Later

Greetings -
Hard to believe but it is GOTCHA day!  Here is the video of what was happening in our life a year ago!



Wishing you a MAGICAL day~
Courtney

Monday, August 1, 2011

One Year Ago.... Today

Greetings -
One year ago today was a HUGE day in the life of Kenneth and Courtney Hammons. It was the day that would start a new chapter in our family!  We would no longer be Kenneth and Courtney Hammons - we would become the Hammons Family!  One year ago today we met "meetcha day" Tariku James Hammons at the transition house in Addis Abbaba Ethiopia.  We waited with wide eyes and wonderment for our son to appear through those magical doors where we had seen so many other children loose their orphan status!  And like we had seen so many times during our process out walked a pensive, nervous little boy.  Unsure about what the future held for him.  Sure he hugged us and played with us but you could see in his face the questions - is this for real?  will they take me home?  am I finally a child of a family?
So to answer those questions I fast forward one year to TODAY!
Yes Tariku it is for real, Daddy and I will take you home and love you everyday.  We will listen to your stories and compare transformers and their speed 1,000 times a day to reassure you that you are home!  Yes Tariku you are a child of the Hammons family and in so many ways you my sweet sweet boy are what made us the family we are.  Daddy and I are blessed and honored to call you are son.  We will forever be grateful to your African Mommy and Daddy for bringing you into this world.  For loving you those first few years and than for realizing that they could not care for you any further.  We will continue to honor your past and speak about it when you wish.  But we will also move forward with your future - filled with Nana and Papa, Papa Blue, Uncle Josh and Auntie Megan and Grandma and Grandpa, Nanny, Grandma Taco, Nana Pat and Auntie Kristin.  For it is in these people your future will come to life!
To everyone who has touched us this past year THANK YOU!  I could never name everyone who has made this journey with us and supported us in ways I never knew possible!

So from those that have loved you in the past and to those that will love you in the future!  Welcome to your first American year Tariku James Hammons!  We look forward to so many more years with you!

Wishing you a MAGICAL day~
Courtney

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

5 second rule -

Greetings -
I know what you are thinking - food on the floor less than 5 seconds is good to go - right!!! Well this is a different 5 second rule!  I read about it a few months back (wish I could remember where!!) - Wanting to make sure Tariku was listening on the first try and doing what was asked I came across this explanation!  When you ask someone to do something especially a child - ask the question and than count to 5 - you see it takes the brain that long to process what you have asked!  I laughed at first but thought well let's give it a try and don't you know sure enough by the time we were to 5 or 6 he was responding to what I was asking!  So after I had been doing this for a week or so I asked Kenneth to try it - instead of Tariku time for bed Tariku time for bed TARIKU time for bed it was Tariku time for bed 1.2.3.4.5 and than he was off to bed!  I have to say the frustration level in our house is way way down and you can often hear me saying Kenneth did you count to 5!  So next time you think your child is not doing what you ask remember to count to 5 to give their brain time to process the request!

Wishing you a MAGICAL day~
Courtney

Monday, June 20, 2011

Father's Day

Greetings -
Well Father's Day was WAY WAYWAY different from mother's day!  Last week Wednesday we loaded the car and started the trek to Oklahoma to see Kenneth's family!  Most had not met Tariku and all had yet to meet Teddy!  Since it was my weekend without weddings we thought it would be a great time to visit the fam!  So off we went!  We stayed overnight in Arkansas and finished the trip on Thursday late afternoon!  It was great to see the family finally meet both the boys!!!  We spent the next 3 days sightseeing, visiting and thank god playing in the new pool! ( average temp has been over 100!!) - but I will say that Father's Day was the best!  To see Kenneth and his boys playing in the pool with Grandpa and Uncle Jason reminded me just how far these 2 boys had traveled!  They were being loved on unconditionally by their daddy and for just a moment the whole world stopped as I thanked their birth fathers for bringing them into this world.  I prayed that Tariku's Africa Daddy (as he calls him) was looking down from heaven happy with the life his son was living.  I prayed for the heart of Teddy's birth father who left long before Teddy was born - I prayed that one day he would have that unconditional love and bond for a child.  And I thanked God for the man I married that he loves these two little boys with all his heart!  To all the fathers out there we hope you had an amazing father's day and that your children are inspired by the unconditional love you show them everyday!




Wishing you a Magical Day~
Courtney

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

10 Months Home!

WOW O WOW!  Where did the time go!!!  I am sitting at my parents in Wisconsin and just realized that this month Tariku James will have been home for 10 months!  Hard to remember life before him!  While the boys are visiting my parents this week I am having the great opportunity to catch up on photos and such from the past 10 months! Sorting, sorting and organizing!  It is amazing to see the difference in him from Gotcha Day to today!  He is such a self confident young boy!  He loves his life, his room and his brother!  He is working on his love for me but I can tell you it is coming along!  His PAPA is his world and if Papa lived closer I think he would live there!  He truly loves his Daddy and helps him with anything and everything!  Tariku may you always know how blessed we are to call you our son!  Daddy and I could not have asked for a better 1st son!
                                                           So from Gotcha Day to
                                                                       Today!

Wishing you a Magical Day~
Courtney

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

It takes a village to throw a Hammons birthday party!

Greetings -
So last week Teddy turned 5 and Tariku turned 6! Hard to believe that the boys were about to experience there first birthday in America! With the invitations sent, the cake ordered and the fun all ready we waited for March 26th to arrive! On March 24th and 25th family began to arrive from around the country to share in this experience with the boys! The boys were lucky enough to stay at Gaylord Opryland the night before the party with Nana, Papa, Uncle Josh and Auntie Megan (allowing Mommy and Daddy and Nana Pat and Auntie Kristin time to get ready for the party!) At 1pm the party bus arrived and shortly after so did the kiddos! We are soo blessed to have such amazing friends to pull off a MAGICAL first American party! Thanks thanks thanks to Designs in Paper, Cakes by Shara, Sweet Face Cakes, Connie Duglin Linen and Master Creations for helping us create this experience! So here is a recap of our day!

Tariku and Teddy's 1st Birthday Bash

Wishing you a MAGICAL Day~
Courtney

Monday, March 28, 2011

Where does the time go!

Greetings -
Where oh where does the time go! It has been 7 months since we have been home with Tariku and 2 months that we have been home with Teddy! It feels as though they have always been here! It is hard for me to remember what time was like before they came. So many things have happened in this window of time and I promised myself I would be better at blogging so one day the boys would see their whole story unfold! And yet where did the time go - I last posted in February - how is that possible! There is so much I need to share and want to share! So starting today I am going to be a blogging fool! I want to remember those moments that go so fast and are so dear! So until tomorrow take a moment and enjoy the time with your kids - before you know it months will have passed and life will be different yet again!

Wishing you a MAGICAL Day~
Courtney

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

A Warm Welcome Home~

Greetings -
This journey to family has been nothing short of amazing! As you know what was supposed to be a 4 day trip to Ethiopia turned into 16 days! So you can imagine that by the time I got to Washington D.C. I was pretty spent. Now Teddy was amazing on the flight and did just great but still we had been traveling for close to 20 hours at that point with another 11 to go! But there was this amazing light at light at the end of the tunnel (otherwise known as Dulles international airport) and that light was the Taylor Family. Now Bethany and I had never met, never talked on the phone, never sent a christmas card, but we have adopted with the same agency, are friends on facebook and belong to the same yahoo chat so when I saw her and her family waiting to see us it was like seeing a part of my family. Bethany and her incredible husband have adopted 4 from Ethiopia with the most recent one knowing Teddy. So on that cold cold Jan day Bethany loaded the kiddo's into the car and headed out to greet us on our layover! Teddy was beside himself excited to see someone he knew in the airport. Bethany and I talked for close to 2 hours before she had to get the kiddo's home for lunch and all I can say is THANK YOU and that does not seem like enough! So the moral of my story is if you get a chance to go to an airport homecoming or even an airport stopover GO GO GO GO! They family coming in needs you more than you will ever know!

Here are all the kiddo's at the airport!!!


Wishing you a MAGICAL Day ~
Courtney

Monday, February 7, 2011

Gotcha Day~

Greetings -

Well we have been home almost 4 weeks and I am finally getting around to writing about this experience in Ethiopia! I guess it is better late than never!
So Gotcha Day was the same as arrival day in Ethiopia!!!!! Since I had left Sunday evening (with a stay-over in Washington D.C.) it took until Tuesday morning (Monday night in America) to reach Ethiopia! The amazing Dawit was at the airport to greet Elle and I. Once the Grant's joined us it was off to the Yebsabi Guest House to drop off our luggage before heading to lunch and the Transition House!

As we drove to the Transition House I wondered what would be Teddy's reaction? It had been 4 weeks since I had seen him last! Would he know me? Would he want to come with me? Would he want to stay with his friends? Would he miss the fact that Kenneth was not with me on this trip? Would he understand what was happening?

As the van pulled in past the blue and white sign - I saw him - Waiting - as though he knew what was about to happen! Sitting on the rock wall with Poppy (the gate greeter)!! As he looked in the van and saw me his eyes lit up! He did know!!!!!!! He ran around to the door and waited for me to get out - I got the biggest hug and lots of kisses!!!!Here are some photos from our first day together
-



Tuesday, January 25, 2011

One Week Home

Greetings -
It is so hard to believe how quickly time is flying! We have been home as a family of 4 for a little over a week!!! Tariku and Teddy have picked up right where they left off. There is alot more noise in the Hammons house and alot more activity. Tariku is showing Teddy how to be American! We were not even home 24 hours and Tariku asked when we were taking him and Teddy to Disney World.
Teddy is handling the transition amazingly. He was not to sure (okay he HATED!!) the dogs the first night but by the second he was laughing at them and this past weekend he thought they should sleep with him instead of mommy and daddy. He has had the chance to see snow and sled. (I believe he will get more of that tomorrow!!!) He has been to the circus, Target and Toys R Us! He loves pizza just like Tariku and he listens to Tariku so very very well!
Tariku has taken on the role of big brother quite well. He loves to show Teddy new things and how to brush his teeth and where to put his clothes. They hug and laugh and fight just like I had hoped they would.
Teddy saw the peditrician on Monday and was a true CHAMPION with 4 shots and blood draws! We are currently waiting on appointments at Vanderbilt to see a neurologist, audiologist, and ENT. So we will be sure to share as those arise!
Thank you to everyone who has come along on this journey with us. Without each of you we would not be the family we are today!

Wishing you a Magical Day~
Courtney

Monday, January 17, 2011

We are Home!!!!!!

Greetings ~
Well the journey to bring Teddy home has come to an end! We are pleased to tell you that Courtney and Teddy returned home to Nashville on Sat evening! I (Courtney) will be posting soon about the extended experience in Ethiopia!! Thank you to each and everyone of you for your prayers!!!

Wishing you a Magical Day ~
Courtney

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Leaving AGAIN on a jetplane!

Greetings -
Okay so this trip surely came around a little quicker than anyone anticipated! But tomorrow afternoon I am off again to Ethiopia (a place that truly holds at least half my heart now!!) This time Kenneth will be staying home with Tariku and I will travel with Elle Mihnovich - a incredible 18 year old with the largest heart for Ethiopia! Why am I going back for the third time in 4 months! Well my friends that answer is simple TEDDY IS COMING HOME!! Yep we will be a complete family of 4 on Sat January 8th at 5:57pm!! If you are in the Nashville area we would love for you to come to the airport and see the reunion of Tariku and Teddy! Teddy and I will land at 5:57pm on United - we are coming in from Dulles! Cannot wait to share this journey with you all!

Wishing you a Magical Day~
COURTNEY