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

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
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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

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

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

A different kind of Christmas~

Greetings -
Let's be honest - here at the Hammons house this year has been a different kind of year all around - from work to floods to a family made via Ethiopia! So why oh why did I expect the holidays to be the same as in the past! As you know Kenneth and I were in Ethiopia for Thanksgiving so Tariku had the chance to stay with Nana and Papa for a week and than it was off to Nana Pat's and Auntie Kristin's! But before he left we were able to fit in a quick trip to ICE at Gaylord Opryland!

Before I could get Tariku off the sugar high that came from Wisconsin we were off again! This time with 2 days notice we were given the most amazing gift by my parents! A 3 day trip to Walt Disney World! To say it was MAGICAL would be an understatement! Tariku loved spending time on the FAST rides and also with his papa and Uncle Josh!

Stay tuned as I share more of our Christmas in Orlando and what Santa brought to Tennessee!

Wishing you a Magical Day~
Courtney

We become a family of 4

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com