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
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
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
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
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
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!
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
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
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
Wishing you a Magical Day~
Courtney
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