Dear Enat ~

Dear Enat ~
Well its that time of year again.  The time when you are on my mind constantly.  The time of year that I wonder are you thinking about him, are you wondering what and how he is doing, the time I wonder if you miss him as much as I do when he's gone from me for simply a night or 2?

Today our boy turns 11!!  It seems like it was only yesterday that we arrived in Ethiopia to meet a shy, quiet 5 year old and then in the blink of an eye he's 11 and getting ready for 5th grade!

I want you to know he is great - he is thriving at school, loves his brother and his family with all his heart, knows and loves Jesus.  He still thinks yellow is the best color in the world.  His sign language has come a long way as he grows with Tewdros.  He spent this past year with trips to Wisconsin, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, and Mexico.  He continues to play futbol and basketball and his golf game is quite impressive!!  He has become an amazing foster brother as he will tell you that it is our job to stand in the gap and love those when they need it most.

His heart and compassion for others lead him to extraordinary opportunities.  But most of all he is LOVED and LOVES so many.  So thank you - thank you for knowing the worth of his life when you made that decision all those years ago.  And know that we talk about you often.

A few photos to recap his 10th year!

Happy Happy Birthday Tariku James - you are and always will be our greatest love

They Don't Tell You About Pajama's ~

Growing up pajama's were nothing special.  Something you put on at night to go to bed, kept on longer for Saturday morning cartoons and stayed in when you were sick.  They had your favorite superhero or princess on them and really that was it - they were just your pajama's.

Fast forward 30 some years and I realize something no one ever tells you about pajama's.  Pajama's are safety and security.  They are knowledge that you are loved and taken care of.  They allow you to be if just for a minute a child with dreams.

You see in my last 5 years I have watched 2 boys who didn't understand pajama's - who from the moment they got up until the moment their heads hit their pillows were perfectly dressed with a bed tightly made.  They needed to be "ready" at all times and at all costs.

As I write this today we are in our 7th 8th or 9th snow day and at 3:27pm my boys are still in their pajama's - playing soccer in the living room while spongebob plays in the background.

I won't take pajama's for granted going forward - for they tell us alot about the world we are in.  At least for this mama they tell me that we are becoming a family more and more everyday.

So next time the kiddos ask to stay in those jammies just a bit longer - know that it is a sign of affection - a little peek into the trust they have in their hearts.

Here are a few of our favorite pajama moments from the last few snow days!

What is Gena and why do we celebrate it?

BRRRRR - it's a weee bit chilly here in Nashville today and while the boys are at school I thought I would stop by for a second and fill you in on what we are up to today. If you have friends who have adopted from Ethiopia you may have seen some posts last night and today saying Melkam Gena. Today is in fact Christmas in Ethiopia as well as places such as Bethlehem, Athens, Moscow and others that follow the Julian calendar.

So what is Gena? If you ask Tariku he will tell you it's the day he gets to eat all of his favorite Ethiopian dishes in one sitting.  If you ask me I will tell you it's Ethiopian Christmas - Jan 6th and 7th are known as the "Old Christmas Day" since that is the original designation of the birth of Jesus by the 1st christian roman emperor Constantine, in 325A.D. But in 1582 Pope Gregory XIII changed the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar and in doing so the Catholic church moved the celebration to Dec 25th. Since the Eastern church did not have the same beliefs in the pope they did not change their day.

I have been fortunate to be in Ethiopia for Christmas and I can tell you it is greatly different than ours. Church services would begin at 4am or so - everyone dressed in white - candles given out - there was not Christmas splashed in every store or restaurant. No sign of Santa Claus - no in Ethiopia Christmas is far more spiritual - far more simply about the birth of Jesus. And then once church is finished it is time to spend with family and friends. 

 So tonight our Ethiopian American family will celebrate we will dine on the boys favorite Ethiopian dishes, we will talk about the boys birth country it's past it's present and it's future and at the very end we will give our gifts to one another.  So from the Hammons house to yours we say 

Good bye 2014 - Hello 2015

Goodness gracious - another year is wrapping up for people all over the world. In just a few short hours from now we will celebrate the beginning of a new year. And so I thought I would end 2014 with a few photos from our world to yours.

Teddy is now playing club soccer - different team from Tariku but same Club

Soccer - it's apparently ALL we do in the Spring and Fall 

Amazing business opportunities

Photos with Santa - photo courtesy of Karen Halbert Photography

Time with Papa is always time well spent

Disney with Papa Blue

Maybe this should of been our Christmas card this year?  Oh wait I never got the card out!!!

Teddy and his papa blue

Tariku being interviewed for NPR

IF conference in Austin with Jillian and Jess - a true blessing of an opportunity

And when not playing soccer we are on the basketball courts

2nd grade means Leprechaun traps

So proud to be in black for Aris FC

Designing their own golf hole

Hard to believe he is about to begin his 3rd season with this club

Mrs. Clark and Mr. Jim - they made the school world a wee bit easier to navigate

Tariku and Ms. Gatlin (2nd grade)

It's a party when Will is in town and mama is in Ethiopia

 an amazing evening to benefit 147 million orphans and a private screening of Legends of the Knight #wearebatman

Easter 2014

yep a totaled car in the Spring of 2014 

Who cares the water is FREEZING!

Always ready for the next adventure

Off to Uncle Jason's we go

Playing tic tac toe with great-grandma Taeko 

Mama why do Americans think this is fun?  This is just life in Africa! - Tariku

Brothers 

Awards won and parties planned

See a theme?  This boy and his tic tac toe

On the soccer field before 7am - calls for one thing

So happy to see their Amber get married

Summer spent with Kylee

The Christmas gift from Uncle Josh that lives on and on and on

Giggles and all girl

Adventure and Road Trips!

Atlanta GA - Six Flags

A look into the future and look who's driving

Kylee behind the wheel

Cousins and the bestest of friends

One would think they were related by blood - but alas they are not

Summer - welcomed a pool into our yard!!

New friends

Working on their radio voices

Hanging with friends at the radio station

Listening as they remix the Tariku message

Preparing his lines

Ready to go wish America a very happy birthday

Disney day @ Camp Summer Sign

Just over 5 months in this thing 

Halloween

The launch of a non - profit

Wedding help in Santa Fe

Cliff Dwelling in Santa Fe

My little orange boy

So there you have it!!  A look back at 2014 - we are blessed beyond measure and look forward to all that comes in 2015.  From the Hammons House to yours we wish you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR