Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Welcome Home Precious Baby

This outfit was my daddy's when he came home with his mom and dad from the hospital. My mommy thought it was kind of silly to dress me up to drive me three minutes home, but I think I rather look very cute.



Mommy is having a hard time getting the pics in order. This is my last sleep in the hospital. Mommy is excited, but I think she will miss letting someone else get up with me in the middle of the night! (she does)



Meeting my Mjobma (kiswahili for uncle)


How about this big balloon and dog I got for my big brother. He is not sure if he likes me or not, but he sure likes my gifts!

Mommy says my big sister is a flirt. Not sure what that means....



Mjomba remembering when Aiden was this small.





Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Newest Member of the Smith Family


To all those who faithfully follow this blog that gets neglected all the time, we want to introduce our newest Smith member. After 38 hours of labor, Jasiri Samuel David came into the world at 4:13 am on September 16th weighing in at 5lb 4oz and 19 inches. Jasiri had some trouble regulating his breathing so he was sent to the NICU. After a few days, he also developed acid reflux which didn't help the breathing issues. He is okay, but they are keeping him at the NICU for observation for a little while. It's hard not to have him here, and the trips to the hospital every three hours for feedings are tiring, but we are thankful that we are only in the stage of observation. Please pray that he gets to come home soon.

It was a really long time before I actualy got to hold him, but when I did...wow.

Looks like Jeromy...


Meet Isaiah, Baby.


Meet Greg.


Thursday, September 4, 2008

Can't figure out why I cannot get the text above this picture, so I'll just start blogging from here. We have had a busy couple of weeks since we came home. Lots of doctor appointments, speaking engagements, and catching up with friends we have missed for so long.
The kids are continuing to adjust well. They talk about Kenya and their friends there all of the time, but they are also enjoying all of the new sights and sounds of America. Not to mention they feel like celebrities almost everywhere we go. At least at every event where the people know thay are Kenyan children.
Now, when I take them out to shop or eat it is another story. People in America are just not as open and friendly as they are in Kenya. In Kenya, the kids were stopped all of the time to greet people and shake hands. Here, they don't understand what my babies want when they extend their hands for a greeting. One lady even thought Sundi was asking her for her cell phone! Oh, well.
While Ruth was here, we took her to DC to see some of our memorials. Rick is a die hard American...love it! So, we thought she should see some of his country. We even saw the president pass over in his helicopter on a return trip from Ohio. Yeah, Ruth says, "Rick, eat your heart out!!!"





I thought this would be a cute pose....whatever, Sundi looks like she is strangling Damon!


The girls posing!


Mama Josie, Josie, and Sally all came for a visit the week after we came home. Man, were we excited. Mama Josie is one of Sundi's favorite persons in the whole world. We met the Nelsons over in Kenya. If you were with out blog then, you know all about them. Never dreamed Damon and Josie would be in my patio in a double stroller together. Wonder what the Smith's are doing with a double stroller!


Ruth gave Josie her first hair do! Josie is super cute....as are all Kenyan children. They have really good genes.


Sundi and Sally hanging in the car

Ok, I am signing off for the day. Hoping to be a better blogger, but no promises...sorry. Life is just really full right now.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Helping out???

We had such a nice time at our homecoming celebration at Jeromy's parent's church. While of course Damon and Sundi were rather the center of attention, the team planning the event did a marvelous job at orchestrating the event around Christ and the miracle that this adoption has been to our family. Even without the drama of the courts in Kenya, we would have been awed at the gift that Damon and Sundi are to our lives. But, the trials of the months where corruption battle with goodness, leave us with an overwhelming awareness of the hand of God in our lives and the lives of our children. We cannot tire of talking about adoption, especially those we hope to take place in Kenya. We cannot tire of the battle for justice for the orphans in Kenya. We hope you are patient with us as we try to find the balance.

Here are just a few pics...I am sure there are more out there, but we didn't take any...


Damon helping Uncle Robert sweep the floor.



We share our chores around the house, but I guess Damon felt like he could handle this one on his own. Poor Sundi...he won't be two forever....

Almost finished...guess I'll put my feet up and relax...

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

So, I wasn't sure if we should continue to blog or not. I feel like our life is not as interesting as it was in Kenya. Wasn't sure you all were interested. But, someone asked me to update you all on how the babies are adjusting and how we are handling life back at home.

So, Damon and Sundi are doing well. Surprisingly enough, Sundi is taking the transition better than Damon is. Sundi loves being the center of attention wherever we go... I think the child thinks America is here for her and her alone! Damon, however, misses the people back in Kenya very much. He cries for Rick, Ruth, Pastor, and Mary. Yesterday he asked me if we could go to school and see Mary. He will adjust, but he has surprised me with his attachments.

As for me, I am doing my best to get us settled and into a routine. I expected I would struggle with leaving Kenya. I have. I am grateful for all of us to be on this side of the fence together, but I miss the friends and family back home so much. I think life changed so drastically when I became a mother, but it all changed there. So, perhaps that me has come here and doesn't always know what to do with herself. Still, we know that God chooses seasons for us to walk in, and I am working to make the most of every season.

Damon and Sundi were excellent fliers! This is them in our wonderfully upgraded seats heading out of Nairobi. We were happy passengers! I was anticipating having to hold Damon the entire flight, but when we checked in, they upgraded our seats and gave Damon his own! All so we could have Ruth sit with us.
Now, check in itself was a little funny. You see, our new friends from German Tele were there to film the final farewell. The airport staff thought George and Samuel were part of the crew and allowed them to come in and help us with our luggage. As expected, there were issues with Damon's paper ticket. While I was at the customer service counter clearing his pass, the ticket agent who was checking in Ruth and Sundi started fussing Samuel out for allowing us to leave the country without him! He let her rant and rave for a few minutes on how he should be going to help and did he trust me to return....Finally, he put the poor girl out of her misery and told her he was our pastor, not the children's father. I admit that I can sympathize with her, Damon does look an awful lot like Samuel.

Eventually, we made it through and thought the drama was over and we were headed home. Who was I kidding??? As soon as we got through registration, Damon starts asking to use the bathroom. No problem, we have about an hour and a half until take off. So, I take him in and start to unzip his sleeper. Hmmm, his was a locking zipper that requires the little tag to be in place in order to unzip. Funny that one. The tag slips off and falls into the unflushed toilet. I just couldn't bring myself to dig it out. We were not the ones who did not flush...
So, I took Damon out and tried to get the zipper down without the tag. Nope. Wasn't going to budge. After about a half hour of trying, we went to the Java House and begged a pair of scissors to cut him out of his footed sleeper so he could use the choo!

Which leads me to the next episode. Ruth, being the sweetheart that she is, volunteered to carry our backpack as her carry-on. I put our immigration docs and our laptop inside and she checked it as hers. We made it through the first security screening without a hitch, but at the second, they were concerned that she had something in her bag that was setting the security light off. They searched the bag but found only her USB drive. At the third check-in, they again raised a concern. They asked her if she had packed a pair of scissors. She said, no, I just have my USB drive. The lady sarcastically said, "We would not mistake a USB for a pair of scissors, we need to search your bag." Ruth replied, "Be my guest."

Did I mention that this was Sundi's school bag??? Yeah. At the very bottom, they found her school scissors. Now where were they an hour before when Damon needed to choo???? Poor Ruth.

The rest of the trip was rather uneventful...oh except for the time when we were in London and our flight was boarding. Of course that is when Sundi decides she must take one last choo. We run to the bathroom and naturally both kids decide they need a little more time...know what I mean? So, I split them up and let Sundi go in on her own. We used the stall next door. Trying very hard to be patient, I get Damon finished and go to help Sundi who is now hollering, "Mommy, poo-poo" at the top of her lungs. Only problem is, she locked the stall and she doesn't have her hearing aids in for me to tell her to unlock the stall. Not that it would have helped because the lock was stuck! So, now I am really stressing...they are making the last boarding call and my kid is stuck in the bathroom stall. Of course, being London---all high tech and fancy--- the stall doors are too close to the ground to crawl under....

Sundi did finally manage to unlock the door and of course, we made our flight. Wow, what to do when they are more than two! Hats off to you mommies of three and four!

Naptime is almost over, so I'll sign off for now. Thanks again for all of your prayers and support. We still cling to those for our friends, family and always for the orphans of Kenya.
Mama S

Friday, August 8, 2008

Interview with CNN

Below is a link to an outstanding commentary that Steven Curtis Chapman did with CNN. It is a quick read, and well worth the time.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/07/chapman.orphans/index.html?iref=newssearch

I also understand he was on Larry King Live last night, but we missed him.

Please keep the Chapman family in your prayers as they are continuing to deal with the loss of their youngest daughter/sister, even as they continue to speak out on behalf of orphans.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Homecoming Celebration is TONIGHT!






Who: Thanking GOD that SUNDI and DAMON are permanently part of our family!


What: Music, Sharing, Chilling, Eating, and Celebrating


When: 6:30pm (American time, not Kenyan!) Food to follow the thanksgiving service


Where: Bel Air Church of the Nazarene, 2430 Conowingo Rd., Bel Air, MD

(http://www.belairnazarene.org/)



We would love to celebrate with as many people who prayed with us and for us as possible, so if you are free please come! Please no presents. Just come ready to have a good time!















Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Airport Photos!-- Part 1

Thanks to Michael Moore for sharing these photos. (More pics from others to come shortly) Rumors from those counting was that we had approximately 100 people there to welcome Kim, Sundi, and Damon home! What a blessing and honor to have such incredible family and friends! We hope to see you Saturday night at 6:30 sharp!

EAGER ANTICIPATION.......











AND THEY ARE HERE!!!!!