Chaotic January - Already Busy February

One year ago this month, we arrived back on American soil with Ruby Kalkidan and Roman Abinet Ferguson. It was an amazing journey that will last our life times. We are so over joyed that we heeded the call from God to expand our family through adoption.

January flew past with celebrating three birthdays...Andrew's, mine and then Chloe's. My grandmother passed away on my birthday, she was 99. A couple of weeks before that, my uncle passed away after a long battle with a brain tumor and then on the 16th, my other uncle passed on from a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Our family had the services for all three on the same weekend in Eastern Washington. Whew. What a weekend...celebrating three wonderful and amazing lives as well as connecting to family that we haven't seen in years, even decades. My grandmother was the epitome of the Christ centered life and she was faithful and obedient to the end. Always cheerful and full of spunk! She was a very funny lady who enjoyed making the grandchildren laugh at her silly faces!

I threw Andrew a surprise 40th party at a local retirement home (Whaaaa Ha Ha Haaaa!) and it was a great turn out. We are blessed with many friends, most of whom we do not get to spend enough time with!

My oldest turned 14 (!!!) on the 19th and we had seven teen girls here for a slumber/X-box rock band party. There was colored hair spray glitter all over the bathroom and girls camped all over the living room floor. It was a huge hit. Having a small house, we weren't sure how that would work out, but the next day all the girls were raving about the fun they had. Chloe was concerned that the babies would wake up while the girls were all rocking out. We told her that it was ok. Be as noisy as they wanted...it was her party and she was only 14 once (it's not like we have this many teens here very often and if we want them to keep coming back, they need to feel comfortable). Besides, Ruby and Roman can sleep through just about anything...And, they did! It is evident we have a teenager. She is going more places and occupying her time with her friends and school functions. It makes me sad...and proud. Next year she will be in high school. Sigh.

Ruby has consistently been going pee pee on the big potty about once per day. We do the potty dance and really whoop it up. She is very proud.

This morning, as the house was quite cold, Ruby pointed to her toes and said "Mom, cold!!" I asked her if she needed some socks on and she nodded her head "yes" and said "Shocks!" She also is saying more and more two and three work sentences. When we get in the truck to leave somewhere, she will ask "Go home?" Or, to pick up the older kids at school she will say "Go Elliot?" She does not say "Chloe" very much, but she can say it.

Roman is just starting to say more words. He now says "Hello" and will say a few other words once or twice before keeping silent again. But his own language prevails. He can carry on a conversation but we don't know what he's saying! :) We'll get there.

Roman runs everywhere. I'm not sure he knows what walking it. He also has discovered climbing and so we've had to baby proof even more than before. I've also noticed he is getting more "snuggly". I am delighted. Usually, he is very happy to play, read and run around like a crazy man and not have too much holding time. So our hugs and cuddles are very precious.

Next week is Valentines...may your heart be filled to the brim with love and kindness.

drubek

Life Goes Too Fast!

I can't believe it's been so long since an update. Just shows how busy and full life is. For Christmas, all six of us took a wonderful trip back east. We visited Philadelphia and all it's historical glory. Then off to Washington DC for almost a week. It was really cool to show the kids our nations capitol and the sites. From there we spent our last week in New York City. There is so much to see in each of these cities that two weeks wasn't possibly enough. For Chloe and I, seeing Ellis Island was a highlight. We walked everywhere each day as much as we could to experience the cities. The subway was a new experience and thanks to my husband, the walking GPS navigator, was also a fairly easy way to get around NYC. We'd love to go back when we can spend more time. Plenty we missed, that's for sure!

It's amazing how quickly life speeds by. Ruby will be 2 in March with Roman following closely in July. They are daily doing and saying new things. Ruby can say two and three word sentences and will surprise us with something she's heard and just say it appropriately! Today I handed her cup to her and she said "Thank you" without any prompting whatsoever. She is fascinated with "Pee Pee" and will point to hers and everyone elses! I bought her pull ups so we can start getting serious about the potty department!
Roman says a few new words each week. He is catching up, but slowly. I would not say he is delayed, but he likes to jibber jabber and doesn't really see the need to actually talk. He runs everywhere and rarely walks. This little boy is already fast and has some serious football skills with his zigging and zagging! He has discovered the joys of climbing and is fearless...you all know what that means. I constantly am taking him down from somewhere he's gotten himself into!

What a joy they both are. It never ceases to amaze me at how joyful, energetic and full of mischief they can be. It keeps me on my toes. Daily I feel ganged up on but wouldn't change it because it's usually full of hilarity, too! They both make me laugh more than anything else. I wish Andrew was home more so he could enjoy the daily life before they grow up. It's happening too fast.

Another thing happening too fast is a 14 year old in the house. Thank goodness she is such a great kid...she'll graduate from 8th grade in June and then next year off to high school. Sigh. She's beautiful and has her head on straight. She is a joy, most of the time...but definitely starting to spread her wings. She hopes to find out this week if she was voted class president. She is still in percussion in band and also continues the piano. Through the winter sports program at school, this is her third year taking snowboarding. She completely loves it!

Elliot is doing a fantastic job in 6th grade. He continues playing the upright bass and piano. He recently scored in the 87th percentile of all 6th graders nationwide in the Iowa Basic tests. He loves to read and snowboard. He is an attentive big brother and is always willing to care and play with his baby brother and sister.

Andrew is still on an assignment in Omaha, Nebraska. We are grateful that he has a job but like I mentioned earlier, it would be nice if he was closer to home now more than ever. Life is changing fast around the Ferguson home.

The question we've been asked a lot (so I'll address it now) is if we have considered adopting from Haiti...I think anyone with a heart probably has considered this since the massive earthquake doubled the orphan population. We pray daily for their safety and peace for this country. If the Lord has more children in mind for us, then it will happen. We will know if this is the case because He will impress it upon our hearts. He will also provide the room we need to bring home more children since the house we live in could not accommodate more now. I don't need to be concerned with that though.

I hope everyone is having a fabulous February so far. It seems like it should be the middle of the month already and not the beginning, though! I guess some things aren't going too fast!

♥drubek

Toddler Party of 8...

Toukoul Babies Unite!
The first ever playdate with hopes of many more to come. Anyone who would like to join us is welcome. Future dates to be announced.

Thankful...so very thankful!!!

I have a beautiful story to share. Several months ago on a Saturday afternoon, our family was having lunch at our favorite steak place. Just before we were leaving, we noticed another family (a mom and baby daughter) a few tables away. Feeling pretty sure that the baby was Ethiopian, we stopped by and said hello and commented on how precious this little one was. We exchanged greetings, briefly talked about our adoptions and confirmed with each other that our babies were indeed Ethiopian...but not only that, we also were thrilled at the fact that all three (hers and mine) were from the same orphanage! Imagine that! All three babies were within a few months of each other and had probably been together at the same time in their homeland.

We left feeling wonderful to have spoken to each other and that was that. Fast forward a few months and my dear friend, Tania, (who also brought her little toddler home from ET last December) mentioned her friend Kathrine and daughter Allegra. We put two and two together and realized this was the same mother/daughter we had met at the steak restaurant! Small world!!! Tania and Kathrine had met because they used the same agency, were single moms and had so much in common...an instant friendship developed.

Recently, several of us "Toukoul Orphanage" adoptive parents and our children met in Portland for lunch and to get all of our babies together. Eight babies all together under the age of 2!! That was an active place!!! The staff at the restaurant were gracious and we all had a wonderful time visiting and trading toddler stories. Even though we had only met once before, I was thrilled that Kathrine and Allegra came with Tania and Sabah, too.

Now for the REALLY, REALLY, REALLY cool part...Kathrine has a picture of Allegra, Azazu (a care-giver at the orphanage) and a mystery child when she was in Ethiopia bringing home Allegra. She inquired about this other little girl and wondered if she was going to be adopted. Azazu reassured Kathrine that this little girl did and would soon be going home with her new family.
After meeting us all again the second time, Kathrine was sure this mystery baby was Ruby. I got the picture in an email and without a doubt, this is my little girl! We actually have a referral picture of Ruby in the same dress she is wearing in the picture, too. No doubt.
It really shows what a very, very small world we live in! Here these two babies shared a room, cribs next to each other for several months and then coming home forever to the Pacific NW...literally to grow up just a few miles from each other. Gives me tingly chills just thinking about it.

I will now end with a quote that really makes me think about what else I can be doing in this world...

"Sometimes I’d like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine and injustice in the world when He could do something about it...... But I’m afraid God might ask me the same question."

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone...I hope it is a truly blessed day for you all.

Pee Pee, Poo Poo and lots of drool

I've unofficially~officially started potty training Ruby. She is 19 months old and has actually gone pee pee on the potty once. It was probably a fluke, but since she was able to do this and has since told me that she has the urge, I think she's ready to start slowly.
She also will indicate that she is poopy. We started waving our hand in front of our noses to show her she stunk when messy and now she will do the same to tell us to change her diaper. Today, she woke up and grabbed her diaper area. I asked her if she needed to go potty on the toilet and she nodded her head "yes". I put her on it and ~Nothing~. But, no biggy. She'll do it when she's ready. For now, we're making it fun and interesting so that when she is ready, it's not scary or intimidating.
She did go poo poo in her diaper about an hour later and she told me by plugging her nose and saying "Woooooo EEEeeeeee!" Then waving her little hand past her nose! LOL!!!

Roman is getting his first molars still so there is a lot of drool coming from his mouth...constantly! He tried to wipe his own mouth yesterday as it was bothering him like crazy. At first I thought he had a long hair in his mouth but realized it was just his slime. He is almost walking. He will stand a lone for brief periods of time and has taken 2-3 extremely small baby steps. He's coming a long, though. For the rough start he had, we are amazed at his tenacity!

We have stayed well and none of us have gotten any form of the flu. I am successfully fighting off a cold but I don't think it's going to come on full force. We have had so many friends get sick. H1N1 or whatever. I've pretty much been hibernating my family except for taking Chloe and Elliot to school and picking them up. Doing grocery shopping requires me to really wipe down the shopping cart. Thank goodness where I shop they have the Clorox wipes to clean everything right there by the carts! The babies really enjoy riding in the little car carts w/ steering wheels, too! Who knows what runny nosed, coughing child rode there last, so I wipe them down extra well! This, coming from a mom who is so totally not paranoid.
I just don't want to get sick! For me to be sick would be really bad. Since Andrew is gone all week, it's up to me to keep the family on track and everything here at home running smoothly.

Well, it's almost time to boogy into town to pick up C&E. They are having a great year so far. Chloe will be running for either Class President or Spiritual VP. She is already on the social committee in charge of planning the rest of the year activities. 8th grade! Where has the time gone? Wasn't she just in kindergarten? Blink, blink!!
And Elliot has started up orchestra again. His humor and nurturing always amazes me. You'd think his sole purpose on earth was to entertain and adore Ruby and Roman. He is the most caring and loving 11 year old brother I've ever seen.

I am SO proud of my children.

drubek

Recent picture of the kids!

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