A Week...

I can't believe the kids have been home a whole week now! (Actually, a week and two days.) It has really been good. Konto went to his first doctor's appointment on Friday. (His toe is infected where his toenail should be.) He did really well, and the nurses all liked him.

They are trying more food, but still loving their regular foods. So, we try to have a mixture of both. (Like hamburgers with ampesi, or Pork Chops with rice & shitor.) Konto eats more than any person I've seen in my life (even myself)! Maybe it's because he didn't have the option to eat alot before. But man, he doesn't stop until you make him! He's gonna be huge in one month!

The kids still hit alot, but maybe it's getting a little better. All in all, the kids are getting along well. Of course they fight sometimes, but it's not too bad. The girls are still trying to pick out matching clothes everyday. They insist on taking their baths together. And they are always playing tricks on their brother.

Konto is loving being the baby. He wakes up early every morning, just to lay in our bed for a couple more hours. He is also daddy's boy. On Saturday night, we went to the mexican restaurant. When Konto saw that daddy had gone up to the front for karaoke, he ran up there to give him a hug. Then, he stayed up there and danced through the entire song! He was breaking it down! So funny! He is also a pouter. If he doesn't get his way, he is definately gonna pout/ not talk/ not walk...


So, that's how it's going now. Over all- very good!

Living in a House...

It's so funny to watch the kids as the learn to live in a house. Of course, they lived in a 'house' before. The orphanage has a girls house & boys house. But, it's so different. Most of the day the kids are outside. They eat outside, bathe outside and play outside all day long.
Here, we are inside alot. Things are so different, so there is alot to be learned! For instance- when the kids have trash, it is thrown in the floor. When Serwaa was tired of chewing her gum, she spit it in the floor. Konto threw a golf ball at the wall in his room. After playing outside with sidewalk chalk, Konto brought it in & started using it on the carpet! He also got red ink on his hand accidentally, so he wiped it on the carpet! Dirty tissue paper is put in the trash, not the toilet. Doors are NEVER shut, whether they are changing clothes, bathing, or using the toilet...

It's all so funny! They aren't being bad at all, they just don't know otherwise! Also- today we were leaving a friends house. We all got in the car, except Konto. He went to go pee in the neighbors front yard! I quickly stopped him, so he went to the vacant lot across from it to pee instead. (He didn't mind that the construction workers could see him!) Never a dull moment!
 

Knight, Party of 5...

It is so good to be home with my whole family. We got home Saturday night after spending about 36 hours between airplanes & airports. It's been really nice so far! Sunday morning we went to church, then out to eat. It was so much fun when they asked 'how many?', & we FINALLY got to say 5 instead of 3!

Malorie, Serwaa & Konto are all getting along pretty well. There is still alot of hitting, even though much of it is just playing very roughly. The kids are slowly learning to eat more than just rice, bread & soup. But suppertime is still a struggle. Usually I just make one thing they like, and one thing everybody else likes. And Konto- he eats like a grown man! He wants at least 3rds of everything he likes, & eats everyone's leftovers!

They are loving all the toys here. I'm sure things will get rough eventually, once all the newness wears off. But now, it's very good. Sometimes one of them will just start refusing to do what I ask, but it doesn't usually last too long.

A wonderful lady at my church gave me lots of samples for the kids. Lotion, shampoo, conditioner, scalp oil... lots of stuff. And gave me a short lesson in how to care for their skin & hair. So thankful to have people like that around! But, I'm sure I'll need lots more coaching along the way!

Also, the kids got to skype with an old friend from the orphanage today. They had SO MUCH FUN! I love it!

Things I've Heard This Week...

A little girl who lives at the orphanage: "Don't mind them. They're only villagers."


Another girl from the orphanage: "I also have a white human. Her name is Janet." (She was joking, she doesn't really have a white human.)


Serwaa, upon seeing the ocean: "O! It is tooooo big! God can do aaaanyting!!"

Then this morning. We were landing in DC around 6:30am. It was still dark. Serwaa said: "The sun? It does not come to the US?" (It's up before 6am in Ghana) She was concerned!


Serwaa, once we landed: "Will we go to Obama now?"


Another girl at the orphanage: "Why did God make you with nice skin & nice hair, and he made us like this? Please, next time you come, bring the lotion." (The kind that lightens black skin.) Such a sad thing to come from the mouth of such a beautiful little girl. Who knows where she got the idea that they are less beautiful. Could be that half the billboards in Ghana are promoting skin lightening cream. So, so sad.

Thursday...

This hotel is pretty nice. It has A/C (which I have to keep cutting of b/c it makes us cold), hot water, a fridge, tv (with satelite) and a towel! It even included free breakfast for one! (Which we all ate.) When we left the hotel we first went for some bread that has onion & meat in it. Then we headed to the beach. It is so nasty! But- the kids were amazed! Konto said, "This water is bigger!" They couldn't believe it was so big they couldn't see it all! They stood in the edge & ran from the water. They climbed on the rocks. We even rode a horse around. (Although I ended up paying 5 cedis each!) We saw the fishermen emptying their nets. We saw several people using the bathroom on the beach. And you had to always look where you were walking so as not to step in people poop. Ew.
After we came back to the hotel for awhile, we went back out to get Serwaa's hair done. It was looking pretty scraggly. And believe it or not- it was done in an air conditioned building! And- it only took 1.5 hours! I was prepaired for way more! Even better- it only cost 5 cedis! (About $3 USD) After that, we went to a spot for chicken & rice. We all shared a plate & all had soft drinks. It was expensive, but fun! The kids got to try sprite for the first time, and loved it! I should've recorded that first face! There are SO many firsts with these two, it's exciting!

Now we're in the hotel again. They are drawing pictures of my house, which is really cute! Then we will watch TV, read books, and go back out for supper!

I can't believe tomorrow is our last day here! "Grandmother" and "Ghana Mother" will come here tomorrow to see us off at the airport! It will be hard to watch. Grandmother will be fine, she's a strong lady. 'Ghana mother' (their previous caregiver, technically their Aunt) will be sad. I know it is hard for her. But she is glad they are going. She is glad about all of the opportunity they will have that she'll never be able provide. Opportunities she never had. It seemed that it was harder on her than it was the children. (We already said goodbye once at the orphanage, before she decided to come see them off.) I guess it's because the kids were younger when they left her. But, I'm sure it's still hard for them.


I really am excited to get home with them though! And a side note, Serwaa keeps staring at herself & her new hair in the mirror. She knows she's gorgeous! Her & Malorie will get along well!

A Long Post...

Hey- I haven't had internet access for almost a week! So, where to start... The flight I guess. It was long. Since I'm usually relatively calm, I suprised myself by feeling anxious. Nervous. Fearful really. When we left America, I stared back at the land until it was completely out of sight. Like I was trying to hold on to my previous life as long as I could. I was shocked that I felt that way, because I'd tried so hard to get to this point! "Grandmother" (as the kids call her) met me at the airport in Ghana. She's the orphanage directress. We went straight to the bus stop, then on to Kumasi & eventually Offinso. My plane landed at 1:30pm. We got to Offinso at 11:30pm, so I went straight to the hotel. Same room as last year! I went to sleep with the same apprehensive feelings. (Hate to admit it, but I'm just being realistic for those who may feel the same thing in the future.)

The next morning I went to the orphanage. When I saw the kids, all of that anxiety went away. I really love them so much! Serwaa said, "They told me that you will come yesterday. So I stayed up all night, but you didn't come."

We've had a good time so far. The kids haven't been begging me to buy everything this time. And they don't pout when I say no. I've also been able to spend lots of time talking to 'Grandmother', and the kids' "Ghana Mother" (not their bio mother). I feel like finally I've been able to unravel their whole history. I'm glad to know all I can.


The kids seem excited most of the time. But, Serwaa did cry herself to sleep last night. So sad. But- they are happy today, and wanting to go to the airport already.


This morning we left Offinso for the last time (for now, I plan to visit again one day). Now we are at Ocean Sky hotel. I'm pretty sure it's right on the beach. But it's so dark outside, I'll have to wait til morning to find out! The room is great! (Despite the bed being hard as a rock!) We have soap and a towel!! Love it! We also have cartoon network! Which is nice, because I killed the DVD player. I borrowed an adapter to plug it in. It was the wrong one & it fried. Which I hate because we will go to Accra airport 6 hours early, then have a 7 hour layover in DC. Ugh!

I have much more to say, but I'll save it!

The Other Side...

I am SO excited to be on the way to Ghana to FINALLY bring my children home. It still doesn't even seem real. I can't wait to hold them again. I can't wait for them to meet my husband and daughter. I can't wait to tuck them into bed at night, or snuggle on the couch watching movies. I am thrilled beyond measure!


I know Serwaa & Konto are excited that I am coming. (They know I am bringing them candy & gifts!) I know they are excited about America. But- I can't help but feel bad for them. I can't begin to imagine how scary it must be to leave EVERYTHING. I can't imagine going with someone I barely know to a new country, where everyone looks, sounds and smells different. It's sad enough to have to go through the events that led to them living in an orphanage in the first place. And now- they have to experience that loss again. The orphanage has been their home for over 5 years. The people there are like their family. I know this time has a happier ending. I just hate that they are about to lose everything, again. I am so glad they have each other.


Please keep them in your prayers. It's going to be rough. But- it's going to be wonderful at the same time!


I can't believe they will FINALLY be ours, forever!