Blessed with Melat: 2012

Hi All,

Well, we're getting settled into a somewhat regular routine. With that comes a bit of time to catch up and share some photos from our last day in Addis through today, Kristine's birthday and Melat's first experience with the telephone talking to Grandma.

We'll post more updates & pictures in the coming weeks, but wanted to get a few out there now to address the requests for an update :)

Thank you all again, for the prayers, support and love. Melat is truly blessed!

-- Greg & Kristine

Last day in Ethiopia, making art

Playing ball in front of the hotel in Addis

Arrived in Grand Rapids with Annie meeting Melat for the first time!

The family together at last!

Sisters :)

Digging an ice cream bar!

Celebrating Mommy's Birthday

Taking a spin around the neighborhood

Melat says "I'll drive"!

Party time!

First time using a phone talking to Grandma

Ohhh! Grandma's in the phone!

We are so very blessed, everyday with Melat keeps getting better. She is such a joy to be around and she is adjusting and bonding well. She is amazing in that she understands what we ask even though she speaks no English. She sleeps through the night and uses the potty with no trouble. She eats great and loves bananas and peanut butter, just like her big sister Annierae.

Yesterday we went to the US Embassy, Melat is officially a US citizen!! We now are waiting for her VISA which we will have tomorrow. Then we get to come home and Melat will meet the rest of her family. She met her big sisters and grandparents yesterday,via Skype, and loved it when Annierae would pretend to eat the Cheerios Melat kept trying to feed her.

This morning Melat played play dough with daddy, which was a big hit!!! They are playing with it right now while I type this post. She has great fine motor skills and has been coloring and putting stickers on everything. She LOVES getting her hair fixed and wearing headbands, and she has to try on all her shoes. We have another girly girl on our hands! She is very tiny, smaller then I remember, she wears 18 months in clothes and a size 6 shoe. Lucky for me I brought a suitcase full of shoes for donations and swapped out some size 6's.

She is also a gadget girl, one of the first things she did when she came into the room was walked over to the TV turned it on and took hold of the remote. I guess they must have watched TV in the orphanage because she knew just what to do. Whenever Greg or I are on the computer or IPad she thinks she needs to help us and loves to move things around the screen. She already knows how to slide her fingers across the screen to view all the pictures and loves to play with the Parrot App that mimics your voice and sounds.

We are so amazed at how well she is doing and can't wait to get her home to the rest of her forever family. This little one has had an amazing journey for such a young life and I can't wait to see how she blossoms and grows in the next few weeks, months and years. WE LOVE MELAT!!!!