Language for Levi!!!!!!!

So something awesome happened!!!!!!!  My family coordinator (FC) emailed and told me that Levi and his teacher's assistant at school were asking for a sign language book or resources to help him learn some ASL before he comes to America. We sent some papers (with pictures of signers) through email to some friends who just took pictures for us while they were in ET (Ethiopia) and they were able to print them and give them to Levi. They said he was BEAMING. We were happy but sad too, because it's all in English and 2D and ASL is 3D and moves, so learning it off paper is TOUGH.  Plus you can't get grammar or a lot of other nuances or important (conceptual) aspects of the language, just the literal signs for certain objects. I emailed my (FC) and asked if the school that they are now sending him to had internet access, specifically YouTube, because I thought I could send them my ASL video links (http://www.youtube.com/signlanguagebasics). My FC said that the internet is unreliable and that it probably wouldn't work, BUT THAT I COULD SEND A DVD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW FREAKING COOL IS THAT?!?!??!?!?!!? So Abe and I put all my YouTube videos on CD/DVD last night and are mailing them tomorrow! I GET TO TEACH LEVI TO SIGN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HE GETS REAL LANGUAGE!!!!!!!!!!! BEFORE I MEET HIM!!!!!!! F-L-I-P-P-I-N-G OUT! :) I bet by the time we get there, we can talk a little to him!


Please keep praying for an August court date!!!! Mid august will be 8 weeks since our referral (this week Thursday will be 5 weeks) and court dates are TYPICALLY about 10 weeks after referral (although they range 8-18) so there is still a STRONG possibility that we could go to court before closures. I WANT TO GO SO BADLY!!!!!!!!! I am DYING to meet my kids. Can I wait? Of course. The waiting is SO much easier, now that I know that Levi and Zahria are safe, and that they are ours, and where they are. I feel complete and utter relief. But of course I am DYING to meet them! I am so in love with them.....waiting feels like forever, and it's already been 2.5 years. But it is no longer torture. The unknown, the endless feeling of helplessness, that is gone. So if we don't make it till after closures, I won't be devastated. Just disappointed. I really want to go next month! Because I seriously have the two cutest kids in the world and I just want to hug them! :)


 Can I also say, the people you meet through adoption are A-MAZING. Just incredible. I have "met" (through email, Facebook, phone and face-to-face!) so many people who are absolutley some of the best people on the planet. People who are willing to support us no matter what we are going through (adoption or otherwise). People who text and call me on a daily basis, listen to me whine and cry, and just love me. People who share in my joy, and cry when I cry. People who are taking time out of THEIR trips to ET to take pictures and videos of our kids for us, and to deliver our care packages to them. People who love our kids almost as much as we do. These people are some of my favorite people in the world. I could not name you all (too many of you, and I adore you all!) but you know who you are. <3 Thank you!!!!!! I love you all so much!!!!!!!


Awesome surprise from last week and this week. TWO VIDEOS!!!!! One is a 7 second video of Zahria and Levi (they are BEYOND gorgeous) blowing us kisses and waving. Levi just does one sweet but manly kiss hahaha. :) Zahria is a little diva. :) The second is a 30 second video is of Zahria (most precious and beautiful girl in the WORLD!) giggling and waving, and saying, "Hi Mawmeee! Hi Dawdeeee! I love you!" and blowing us kisses. Can I just say, I bawled when I watched the videos. Or should I say, bawl when I watch the videos? :) I'm surprised I haven't broken or worn out the video. I watch them a million times a day, often for five minutes straight. Zahria's laugh is the sweetest sound I've ever heard. It's more beautiful than any music. And Levi's eyes and smile are the same. It kills me. (*sniff*....wipes eyes). Oh, by the way, this adoption has made me a crybaby and a sap. That's right, this Marine's daughter is officially a salt water resource.


I guess it is time I told you (for those who don't know), that Levi and Zahria are names that Abe and I picked out. I made up "Zahria".....well, I THOUGHT I did! I "made" it up and then when I googled it, it DID come up. Boooo haha! It means "desert flower" or "princess" (how appropriate are those?!?!!? Perfecttttttt! :). Their Ethiopian names are different, and of course confidential, so we will call them Levi and Zahria for now. Most of you have already known this for the 1,124 days we have been waiting for them to come home now. Because of course, names were the first thing we picked out. Wait, I just did the math. 1,124 DAYS WAITING?!?!?!? Holy crap. Anyway, back to my point. They have other names and if they want to keep them, that's fine. If they want to change them, that's fine. But for now, let's go with Levi and Zahria. :)


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