ETHIOPIANS UNITE!

Today we had our 3rd East TN Ethiopian adoption get together. It is SO ENCOURAGING AND FUN! I love it when we have these get-togethers. It is precious to see all these kids who have come home, hear about the ones who are coming home and to see HOPE in the eyes of those who are starting the process (or are in the middle of the paper chasing!).

I know I need to start learning how to cook Ethiopian food (I am still working on how to cook American food - ha!). But truth be known, I LOVE these gatherings for the FOOD TOO. I got to eat some YUMMY Ethiopian food today!

I took A LOT of pictures today! here are a HUGE handful of them!





When I walked in the door, my friend Stacy came up to me and said... Abel has a LOOK ALIKE here today. He sure DID! Look how much he and this little guy look alike.

Can you tell she enjoyed a CUPCAKE?

BEAUTIFUL
Remember this "cheese" girl? (see a few posts below)... well, HER MOM AND DAD ARE ADOPTING FROM ETHIOPIA!!! I am SO EXCITED!

Miss Maya has teeth coming in!

Love me some BEELERS!

We met ANOTHER Maya today (I think she spells it Maia). How cute is this little one?

Maya and her daddy... LOVE THE JACKET!

This little girl has the prettiest hair

Maya + Abel = LOVE ... they just don't know it yet!

Abel and his Ethiopian women!

I just love the look on his face... it's one of my favorites... PURE JOY!!!!

And the one that inspired us all (well us and the Beelers... and MANY OTHERS!). Look at that smile!

Me and Maya... WAVE TO THE CAMERA (or tell your mom you want your passie back).

Precious picture of mom and daughter!

This lady and her daughter moved here from Ethiopia. Karey brought her today to our gathering. How amazing to have her come and support us all. What a beautiful lady!

16 Seconds of Cuteness!

FUNNY FACES AND FEET

I brought my camera to church today. I worked in the nursery and had too much fun with the camera! Here are a few fun faces I got to see today :-)

How cute is she? She was saying CHEESE... can you see it?

Molly ba golly!

Of course a few of my own kids were in with me today...

This picture is totally out of focus ... BUT LOOK AT THOSE LIPS! MY OH MY!

He is upside down in this picture!

AND THE FEET... How cute are those boots?

These are actually Abel's feet. His Aunt Charli and her boyfriend, Critter got Abel these shoes for his birthday. Aren't they SO CUTE! I told Charlotte I want to hang them from my rear view mirror after he grows out of them! HA!

PLEASE CALL...

Tonight we went to the mall. Fun for the whole family ... right? We ate in the food court and then we headed down to the soft play place. As we were walking down the mall, we passed Victoria Secrets... MY OH MY... the images that are outside of that store!! They were seriously offensive and basically pornographic. I was not a happy mall goer. I went inside the store and asked if I could get a number to call to complain about what my 6 year old son just saw outside the store. . . IT WAS NOT TASTEFUL AT ALL. AT ALL!!!!
The girl said "Let me ask." Another lady came up to me and said "PLEASE PLEASE CALL AND COMPLAIN and get everyone you KNOW to call and complain as well". AND SHE WORKED THERE. She had called to complain herself. It really is bad.

Here's the number
614-577-7111
This is the number for Client Relations. I am not sure where it is located. I don't recognize the area code... I am guessing their advertisement is the same in all malls.

Will you please join me in calling this company...

Thanks :-)

SNOW WAY! YES WAY!

IT SNOWED TODAY! Actually it has been snowing all day! I love it. It seriously looks like a snow globe outside. HOW FUN!

I didn't get a picture of Aidan but I will try to in a little while. Here are the other three.


This was Abel's first real snow. He wasn't sure what he thought about it.

I love this picture of Addie... it is SO Addie.

Can you tell this little guy has big sisters... YES HE DOES... but he has a big brother too... check out the batman toy in his hand :-)

PLEASE PRAY FOR ABBY

Please pray for this precious child. I have had the opportunity to know her family in a small way (through being blogging friends). They are a precious family. Abby's older sister Sammi was at Hannah's Hope when we went to pick up Abel. We got to meet her and take pictures of her.

We were so sad to hear that Abby was sick this past summer. Please pray for her as she undergoes very aggressive treatment tomorrow.

SNAP SHOTS

Ted and I celebrated OUR MARRIAGE today!

We would like to share a few snap shots with you through the years....

Here we are after our rehearsal and dinner. HOW YOUNG DO WE LOOK? Our ages... I was 20 and Ted was 23

And our wedding day... lighting the unity candle. We got married in Groves, TX at St. Peter's Catholic Church. Ted and I were both raised in the Catholic faith.

A little toast ... Here's to US!

After getting married, Ted and I moved to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. He was a Mechanical Engineer and I was a Junior at the University of North Texas.

After graduating from UNT, I was a 4th grade teacher. About the same time I graduated, we became volunteer youth leaders. Here we are at a Halloween Party... we were cloudy with a chance of rain.

First comes LOVE, then comes MARRIAGE, then comes ... AVERY in the baby carriage.

Avery was born in November of 2000. She is actually one in this picture (above). Some where in between this snap shot and the next, Ted went into full time ministry. He first worked at a church as Pastor to Students in the Dallas area. I taught school for 3 years. I started staying home in May of 2001.

4 days after Avery turned 2 years old, her baby brother was born. Aidan came into our lives in November of 2002.

We moved to TN in Sept of 2003 for Ted to be a part of a church plant. Addie was baby #3! She came into our lives in Feb of 2004. Our precious valentine. This picture below was taken on a family vacation. She was 18 months old.

This picture was taken in November of 2005.

In 2008, our family grew (yet again!). Ted and I traveled to Ethiopia in Feb of 2008 to pick up our precious son! Abel was dedicated to the Lord shortly after coming home. This picture was taken at his dedication.

AND HERE WE ARE NOW!

Between all of these snap shots a LOT OF LIFE has been lived. Good times, hard times, LOTS of change. Births, deaths, dreams shattered and dreams that came true! We've experienced laughter (lots of it!), tears (lots of them!)... SO MUCH LIFE! And I am thrilled to have spent this many years married to the MAN I LOVE.

OH... yea.... I FORGOT TO SHARE HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN MARRIED!

THIS LONG....

WONDERFUL YEARS!

NEW YEARS EVE

We had a VERY SIMPLE new year's eve.

Perfect!!!

The Randalls came over for pizza. The kids watched Kung Fu Panda and then we all had Hot Chocolate! Fun times...




(Click on picture above to see it bigger)

IT IS COLD here in K-Town. FINALLY!! I like the cold weather. We were going to put a fire in the fire place but my friend Christy was afraid her Sammy (1 year old) might crawl in. SO...NO FIRE!

Here are Ted and I... ringing in the New Year (at 8:30pm :-)


My buddy Christy!

The Randall Clan...

Excitement from 2008 -

-THE COMPLETION OF OUR ADOPTION OF ABEL!

-Gotcha Day Feb 18,2008 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

-Avery starting school at CFC

-Trip to Disney World! What a BLAST!

-Aidan starting Kindergarten (at Home - home school)

-the "birth" of Ancelet Photography

-Ted making 2 A's in Seminary classes

Our HOPES for 2009...

Well, for me (Tracie)... I just want to let the year be what it will. TRUST is my word for 2009. Trusting the LORD with our lives and what HE HAS FOR US.

Ted's word is REBIRTH. (he'll expound more later)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

FLIP VIDEO

I got a new flip video for Christmas from Ted and his mom (mostly his mom! :-)

How fun!!!
Here is a sample video.




and this one too.... (not done with the flip camera but wanted to share :-)

CHRISTMAS FUN!

What a DAY! It was relaxing, productive (we cleaned out the kids rooms), and WAY FUN! Here is Abel... clapping... I clap for Christmas! This so describes Addie today... just hanging out in the background. She got a new polly pocket toy and she spent the night in her room just playing. She also stayed in her PJs ALL DAY.
Abel on the other hand... was in the MIDDLE OF EVERYTHING!

We had a family day until 5pm. Then the Randalls came over and we had Christmas dinner ... Pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and we were suppose to have salad (I accidentally froze it). Bruce made these amazing chicken wings. It was a great meal! Lots of desserts as well. The Hornes came over after dinner for a little hanging out and KARAOKE!

Here is Abel looking into his gift from the Hornes. HOW CUTE. He isn't really sure just yet what to do with the whole "gift thing".

How fun is this gift :-)

Just loved this picture...

SAM BONE

This is Abel's buddy (or partner in crime :-)

OUR DJ... Let the Karaoke time BEGIN!

HOW SWEET is this :-)

Savanna and Samantha were Karaoke addicts. We could not get the microphone away from them. The kids were all crying begging for a turn but... they would NOT SHARE!

COME ON GIRLS... SHARE!

Can you tell how into it they were?

FINALLY... they gave the microphone up to the little children.

JK... They (Sav and Sam) only sang one song. These girls were the ones that couldn't get enough. We ended the night singing some Christmas Carols... SO FUN!

We got our Karaoke machine for Christmas from Ted's parents. WHAT FUN!

WISHING YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS! and a happy new year :-)