Monday, April 30, 2007

A gift...

Yesterday was such a gorgeous day, and we had just returned late Saturday night, so we were spending some time working in the yard. I had to mow and there were many other tedious jobs to be done. Isaac was out with me most of the time and it was very hot. 93 degrees is what i heard. Around 7:30ish, it was a little cooler and kids were playing on the swing set. Tanya had cleaned up the grill and we needed a new grill cover and a few other things, so I decided to take the kids and make a little wal-mart run. Isaac was rummaging around in his room and came to me and said, "Dad, can you help me find my billfold? It's really important!" Well, I was wanting to get going and just said "Don't worry about it, it'll turn up, you need to find your flip-flops so we can get going." But what I got was "Dad, I really need to find it, it's really important!" So I helped him find it, while asking what was so important. He said, "I want to give something to mommy and it is REEAAALLY important!"
He found his billfold underneath his bed and proceeded to take out a $50 bill (His Christmas money that he has been hanging onto for something special) "YES!" he pronounced as he left me in the room and made a dead sprint through the house and out the back door for mommy, who was sitting on the back porch, still scrubbing down the grill. When I caught up to him, this is what I heard.
"Momma" he said "I want to give this to you, to bring my brothers home faster." The look on his face was a serious joy like I'd never seen. Tanya just melted and gave him a huge hug and he fell limp in her arms. She grabbed his little face and proceeded to tell him how much his gift means and how much it will help in bringing them home. After the hug, he ran back to his room and grabbed out another $10 (the rest of his Christmas money) and sprinted back to his mommy and said "I just want you to have all my big bills." and he smiled and got another big hug!
I just had to write this story down, because I don't ever want to forget how special it was. The kids are always asking about what time it is in Ethiopia and what Geremu and Habtamu might be doing right now.
The kids read a book today called A Family from Ethiopia that they got at the library. There was a page that talked about how one family had an 8 year old girl, whose primary job in the family was to look after the baby. Kaylee said "Momma, do you think Habtamu will love me, because he's used to having a sister that looks after him?" It is just amazing to hear the questions they ask and comments they make, and so encouraging to hear them pray, at every meal, and bedtime, without fail, for their new brothers.

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