Photo of Emperor Haile Selassie in his study at the palace.

Emperor Selassie (left) with one of his pet lions. 

We aren't even shoe people.  I wear the same thing every day and I put on River whichever pair are easiest to put on or whichever pair I find two of that match first.  Logan rotates two or three pair.  So how on earth did this happen?!

I found a pair of royal blue flats with cut-out hearts that I bought before River was born.  They are still brand new, because there hasn't been a day in four years that royal blue flats with cut-out hearts matched what I was wearing.  Or were appropriate for my age...

I found three pair of high heeled boots and the shoes that I wore for my high school graduation. 

Logan has more brown shoes than I care to count. 

So what are we doing with all of these?! 

We know that there are people all over the planet and even here in our county who have NO shoes.  We talk about it and we've seen the pictures.  And yet all this time we've been hoarding shoes in our closet.

The following is a post from blog of American World Adoption.  Posted June 6th, this is a testimony from an adoptive mother of an HIV+ child. 

HIV is Not a Death Sentence

The following testimony was sent to us by a mother who adopted her son two years ago. His name has been changed to protect his identity. Although privacy is desired, this mother is willing to be contacted if you have more questions regarding HIV adoption. Please email [email protected] for more information.

"Since bringing our son “Adam” home from Ethiopia in 2009, we have often been asked by fellow AWAA families about HIV positive adoption and I always have two answers for them. HIV is not the difficult “issue” here, and secondly, “How could it not be God’s will to adopt an HIV positive/special needs child?”  I have never read a verse in the Bible where it says, “Run from the sick, don’t take care of those with special needs, and don’t do anything that is uncomfortable.”

We are the body of Christ. If it isn’t us who will bring these children into our families, then who will?

HIV is not a death sentence. HIV is a chronic, manageable condition that if treated properly is considered easier to manage than diabetes. Every three months we bring our son to see his specialist at the children’s hospital, he gets blood work, then home we go. His medications are adjusted based on his weight gain every three months and we make sure to strictly administer them twice a day. If he cuts himself we simply put on gloves and give a quick band aide. When others become curious or probe for answers that are not needed to be given, we redirect the conversation. Only our closest friends and family are aware of his status, which gives us and our son a support system in which to have total honesty. Maybe one day our son won’t mind sharing his positive status with the neighbor or random person, but for now we are going to be mindful about whom we tell. Once it is let out, he can never get that privacy back. Disclosure of his HIV positive status should be done with his best interest in mind. At the same time, we also want to emphasize that we don’t need to hide or be ashamed of this, so it is a tricky balance.

Believe it or not, that is all I have to say about HIV and that is all I tell families who call me with questions about HIV positive adoption. What I tell them next is something I hope they really take into prayer and think seriously about- the emotional, psychological, physical and spiritual needs of their adopted child. We have focused 10% on Adam’s HIV, and 90% on these other areas. Our son came home to us at only 2 ½ years old, and the trauma he experienced in those years was horrible. The nannies at the transition home were wonderful but everything he experienced in his forming years has affected him.  I have stayed home with Adam since he came home. We have worked through and continue to work through anxiety, fear of African Americans, sleeping difficulties, ADHD behavior, and Sensory Processing Disorder. We have been to occupational therapy, read books, listened to lectures, and really have been doing “therapeutic parenting” since he came home. You can’t expect to bring your child home and just say, “Ok go play, or here’s your class go to school now, or run 100 errands in one day.”  Love, safety, consistency, structure and JESUS is what our children need.

Now have we seen healing in our son? YES! God is miraculous and His Grace is sufficient. He is so faithful and has heard every one of our prayers. Our son has bonded to us amazingly and we share such an extraordinary relationship with him. We would give up our lives in an instant for him and I could say that from the moment we knew about him. His smile is contagious and we sing worship songs together all the time. He knows so many Bible verses and at times of high anxiety we will say them together. We constantly snuggle, cuddle and hug all day long. We bike, read, play, run, laugh and cry together. We love our son so much. None of the difficulty he had in his early years will stand in the way of God’s healing hand. But I think what we need to be aware of is that adoption is difficult, these children have trauma, and HIV should be the least of your worries. How will you restructure your day to meet the needs of your child, will you homeschool if needed, will you lay at night with your child for hours while they sweat in fear and cry so loud that you want to cry yourself, will you continue to pursue them when they reject you, and will you take the time needed to build their trust in you, a total stranger, but now called their parents?

You see, HIV is not the “big deal” in the adoption process. Adoption itself is the “big deal” and all of the things that go along with it. We hardly ever think about the fact that our son is HIV positive but we are reminded daily that he is a 4 year old with way more memories, worries, and fears than a 4 year old should have. So when you consider HIV positive adoption, may you spend just as much if not more time preparing your heart, home and family for meeting the needs of your child. Taking care of their HIV is probably going to be the easiest part. Adoption is Plan A for our family and I would never ask for it to be any other way. In fact, we are anticipating the referral of another HIV positive child knowing the HIV may just be the easiest part of the whole journey. Only by His Grace."

A few weeks ago I entered a contest to win this awesome watercolor created by a fellow AWAA Ethiopia mom.  The winner was chosen by the best answer to the question "why it is important to help children in need?"  I was in it to win it with my answer.  It also helped that there were only five other contestants.  When I went back to reread my answer there was a typo in the first line.  But, God bless her, Katie chose me anyway!  I am so excited to have this to hang in baby's room.

I am also excited to add another win to my career.  For those of you keeping track, this is my second lifetime win.  About 23 years ago I won a Halloween coloring contest at the drug store.  My prize of choice- a vampire costume in a box. 

Katie has a whole line of beautiful nursery artwork on Etsy.  Many of them would be suitable for any nursery, but my favorites are specific to little Ethiopian girls.  I especially love the one with the girl in jammies reaching for the white hand.  Her prices are rediculously low.  If I had that much talent I'd probably charge a thousand dollars for a print.  But since they are only about $9, we'll be buying some soon!

A few months ago I stumbled across the website for Brighton Their World, an organization collecting formula for Ethiopian orphanages.  Then yesterday, our friends the Seevers (who we met at the Summit) posted about meeting the Hoffmans- the founders of Brighton Their World. 

So I went back to the Brighton Their World website (on the heels of feeling preeeety good about our 617 bottles).  Lo and Behold they have collected enough for 18,277 bottles.  That is really cool. 

I love that their website says...  "Our belief is that once we know the problems exist - we are all responsible for helping to find solutions in some way. Our goal is to always be involved in projects that directly serve and brighten the lives of the least."

Which is a much more eloquent way of saying what I was attempting to say in the last post.  These guys really are an inspiration.

In exactly one week we collected 3704 ounces of formula.  More than enough to fill the 50 pounds of luggage we were trying to fill. 

It's enough formula to make 617 six ounce bottles.  Little Ethiopian baby bellies full of formula 617 times.  617 times that an overworked nanny at Kids Care Orphanage doesn't have to worry that there won't be enough for one more bottle.  617 times that a baby cries and gets fed.  Enough.

So often we stand around and shake our heads about the state of the world.  How sad something is.  Babies are starving in Africa, isn't that sad?  But what are we really doing about it?  I think most of us are waiting for someone else to do something about it.

Every time we have collected donations it amazes me how quickly it comes together and how easy it is.  This collection would have never happened if this woman hadn't asked for my help.  All she did was ask me and all I did was ask you.  So simple.  No one went bankrupt buying donations.  No one spent hours working.  No one was really inconvenienced in any way.  We all just went about our week and bought an extra can of formula.  But look what good it did?

I understand that 3704 ounces of formula isn't going to change anyones life or solve any long term problem.  I think the best we can hope for is that this little collection inspires someone else to make a little collection.  If we all did just a little bit more... we could do so much. 

It isn't enough to know that there is a problem and to say how sad it is.  We are all responsible for doing something about it.  How ever small the effort may seem. 

James 2:14-17 — “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

River and I started back to work today concluding my brain surgery adventure.  It started with a phone call at Smidgens in January and now, June 1st, I'm back to work and feeling like nothing ever happened. 

I would say that the crazy part of the year is behind us, but we still have to make two trips to Africa and bring home our second child.  So I think it's safe to say that 2011 will continue to be an interesting year.