This is the last time I will change one of my children’s names. I promise! (Well, probably.)
We love the name Abigail. We tried to give it to Naomi and she refused. Then we tried to give it to our oldest daughter. From the first day she became a member of our family she told us she was “No Ab – ee – gay – o.” We have been talking with her about this for the last week. We even had a translator sit down with her and talk about the special meaning of the name Abigail.
No luck.
I guess we aren’t meant to have an Abigail in our family.
So our oldest daughter has chosen the name Leah. And actually, it seems to suit her just fine.
Please be praying for Leah as she adjusts to her new role as our daughter. For years she had to take on the mother role with her younger siblings. It is very common here in Ethiopia to see children taking care of children. And now that she has been re-united with her siblings, she wants to fall back into the only role she has ever known. It is safe for her. It makes her feel secure. But it undermines our authority as parents.
We want Leah to enjoy the freedom and fun of being a 9-year-old girl. But she doesn’t understand how to be that. We have to teach her. And we have to teach Naomi, Micah and Levi that WE are the parents now. This is just one of many adjustments that we have to make as a family.
Here I am, surrounded by littles, practicing my braiding skills.
One of Leah’s hairstyles this week. She loves to have her hair done! I have realized that I need to budget an extra hour in the mornings to do all 3 girl’s hair. Hopefully I will get faster with practice! Poor Naomi had her head shaved at the orphanage and she hates her hair! Every morning she wants me to “do” something special with it. I try.
We are hopeful that we will have our paperwork for the 3 littles submitted to US Embassy in the morning. And the Embassy told us that when we get Leah’s medicals done, we can submit them and add her into the same Embassy process. Please be praying that the US Embassy reviews our file quickly, that they don’t decide to request any more documentation, and that we are cleared to come home soon!
Blessings!
Natalie
PRAYER REQUESTS
*Leah’s transition into her role as our daughter
*The 3 sister’s relationship
*Our US Embassy process to be quick!!!