Dear ones,

We have been flying and looking like homeless vagrants in airports for almost 24 hours now. Much to my chagrin, we still are 2:30 minutes from Chicago where we will take our final layover of 2 hours then board our final plane for Orlando. If you haven’t been there….Africa is stinking far away!

Our last day with Meseret and Kamise was relaxed and restful. And then extremely emotional as we parted ways. Ugh, nothing is able to prepare me for any part of this journey emotionally…think I’ve said that before. You might be tired of hearing it. But, I just have to say it again bc it is one stunned moment after the next. Being betrothed to two girls is beyond anything I’ve encountered. I journaled a bit about our last day together sometime in the past 24 hrs and I’ll copy and paste it in bc I’m delirious at this juncture…..

Yesterday was a wonderful final day with the girls and our little community of adoptive families at the Addis Flower Guest House. It’s amazing to me how swiftly our hearts were connected to the other families we met there. Within 24 hours it felt like we’d known each other for years. The rare gift of trodding the same risky and mysterious path, loving on children who have no parents, taking all of those first steps together.

The highlight of my day happened right when I climbed out of bed. Meseret was standing in the hallway and almost all I could see was her BIG white smile. She ran to me as I asked, “How are you?” She responded without hesitation, “I’m fine.” I gasped! “You’re speaking English!” I exclaimed. She giggled. She walked to the bathroom and I toward the living area when she called to me, “Mommy, brush teeth.” I stopped in my tracks. It was the first time she called me “Mommy.” Through God’s supernatural ways, we were bonding to such a point of trust.

We enjoyed the luxury of eating breakfast with two other families, Ashley and Seth who are adopting Tamarat (the most stunning 18 month old boy) and Crystal and Michael with their 12 year-old son Michael, who are adopting another 12 year old son named Getu. The kids are so tender and working through such deep emotions. Getu sat down outside after he’d been with the Archie’s for a day and tears rolled down his cheeks. His uncle is still living and when the Archie’s picked Getu up at his orphanage 2 1/2 hours outside of Addis (there’s not room in the Transition house (where children are moved about 4 weeks before their court date) b/c the Embassy is moving so slowly to finalize the immigration process on the adoptions (BIG prayer request for God to breakthrough the stalemates) and they stopped at Getu’s uncles hut so they could meet one another and Getu could say “good-bye.” Getu cried and cried and I can’t fathom the loneliness he must feel, the stress of living with people who don’t speak your language, etc etc. I kissed his forehead as tears filled my eyes. There’s a common theme…..tears. I was so thankful our girls have each other. I can see how that’s brought them a depth of restfulness in this transition.

Trust. One of the most mind-blowing aspects of this process. These children have white people show up suddenly at their care center, stay for a while, then take them away in a car for days. They leave with their belongings, the clothes on their backs…which aren’t really theirs anyway. They belong to the orphanage and even if they do have something from us, it’s up for grabs when they return to the Transition House. They have no choice but to trust that we’re going to feed them, love on them rather than harm them. Trust they’ll have their needs met, which for them are easily numbered. When I took them to the shower to help them clean up, they disrobed trusting I would be a good mother. Dennis and I are continually jaw-dropped at the children’s ability to trust. Having lost their mother, been relinquished by their father and taken to a city 14 hours from their village, their openness is supernatural.

After a long lingering breakfast, we observed the women who are the staff at the guest house conduct an Ehiopian daily ritual called “The Coffee Ceremony.” It was a fascinating process they do daily in Ethiopian homes with friends and family where they visit and build relationships. We love the relationality among Ethiopians. They are beautifully affectionate with one another, heterosexual women walking down the street holding hands as well as hetero men with each other. It’s so natural here to be unguarded.

We took the girls to lunch and watched them consume one last enormous plate of injhira (the soured flat bread) and beef stewish stuff highly spiced. They tear off a piece of the bread and grab some of the meat and shovel it in their mouths. There hand being there only utensil. We attempted to Skype with Cole and connect with Madison and Keegan (unsuccessfully…waaaah), then headed back to our guest house to pack up the girls. Gently, our driver, Solomon explained to Meseret and Kamise it was time for us to return them to the Transition House until the US Embassy provides us a date to return and receive their visas and immigration docs so we may bring them home. It was sobering for the four of us. Solemnly, we packed the things we had brought them and headed back to the Transition House with our new friends. I walked the girls to their bedroom to stash their few new belongings. The girls were quiet. After about an hour, it was time for the inevitable…our good-bye. I embraced Meseret while Den held Kamise. Tears rolled down their cheeks, tears filled my eyes. Then the damn broke and the girls and I cried and heaved, as did some of our new friends as they onlooked. Then Meseret turned her head up toward mine with the sweetest pucker and kissed me and I kissed her all over and assured her of my love and promise to return. Dennis and I exchanged kids and little Kamise wept in my arms. I kissed her face and promised her we will return.

It stunk! I didn’t know if I’d feel it that deeply because as the Spirit is knitting our hearts together I feel like a yoyo. There are times of sweet connectedness and times when I don’t feel anything and continue to choose “in.” So, when I awoke that morning, I didn’t feel the separation deeply and know they’re in a safe and good place while they wait.

Hah, the yoyo majorly sprung back from that place. It was brutal to leave them behind.

We will return to life, dying to reconnect with our three at home. We still have about $13,000 to raise which we trust our Father will provide. We’re so amazed and encouraged that the number is so low after looking at $45,000 in the beginning. I need to finish preparing the girls’ room, which is going to bring such life to me! I cannot wait to usher them through our front door, down the little hallway about 10 feet, and welcome them to their lavish room. I’m giddy thinking about it.

One longing which took root and grew within Dennis and I while in Ethiopia is a deep desire to bring our three kids with us to pick up the girls. That desire was planted individually in each of us and grew without the knowledge it was happening in the other until we’d been there for 2 days. We long for them to experience the culture of their new sisters, see the poverty of their nation and the joy in people living without. We hunger to drive out to some villages so they get to see the environment in which their sisters were raised. I long to visit an orphanage or two and let them love on the kids there. And we long for them to have the joy of bonding with them in their country and through the long trek home.

Please pray the Father would provide for us to be able to do this if they desire to join us. It would be more than I could ever ask or imagine to give them that option.

So thankful for your loving us in this wild n crazy journey. I can’t believe as I interlink hands with my new daughters that that little black as night hand and my whitey white hand are family. Only the Author of Life could come up with such a plot.

With love,

lisa

What a full and wonderful and tension-filled day. Right now my heart is so heavy as I think of Cole struggling so deeply during our time away. I read an email from Virginia today saying that Cole has been struggling emotionally since we left. He melted down and wept three times yesterday because he misses us so. He’s also losing the two single women who are his Orlando aunties as they both move away within 4 weeks of each other. And only God knows what is stirring in him concerning the adoption. I also heard of Keegan’s care for Cole and my heart was delighted.

My heart broke reading Virginia’s letter. I longed to comfort him and hear about the deep stirrings in his soul. And I’m in Ethiopia needing to attend and begin attaching to our daughters here. My heart is burdened for our beautifully relational son. This season is filled with such loss for us and so much ache amidst the joy of gaining two sisters/daughters.

Today is a picture of the bittersweetness of life. We awoke early to ready ourselves for our court date. More eggs for breakfast. Definitely a staple here. At 8:30, we had Yonnatn tell Kamise why we were leaving with Meseret and wouldn’t be able to take her with us to court.
Her face saddened and she ran to her room and buried her face in her bed. I laid down beside her and lifted her chin, pointing to look into my eyes. Big elephant tears turned her deep brown eyes glassy. “Kamise, we love you and we are coming back for you. We love you. We love you.” I held her as tears filled my eyes. Then Dennis held her. We walked out the door leaving her in the care of one of the precious housekeepers/cooks at the Addis Flower Guest House.

We were briefed by Dereje, CCI’s director in Ethiopia, on what to expect when we sat before the judge. Then we walked into a large square room whose walls were lined with chairs, which were stuffed with people there for one of two purposes. To relinquish their children or family member. To adopt one of the relinquished or abandoned. On the right side of the room were 8 white faces which lit up as if they recognized us when we walked through the doors. For the next hour we joined hearts with these 4 other CCI adoptive parents. Meseret ran to embrace two of her best friends from Kamashi, whose forever parents live in Kentucky.

Suddenly we were being ushered into a small room and seated around the edges before the judge. She asked us a short list of questions: Have we completed our cross-cultural training? Are we aware of the possibility of identity crisis our children may face in the future? Are we aware that the verdict is irrevocable once made? Have we connected with other adoptive families of Ethiopian children in our cities? Etc. Then she turned to Meseret and conversed with her for a few minutes: Do you know these people are wanting to be your mother and father? Do you want to go live with them in America? And a host of others I don’t know about. After doing the same with Meseret’s friends, the judge turned to us and said, “Your case is complete and has passed court.”

What? Just like that? Everything was in her hands that was required? A year of labor and we have suddenly given birth. I let out an interjection! and at the same time was aware of how surreal this journey remains. These are our daughters. Betrothed to them in March and after a long roller-coaster ride, our “case passed court.” We don’t know them. They don’t know us. Yet we have chosen to love them for their sakes, not our own. At times I think I should be feeling stronger emotion than I am. Then I remind myself this has been a choice of surrender from the first dip of our feet into this river. A choice to respond to God’s leading us to care for orphans and the oppressed.

We spent the afternoon with the Miller’s from Nashville, TN and their 3 and 4 grade daughters, Parker and Emory. Shopping at the market, a trip to the Museum of Ethiopian History, ending with a view of Addis from a point high on a hill on the outskirts of the city.

Tomorrow we spend one final day with our girls, return them to the Transition House in the evening and head to the airport to catch another 24 hrs. of flight over several oceans, seas and continents to our little community in Orlando. There, we will go back to life as usual. Another day of homeschooling. Continued preparation on Mes and Kam’s room. Thanksgiving, Birthdays, Christmas, New Years. We will await an embassy date. Our agent said not to expect one till January when Dennis spoke with her on the phone tonight. That will be okay. They are in loving hands with precious friends. If anything is sinking more deeply into my soul on this adoption path, it is that the Father’s timing is perfect and good.

Until I return to Orlando,

the up and down mother of five

The surreal took on flesh today in the form of 30 little arms and hands wrapping tightly around me as we climbed out of the car which drove us across town to the Transition House. My breath taken away by LOVE incarnate. They’d never seen my face. They’d never heard my voice. And they ran to me like I was their own. The littlest ones all wanting to be held tightly in my arms. The older ones introducing themselves with big smiles spanning their beautiful faces. “Hi, I’m Hannah! Hi, my name is Bono! (yes, Anne, I finally met him:) My mother is coming to get me tomorrow!” And Bazuna. As the names rolled off their tongues and the little ones full in arms squoze tightly, I rejoiced and felt relief that they’ve all been chosen. I don’t know how I’d leave one behind. After at least 10 minutes of the most amazing greeting one could enjoy, I asked if someone could lead us to Meseret and Kamise. A 14 year-old teenage boy immediately darted off to find them. We climbed a flight of stairs to the small living area, where three 3 year-olds clamored for my lap. A 41-year old heart melting into puddles.

Though I’m enveloped in reality, this moment is still so surreal. After a good long 10 more minutes, our girls finally appeared. Absolutely stunning. In brightly colored headbands, their hair just right, smiles kissed with a taste of apprehension. I exclaimed their names and beckoned them to come. I just needed to find room on my love-occupied lap to embrace them. One at a time they came. The moment was stunning, surreal, and holy. So very holy. As Dennis clicked the camera, I laughed, I smiled wide and some tears filled my eyes. Could these two as dark as the night really be mine in 24 hrs?

The kids were hailed down the back stairs, through a corridor where one of the nannies was changing a diaper and spraying down the boy’s hiney a little while earlier, to a long column of little plastic tables and chairs. About 16 children filled the chairs, and that wasn’t all of them, and patiently….and I mean patiently, waited the long 15 minutes for every child to be served before lifting a finger toward the food filling their plates…and I mean filling their plates (it was surprising and relieving). There was a short exchange between a nanny and Meseret and suddenly, Meseret was on her feet with head bowed low giving thanks to the Creator of the Universe, for the lavish meal before them. Kamise and another girl bowed and fully covered faces with their little hands. There was no entitlement. Only gratitude. Then they dug in…why bother with utensils…to Ethiopians they’re a side note. They make the most of their soft, fermented Injhira flatbread and get down and dirty. My boys would love dining here…especially Keegan, who simply finds utensils to be a nuisance.

After a long lunch, we were spoiled to be the couriers for our adoption agent, who had sent three large duffle bags with us, stuffed with new comforters and blankets for the children. As they waited patiently for me to offer them a blanket, undeserving, I was in awe. No demand. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” as little arms squoze tightly my neck once again and kisses adorned my cheeks. In a foreign land where I can’t give a long explanation about who really provided the blankets, I simply enjoyed receiving the love, as if I was the one who brought them this gift. Each child rushed to his/her bed and neatly made it with his/ her new blanket. Each child’s bed was immaculate, from the 5 year- old to the 14 year-old boys. The little ones just wrapped themselves tight.

We took our girls, kissed every child on both cheeks, squoze them as tightly as possible, and drove away. Again, thankful they’d all been chosen. We rode through people-laden streets, bustling with activity. A vast area of sights, one of which was an open butcher market. Livestock filled a tent, awaiting the slaughter. Another empty lot was full of livestock, seemingly hanging out in the middle of town. Guess they didn’t want to miss the action and nobody was surprised they were there. I gave the girls a piece of gum. Their faces lit up. Meseret let her wrapper fly out the window and the girls giggled. Kamise handed hers over to the same fate and they giggled some more. I decided to let the “proper-trash distribution” training wait until they come home. I was simply delighting seeing how they do life in Ethiopia.

Upon arriving out our guest house, which our agent coined “glorified camping” (and I’d have to agree), the beautiful weather beckoned us outdoors. I became more endeared to them when I ripped out the huge bubble wand. We kicked and popped bubbles till it ran dry, and then some. Next, we walked to the supermarket. It felt like all eyes were on this white couple with the stunning black two. Some asked questions. Little boys and girls on the streets begged us for a coin. When we gave them to a few, their eyes lit up like Christmas morning. And the girls devoured their treats the same. We briefly visited the arcade, new to the locals. After the girls’ introductory game of air hockey, we’d had enough stimulation and headed home.

Craft time came next. Watercolor painting, coloring, pasting, cutting, etc etc etc. We’ve got some artistic ones on our hands. Anne and Madison…ready those canvases. Slowly we were connecting, yet still the language barrier kept the chasm between us. After dinner, it was bath time, but there’s no plug for the tub and I likely wouldn’t have my family members soaking in that tub, so I held the adjustable shower nozzle for them as they scrubbed their little bodies down. When I held it over their shoulders they squealed and giggled and shoved it away. They’d never had a real shower. They couldn’t handle the stimulation of the water falling on them. One of many firsts. I howled.

The highlight of my day came after dinner. Dennis went to find an internet connection and I brought out the books from a friend into which we can record our voices reading to them. To say they were enthralled is an understatement. They opened the first page to Keegan’s monotone version of “I’ll always love you.” I howled. They giggled. I whipped out the photos on my phone and showed them Keegan. After some time, Meseret began mimicking the instructional recording, “After the beep, begin recording….” She was speaking English! So kicked off a night of the three of us cuddled on the couch, them inching closer to me with every family video we viewed on my phone. And every video we created of us on my phone. Singing happy birthday to Keegan (because that was one of the videos on my phone), mimicking Cole’s I love you, listening to Madison’s tribute for Keegs bday and on and on we went. They pushing the play button. I pushing record. As they watched the photo of the ocean come to life in video, Meseret gasped. It took her breath away, just like it does mine every time I see it. The three of us knelt beside the concrete-like mattress, and I thanked our Father for this day. For two precious Ethiopian daughters. I sang “Jesus loves me” to them and Meseeret followed with her lovely thick accent…I gotta learn to roll my RRRRR’s like that.

In a day’s time, I can’t imagine our family complete without them.

Only the author of the greatest story on earth could have authored such a narrative for our lives. I certainly wouldn’t have conjured this one up…too risky for even this cliff jumper.

At 9:00 am tomorrow morning, we will take Meseret (Kamise is too young to join us in court) and appear before a judge, pledging to love and care for these precious girls as long as the Lover of our Souls would allow. The journey still feels radical. It still feels surreal. And I don’t think I ever want to go back to any other way.

Date: October 29, 2011 8:11 AM
Topic: in flight to Ethiopia

Dear friends,
I wanted to give you an update if I’m able to find a wi-fi connection where I’ll actually send this off to you. Covet your prayers.

This journey remains oddly surreal. I clamored to get Madison, Keegan and Cole cared for and all of their needs met during our five day trip to Addis Ababa. That is a good deal of labor. I read suggestions from our adoption agency for the court date trip. It stated we should show up well rested. Comical. Parents of three children…showing up rested. On what planet? Not the Brockmans anyway. And how is one possibly rested after traveling for over 24 hours? Orlando-Houston-Frankfurt-Addis Ababa. 9 hour time change in the end. I feel hammered. Presently, we’re flying over the desert of Cairo. It stirs memories of our one day excursion there 3 years ago. Filthy, dark, spiritually heavy. It was there your people were enslaved. It was from there you brought them into the promised land.

Questions which still occupy my mind are, “What are we doing? What have we gotten ourselves into?” Jill Monarch shared with me the other day that she thought those same thoughts before she and Tom adopted Sam, their first of three adopted children. Thankful to have all of my fearful thoughts normalized. I can’t believe we are flying to Africa right now. This doesn’t even seem real, except that

• we’ve been traveling for 22 hours,
• eating food that all smells the same whether it’s pasta or beef packaged in little tiny containers
• futility attempting to find a comfortable position in the most uncomfortably designed chairs on the planet, AND
• the map on the plane shows we just flew over Cairo and have only 2:35 minutes until we touch down in Addis Ababa.

I suppose reality will hit us like a brick wall, or your tender hand, when we meet Meseret and Kamise tomorrow morning! Holy Smokes. And perhaps the surreal will fade into real when we’re standing in court, before a judge, pledging ourselves to these orphaned girls. I look forward to that moment, Father. Stunning.

How the Father has challenged us to walk by faith this last year. What an intensel training ground. But Good. He is allowing us to see His face more clearly. In the past 3 weeks, He’s provided $6000 toward the adoption! Someone say Hallelujah! Madison and I were talking about the last week’s gifts and I asked her how it is affecting her. Like me, part of her thought God might be faithful to provide for the adoption, and the other part thought He might leave us hanging in the lurch…”to teach us some lesson.” Father, what a gift it would be for our children to see you as the Faithful One that you are this early in their lives.

Dennis and I are up and down and all around but I think more than anything, walking by faith into the unexpected. And we are expectant. And we are overwhelmed. And we long more than anything to be fully present in every part of it. And we believe we are right where the Father wants us.

So keep throwing up prayers on our behalf! Because we’ve never been more desperate…and that’s definitely right where He wants us:)
And I just looked out my window and the Creator of the Universe has painted one of the most brilliantly stunning sunsets I’ve ever laid eyes on. His beauty reflected everywhere.

lisa

Playing with bubbles too.

We made it through court, and finally we can post a picture. Here is Meseret playing with a bubble wand.

Can things be surreal and yet you are living the very thing that is surreal? Here we are in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and we can hardly believe it. This morning we woke up and after breakfast we were driven to the see the girls. We arrived and we are mobbed by a number of beautiful children, but none looked liked the girls we have seen in pictures and video. Finally after bounding and holding a number of other girl and boys in came our Meseret and Kamise. The care givers had taken the time to put them in nice cloths and done their hair and even their finger nails. They looked wonderful and had big smiles on their faces. They walked straight to Lisa and gave her a hug, they then found me and did the same. It was a gift.

Tomorrow our court time is 9am. Sometime tomorrow these girls will become Brockman’s and we initiate the immigration process to the USA. Wow.

Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and resources. Tomorrow I give $808 ($404 for each girl) to the US immigration services to begin the process of bringing the girls to the USA. For those who have given to this adventure THANK YOU. There are more expenses to pay. We have just over half of the final amount. We only need $13k more. Amazing.

If you can join us in bringing Meseret and Kamise home please click on the “Join Us…” link under Quick Links. We would be forever grateful if you can be a part of this with us.