Today is the debut of our family blog. After months and months of reading other people's blogs, I decided to start one for our family. I hope you enjoy following our journey through this crazy life. On the right of the blog page is: Our Adoption Story, just click on the link and it will take you to Autumn's blog where she shares how adoption was put on our hearts. My goal here is to feature one of my children a month and to share with you our daily lives.
Most of you know that we recently adopted two little boys from Ethiopia. After spending two weeks in country with them we arrived in the U.S on February 28, 2009. Our time in Ethiopia was amazing. We were able to experience the culture and spend 24/7 with Emily who is volunteering over there for a year. Chuck and I both fell in love with the people of Ethiopia, especially the children. If you have known Chuck & I for very long time you know that we both love children and to see so many that are orphans really broke our hearts. So without further ado I would like to introduce you to our two newest additions of the Talcott Family.
Alemu is 10 years old and a very handsome young man. After taking him for a physical the doctor seems to think that he is maybe 13 years old. He has all of his 12 year molers already. With all the changes that have been happening in his life we feel that changing his age right now might be a little too much. We enrolled him in the 5th grade at the local elementary school. His teacher is very excited to have him in her class. When she announced to her class that he was going to be in there one little boy went home that night and researched Ethiopia and did a class presentation the very next day. He is adjusting well and his English is improving. At first he would not eat his lunch at school. He would wait until after school and then eat it in the car on the way home. He told us that in Ethiopia you do not eat at school. The children there go home for lunch. It took a lot of convincing but he is finally eating at school. Alemu is a very happy boy. I love to watch movies or television with him because he laughs out loud. Very contagious laugh. He really has bonded with Chuck. They wrestle everyday. He is like a little puppy that gets excited and just can't quit. We have found out that he has a very real aversion to snakes. Big time! We have a couple of play snakes and he freaks out when they are around. Also, we were watching Survivor the other night and they kept showing snakes and he would actually squeal and talk to the TV to tell the people to watch out. It cracks us all up. The other morning Chuck is ironing his shirt and Alemu comes in and wants his t-shirt ironed because you all know how cold the mornings are in San diego. Burrrr. So he takes his shirt off and proceeds to touch the iron. Chuck says "you dingle fritz, don't touch the iron." Alemu says "what dingle fritz"? Chuck and I both laugh and then Chuck tells him that a dingle fritz is someone who trys to touch a hot iron when they are told not to. Alemu laughs and says "Dad, dingle fritz" and walks away!
Israel
is 8 years old and very active! This kid is going to be great at any sport he trys. He had never seen a skateboard before and he watched Jake for a few seconds and jumped on and hasn't gotten off since. I told Jake I give him 6 months and he will be better than you and after spending a little time with him outside Jake came back in and said that he gives him 2 weeks and he will be better than Jake. Israel is our stubborn child. He has an opinion and is not shy to share it with you. I think he has met his match with me. He is not having nearly as many issues as he did at the beginning. We have always said that the key to good parenting is consistency. No matter how hard it is if we just stick to our guns it will pay off in the end. This one is going to really test that theory! I don't want you to get the wrong opinion of him, he is loving and loves to snuggle with me at night and hugs and kisses anyone who wants one. It's just when he doesn't want to do something he tells you. Funny story...so the other morning we were frantically looking all over the house for the "library book". All you parents out there know exactly what I am talking about. Anyways, after much searching it dawns on me that I may have thrown it away with the old magazines. He paniced. He kept telling me that he was going to get "punishment". No matter how much we tried to assure him that he wasn't going to get punishment he was clearly upset. After I confessed to Chuck what I think I did we took the garbage out to the garage and started digging. Sure enough three quarters of the way down there it is! He was so happy!!! I got out the 409 and picked the dried food off the cover and called it good. Israel was happy but not satisfied. The cover had a big crease across it. So...Chuck decides that he is going to iron the book cover. Israel was so excited, I had to take a picture of the two of them kneeling down ironing this library book. Too cute. 
Anyways...enough of me rambling on. I will write more again in a few days.
Most of you know that we recently adopted two little boys from Ethiopia. After spending two weeks in country with them we arrived in the U.S on February 28, 2009. Our time in Ethiopia was amazing. We were able to experience the culture and spend 24/7 with Emily who is volunteering over there for a year. Chuck and I both fell in love with the people of Ethiopia, especially the children. If you have known Chuck & I for very long time you know that we both love children and to see so many that are orphans really broke our hearts. So without further ado I would like to introduce you to our two newest additions of the Talcott Family.
Alemu is 10 years old and a very handsome young man. After taking him for a physical the doctor seems to think that he is maybe 13 years old. He has all of his 12 year molers already. With all the changes that have been happening in his life we feel that changing his age right now might be a little too much. We enrolled him in the 5th grade at the local elementary school. His teacher is very excited to have him in her class. When she announced to her class that he was going to be in there one little boy went home that night and researched Ethiopia and did a class presentation the very next day. He is adjusting well and his English is improving. At first he would not eat his lunch at school. He would wait until after school and then eat it in the car on the way home. He told us that in Ethiopia you do not eat at school. The children there go home for lunch. It took a lot of convincing but he is finally eating at school. Alemu is a very happy boy. I love to watch movies or television with him because he laughs out loud. Very contagious laugh. He really has bonded with Chuck. They wrestle everyday. He is like a little puppy that gets excited and just can't quit. We have found out that he has a very real aversion to snakes. Big time! We have a couple of play snakes and he freaks out when they are around. Also, we were watching Survivor the other night and they kept showing snakes and he would actually squeal and talk to the TV to tell the people to watch out. It cracks us all up. The other morning Chuck is ironing his shirt and Alemu comes in and wants his t-shirt ironed because you all know how cold the mornings are in San diego. Burrrr. So he takes his shirt off and proceeds to touch the iron. Chuck says "you dingle fritz, don't touch the iron." Alemu says "what dingle fritz"? Chuck and I both laugh and then Chuck tells him that a dingle fritz is someone who trys to touch a hot iron when they are told not to. Alemu laughs and says "Dad, dingle fritz" and walks away!
Israel
is 8 years old and very active! This kid is going to be great at any sport he trys. He had never seen a skateboard before and he watched Jake for a few seconds and jumped on and hasn't gotten off since. I told Jake I give him 6 months and he will be better than you and after spending a little time with him outside Jake came back in and said that he gives him 2 weeks and he will be better than Jake. Israel is our stubborn child. He has an opinion and is not shy to share it with you. I think he has met his match with me. He is not having nearly as many issues as he did at the beginning. We have always said that the key to good parenting is consistency. No matter how hard it is if we just stick to our guns it will pay off in the end. This one is going to really test that theory! I don't want you to get the wrong opinion of him, he is loving and loves to snuggle with me at night and hugs and kisses anyone who wants one. It's just when he doesn't want to do something he tells you. Funny story...so the other morning we were frantically looking all over the house for the "library book". All you parents out there know exactly what I am talking about. Anyways, after much searching it dawns on me that I may have thrown it away with the old magazines. He paniced. He kept telling me that he was going to get "punishment". No matter how much we tried to assure him that he wasn't going to get punishment he was clearly upset. After I confessed to Chuck what I think I did we took the garbage out to the garage and started digging. Sure enough three quarters of the way down there it is! He was so happy!!! I got out the 409 and picked the dried food off the cover and called it good. Israel was happy but not satisfied. The cover had a big crease across it. So...Chuck decides that he is going to iron the book cover. Israel was so excited, I had to take a picture of the two of them kneeling down ironing this library book. Too cute. Anyways...enough of me rambling on. I will write more again in a few days.
