Summer Changes........

I am so thankful for where God has me on this journey I call life. Never in a million years did I think that I would be a mom to six kids nor did I think that I would ever be in a third world country for six weeks~ This Thursday this journey will find me doing both! God continues to teach me that He will call me to do things that I can't do on my own so that I must completely depend on Him. Life as I know it is about to completely change and here are some ways:

Our bed will be much fuller each Saturday morning for tickle time
Our kitchen table will have all 8 chairs filled
The washing machine will run at least one more load a week
My son will have a brother
Three six year olds will make our playroom a very fun place to hang out
We will only have two empty beds left in our house
Bedtime will be even sweeter and longer : )
Someone will always need me
Braiding hair will be something I am good at
Cleaning house as a family will be faster
Getting out the door will take longer
and the list goes on and on of just simple ways my life is about to change.

There are much more complex ways that my life is about to change as well:

Loving our two children who don't speak English
Not knowing what Tizita and Geremew have experience in their first six years
Figuring out what their emotional needs are and trying to fill them
Being challenged by others on why our family would adopt
Sharing Christ with them in a way that they can relate from the very first day
Loving on Megan, Kaylee, Jacob and Lindsay while their world is completely changing
and the list goes on and on. We know that God has called us to this and we are following. He never promised that His path would be easy but He did promise that it would be good!

Tizita and Geremew,
We have all of our bags packed and they are full of fun things for our family to do while we are in Ethiopia for six weeks! The six of us are so excited and we can't wait until Friday when we are with you. Today is the first day of summer and I just can't wait for you to experience life as a Henderson for a summer~ I know that both of you are going to love it! We do so many fun things in the summer. Most days we go the the pool in our neighborhood. I know that you have no idea what a swimming pool is because you have never even seen a bathtub but it is a huge hole in the ground filled with water. Clean water (not like the water around the island) that you can jump in, splash in and swim in.
We also visit Mimi and Papa's (daddy's mom and dad) lake house several times each summer where we ride on the boat, go tubing and swim in the lake. One week each summer you will even stay there (without daddy and I) with all 18 cousins for Cousins Camp!
Our families favorite week is the week that we go to the beach each year. All week we play in the sand, go for long walks on the beach, jump in the waves, and eat hot donuts almost every night!
I just can't wait for you to experience life in th summer at our house~ I just know you both will LOVE it. One week from tonight I hope that dad and I get to tuck you in and that you never have to go to bed alone again. Only 4 more X's................ Love, Mom