YE GANNA BAAL!

MERRY ETHIOPIAN CHRISTMAS!

Today is Christmas Day in Ethiopia (they are on a different calendar). (Go to simplyloveproject.blogspot.com for sweet pictures of Miss Zoie in a traditional ET dress).

While I should be happy, my heart is quite heavy. While I should be rejoicing that I have a second holiday to be thankful for the birth of Christ, I am instead drawn to thoughts of my son.

Today I am sad to not be holding my Ethiopian son and wishing him "Ye Ganna Baal." My mind wanders to his day and the events. Did they dress him up in the reindeer outfit we sent him for Christmas? Did the nannies dance around with him and sing him Christmas songs? Did they give him extra kisses, extra hugs, extra love? Did they give him special Christmas clothing as a present? To not know these very fundamental facts about my son make me feel helpless and inadequate.

Mostly I am wondering if they told him of his Father who loved him enough to send His son to earth for us all. Did they whisper in Micah David's ear how loved he is by His heavenly Father? Did they show him a manger scene and tell him the wonderful good news? I ache to know these things about my Micah David.

My arms ache today as they did on our Christmas because of stories untold and truths unwispered into the precious ears of our Micah David.

So, "Ye Ganna Baal" sweet son. We miss you and love you more than you will ever know. You are a dream yet fulfilled, a present yet opened. May all of your Christmases from here on out be with your forever family. Know that I carry you in my heart this day and the weight of not having you seems unbearable. If not for the baby celebrated in Ethiopia this day...

Thank you, Father, for your Son who enables us to walk this rocky, mountainous journey with faith and hope.