Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Bringing home Greer

Our friends, the Sweeneys, are so dear to us.
So dear, in fact, that Ryan Sweeney told us we would no longer be friends if we did not meet them at the airport when they got home from Ethiopia.
He didn't mean it.
But we wouldn't have missed it for the world!

We hope Greer is going to be a great friend for our little boy. Someone that he can relate to, as far as their Ethiopian heritage goes. And they will be able to relate about their dads. Because both Ryan and my sweet hubby are a little bit out of control. They like to live on the edge of excitement, all the time.  It makes me laugh to think of them as teenagers talking about their crazy dads together :) 

Lesli and both seem to round out the family.  We are still fun, but maybe just not quite as extreme as the boys.  Since we reconnected with them about a year or more ago, and really started talking more, Ryan and Brandon call each other almost every day.  They have decided that we should move to Louisville and we have decided that they should move to Georgia.  They are incredible people.

Even more incredible is the MIRACLE of adoption.  Just like birth, it is a true miracle that all the pieces would fall into place for an adoption to take place (domestic or international).  We loved being a part of the Sweeney's journey.  We loved walking alongside them as they waited and hoped and trusted that their boy was perfectly made for them.  Hearing the story about meeting Greer's birth mother just brought me to a place of intense desire to go and adopt 10 children.  There is SUCH a need!
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Lesli is pregnant with their first biological girl, Charlotte (due in less than 8 weeks).  Greer is their first baby. This is them coming out of security at the airport.
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They traveled with another family who already had biological kids but brought home several Ethiopian children.  Look at these boys who are new brothers...I love it!
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Is it mean to capture a sad child? I think it is just really sweet.  Someone took his toy, and he wanted Ryan to put him down so he could go get it!
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Our other sweet college friends joined us too.  They all have children similar in age now, which is so fun!
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grandma...who has a special name (that I forget)...meeting Greer. So sweet :)
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There is a way to quiet a child in Amharic (sp?) and I think it sounds like "goosh, goosh, goosh.."
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Bethany, Danielle and her girl Maddy, and me :)
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Brandon and our friend John
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Such a sweet story! Can't wait to keep watching them unfold!

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11 comments:

  1. What a very special homecoming!!!
    Welcome Home Greer!

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  2. PRECIOUS. i was stalking your blog waiting for these.... :) they made me cry. and i don't even know them. how AWESOMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

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  3. brooke, you are so sweet and talented!! i love these pictures...especially the crying ones. i think you definitely captured our little greer in his typical light!! ha! y'all mean so much to us and we can't wait to watch how God writes your story. bring on the 2 newest whitis kiddos :)

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  4. how special! Those are fantastic pictures! :)

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  5. the pictures are AWESOME!! sooo good to spend time with you all & celebrate with the sweeneys! we'd love to talk adoption with you guys anytime! Praying for your adoption details!

    LOVE YOU GUYS!

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  6. What a beautiful little guy! Thank you for sharing his story. He looks like he is already loved by an army of people! :)

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  7. those made me smile and cry at the same time :)

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  8. These pictures are absolutely precious! What an amazing journey! Love this story and love that sweet little boy!

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  9. I clicked over from the Meachams' blog, and was surprised to see other faces I recognize-- I know those Humphries (including little Anna Claire, whom I taught for 2 years in preschool)!! Fun connections! :)
    --Christina in Louisville

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  10. How Beautiful! My heart swells hearing that Greer is with his family now!! << <3 33 And your pictures capture everything perfectly! So sweet Brooke!!

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  11. Adoption is truly amazing. I love the photos!

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