Friday Update

WOW! So hard to believe it's already Friday... and yet... it feels like we've been here for SO much longer than just 3 full days.

Today started out visiting the orphanages. We have 3 other families with us now, and 2 of our families from court left last night.

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray for the other 2 families that had court with us!!! The government officials who did not complete their paperwork were supposed to appear before the Judge this morning at 9am. At 10am, no word yet - the Officials didn't have their papers submitted yet.... At 1am, no word yet... and the Judge was very angry at the Officials for not completing their paperwork... then finally at 4:30 they found out that the Officials had submitted a letter stating they were too busy right now. The Judge was FURIOUS!!!!!! She DEMANDED and wrote a DECREE that the papers must be completed by early week next week. Unfortunately for our friends... they will not find out if they passed court until next week - AFTER they travel home.... heart breaking......... Thankfully everyone is still saying everything is favorable with their case, but the paperwork MESS is really frustrating. Please join me in petitioning the SOVEREIGN one on their behalf. God is BIGGER than paperwork, He is bigger than a Government agency... HE WILL be Glorified in ALL, even this mess.

We got to see Nash again for a couple of hours. We had Frisbees and cars today. We had brought two big blow up balls, and some balloon punch balls... but due to the altitude and not eating breakfast... we didn't think he had the stamina to blow them up AND be able to play afterward! LOL!! Nash was so awesome again today!! They let us play with him by ourselves for a little bit this morning! He greeted us with HUGE smiles and kisses!

We got to see his bed and his friends showed us their beds too. It was an AWESOME Day! The girls came out and LOVED playing with my hair! They would take my hair and put it on top of their heads! Then one had a cardboard cover from a book and was fanning my hair to see it BLOW!! So I would shake my head and make my hair go everywhere! The girls laughed and squealed! The girl with the fan would blow my hair all over my face, then one of the sweet precious boys would come up and gently move all the hair out of my face and put it behind my ear!! I just want to EAT THEM UP.... EVERYONE OF THEM!!!!

We played some more with Nash, then he stopped and got really still.... we couldn't figure out what he saw.... it was the DOCTOR! Apparently the Doctor only comes out every couple of weeks, and they were giving immunizations just inside near a window, and Nash could see them. He got really quiet and nervous. We had Abel ask him if he was scared of the Doctor, and he said no, but his body was saying something altogether different!!

It was time to go and we had Abel tell him that we loved him very much and that we would be back very soon. He put his little head down and said ok. We hugged and kissed and had to go. I got all choked up....... I HATE leaving him.

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After the orphanages we went at ate at the LUCY Museum. We didn't visit the museum, just ate at their very nice restaurant. *Lucy is the name of the first "complete" (really semi complete) humanoid fossil which was found in Ethiopia. *Supposedly* it is dated for 3.7 million years old. (this is not the place for this discussion...) They are very proud of this!!!

Then we went up the Mountain to another Museum and one of the first Ethiopian Orthodox churches! Abel was able to share with us his PASSION for Ethiopia's rich history! It was incredible! On the way up the mountain, there were ladies carrying MASSIVE bundles of sticks. Abel said they carry these down the mountain EVERYDAY, MULTIPLE times a day to sell for firewood. Each bundle sold for only 20 Birr, which is like $1.25. Very humbling.... We all thought about our dinner that was (for 2) 300 Birr.... we are so privileged. Thank you, Lord for our Provisions, and forgive us when we take that for granted! We also met several groups of boys when we stopped to take pictures... they were so cute... trying to sell these big straw hats. I, stupidly, forgot all my rules and gave them crackers and candy... that was dumb.... The museum and church at the top were really nice!

Then we went to the Lion Zoo. They charge per person AND PER CAMERA! That's so random!!! I took a picture of the sign! :) It was a nice little park with about 6 Lion cages and a few birds and some monkeys. Always nice to get out of the bus from time to time, as the roads here are pretty bad. I never get motion sick in a car... but a few times, I was really CLOSE TO IT!

We are not going in the morning to another orphange/social project. We're tired. We've been running 90 to nothing all week. Last night and tonight we got back around 8:30 and Chris has been passed out by 9! We plan on sleeping in a little bit and trying to take in and process this week! I'm glad that I can write about it to help me break it all down.

We are missing Caleb like Crazy! He and Mimi are doing AWESOME!!! :) He has gotten to play in the snow and have fun with Preston, and Mimi and he were out of school one day! He is making the Southaven Circuit this weekend! :)

I think about how Caleb and Nash will do together. Nash is definitely less impulsive than Caleb is. He's more shy and can only take being the center of attention for a few minutes. He prefers one on one time. We showed Nash Caleb's picture again today and he even showed it to his Nannies! They told him that was his brother in Amharic, and he was smiling and showing all his friends! I know they will play together very well, they will just both need their own "stock" of toys... no required sharing for a little while. Nash is so obedient and wants to please people. We have said no to him about several things, like more cars, more bubbles, etc... AND he did very well with it! He didn't get mad, like the other boys did! I don't think discipline is going to be a Massive issue... you can tell his "FIRST" Mom did an excellent job!! ...pause... So Grateful for her and the BOY she has raised... Lord, please wrap Your amazing arms of love around her... Hold her close!! Let her know her baby is LOVED...


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The Fryar Family
**Chris, Beverly, Caleb, and Nash**