Time for an introduction....

Update 9/6/2011:

It has been a year today, since this young man

officially became part of our family.

I am no less in awe of him,

than I was 365 days ago.

His emails warm my heart...

and I feel so very blessed to call myself

HIS Mom.

I told him, I knew he wasn't able

to check his emails often,

so I have to remind myself

to space out my emails to him,

so as not to fill his inbox too much...

"Please know that no matter how often

you write to me or not,

your mails are one of the dearest things

I imagine of everyday.

So I like that we stay in touch ever.

Love you mom
Ayal John"

Post from September 2010:

This handsome guy is Ayal.... John.

Um yeah, that's Ayal John, as in one of our sons.

I had told John that there was every chance

 I would come home with a

another son in my inbox, but I really

 wasn't expecting that it would be Ayal.

Ayal is Emnatu's biological brother.

He moved out of Kolfe

3 years ago to start a job.

I think I have loved this kid from afar,

ever since March,

when Emnatu first told us about him,

I just never knew if I would

get a chance to meet him.

and now I have...

he is every bit as sweet

as his younger brother.

He was there Saturday for the

graduation ceremony, and to meet me.

While we were sitting around talking,

Ayal leaned over to show me a photo 

on his cell phone.

He said the word, "Kyle" over and over,

 but the photo was grainy,

 and I wasn't sure what he meant.

 - - - - -

  Until... he switched to the next photo,

and my heart stopped...

it was a photo I had seen before...

one I had sent in Emnatu's last care package... 

of John and I.

 - - - - - -

This kid has been walking around for weeks

with photos of our family close to him.

Saturday night as I was climbing into my taxi,

I told Ayal that it was difficult to leave,

knowing I wouldn't see him again.

"I could stay" was his reply.

He is so shy, but the boys all told me he was a good dancer.
I had already been up to dance,
 it was only fair that he had go up too. :o)

And so he did...Ayal slept at the orphanage.

When he got out of the car at church

 the next morning, I asked him

where he had slept at Kolfe,

thinking maybe an extra bed somewhere. 

His answer surprised me,

 and also made me love

 both boys just a bit more...

Emnatu and Ayal had slept in the

same tiny twin bed all night.

Sunday night after I left the orphanage,

Ayal traveled home.

I didn't expect to hear from him again,

until Gizachew's cell phone

rang Monday afternoon...

It was Ayal,

calling to talk...

to ME!

To wish me safe travels

 on the way home the next day,

to tell me he enjoyed the weekend,

and to ask...

if it would be okay if

he got an email address

so that I could be HIS mom too.

Um... yeah, Ayal... I think I already am.

His email address?

it says his new name...

I love that!

Welcome to the family "Ayal John,"

Welcome to the family!