Our Daughter is Finally Home!

This post is overdue, but we needed a few days to recover from the jet lag. Our little girl has been home with us since Friday night, and things are going very well. We've been waiting to introduce her for a very long time!

INTRODUCING... Aubree Lemlem Veltema

A quick note about her name...We've been struggling with our decision to keep her given name vs. changing her first name to something more common. This is not a decision that was easily reached. What it comes down to is we want to make life easier for her in any way that we can. We've already had a rough experience with her name in the health care setting. People mispronouncing it, not even trying to pronounce it, or assuming she's a boy because it's not an obviously feminine name. We figure she'll be faced with enough unwanted questions about her personal life, and this is one area that we can make easier for her. We love her given name, and we love the birth family that gave her that name. She is and will always be Lemlem Tengega...no legal document can change who she is. But it can make her life here in the US just a little bit easier. AND she can always change it back whenever she wants to. :)


We are absolutely loving having Aubree Lemlem home with us. She is doing so well with her adjustment so far. We already see so much progress since we first brought her home from the orphanage. There is a long journey ahead of us as far as attachment and bonding goes, but it seems like we're on the right track so far.

Aubree Lemlem had her first visit with the doctor yesterday. Besides a double ear infection and an eczema breakout, she is a very healthy little girl. She is eating well, and sleeping well (so far). Dylan absolutely adores her, even though she's already learned how to push his buttons. There are moments of sibling rivalry, and also very sweet, tender moments (like tonight when Dylan kissed her goodnight and told her he loved her in Amharic).

Just a year ago, Dylan was an only child. A year ago we were longing so hard for a bigger family. Now our family of three has turned into a family of five. We feel so blessed to have each one of these precious kids. Our house is chaotic most of the time, but the fun and the love never ends. :)