The Injera Monster

For those of you who are not familiar with Ethiopian food, injera is considered a staple of the Ethiopian diet. It is a large, thin and spongy bread that tastes kind of like a sourdough pancake (this is Matt's description, at least). Injera is layed out on a platter, basket or place and then a combination of sauces or "wots" are spooned onto the bread. The bread is torn off and used to eat the wot with. Injera is incredibly delicious and very nutritious- especially when it is made with teff- a grain native to the highlands of Ethiopia.

We have a great injera bakery in Denver and try to keep our house stocked with enough injera to fulfill our daughter's endless appetite for the bread. She'll eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Our friends from Ethiopia were generous enough to show me how to make a variety of wots. Asha's favorite is Aleecha, which is made with yellow split peas, onions, garlic and ginger. It's mild and nutty and very yummy with injera. She also likes Mesir Wot which is red lentils with the same basic ingredients plus some berbere spice. The food is delicious and so fun to cook!

Anyway, we went to the market today and bought two packages of injera, yellow split peas and some coffee- guess I better get cooking.

Kate

Okay, Okay... Time to start writing again!

I haven't written since we left for Ethiopia but figure that posting here will be a good exercise for me and will help me to process and record the amazing journey of parenthood! I will definitely be posting some more recent photos, but for the time being (if anyone is actually reading this) I will simply say the blog will continue and I will take the time to update it more often than every 4 or so months..

In a nutshell, we got home from Ethiopia on May 21 and have been incredibly busy ever since! It's been challenging, exhausting and completely rewarding.

I'll write more in the days to come, just wanted to log on and make a quick note.

Kate

Adoption

Yes we are back from Ethiopia...we're just having too much fun hanging out with Asha.

Matt

Blogged with Flock

Getting ready to board.

Kate and i are about to head off into the world of parenthood. We cant wait.

We are on our way!

Well, travel day is finally here.

Packing and Evening Jitters

Our day is finally here...almost. Kate and I head out to Ethiopia in the morning and right now we totally have the jitters. As usual Kate and I try to do things in more insane ways than most. Thus, Kate had to get an emergency root canal this morning. Oh what fun! Anyway, we are very excited and we'll be posting pics along the way. Until the next post.

Anticipation and Joy

Well it's been some time since I put in the last post. I have been busier than I can imagine but that seems to be life.

Right now I am at the Drake Relays in Des Moines Iowa. On Thursday I had an exhibition competition and I wasn't very sure how things were going to turn out. As I prepared for the meet I had Asha on my mind. As the bar got higher and higher I thought more and more of her and what it will mean to me when I finally get to hold her in my arms. That was motivation enough to keep me focused on the jumping. Soon after I finished, I went over to my phone, looked at those big brown eyes and became lost in the excitement.

There is a funny thing that happens when you are adopting. You carry pictures of a child you have never met around with and you share them with everyone. You brag and say that's my little girl as if you have raised her from birth. It makes no difference that you have never met face to face. I can't tell you how many people I have showed pictures to. It's amazing! The mere thought of Asha brings me a joy that goes far beyond jumping over a bar, winning an Olympic Medal, or lots of money. I could go on and on but to put it simply....it's just pure joy when I think about her.