Birth certificates and letters!

We just received the boys' birth certificates! Their names are Zerihun Darren Phillips and Melaku Darren Phillips. In Ethiopia, people take their father's first name as their last name, so I think that's why they give adopted kids their adoptive father's name as their middle name. It is so cool to see the official documents with our names listed as their mother and father.

They put Zerihun's birthday in June 1996, so he is 14, turning 15 next month. That makes him and Alex almost twins, because Alex just turned 15 in May. :) They put Melaku's birthday as February 2001, so he is 10.

The pictures are funny - Z looks mad and Melaku looks like someone scared him right as they were taking it - but I'm just so happy that things are moving along! I think they will be able to submit everything to the Embassy next week, so please continue to pray that there won't be any hold-ups in that process, and that we can bring them home soon!

We also got three letters with some pictures from Melaku this week -- one to Darren and me, one to Lindsay and Alex, and one to Justin and Trevor (not sure why he divides them up that way...:)) -- and I also got a very sweet letter from Zerihun. Here are some excerpts:

Dear Mom,

I am very excited to see you again for the last time and then we will be together forever, but I am praying and waiting for you...If I don't have homework I will write more letters, and I know that you are busy but you are still writing letters for me and for Messi and Melaku. Mothers are always mothers and kind for their son and for everyone and my mom is just like that. And I always miss her and love her. I think I will see you soon. God be with you -

Love,

Zerihun Phillips