Maleah is 18 months old!

What a difference a few months makes! Our girlie is now walking, talking and blossoming. She is quite comfortable with us now, not afraid to whimper or show preferences and certainly not afraid to spat a bit for a toy. All the "normal things" that toddlers go through and I have to say we are rejoicing to see them! I'll never forget the day she learned the word "MINE!" and could say it with such force! My first reaction was to say "No!" and go into a little lesson on sharing, etc. But I found myself saying "Yes!, that's right!" .... she had figured out the comprehension of yet another English word. No worries, now that she "gets it", we for sure teach her to share. :)

Long ago are the days of her giving Daddy the cold shoulder. She now squeals in absolute delight at the sound of his voice when he's coming home from work. Gone are the days of being afraid of most any food. She's even learned to enjoy ice cream with the rest of us! Having to sit by her crib in a chair while she falls asleep is no longer a necessity to every nap and bedtime. Now we go from snuggling and rocking with her night-time milk bottle to saying "baby?" .... "blankie?" ... and she just smiles huge with delight!, knowing it's time for bed! (we have our sleeper back!! - thank you God!)

It has been quite a summer in the Roberts family. Maleah coming to join our family was only one part of this huge time of transition the Lord has taken us through. We came home for Ethiopia with an even greater burden about what we, as a family, were to do about the needs of orphans. We find ourselves on a new adventure of trusting in our Heavenly Father in great and amazing ways. We rest in His Faithfulness and praise Him for His Goodness to us for carrying us through. More to come on that in the days ahead.