Official MOMMY!

Today Asher became Nicole's son....legally! This has been the day she has been waiting for over 10 months! She can let out a huge sigh of relief now! The only step before they can board the plane home is an Embassy date to get his visa! :)

Nicole and Asher Meet Birthmom

In order for Nicole to pass court, they had to find Asher's birthmom so that she could testify in court and basically sign Asher over to Nicole. Nicole requested to meet her after court. It was a much more emotional experience that she had expected. Nicole said this little 18 year old girl was completely broken and sad. SAD was the only word Nicole said would accurately describe her. They had a translator and Nicole was able to hear the whole story of Ashers beginnings and his birth moms incredible struggles, I will let Nicole get on here and tell the accurate story since I can't do it justice. Asher's birthmom requested to see him one last time, so of course Nicole agreed. When his birthmom was leaving, Nicole rubbed her back and thanked her, she started crying and went on her way. Her life is all about surviving....it breaks my heart. We are all so fortunate here in the U.S. and really have all that we will ever need and more.

It will be great to have these pictures for Asher to see when he starts wondering about his beginnings.

Life At The Orphanage

This is a little 12 year old girl, Helina, that lives at Asher's orphanage who loves Asher and Nicole. Every morning when Nicole arrives at the orphanage she smiles and says "Where's my baby?!?" Helina told Nicole that one day she will tell Asher how much his mommy loves him when he is old enough to understand. Nicole loves her and of course wants to save every child at the orphanage now, that would be so heart breaking to want to help everyone and not be able too...
This is Nicole and Asher on the way to the clinic because Asher has had a bad cold. There are no car seats in Ethiopia, nobody really drives anywhere because they don't have cars. She had to hold Asher on her lap on the way there. A Sheryl Crow song came on and Nicole started humming in his ear, she said he zonked out to the sound of her humming in his ear...what a sweet picture to capture the moment!

She says there aren't words to describe how happy and full of life this little one is! I'm betting that his happiness will triple now that he has Nicole as his mommy!

Ian Arrives

Nicole and Ian Stewart have been dating for a few months and he has been incredibly supportive to her....so much that he bought a plane ticket to go over and meet Asher and stay for 10 days! Nicole says that Asher loves Ian and reaches for him as much as he reaches for her! Ian also brought a HUGE duffel bag full of presents for the other children in the orphanage...soccer balls, hair clips, toys, etc... He is a KEEPER! Team "Stew"!!!

Grammie Tammie's Tattoo

Poor Grammie Tammie has been so patient during this process! When she was venting her frustrations to a good friend, the friend gave her some words of wisdom that she loved so much that she had tattooed on her foot, gotta love that woman!

Her friend told her that even though things don't always happen in our time frame, God does have it all planned out and when He doesn't do something right when we ask for it, it is because He has something better planned for another time. We just need to be patient and know that the delay is for a good reason...we keep praying and He will answer with even better things than we asked for. So the tattoo means "He is in the delay" in Ethiopian language (Ahmeric abd)!

The LONG Awaited Meeting Day.....Mother and Son Unite! FINALLY

It's easy to see by looking at these pictures that these two are a match made in heaven! Nicole was meant to be Asher's mommy. She waited sooo long for the day she could finally hold him. There were so many delays in this process that were absolutely heart-wrenching for Nicole.

So many adoptive parents that started the process long after Nicole, ended up with their babies long before she did. There have been so many bumps in the road delaying her adoption, but the moment she held him all of those months and months of waiting and worrying melted away! Passing court and getting a Embassy date for the visa are the final steps before coming home!
Now that is PURE JOY in Nicole's face!


I love his little fangs
That's the look of happiness and contentment

Beautiful Baby Asher

Look at those beautiful, big eyes! It doesn't get any sweeter than this!
It's good to know that sometimes Asher's caretakers dress him in trains instead of fluffy pink outfits like some of his pictures :) He's cute nomatter what though!
Asher and his chubby buddy

HI MOM! I can't wait for you to bring me home!

Asher's Baby Shower!!!

This is Jenni, starting a blog for Nicole and Asher. Nicole has done so much for me and been such a great friend, so I wanted to start this for her to help her be able to document their lives together! The first post is Nicole's baby shower. All of her closest friends (minus a couple), got together to celebrate Nicole's decision to adopt a baby boy from Ethiopia, Asher.

She has wanted to be a mother for so long, but hasn't had the opportunity until now. We all have no doubt that Asher will be given love with no bounds, and a happy life, full of lots of fun adventures!
Nicole is NOT without practice in the motherhood arena, she is like a second mom to my triplets. She was there from DAY 1 to help me in any way I needed. She slept over on Friday nights for atleast 6 months, and often took them, one at a time, to her house for a slumber party! She did this all while working full time AND going to school for her PHD, now that's a friend that goes above and beyond! My kids love her like she is their own family, in fact, they didn't even know she wasn't their "blood aunt" until last year!
At the shower, we all filled out a little survey about Nicole for baby Asher. Here is Grammie Tammie helping the triplets fill out theirs. Some of the funny Q&A's were...

?: When are you available to babysit
Davin: Anyday and anytime
Creed: Monday because it is my "showt day"
Sage: December 2010


?: What is your favorite memory about Nicole
Creed: When I threw up on her on the airplane back from Hawaii!

?: What was your first impression of Nicole?
Sage: I looked at her and thought "momma"!

There were lots more funny ones that I can't remember!

Somebody gave Nicole a custom little shirt for Asher, and Ethiopia was spelled wrong! It's the thought that counts - I love Nicole's face in this picture though!

Shanna and I....yes I know I look crazy in this picture, but this was the only one of me...and the only evidence that I attended the baby shower my mom and I threw you!

Camie and Nicole


Camille and Shanna - Camille came all the way from Carlsbad for the shower! What great friends Nicole has....because she is a great friend to us all!

Auntie Kim can't wait to take Asher on little dates (without Nicole), she has made that clear. Auntie Kim is not the biggest kid lover we know, but has made it clear that she does love "Nicole's kids"! .....and Sage, but that's all!

Amy and Camie

Grammie Tammie CANNOT WAIT for her grandson to get here. She made this adorable blanket for Asher! Camille loved it so much that she bribed Tammie into making her one too!