Date Night: Ethiopian Style!

Saturday night 6/26, after an early morning of church yard sale extravaganza (We'll be sure to post an up-date on the yard sale success soon.), we finally had our evening to experience Ethiopian food for the first time. It was very delicious and very unique to anything we had previously experienced. Eric remembered slight similarities in eating styles from Kenya, and April had eaten without utensils at a fish-head curry meal in Singapore, but this was different from either of these experiences.

We ate without utensils. Instead we used rolled up Ethiopian injera bread that we tore pieces from to pick up our food. This unique bread reminded us of a very thin pancake that had not been flipped. It had bubbled holes on the top and was flat on the bottom. All of our main and side dishes were "dumped" onto our large round plate of injera, with the sides dishes lining the outside. The main dishes were spicy-hot with meat, while the outside veggie salads were more tangy and sweet. This was a nice way to enjoy the hot and delicious spices of the main dishes, while having a different "cooling" side dish to sample in between. We also ate an appetizer called sambusa with was a spiced beef mixture fried in a pastry. All of it was very delicious!

After returning home, we googled Ethiopian bread and found this website with great pictures and a recipe for injera. Does anyone know where to find teff flour? If you do, please let us know and we'll give it a try. http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/bread/recipe-injera.html

Life Long Partners . . . Happy 4th Anniversary

Has it really been 4 years ago that we had our much anticipated wedding day!! How time has flown. Reflecting back, it has been a very full and abundant 4 years.

• September 19, 2005 – Our first (and only, at this point) nephew was born.
• October 21 – November 1, 2005 - We traveled to Cambodia to visit with missionaries and friends.
• 2005-2006 school year – April's first year teaching “just” 2nd grade instead of combination 1st and 2nd grades at Shalom.
• December 2005 – The red Cavalier died and we bought our first vehicle together, a Ford, Ranger.
• June 24, 2006 – Traveled to Luray Caverns for 1 year anniversary.
• August 12, 2006 - Sister Anya and "now" brother-in-law Ryan were married.
• 2006-2007 school year – Eric began his college education at Ship U. April was able to move into the Shalom school building – no more mobile trailer!
• January 2007 – Eric began to work as the Food Safety Manager at Lehman’s Egg, as well as taking on a few other new duties (with a full time class load!).
• March 25, 2007 – We bought our first home! After much researching and contemplation and prayer. . . becoming homeowners has been such a blessing and a true learning experience.
• May 12, 2007 – Moving day!
• July 3, 2007 – We became aunt and uncle once again! This time a niece.
• 2007-2008 school year – Struggles with infertility and wanting very much to become parents. Eric’s second year of taking classes and working full time, and my 5th year teaching at Shalom.
• December 2007 – April graduated with Masters of Education from Ship. U. Finally done!
• June 16, 2008 – We began the adoption process and the journey of parenthood.
• December 26, 2008 to January 2, 2009 – Visited Dietle Grandparents in Florida over Christmas break. This was a very relaxing and rewarding time after just completing Ethiopian dossier, which can be a daunting and overwhelming part of the adoption process.
• March 7, 2008 – 3rd positive pregnancy test, what would this journey entail? (Currently week 20, so far, so good!)
• June 6, 2009 - Brother Mike and "finally" sister-in-law Stacy were married.
• Yesterday – Marks the 5th month in the “waiting” phase of our adoption, maybe 5 to 8 more months to go until we have a little face and name to go with it???????
• Today – Praising God for ALL that HE has done in our lives!! He truly is AMAZING! (We also plan to have a new experience eating at an Ethiopian restaurant in Frederick, MD this evening.)

It is finished!

Wow! Roofing is A-L-O-T of work, especially in the hot and humid sun. Eric and I were very thankful for our families in completing this project. It definitely takes team work and many willing hands!

• Taking the roof off Friday night wasn't a problem. The rain the next morning did cause quite a dilemma. When it did stop raining, would it start up again and without warning? How safe was it to be up on the roof with it being wet?
• The decision was made to wait out the "band" of wet weather that radar was depicting. By 9:30 the roof was dried off using brooms and towels and the work had begun. (All in faith that the rain wouldn't return.)
• Around lunch time the clouds began to roll in. . . would it rain again? But after a rushed lunch break, the clouds and the work moved on.
• Unfortunately, after God's blessing our day with sunshine, wonderful help, and donated tools/equipment, we ran out of shingles. A bit frustrating, but the remaining work could be easily completed in an evening. We were grateful for the many blessings God HAD given during our day!! (No injuries for one!)
• Monday we picked up the shingles and nails we needed to finish the roof. Thanks to Dad Lehman and Eric, we can now call the roof a completed project. Hooray!!
• Yet to be completed are the gutters and finishing up the new front porch.

A huge THANK YOU! to all who helped: Dad Martin, Dad Lehman, brothers (Duane and Michael), and Sollenberger Construction (and Ladies, Bryce and Marah for keeping me company). We now have a very dry and attractive roof over our heads!

Aileen's Bridal Shower

Well, it wasn't the surprise we had hoped for, but we still had a very enjoyable time of FOOD, FUN and LAUGHS at Aileen's bridal shower. She will make a gorgeous, young, blushing bride in 7 short weeks.

So this is the lovely "Martin" sister line up. Don't I have such beautiful sisters?
I definitely got the "short" genes, but the resulting jokes and "funning" have made me stronger. Ha! (I don't believe I'm "showing" as much in this photo.)

Mini-video about Bethany in Ethiopia

Our adoption agency, Bethany Christian Services, has created this great video summarizing its outreach to the children in Ethiopia and those who help to make it possible. Click here to check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGcO3DpABdA

Enjoy!! Apologies to those who still have "slow speed". I'm one of them. smile.

School's Out for the Summer. . . .

So what am I doing with my time now that my classroom is packed up and I have something very valuable at my disposal. . . . TIME!

First, Eric and I are attempting our first garden on our own. We have "shared" gardens with grandparents and parents, but this is one to call our own. We are eating lots of fresh salads with lettuce, spinach and radishes out of our new produce store. There are a few other yummy things on the way. I must say I am enjoying how effortless God made the growing of plants to be. You plant it (and do a few other things) and it GROWS! God is a good, good provider.

Secondly, our house is under construction. We are adding a reverse gable porch to the front of our house. This should add some depth to our otherwise simple rectangular solid of a house. Next week we will be adding a new roof, finishing the underside of the porch and gable, and adding all new gutters. Hopefully we will be better prepared for more of our summer rain storms that we have been experiencing (without gutters on the front of our house. . . scary).

The third item that I've been up to is helping my mom and grandma with my sister's bride's maids' dresses. It was supposed to be a very simple pattern, which has turned into quite a complicated process. It has a top that has three pieces and three layers to cut, piece and sew together. Mom is the seamstress. Grandma did the pinning and cutting, while I did the ironing and pressing. We made a pretty good team, and hope to get them near to completion in another week or so.

Eric is also finished with school as of 8:30 p.m. last night, as he completed his final exam for his summer on-line class for international business. On several occations he has already stated at random, "I'm done!" or "I'm do-o-o-one!" and I am at first, left to think twice about what he is talking about before I realize he is celebrating his new freedom, not just finished with his food or done using the bathroom.

His new available TIME with be soaked up in golf tournaments, work, work and more work, and some RR time. Oh, and he does have a few projects here at home that he is working to complete, such as the remodeling of our shed, setting up an outside retractible clothes line, and helping with the roofing projects.

We do also hope to take a few weekend-get-away camping trips. . . . smile.

The 1st of Three Sibling Weddings. . .

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Michael Allen Lehman!! It was a be-a-u-tiful day! The rain finally stopped and the sun was a lovely sight to see.

Eric and I have three BIG weddings scheduled for this year and the first was on Saturday, June 6th. Eric's youngest brother has now entered wedded bliss. (The other two weddings are for my youngest two sisters. There weddings are in August and November.)

After the rushing, hustling and bustling, celebrating, cleaning, and much needed resting, the Lehman family had a relaxing evening around the campfire. My nephew had fun roasting his first hotdogs over the fire. We are very grateful for our family, their love and support. Everyone needs this kind of a support system; for whatever life brings!