tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41865141257770443292011-09-19T08:06:32.236-07:00Five kids, embracing Ethiopian culture, raising teenagers: life is full, fun and a bit far out at times! Isaiah 43:5: Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.comBlogger871100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-19021363905249351132010-11-23T11:23:00.000-08:002010-11-23T11:29:27.060-08:00

I know you haven't heard from me in a very long time! We are having a snow day and a chance to take a breather so I thought I would share something I discussed in one of my classes yesterday. I felt if I made a difference for just one student, it was worth the message.Here goes:Over the weekend I kept coming back to what Jesse asked in class last Friday. To paraphrase, Jesse asked, ‘what does

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-34554942190439827822010-04-23T16:18:00.000-07:002010-04-23T16:20:44.955-07:00

Okay, so I was finally snookered by an internet site. And it made me cry. How can these people prey on immigrants and those of us adopting them??Here is the story if you are interested:We adopted a child through a disruption last year. The child has no documentation to show she is legally a US citizen, even though we legally adopted her. No green card, no passport, no social security. In

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-39237023434740303742010-01-31T14:53:00.001-08:002010-01-31T15:18:08.454-08:00

I saved Meron’s memories for last, as there is so much! It may take a few posts to get it all together.The reason for the trip at this particular time was for Meron to be a junior bridesmaid in Mimi and Henok’s wedding. Mimi is the youngest of the Maru family and helped raise Meron for the first five years of her life, where Meron’s mother worked as their household servant. Mimi then moved to

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-63166496993884296602010-01-26T19:18:00.000-08:002010-01-26T19:29:45.164-08:00

Just a quick post tonight as it is almost finals and grading has to get caught up!So far I have mentioned a monkey and donkeys. Now it is time for the lions and hyenas. Tye usually has a bit of trouble sleeping while in Addis. This time he went prepared with sleeping pills. For the first three nights these helped him get over some jet lag. When he stopped taking the sleeping pills he would still

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-20277300978189425382010-01-25T16:19:00.000-08:002010-01-25T21:26:45.933-08:00

For Joseph this was his first trip back since his adoption seven years ago. We brought him home at the age of 7 in February 2003. Abel (before he changed his name to Joseph) was just a tiny little 1st grader. He was not quite 4 feet tall and weighed about 50 pounds. Now he is almost as tall as me at 5 foot 4 inches and outweighs me at 125 pounds. He was so happy to learn his birth father was tall

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-12311216997404008252010-01-23T11:37:00.001-08:002010-01-23T12:10:57.849-08:00

Tye and the kids stayed with a lovely couple who had a home that overlooked Addis. The family was so generous and accommodating. They were well fed and driven anywhere they needed to go by this couple and another family member who lived a short distance away. Here is a shot of a sunrise from Tye's bedroom. One day they took a ride into the countryside. They stopped at a cafe to have some

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-43617418253575643622010-01-22T16:49:00.000-08:002010-01-22T17:07:58.565-08:00

Tye, Sarah, Joseph Abel and Meron traveled to Ethiopia this past week. They choose this time to go because Meron was a junior bridesmaid in a wedding. More on this later. The stories they have to tell are amazing and I want to get it all down to preserve the memories for them.I will start with one of my favorite stories. The family visited the orphanage where the children stayed. The purpose

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-49574812678243543962009-12-25T07:47:00.000-08:002009-12-25T07:58:06.395-08:00

It is so nice to have all the kids home for a few days. We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Eve service at our church. Tye was an usher so he had to arrive early and help set up chairs and prepare the candles for distribution before the service. During this service we had a live telling of the Christmas Story. Live as in Mary and Joseph were escorted in by the singing, ribbon waving children. Then

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-83822080023640743792009-12-21T19:59:00.000-08:002009-12-21T20:10:10.211-08:00

What a weekend! I was not able to spend much time getting out the Christmas cards or shopping until school got out last Friday. Then trying to shop for 5 kids and have the 5 kids shop for each other was another whirlwind. Finally today I told the kids not to ask me what one of their siblings would want one more time and to please ask the sibling themselves. Yesterday's shopping trip was almost

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-58150344503882964482009-12-08T19:25:00.000-08:002009-12-08T19:44:10.309-08:00

Mary over at Owlhaven is giving away a free Sony Electronic Book Reader! Let's give Mary a fun filled weekend reading comments so that she may choose a winner!I have loved my Kindle this past year and would highly recommend getting a book reader. I have so many books on mine I lost count. Many of the books I now own are free. My personal favorite about my book reader is having the ability to

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-44170256341047976412009-11-13T18:39:00.000-08:002009-11-13T18:42:31.542-08:00

This is Joseph, dressing up as Nik for Halloween.Nik's response to this, "Damn you all."

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-17401955181760162272009-11-07T21:24:00.001-08:002009-11-09T20:03:45.505-08:00

Now this is a scary photo! SMW, Meron, and Berhanie on Halloween 2009.

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-61674742847366036292009-11-07T20:13:00.000-08:002009-11-07T20:27:43.293-08:00

Recieved this link from Mary today: Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story I was mesmorized by her voice and poise. Such an inspiring author. Her message reminded me of an incident at we had here shortly after Meron came home.The kids were playing out in the yard with a few of the neighbor children. One of the children innocently asked Meron, "what kind of clothes did you wear in

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-46929251131072027862009-10-23T17:27:00.001-07:002009-10-23T17:36:47.011-07:00

has now had her appointment at Children's Hospital Dental Clinic. Unfortunately there is still no word on a diagnosis. The CT scans were somehow missing, even though the dentist assured us he would send them 4 weeks before our appointment. So in the 2 1/2 months since the initial consultation telling us there was something seriously wrong, we still are in the dark. In the meantime they are

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-44173893920180755792009-09-26T10:09:00.000-07:002009-09-26T10:22:07.751-07:00

I don’t think I would know normal if I experience it anytime soon, but hopefully some version of it will appear in the next month! We started off the school year with Nik having emergency surgery to remove his appendix. Then I caught some virus while staying at the hospital with him. In the first week, I had a sub in my room for as many days as I was there. We are now back on the mend (while

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-37357363945882655962009-08-29T20:15:00.000-07:002009-08-29T20:41:44.196-07:00

Waiting until the end of summer to take the family vacation was good idea. Our summer seemed to last a long time; now we will go back to school rested (sort of) and ready to teach and learn! Hawaii is my favorite destination. Maybe it is the fragrance of the abundant flowers. Maybe it is the sounds of the ocean, mynah birds at dawn, flip flops on pavement. Maybe it is walking in sand and

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-28769004714015206382009-08-22T23:04:00.001-07:002009-08-22T23:06:10.197-07:00

All seven of us were together, even if it was only for about 12 hours! Sarah and Nik drove home from Sac and then Sarah flew back home tonight. Here is a picture of the new family.

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-48422611266346098442009-08-01T20:50:00.000-07:002009-08-01T20:55:31.632-07:00

Just a quick post to say camp this year is full of surprises in our children, just as every year seems to be. More pictures to come!

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-44240712280297429672009-07-17T08:12:00.000-07:002009-07-18T08:01:29.643-07:00

This article by Melissa Fay Greene explains it all: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-07-15/demon-orphan/And Mary over at Owlhaven sums it up with great links if you are interested in lending your voice as well:http://www.owlhaven.net/2009/07/16/movie-boycott/

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-26345052281694148402009-07-05T09:51:00.001-07:002009-07-05T10:10:19.214-07:00

Our family has been busy these past months. As the family mobile changes, the emotions are at an all time high. In late May we decided to add another child to our family. Berhanie is from Ethiopia and is the same age as Joseph and Meron. She joined our family after school ended in June. Now we have three 13 year olds in the house. Good thing I am a teacher of teenagers and used to all the

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-18304133850708163262009-05-10T08:24:00.000-07:002009-05-10T08:28:05.614-07:00

Some of us have become mothers the traditional way; some of us have become mothers through adoption; some of us have done both. Anyone who has parented a child knows the love and joy we recieve each and every day as a result of caring for another person.I wish all of you Mothers out there a beautiful day.

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-15707981061339428452009-03-23T17:41:00.000-07:002009-03-23T20:55:23.249-07:00

Water, water, everywhere! Guess I'm just destined to live with water. Inside and out. I am just thankful to have vision and for now am adjusting to the haze caused by the corneal edema. It should be temporary baring further complications. What is unknown is how long it will take to clear up: anywhere from 3 weeks to more than 3 months. In the meantime I think my brain is adjusting to the new

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-35080164165158114862009-03-22T19:20:00.001-07:002009-03-23T17:43:51.986-07:00

I got incredibly brave this past week. After 30 years of glasses I decided to have surgery to restore my vision. I did not go into the surgery expecting 20/20 vision. I would be happy just to see that I have 10 toes on my two feet when I look down; to be able to go swimming with my children in a pool or the ocean; to be able to shave by sight and not feel; to feel safe knowing that if there were

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-42965271232622285652009-03-19T16:42:00.000-07:002009-03-19T16:58:05.954-07:00

Haregewoin Teferra passed away a few days ago. We had the pleasure of hosting her in our home a few years ago as she toured a few cities in the United States fundraising for her orphanage. She was one of the most caring individuals to grace our planet; a true gift from God. She is the focus of Melissa Fay Greene's book, "There is no me without you." Currently there are 50+ orphans in her care.

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-86831468029879265972009-01-24T13:01:00.000-08:002009-01-24T13:15:16.975-08:00

Last weekend we had much fun visiting the Lucy's Legacy exhibit in Seattle at the science center. I would highly recommend this event to every family. The exhibit is well done in teaching about Ethiopian Culture. As you get towards the end of the tour the exhibit turns into a walk thru civilization. I'm not much into evolution as I have firm beliefs of where I come from, but it is interesting to

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-17858646209687810772008-12-19T11:07:00.000-08:002008-12-19T11:10:46.785-08:00

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-4044526966029803902008-12-10T19:36:00.001-08:002008-12-18T18:33:03.430-08:00

Greetings!Life continues as normal, which for us means constant change. Recently I found a piece of paper while cleaning where I listed yearly significant events in our lives. Surprise, surprise, there was at least one for every year of our 25 years of marriage. At least that has become predictable!As for this past year the changes continue. With the purchase of a house in California this summer

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-61837842794533596212008-09-14T19:41:00.000-07:002008-09-14T19:46:00.181-07:00

Just learned of a new guest home in Ethiopia. We might be staying when returning for a visit. Here is more info:The vision behind Ethiopia Guest Home is to provide a four-star quality stay, at a reasonable, all-inclusive cost…to benefit orphans in Ethiopia, while giving families a personal, memorable stay.We would love feedback!

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-27480047331195605562008-05-28T20:37:00.000-07:002008-05-28T20:49:58.739-07:00

So my daughter did a "google" check on her name today and found my blog. Guess it's time for an update! I updated my review of a movie to remove her name at her request :).Where to begin?! The biggest news is we are in the final stages of buying a home in Elk Grove, CA. Our oldest daughter will live there for the next year or so while we decide if it is feasible to move there permanently

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-24935149957412324082008-01-01T19:16:00.000-08:002008-01-01T19:33:40.116-08:00

Sending New Years well wishes to all of those who happen to still read this blog. As school got up and running, my time to blog dwindled to none! I have no hopes of resurrecting any time in the next six months to make an attempt at regular reports. I will hope for the best at highlights! I look forward to summer already.Speaking of summer, I am longing for some sunshine and our trip to Arizona

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-10279072624634588132007-12-27T08:53:00.001-08:002007-12-27T09:09:14.691-08:00

By request, here are our directions for making this breakfast treat:Bulla, 2 servings2 cups milk1 cup of Bulla (found in Ethiopian markets; it is a fine powder made from dried banana leaves)2 tbsp butter2 tbsp BerbereIn two separate bowls melt one tablespoon of butter, then make a paste by stiring in one tablespoon of Berbere. My kids like to do this themselves, as they never believe I will put

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-29807562737464696252007-11-24T18:49:00.000-08:002008-05-28T20:34:14.130-07:00

*UPDATED* I took my girls to see the new Disney movie, "Enchanted" on Friday. Now I have a new favorite Disney movie. I wanted to go right back into the theater and watch it again; that hasn't happened since Beauty And The Beast!It is a nice family film with all the requisite good and evil characters to be truly good entertainment. What makes the movie unique is the mix of animated and "real

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-51667667161607533872007-11-04T18:56:00.000-08:002007-11-04T19:23:59.316-08:00

I asked Meron recently what time of year she fasted in Ethiopia as I knew she grew up Orthodox Christian. She told me it occurred in July and/or August. As I couldn't place this with any religious holiday and I already knew they fasted for Lent, I decided to ask our Ethiopian friend who grew up with Meron. It appears there are seven fasting times a years, but many only participate in two of

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-3235498016815788762007-10-29T20:57:00.001-07:002007-10-29T21:18:11.281-07:00

Melissa Fay Greene writes an "occasional" blog and her last entry is hilarious! Even more hilarious when you can relate it to your own family life. We used to have a very nice lawn. Tye grew up on a farm and I believe he missed his former life as cultivator of earth. He nurtured our lawn and did a wonderful job! At least until it was no longer possible.The boys descended upon us: adolescent,

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-68419202025000619962007-10-22T16:31:00.000-07:002007-10-22T16:53:16.498-07:00

Life is certainly full with 4 kids, ages 11, 11, 16 and 22 living at home. All possible nooks and crannies are full and bursting at the seams. Sarah is still searching for a job and deciding if she can afford to go back and get her master's degree. Her cat Callie is becoming more comfortable and no longer runs away at the slightest sound or the appearance of the dog in the window. It has

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-64594225062311417542007-10-22T16:07:00.000-07:002007-10-22T16:31:12.766-07:00

For the past few weeks I have been a bit discouraged by the amount of work I have now that I teach full-time. Added to that is the amount of time and energy it takes for me to "plan" strategies for dealing with disruptive kids in the classroom. Hours and hours! This morning I woke up feeling lousy from a cold and decided to call for a substitute. I determined at 4 am that a substitute was

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-83807817491274353862007-09-26T21:11:00.000-07:002008-12-11T15:20:33.908-08:00

How Cool Is This? Click on the picture to see this year's football jersey's were Made In Ethiopia!Joseph's Football Jersey

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-85639838720481772122007-09-11T17:40:00.001-07:002007-09-11T17:51:20.271-07:00

School is in full swing, so I'm working 10 hour days and thoroughly exhausted! To learn the names and personalities of more than 100 students can be a challenge, but I so enjoy getting to know them and watch them learn. Hopefully I will find my "rhythm" soon and begin to spend less time at school and more time with the family. Speaking of rhythm, Meron started her dance lessons yesterday and I

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-28726158242284056422007-09-01T10:44:00.000-07:002007-09-01T10:57:13.546-07:00

These last few weeks have been busy and we loved every minute of it! My new classroom is finally ready for school on Wednesday and our visitor from Ethiopia has gone home. Her visit was great for our family. She cooked traditional Ethiopian food a few nights and we ate the leftovers all the other meals. We took her to an Ethiopian store in Seattle and she showed us how and what to buy in the

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-73521697943879003042007-08-20T08:35:00.000-07:002007-08-20T13:17:48.904-07:00

Please consider signing this petition regarding passage of an amended Senate Bill that would streamline Intercountry Adoptions. If passed, this bill would allow for the development of a new department within the Department of State to handle all Intercountry Adoption....no more working with three different agencies!The biggest plus I see is if the adoption is final in the birth country the child

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-6710741172424775382007-08-19T08:04:00.000-07:002007-08-19T08:07:37.849-07:00

I just read this great blog entry over at Melissa Fay Greene's website for her book "There Is No Me Without You". Very thorough, informative, and realistic!

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-11314696927253781072007-08-12T23:37:00.000-07:002007-08-13T08:35:02.194-07:00

The following is a letter I have drafted about inconsistencies we have encountered when trying to obtain proof our children are US citizens. I will be sending this letter to our state senator. I have modified the letter to reflect suggested changes from one patient reader. Please leave a comment if you find something inaccurate or think of something I could add or delete to make this a better

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-9289677678434619352007-08-12T23:32:00.000-07:002007-08-13T08:58:49.795-07:00

August 12, 2007Dear Senator, I would like to bring to your attention the difficulties adoptive parents face when attempting to prove their internationally adopted children are US Citizens. Four years ago we adopted a son from Ethiopia. Our son’s adoption was finalized in his birth country, he was issued an IR-4 travel visa, and my husband brought him home. This past spring we adopted a

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-10540146191724267202007-07-31T19:24:00.000-07:002007-08-04T07:25:44.561-07:00

I attempted to recreate a lentil recipe I watched during an Ethiopian cooking class at camp. The interesting part about this recipe was the cook telling us she adds the sorted and rinsed lentils to the pan as soon as the onions are cooked and she doesn't add any water for first part of the cooking. I tried this with thumbs up from the Ethiopian children and even my lentil hating husband ate a

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-50676714693924014912007-07-31T12:18:00.001-07:002007-07-31T12:46:40.330-07:00

Another fun event at the Ethiopian Heritage Camp was a cooking class. An Ethiopian woman cooked seven different dishes for us, all at the same time! Of course, she did pre-cook some ingredients, such as the onions. She said onions take about 45 minutes to chop and cook down to what looked like mush. She must use a blender or food processor to get those onions so small!After watching her

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-4859239380812264902007-07-26T10:18:00.001-07:002008-12-11T15:20:34.245-08:00

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-77699695976780645512007-07-26T09:11:00.000-07:002007-07-26T10:18:32.275-07:00

We just returned from a fun four days in the mountains near Santa Cruz, California. This was our second time visiting camp and look forward to many more years of attending. The camp is held at Mission Springs Retreat in Scotts Valley. We like this location and the layout works well for this camp. There is a large grassy area in a central location for the children and adults to hang out. It

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-5945410588801470892007-07-19T06:13:00.000-07:002007-07-19T06:37:56.968-07:00

This is the title of a wonderful book by Melissa Fay Greene. This book tells the story of Haregewoin Teferra, a distraught mother herself after losing her daugther to AIDS. Eventually she begins taking in orphans and the book describes her experiences.A few years ago we welcomed Haregewoin into our home and hosted a fundraiser at our church to benefit her orphanage. She is an amazing woman and

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-39727518442117241732007-07-16T17:32:00.000-07:002007-07-19T06:12:47.839-07:00

Joseph has been on Stratera for the past two years to manage his Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Lately the attention span and ability to focus has declined. His fifth grade teacher had many conversations with me in May and June about his classroom behavior. At home we are seeing his emotional roller coaster yet again.After talking with his family doctor we found out when a child reaches

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-71131784460003960532007-07-05T17:46:00.000-07:002007-07-05T17:51:57.744-07:00

I made a pasta salad for dinner tonight: pasta, green beans, broccoli, carrots, garlic. I just love shopping at the farmers market!After draining the pasta and getting ready to mix it with olive oil and seasonings, I noticed something "funny" on a piece of pasta. Looking closer it was determined by us to be a worm. A cooked worm anyway.Now I'm not at all squeamish about bugs (snakes, yes,

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-64504497834492185882007-07-05T15:49:00.000-07:002007-07-05T15:52:11.684-07:00

"Meron, what do you miss most about Ethiopia?", said Dad."Amharic", says Meron.Instant response, once she found out what "miss" meant. She couldn't come up with anything else.

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-49775399255066471642007-07-03T12:23:00.000-07:002007-07-03T15:40:47.184-07:00

We are enjoying summer when we can these past few weeks. As a school teacher I save all doctors, dentists and other appointments until the break. Now it seems this all we have done since school got out, especially with the additional orthopedic appointments for Meron's broken arm and the dermatology appointments for the molluscum we are experiencing.This morning we had dentist appointments,

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-9556576361734581142007-07-02T12:31:00.000-07:002007-07-02T12:59:08.411-07:00

About three weeks ago Meron broke her arm and the doctors felt she may need surgery. We explained to the orthopedic doctor she had only been in America for a few months and was still learning English, so this would be a scary concept for her. Oh, was I right!The doctor explained they may need to perform surgery to place a pin in the bone and it may take a few hours because the pin would have to

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-2807535184815842552007-06-30T13:28:00.001-07:002008-12-11T15:20:34.819-08:00

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-10555986986192549962007-06-30T12:49:00.000-07:002007-07-02T13:00:02.652-07:00

The Yahoo group I'm a member of has been talking about chores. For the past two months I have had it on my "to do" list to create a new chore chart that is equitable and yet takes into accounts all the changing schedules we have in our home. Such as: Meron broke her arm and it limits what she can do; Nik has cross country practice 3 days a week and really doesn't want to walk the dog when he

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-45951263572961022702007-06-28T17:43:00.000-07:002007-07-02T13:00:55.706-07:00

Woe be it government agencies could talk with one another in terms of adoption policy!When adopting from another country your child will come home with either an IR-3 Visa, meaning you were present for the court hearing or saw your child before the adoption was finalized; or they will come home with an IR-4 Visa, meaning the adoption was finalized before you ever met the child.Coming home with an

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-17572286478691744742007-06-21T11:58:00.000-07:002007-07-02T13:01:53.131-07:00

School is out! The kids finished up class today and we just have to spend the afternoon moving my classroom materials from one high school to another. In September I will be working in another high school in our district, as I now have a full-time continuing contract!Tomorrow is a special day for our family: Meron will be readopted along with 15 other families at a special adoption proceeding

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-3265491069652823682007-06-11T17:07:00.000-07:002007-07-02T13:02:36.461-07:00

Meron is learning how to have two big brothers after a lifetime, all eleven years of them, as an only child. First came the concussion when she tried to play football in the yard with her brothers. We had a talk with the boys about how you just say "No" when she asks to play that game again!Last week, Meron goes up to Nik and socks him in the kidneys. He instant reaction was turn around and

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-55868146296886950462007-06-08T18:49:00.000-07:002007-07-02T13:03:19.178-07:00

It is nice to have a child who enjoys homework, but maybe Meron enjoys it a bit too much.Last week she was the "star". She filled out lots of little items to post in the room, telling her classmates all about herself. She picked out a few photos to share also. For being the "star", her teacher gave her a pass for one free homework assignment.She refused to use it. I feel she thought it was

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-1891404051109400172007-06-01T21:12:00.000-07:002007-07-02T13:03:37.093-07:00

Meron comes home from school the other day and asks:"Mom, why, school, when teacher talk kids no listen?" "In Ethiopia, when teacher talk we quiet." "Talk: we get (here she shows getting her hands slapped)!"While I'm certainly not a teacher who would ever hit a child in any fashion, I sure know what she means when students talking while a teacher is instructing can be disrespectful! Oh, if I

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-12195314750561783792007-05-24T20:18:00.000-07:002007-07-02T13:05:04.235-07:00

Another recipe we have tried is Dabo Kolo. Dabo means bread in Amharic. I believe this snack food originated as a way to avoid waste, so left over bread dough was used to make a spicy, crunchy food to nibble on. It was fun to find children with these filling their pockets as an instant snack throughout their day. Nik made these a few years ago when he did a state report for school. The

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-13303040116558368682007-05-20T12:10:00.001-07:002007-07-02T13:05:47.364-07:00

I also like to make a Wat at least once a week. This is so easy with a crock pot and I usually vary the recipe based on what I have on hand. Here are the basics for the Wat:Layer the following ingredients into a crock pot, (amounts vary based on family need and size of crock pot!):Protein: choose stew meat, chopped steak, hamburger, or chicken pieces (I use boneless). Many times I take it

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-72606740400369422332007-05-20T07:57:00.001-07:002008-12-11T15:20:35.294-08:00

Here is a photo of Ethiopian vegetables on injera. The Shiro is at 2 o'clock. I think they must finely chop the onion to have it so smooth.

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-56613107733930442662007-05-20T07:57:00.000-07:002007-07-02T13:06:34.301-07:00

It has been so much fun fixing Ethiopian food at home. I have experimented with two recipes that Meron and Joseph now say are quite good. They are both so quick and easy I actually prefer making it to many other meals. I will share one today, and one in the next few days.Shiro is a mixture of fried onions, berbere, and Shiro powder. It is served with an Ethiopian staple, injera. Shiro powder

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-58132505266237688282007-05-05T07:47:00.000-07:002007-05-05T08:16:59.860-07:00

It has been almost a month since my last post! Life gets busy in the spring with sports, end of the school year, spring colds :(, etc. Our vacation was a great family bonding experience. Sarah was able to join us for part of the trip and shared a room with Meron. Unfortunately Sarah got sick the first night there and didn't make it out of our condo for a few days. But the time she spent

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-33303512402322330092007-04-15T09:47:00.000-07:002008-12-11T15:20:35.497-08:00

Spring Break Fun! It took Meron about 3 days to do more than just stand in the surf with her feet planted and arm out to avoid being taken by a wave. Now she LOVES the boogie board and the beach is preferred over the pool!

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-21342224983718416342007-03-29T06:56:00.000-07:002008-12-11T15:20:37.055-08:00

Sarah came home for spring break and brought her straighting iron. Now Meron has the straightest hair in the house!It was such a hit I may be purchasing one soon for Meron. Sarah has used hers for a few years. It works very well and takes about 2 hours. After shampooing and drying hair (we air dried), section off the hair into smaller sections. Starting from the nape, run the sections

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-11460476776319244112007-03-26T19:27:00.000-07:002007-03-31T10:35:43.447-07:00

It was not fun to spend two days in the hospital, but I think we finally have a diagnosis! There is something called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome or "POTS" for short that presents itself as a heart condition but is not cardio related.Late Saturday night I woke up to a racing heart: my heart rate was over 130 and I could not get it to stop. This was the fourth time this had

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-29365416147072053922007-03-22T19:31:00.000-07:002007-03-22T19:34:36.108-07:00

I’ve been thinking about our experiences with adoption and what makes Meron’s so different. The biggest factor has to be the Ethiopian influences in her life, both before and after adoption. In Meron’s case, she was raised in a household of Ethiopian Americans. The father has since passed away, but his children eventually immigrated to the USA. They frequently visited Addis and the home where

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-938837582288468632007-03-21T19:59:00.000-07:002007-03-22T19:00:32.724-07:00

This really began about three weeks before we left. I first thought it was my new glasses making me dizzy. Then I thought it was just anxiety for the trip after going back to the old glasses didn’t make a difference. Then I thought it was altitude sickness when we were in Addis. So when we got home I couldn't figure out why the symptoms weren't going away, then realized they were all

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-10515742450238198232007-03-21T19:39:00.000-07:002007-03-22T10:47:26.295-07:00

I haven't blogged in a while...not sure if anyone is still reading after my absence :)Life with Meron is awesome. I almost don't want to say anything lest I set myself up for a fall! This girl is incredible and we feel so blessed to have been chosen to be her parents and family. She is funny: loves to make you laughShe is caring: never says a bad word about anyoneShe is a prankster: squirting

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-74204801500695709972007-03-13T11:35:00.000-07:002007-03-13T12:31:30.466-07:00

Adopting an older child is much different than adopting a younger child in terms of traveling. Our decision to travel was based on what we felt Meron needed as an eleven year old. Even though I am not a great traveler, we knew it was important to meet her caregivers, see where she grew up, etc. I also felt she really need to see her mom :)We are so thrilled and thankful we were able to make

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-57379819479145002222007-03-10T14:39:00.000-08:002007-03-10T19:54:09.502-08:00

Between mountains of laundry and grocery shopping it is nice to have some time to just sit and catch up with emails, posts, etc. Meron is enjoying playing with her siblings and Tye is crashed in bed from catching some virus. He is very glad we came home early, because he could be feeling this yucky on a plane right now!Deciding on which airline to travel with was the one frustrating and time

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-5391770392318843552007-03-09T16:01:00.000-08:002007-03-09T16:12:20.430-08:00

Baby is going to be okay! She was dehydrated and after a night with Pedialyte she was so much better! The doctors performed many tests and found her to be healthy except for needing fluids. He said, "I think she doesn't like planes!". Of course she will need much more medical care as she is only 11 pounds at 8 months of age, but we were so happy to see her better today. We cried when they

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-12664686021811437782007-03-08T11:22:00.000-08:002007-03-08T11:46:10.716-08:00

We arrived here a few hours ago (Washington DC), but will spend the night before returning home to Tumwater on Friday afternoon. Series of unexpected events led to our leaving two days early: another Mom and her 8 month old child were staying at the Hilton with us. Her daughter was very ill and when we went to the Embassy to get the Visa's for our children we were told we could receive them right

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-11665259232931041242007-03-06T07:39:00.000-08:002007-03-08T12:01:22.749-08:00

Today was very emotional for all of us. So much happened and I will try to cover it the best I can with a fuzzy head (reasons I will explain later). First off today we had a tour of Layla and Wanna House. I will get photos posted soon, but I added a few of the history class. I could have stayed all day; loved the children and the staff.As we had another meeting in the afternoon with Meron's

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-90252563361261578992007-03-06T01:53:00.000-08:002008-12-11T15:20:37.738-08:00

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-37051247924168677842007-03-06T01:48:00.000-08:002008-12-11T15:20:38.071-08:00

History Class

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-48009649246023754112007-03-05T04:18:00.000-08:002007-03-05T10:50:46.477-08:00

We are back at the Hilton and resting in our room. She was shy when we first met her. Hesitant to give us a hug, but within hours she was initiating holding my hand. Swimming was the first thing we did. Tye went first while I enjoyed laying down in the warm sunshine. Then I went in with her and showed her how I learned to swim on my own by holding the side with one hand and swimming. She

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-55935730757479860952007-03-04T19:05:00.000-08:002007-03-04T20:41:19.983-08:00

Still no sleep really. The altitude is preventing us from sleeping more than 1 hour at a time. After a 15 hour flight with no sleep on the plane, this is not the fun part. We hope to be more adjusted by tonight and sleep more soundly. I suffered some severe altitude sickness about 1/2 hour after arriving. We were still at the airport and all of the sudden I was too dizzy to stand up. Once

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-14867417661423852422007-03-04T18:44:00.000-08:002007-03-04T18:52:09.666-08:00

That applesauce is a liquid? And peanut butter is a gel? Two items considered potential hazards.The first bag checked was in Seattle. This bag had two small containers of applesauce confiscated. Now, if the applesauce had been in 3oz or smaller containers it would have been okay. They were 3.5 ounces each.Then in WA DC we spent the night and opened a new jar of peanut butter that had originally

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-36136009779943395492007-03-03T08:49:00.000-08:002007-03-03T09:30:54.151-08:00

We are now in Washington D.C. Tye is in the workout room getting in his last good exercise for the next week. (Well, he plans to exercise in Addis, but I doubt with altitude and just being busy he won't get the chance often.)The flight from Seattle went very smoothly. We left on time and only took 4 1/2 hours. We enjoyed watching a movie on the laptop "Catch Me If You Can". Much better than I

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-31687310673718087402007-02-25T19:33:00.000-08:002007-03-02T20:11:09.185-08:00

We are just about packed and so anxious to meet and hug our little girl! We received her child report the other day and got a bit more information on her. Her favorite Ethiopian food is injera and shiro. Injera is a staple in their diet. It looks like a large crepe, made from tef flour, and has a sourdough flavor. Ethiopians put all their meal on top of a large piece of injera, using more injera

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-47060405798260109232007-02-19T18:41:00.000-08:002007-02-27T20:57:46.011-08:00

Our daughter Meron is at Layla House orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia...for just two more weeks! Here is the link to Google Earth and a satellite view of the area:You can download Google Earth to your computer here: http://earth.google.comTo find Layla House use the coordinates:8°59'19.42"N - latitude38°44'17.65"E - longitudeIf you want more links, like the hotels area, guesthouse or other

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-19082986647481222632007-02-17T08:40:00.000-08:002007-02-20T17:47:58.060-08:00

This weekend is dedicated to practice packing! Along with all our clothes and necessities for a week, we were also were given many great donations by family and friends:We have knitted belts for all the older girls, beautifully made by my Mom and niece Angela.Library markers were made for the children at Layla House by the Sunday School children at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Olympia, WA.

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-51031381607677172022007-02-17T08:26:00.000-08:002007-02-17T08:37:09.513-08:00

As the time draws near to finally meet our daughter, I have this urge to clean, cook, organize the house! So many details to cram into the next few weeks! I can not wait to meet our little girl. What does her voice sound like? What about her laugh? Will she like to wear dresses or jeans? Will she like to cook and craft or play soccer and football with the boys? I am having so much fun

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186514125777044329.post-11046747148608698702007-02-09T13:53:00.000-08:002007-02-10T09:38:29.360-08:00

As we prepare to travel to Ethiopia to bring home our daughter Meron we are excitedly making travel plans. We have just chosen our airline flights and hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Our journey begins on March 2nd, when we fly from Seattle, WA to Washington, D.C. We will spend the night in D.C., then board Ethiopian Airlines Saturday evening for the long flight to Addis!While in Addis we plan

Knutzens Ethiopian Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126278179237305941noreply@blogger.com2