Counting Their Blessings

Hamilton family adopts second child from Ethiopia

The Daily News, July 2, 2006

After a long journey from Ethiopia, Dani Knudsen, 9, burst through the doors at Logan International Airport's Terminal E and sprang into his new mother's arms. He embraced his two new sisters and immediately affixed an Ethiopian bracelet around the wrist of his new brother, Jacob, 7.

Dani's journey began with an impoverished early childhood, the last year and a half in an Ethiopia orphanage, and his recent adoption by the Knudsen family of Hamilton. Now, Dani is just happy to be with his family and to have things such as a bicycle for the first time.

"I like all," said the small, bright-eyed boy with little circular glasses. (Dani started learning English during the last year and a half at the orphanage.)

On Monday, he sat on the floor of his new bedroom, which he shares with Jacob, and played with an Etch A Sketch and a talking Buzz Lightyear doll. He is fascinated by toys and electronics and loves pressing buttons and switches.

Katie and Jamie Knudsen have two biological children, Lily, 5, and Jacob. Two-and-a-half years ago, they adopted a baby girl from Ethiopia, Aliyah, now 3, and they thought their family was complete.

"We went over there thinking we were adopting our last child," said Katie, 32. "But when I was over there, I saw there were so many older children, and the older they get, the harder it is (to be adopted). They were so endearing and beautiful and sweet and friendly, and I said, "We've got to do this again."

Lily Knudsen, right, 5, takes a photo of her family with her Barbie camera in the International Terminal at Logan Airport on Sunday evening. From left are: Jacob, 7, new brother Dani, 9, Jamie, Aliyah, 3, and Katie.

Jamie met Dani on a subsequent trip to volunteer with Ethiopia youths, and the Knudsens knew they had a place in their home and their hearts for the energetic boy who likes to tickle people, enjoys soccer and loves to hug.

"It's an exciting assignment to raise any child and see the adventure they'll become," said Jamie, 36, who traveled to the Ethiopia capital, Addis Ababa, last week and brought Dani home Sunday night. "And Dani certainly adds some different angles on that adventure."

Dani was raised by his grandmother until he was 7, but she was elderly and extremely poor, and she couldn't afford to feed and care for him. She loved him, but together, they decided he could receive better care elsewhere, his new parents said. Dani never attended school until he was at the orphanage.

Dani speaks Amharic, Ethiopia's national language, as well as Guragne, which is his tribal language. His English is basic — he knows some words and phrases. This summer, a local man who is originally from Ethiopia will tutor Dani and get him ready to start third grade at Cutler Elementary School in Hamilton.

Fitting in

Already, Katie and Jamie love Dani like only parents can — and they worry for him, too, as only parents do. They worry about him communicating and fitting in at home and at school. They worry about him being one of the only black children in a predominantly white school and town. They worry kids will tease him because his left hand is underdeveloped and missing fingers.

"To fit him into an established family is a little bit nerve-racking," Katie said. "I've never taught a 9-year-old to read before. With Aliyah, it was easy. I had raised babies before...You really don't know what challenges you'll face until you face them."

Katie and Jamie also worry about their other children and how they will adapt to the sudden addition to their family.

"It's going to be tough for Jacob to be the oldest child your whole life, and all of a sudden, you have an older brother," Katie said.

But despite the worry, the knudsens are remarkably calm.

"I think people are missing out on a lot of things these days by not adopting," Jamie said, "or getting involved somehow in the lives of people that really need it."

Before Dani's arrival, the Knudsens decorated their home with Ethiopian pictures, furniture and crosses, and they adorned the walls with Dani's photo. They painted Dani and Jacob's bedroom using a safari theme, including tall grasses, a giraffe and a cheetah.

Dani, 9, from Ethiopia stops in the stairway to look at the Knudsens' family pictures after seeing his new home for the first time on Sunday night.

"We really want Dani to be able to keep his culture," Katie said. "We are an Ethiopian-American family now."

The Knudsens sat at their kitchen table Monday afternoon while chaos swirled around, the kids running, jumping and playing in the house on Elliott Street. On Dani's first day of his new life, he visited his father's law office in Lynnfield, went to the the Cutler School, where he will start in the fall, played with his new sisters and swung on the porch hammock with his new brother.

Now, the Knudsens have the summer to help Dani acclimate. The kids made a list of things they want Dani to do and see, such as the beach, miniature golf, the New England Aquarium and the Boston Museum of Science. He will attend soccer camp too.

"What upsets me most is when people say 'Oh you're such good people to do this,' as if we've made some sort of sacrifice," Katie said. "We are so blessed to have four fantastic kids and blessed with this cultural experience. It's no sacrifice — it's a blessing. It's hard, but so is raising any child."

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