Category: adoption

At the Orphanage…

Wow! I’ve never been so overwhelmed so quickly. We went to the orphanage today, and went down into the toddler room – and we were swamped by 20 some odd toddlers, saying “mamma me”, “papa, papa” and covering us, and holding upraised hands with little fingers that were flashing “pick me up, pick me up”.

Every child had to have their turn, being held by “Papa” – and for each child I picked up; I got HUGE grins, and smiles, and then I put them down and moved on to the next child.

I was overwhelmed during that time, and felt almost a little dirty because of all of the runny noses and dirty hands that I had all over me (and I’m a clean freak). But later on, as I was leaving, I was also overwhelmed with sadness, as I saw these faces starting at me from around the back yard to wave goodbye.

 
 

Many of these children are being adopted, but because of the laws of Haiti, they have been waiting SO very long, and very rarely get to actually feel the touch of their parents.

HIS Home for children was amazing; the love they are given, the care they are given, but nothing, and I mean nothing can compare to the gentle brush on a cheek from mamma or papa. I was overwhelmed with sadness as we left, and waved goodbye.

A couple of the children, one especially, who had almost died when he had first come in, and had went

and had a treatment in the states and came back HIV positive from a blood transfusion, this little boy touched my heart.

He was going around to everyone and kissing everyone, and hugging everyone. He even asked me to go around and give out kisses and hugs with him. Every time he saw me he would look up at me and give me a huge grin, because I had helped him up the stairs when we first got there and he was terrified, and then gave him a couple chocolates.

I’ve been fighting back constant tears today, realizing that we are leaving our girls in two days… I hope they understand, that they can begin to understand that if it is God’s will, that we will be back for them, as soon as we can…

The Beach in Haiti…

We went to the beach today – I’m happy to be alive! LoL

 
 

We drove on some roads that had recently been reopened after the kidnappings slowed way down, we drove through a street called ambush alley. We drove on the highway at 60-70 mph, without seat belts, crammed to the point of not being able to move into a vehicle, where there are no dividers in the road, no laws except the law of survival; it was indeed an adventure. Above and beyond that, the beauty of the country is marred by the destruction of last years’ hurricane, poverty, trash piles everywhere, on everything – covered in shanty shacks, and the constant smell of poisonous burning plastic. We bought some fried bananas from the many street vendors that were all over the streets everywhere….

Christella was sick on the ride over, so we all got bathed in half digested pineapple (5 times) – poor Fabienne was covered, but she didn’t make a fuss at all, while she squirmed a little bit, she put up with it! It was gross – I almost lost it – but I held in my breakfast!

The ocean was beautiful, and there were no bad smells there (except the men’s room, but I’ll spare you the description of that)! The water was so salty that you would float – we picked up tons of amazing shells, and coconuts. Fabienne was scared to death of the waves, and most everything else – it has been a week of wonders for this little girl that has been in the orphanage since she was a tiny baby – but she warmed up to the idea, and was having a great time with Christella. Christella was going around picking up shells and sea glass for Amanda.

The girls had a blast when we got home tonight. We got to see Fabienne playing for the first time – giggling, laughing, running around and screaming like a little girl! She is so amazingly sweet, cuddly, she LOVES Amanda, followers her around, loves to play with her hair. Christella continues to be amazing, she tries to please us, she shares everything she is given even coming from a place where she had nothing (that is such a blessing to see). She is such a SMART little girl, and she eats like a horse! Tonight, however, she got really grumpy and started to pout when she got really tired… she was using the “I don’t understand you” card – ignoring what we asked her to do – even though we knew all well she could understand us!

 
 

Anyway, here is a picture Amanda took of our visit to the beach today… it was amazing – although I can still smell burning plastic!

 
 

 
 

        

 
 

Getting ready… emotionally for our trip to Haiti

One week left until we hop on a plane and fly over the entire eastern coast of the United States and land inside of Haiti.

I don’t think I’ve ever been more worried and excited all at the same time!

I have three beautiful, wonderful children here at home that I’ve never been without for more than a day. Three children that I haven’t ever spent as much time as I would like with, three children that have so much potential and possibilities and capabilities if they can grow up in a loving and caring home filled with their mother and father.

If something was to happen to us, they’ll live on, I know they will, they’ll adjust, they’ll have to, and they’ll be loved and cared for, I know they will, but it just won’t be the same for them… how would they cope, would they be raised the way we long to raise them, would they have a loving relationship with God their father? Would they blame God, and if they do, who is going to help them understand and accept His will?

And then I have two beautiful, wonderful little girls that are in Haiti. I do not know them very well, except that they are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of our Father and creator, that they have no home of their own, and no family of their own, and that I have this indescribable desire to love them, and hold them, and give them out of everything great and small that the Lord has given to me. And what if they lose yet another set of parents?

Would they all have the wisdom to say: “Blessed be the name of the Lord: Blessed be his name in a land that is plentiful, where the streams of abundance flow: Blessed be his name when the road’s filled with suffering, when there’s pain in the offering, Blessed be his name… He gives and takes away, but my heart will choose to say, Lord, Blessed be your name!”

While life is always on the edge, and at any moment something could happen to me or Amanda or both (may it never be), I weep for the possibility that my children could lose their parents, and also that our daughters from Haiti wouldn’t ever get to know the love that we have to offer them. The fear that no parent wants to face, and yet, it’s always there…

To leave my children without a father (or mother) would be something I hope they never have to face, but don’t misunderstand, I don’t fear for my own life (well – except that I hope I don’t go painfully ), because I truly believe for me “To live is Christ, but to die is gain…”

Lord protect us, and give us the strength to face anything you send our way!

It is disgusting…

 

You know, with the 10 million some odd children around the world that do not have families, it disgusts me that when you’re looking to adopt, everybody and their brother is sticking their hands in your pockets.

 

We just found out this morning that we need to have our papers signed by the state and the consulate – we knew that part – but didn’t know that it was at 10$ a piece… we have over 80 unique documents, that’s 800$ to get them signed and sealed.

AND THEN – if there are any problems with any of the documents 6 months down the road when they’re actually reviewed, we have to have them resigned and resealed.

AND we also found out that we have to be fingerprinted for each of our daughters we are adopting at 650$ for each fingerprinting… my town office finger printed me for free a few months ago – why 1300$???

 

The greed in this world disgusts me….