Don't Forget

This year is more than half over, and so far it's been incredible! We are getting ready for the kids to go back to school, and amazingly, for the little kids, it is their second year! Not so much for Lucas, it is the last one for him. I'll have one in Kindergarten, first grade, third grade, and a Senior in High School.

Life is still very challenging at times. I have to ask God for strength, rely on family,friends, and church for support. I see Lucas struggling with all the changes. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, and sometimes I even question whether or not I did the right thing bringing these kids home.

But I know the answer to that. And I also remember knowing it would be difficult sometimes. I know in my heart and soul we are all where we are supposed to be. It's just that sometimes I miss my old life because it was easier.

Then I see something like this (swiped from 'Livesay') and it removes all doubt. My rememberance comes back in a hurry. I remember to never forget Haiti.

Don't Forget Haiti: Tent City from Ryan Booth on Vimeo.

When?

When will I start blogging again??? Soon, soon, for all 4 of you checking on us! We are well, and we have been very busy. An internet break was needed, and has been beneficial. See you soon...!

International Adoptions in Haiti Resume?

I just recieved a note from the State Dept. saying that the issuing of Humanitarian Parole Visas for Haitian Orphans in process will come to an end on April 14, and:

"The government of Haiti has already begun accepting new documents for adoption cases and the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince has resumed regular processing."



I will be interested in seeing how this goes after all the hoopla caused by certain "humanitarian" groups.  FYI, I am done adopting from Haiti,  but have recieved many inquiries from others that are interested in it.

Parents Reunited With Baby Pulled From Rubble in Haiti

FOXNews.com - Parents Reunited With Baby Pulled From Rubble in Haiti

An amazing story!
This couple was granted HP in order to be reunited with their baby.  The news conference was held at His Home For Children in Miami, the same place we picked up our HP kids....

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Happy First Easter

It was the first Easter for all of them.  Ava helped dye the eggs the night before, and she got a kick out of that.  Stevenson picked out his suit, and he was darned proud of that tie, let me tell ya.  The girls went to the salon for the first time.  Could Elle and Ava be more different???

Palm Sunday, Sad Tuesday.

Sunday we went to evening service instead of our regular early morning.  Usually we don't have evening service, but every other month the church has a worship service at night.  It literally rocks, off the chain! we have some very talented musicians in our church, and it's a good time.  We also took communion.  Usually Ava is in the kids service, and she had not done it before, but she and  Stevenson were with me (Elle playing major video games with the rest of the kids---go figure) and I asked Ava if she wanted to take communion and she said yes.  We couldn't leave Stevenson sitting there by himself, so I took him thru it.  I was a little afraid because he had just been whining that he was HUNGRY and I was not sure what would happen, but he did fine.  He did not ask for more bread.  He did drop it on the floor before he got to the juice, and we had to start over, but other than that he did perfect.  Being hungry, I'm sure he wondered when the heck he was going to get some real food!  Ava has been asking me alot of questions about Christianity, which is encouraging.  I have found that even though they attended church regularly and were from a devout family, they don't understand much of the concept.  She knows all about Jesus, but she's asked me several times who God is.  Also, they don't know the Christmas Story or the Crucifixtion or Resurrection or Passover either.  So....lot's to try to explain in a way that hopefully they can grasp.  Not so easy, since so much is paradox and mystery.

Overall, I feel like Stevenson's adjustment in our family has been going pretty well.  Having him here with his sisters is like the final piece in the puzzle.  It has brought Ava some peace, as well as purpose, and Elle loves having a mischievious playmate, when they are not fighting with each other.  But I have worried about him because he has been such a stoic little trooper, a tough little guy.   In reality, he is just a little child that has been thru a tremendous amount of trauma, and my gut feeling is that he has had alot of walls up.   I even think he started that as survival behavior in the orphanage.  He learned things in the 10 months he was there that he never did when he was with the girls at their birth parents. Like hitting, biting, and best of all, cussing.  The cussing is in Creole, so I don't know he's doing it until his sisters tell on him, and they always do.   He has let his walls down little by little.  This morning he had a complete melt down, the first one.  I had to drive him to school, and wait for his teacher to get there so she could take over.  He did well the first 2 weeks, but his language barrier frustrates him and I think he is feeling isolated.  And afraid.  Even though he is in a very caring environment, and his sisters are nearby.

I'm wondering if I need to take him out and put him in preschool for the rest of the school year.  Not sure if that would be good or bad, he'e be seperated from his siblings and he depends on them alot more than he would like to admit as a little tough guy.  Part of me feels like it's the trauma coming out and it does not really matter what educational setting he is in, the stuff has just gotta come out.  He brags to his sisters that he was not afraid during the  earthquake or in Port-Au-Prince in the aftermath, or on the airplane coming to Miami.  I don't believe that, but I will just have to wait until he trusts me enough to tell me the truth. 

Crazy Kids, Spectacular Results

Walked outside the other day to this, and them begging me to take their picture.  So I did.  Hambones, all of them!  I noticed something else in the photos too, so I cropped it:

I love glass- reflection photography!

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Stevenson was in the mood to talk the other night, so I asked him (via translater) what happened during the earthquake.  That boy laid there in bed and talked and talked and talked.  I have no idea what he said, because everytime the translater (Ava) tried to say something, he would say "Shush Ti Fi!"  The child was on a talking marathon!  It's remarkable because usually he does not say much.

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After one week of school he has decided he does not like it anymore.  I think he is just overwhelmed because of the language barrier, and hopefully he'll start feeling better about it soon.