Moving....

This picture helps me remember what the warmth of the sun on my skin feels like and how much I wish I was under that sun right now!
So the process has inched forward, if only for now.
Our Home Study is complete but has not been handed over to us officially yet because we have not had a placing agency to name. Because we don't have our official HS that means we cannot file our I-600A form; which is for USCIS. This is our next big step and one that we are ready to take. We just got word last week that Hope House now has a lawyer who has processed hundreds of adoptions and is willing to work with us! We also found out that an agency in Kentucky is willing to work with us and to process our adoption! These are both huge steps and we are so thankful!
We will be connecting with the agency today and authorize them to contact our social worker so she can complete and release our Home Study; then we can file the I-600A form....it can take up to 3 months to get approval. When we receive that approval we can then submit our dossier to Haiti and be officially waiting. We've been told the wait time could be as short as 10-18 months but we also know there are other circumstances that can prolong the process. This is where faith and trust step in...
One step closer is one step closer and for that I am happy.

We were at the Children's Museum last night and I was watching the girls play with the bubbles when out of the corner of my eye I saw a little one, who looked just over a year old. Tears welled in my eyes...I was picturing Jivenson there instead, watching his sisters play. He'd be laughing and trying to get his hands on the bubbles and they'd lift him up so he could touch them. I feel his absence so often but never more than when I see a child his age...

Disclaimer

For the very few of you that actually know about and read this blog, I feel like I must make a disclaimer. Mostly because of past fears of adoption mores or in some cases, laws. Ethiopia is very strict about posting pictures of children that have not been declared by their court, legally the child of the adoptive parents. I assume most or all countries have some guidelines regarding this. We know of no such guidelines in regard to Haiti but are treading carefully to ensure there are no issues. Jivenson's picture is already on HFAP's blog, his sponsor's personal blog and many others Facebook pages and blogs, people who have been to Hope House in Haiti and met him and the other children. Because his face is already out there in cyber space it seems like it would be fine to post it here, so I do....but limited. We've only told a handful of people about this blog so we feel that it's a safe place to share our pics of him. I say all this because it feels so far from Jivenson legally being our son and there are still so many bridges to cross...but we are continuing this journey with confidence that God knows and has us all in His hands.
So I will post more pics of Jivenson, in limited amounts, and await the day when he will really be ours and proudly post his face for all to see!

Haiti Day #2

Great day! Sorted donations( picture above is the "donation" room with TONS of donations) with Elaine (she and her husband were serving at Hope House for 16 days) We had lots to do and didn't feel like we accomplished too much but got some donation bags done for a distribution we'll be doing on Saturday. We also cut a bunch of paper for the Journal Program.
We met Jivenson's birthmother today. She was here for the journal program. She was very quiet and shy and sweet and it was lovely to meet her. Tomorrow we'll go to her house.
We also went to the new property and cleaned a room in one of the containers (it's like the trailer of a semi truck and hopefully will be temporary housing) then Kev and I cleaned the floor and he laid down the carpet. We took some things over to store there.
Last night and tonight Jivenson was so serious and like a little lump until a little after 6pm; then all of a sudden he perked up and was jabbering and laughing and smiling! So adorable and fun! Oh it was awesome...he lets me hold him and cries if I set him down or if he sees his favorite nanny:)
Holding him tonight, he was playful and cuddly, I just started seeing him in our house, in a crib in his room, playing with toys, taking him places...having him in our daily lives and I started to cry....because we have to leave him here and God only knows when he'll come home....I am falling in love.

Haiti Day #1

This is from a journal I kept everyday of our trip, thought it would capture what was going on around and in us more than recall:

Tired and warm but it's been a great day! After yesterday's craziness with going to the ticket counter at the airport and being told we couldn't go to Haiti because Kev had the wrong passport and running to downtown Detroit twice, it ended up being a nice day (after new passport was in hand) with a nap and seeing a movie. When Kev had ordered to renew his passport, there is a choice to have a card or book. He chose the card cause he thought it'd be easier to carry around but upon arriving at the American Airlines counter to check our luggage, we learned that the card is only good for travel by land and sea or into Canada! I could not believe what was coming out of her mouth..we could not go to Haiti! She was very helpful though and told us people have gotten a new passport in one day and that we just needed to go to the passport office, which thankfully is in Detroit where were flying out of. So we made an appt. online, got there before 9 and were able to pick up his new passport at 11:30! Amazing and very stressful! Thank you God!
Today we woke up again at 3 am to catch our 6 am flight and this time Kev's passport worked, thank God! We made it to Haiti around 1pm..full flight into Port Au Prince and a crazy aiport but we found out luggage fairly easily. Mallery and Frentz were waiting for us in the parking lot with Jivenson!! So I got to hold him all the way back to the orphanage! He was very sleepy and when we got there, he cried if I put him down...he loves to be held! He was lethargic and a little feverish but then around 6 pm, when the sun goes down, he all of a sudden perked up and was smiling and laughing and so sweet and funny! He's so awesome! I saw him get his bath and I think tomorrow I'll be able to do it and they said he could even sleep with us..
Haiti is beautiful mountains, water, sky, people, alongside rubble and trash in the streets- the air is warm and filled with the sounds of dogs barking, roosters crowing and people singing. We are sleeping on the floor on the second floor by the open door to the porch. Had a wash down with a bucket of cold water tonight..hope I get to wash my hair soon:) There is no elecricity hooked up or water at this point...they do have a generator that will run for a small amount of time each night...so bucket showers and flashlights for now...
God you are so good!

In love!

We are absolutely in love with him!!! What an amazing trip...when I feel myself and feel more grounded I will post more pics and updates about our trip....