Bringing Home Kobe

The End.

2009-07-13T15:07:00.002-06:00

Well it's time to do this. For some reason it's a little bittersweet to say "The End." This is the end of the Bringing Home Kobe story. Now it's time for me to edit and put it into a book to treasure forever. I started a new family blog that is private. I'm still trying to decide if I want to go public, if you have not received an email invite for "Life In The Fast Lane" - please email me or comment with your email address and I will send out the invite. I have several pending invites so check your junk mail - Jodi, Annie...etc. and if you don't find it there let me know and I'll re-send.

I am going to leave this blog online but do some re-organization because I found it so helpful during this long exhausting wait to read stories of children coming home. So I will put in a few search terms and keywords and leave it online. Maybe it will encourage someone along the way.

Bon Voyage!

Old Friends in New Places

2009-07-11T09:42:00.002-06:00

These pictures are from Kobe's visit with his great friend Peterson from Haiti. Both boys weren't quite too sure what to make of it. They smiled ear to ear the second they saw each other but were oh so very confused at how this happened! When we picked Lou up from the creche Peterson asked me "Loudince fly?" - which is what they say when they are going home and I told him yes but that "Peterson will fly soon!" and Peterson did fly soon after Kobe and is home with his brother Alder and sister Aurrora.

Who teaches him this stuff?

2009-07-06T18:27:00.001-06:00

Seriously. Kobe cracks me up. I have to get a clip of him saying this but suddenly yesterday he figured out the word "Hungry" it's so cute so now he's constantly saying "Ma-MA - hungwee" he says it until he gets fed too.

One month!

2009-07-05T20:00:00.003-06:00

Yes today marks one month that our littlest darling has been home. It's so fun having him around. I get tears in my eyes often watching him learn something new or conquer fears that were very real on his first day home (like our dogs!). Here is a list of some things that may be of interest to you:

-At first Kobe would spontaneously burst into song, Happy Birthday, to be exact at completely random times. Nobody has had a birthday in our household in the last month.
-Kobe now corrects me when I use a creole word and he would prefer that I use English.
-Kobe visited the doctor and the hospital to get blood drawn - he hated it. Absolutely HATED it. Truth be told, so did I.
-Sometimes I think I need to get out of the house and breath alone and I think I may start running or something - my next thought is I should get a jogging stroller to take Kobe with me. I like him that much.
-I sometimes want to curl up with him at nap time because I just want to watch him sleep.
-Every single night after he goes to sleep and right before I go to bed I go in his room and kiss his cheeks and tell him I love him so much. Every.single.night.
-I love that he loves me. Nothing beats walking into a room and having your baby look up and exclaim "MAMA!!!!" with a huge smile. Nothing will ever beat that.
-Kobe's imagination is blossoming, he plays pretend all over the house and will bring me a baby to hold and feed.
-He's learned how to ask for a drink, go potty, wash his hands (?)...etc to be able to get up out of bed at night.
-Kobe mastered riding a trike within the first week and is onto his two wheel bike (with training wheels).
-Sometimes, only every once in awhile, when I put him into bed he scoots over and pats his pillow for me to lay with him. I have never said no.
-Kobe has been to Glacier National Park to the top of Going to the Sun Road, to the Park, boating twice, jumped off the boat into the water once, and stayed up way past his bed time with no nap to watch one beautiful display of fireworks, his first as a United States Citizen.

He amazes me every day with the things he is learning. His MP3 player is still his favorite toy and when he spots it he lights up with excitement. I still can't believe I get to be his mama forever.

Kobe is a US Citizen

2009-07-02T13:47:00.002-06:00

Kobe Loudince received his certificate of citizenship in the mail today! Nate and I were super excited and so was Lou because it had his picture on it and he loves to see pictures of himself! :-)

More photos...

2009-06-29T19:03:00.003-06:00

I know all I have time for is showing off photos now days. Anyway...enjoy!

Eating s'mores one tasty morsel at a time.

Jumping on the trampoline...more on that to come!

His gorgeous face, skin, eyes, nose, eyelashes, eyebrows...oh you get it? Ok.

A new bike for Kobe!

2009-06-23T23:08:00.002-06:00

Kobe is learning how to ride his big boy bike after mastering the trike in the hallways of Nate's school in about 15 minutes. This big boy bike is a little harder for him and he gets going just fast enough then accidentally jams on the breaks which, btw, really makes him mad.

Sleeping Angel

2009-06-21T15:58:00.002-06:00

Adorable.

Two, Deux, Dos...

2009-06-20T10:19:00.002-06:00

Two weeks down forever to go!!! Kobe is an absolute joy. Really he's the highlight of every day for me. Not to say he doesn't have his moments because he does, he's two ya know!! We expect normal two year old behavior. He's so fun and so sweet and man oh man that boy loves his mommy. Yesterday Nate was making breakfast and Kobe snuck out of the kitchen and into my bed and whispered "love you mama" and kissed my cheek then went back to the kitchen. It was completely melt your heart adorable. Even when he's sleeping I can whisper "Beezoo Mama" and with his eyes closed he lifts his head and puckers up for my kisses. It's serious cuteness. He sleeps well, he eats great, he plays hard, and loves the bath. Honestly, what's not to love about our little Haitian bundle of cuteness?

Fun times!!

2009-06-14T19:54:00.005-06:00

Today was a great day. We got a pool for Kobe to play in with his cousins and he had a blast. Enjoy the photos.

Craziness = Fun

2009-06-13T13:26:00.002-06:00

I would have never thought our guy could have even more personality but today he obviously is feeling even more comfortable at home. He chased me around the house pushing his dump truck all morning squealing and laughing. I was putting away laundry but every once in awhile I would hide under a bed or in the shower and he would get quiet and then yell "MAMA????" So I would say something and then he would find me and just laugh and laugh and laugh! It has been a great morning and now he is napping!

For you families traveling soon - I cannot stress enough to be bulking up on your vitamins and take vitamins with you because the nastiness that is going around down there is miserable. I am finally kicking it but Nate came down with something last night and was freezing cold in our 90 degree house and huddled under a down comforter. I sent him to Urgent Care this morning because after the shenanigans he pulled last Fall it's extremely dangerous for him to get sick - turns out he is very lucky he went in because he has bad strep and his throat was swollen almost shut - they gave him a big fat shot and now he's sleeping on the couch with strict instructions from the Mommy not to kiss Kobe Loudince until he is better again.

Happiness and Sadness

2009-06-11T13:00:00.002-06:00

There is clearly some sadness in our house today. Little Lou is just not his normal self - I tried showing him some photos of his friend and he just points and cries. He misses them. I don't blame him one bit. This kind of change is hard on a little guy. He has fun and is so happy then it's almost as if the memories flood his mind because he gets very quiet and just spaces out. At nap he was crying hysterically and all I could do was hold him. Poor baby. Since I don't have the language to express to him that it's ok for him to be sad I just have to show him with my love and body language that it's ok and he's safe and loved oh so much.

He's laying quietly in his bed right now - I hope he is able to fall asleep and have a good rest. He's got so much going on in his little life right now.

Workin' It...

2009-06-10T20:25:00.003-06:00

Kobe has learned how to work it. He climbs out of his bed and comes to check in to make sure Nate and I are not playing with all his toys while he is supposed to be sleeping. Tonight he needed to go to the bathroom then proceeded to sit on the toilet and tell us to look at everything. Then he had an itch and needed me to put cream on his head. Then I said "That's all Kobe now you need to dormi sleep - ok?" He let out a little giggle and said "Oui" and I gave him a kiss and now I think he's going to sleep. We'll see if we have another visit.

EDIT: Approximately 2 seconds after I clicked Publish Post I had a visit and just put him back in bed. Oh dear this could get ugly.

Lists:

2009-06-10T13:10:00.001-06:00

I still have this nasty NASTY cold but here are some lists for Kobe's adoring fans....

Loves:
Grapes
Grape Kool-aid
Watermelon
Anything with peanut butter
Anything with ketchup
Hot Dogs
Cookies

Likes:
Corn
Green Beans

Hates:
Rice (??? I know!)
Hamburger
Chicken

Grape Kool-Aid

2009-06-08T16:32:00.003-06:00

Kobe loves grape kool-aid, now if only it had some nutritional value. I am currently listening to him sing "the wheels on the bus go round and round..." To say he is doing well is an understatement. He has been overwhelmed and has had a few tantrums but overall he is handling all of this change in stride. He likes to push a dump truck all around the house and was just coming in to me and chatting away then saying "Buh Bye Mama" and I would say "Buh Bye Kobe, Bon Voyage" and he would say "Oui Mama Bon Voyage" - so stinking cute. He did this over and over. Yesterday he learned how to pedal his trike. He calls it his "machin" - which is car in creole. As far as attachment goes, he is doing really well with us. He clearly knows who his mommy and daddy are and clings to us whenever he is overwhelmed or other people are around. He absolutely will not allow anyone else to hold him or even really touch him, which is totally ok. He is sleeping very well and loves to listen to music all day and when he is falling asleep.

Photos!

2009-06-07T17:58:00.003-06:00

The part of my brain that forms coherent thoughts and spills them out in writing has still not received sleep so here are several photos, which is the real reason you came to look at my blog! Don't let all of this tired talk make you think Lou is not sleeping well because he is! It's just that I managed to catch a cold, broke my toe, and tonight busted my butt off the end of our slide so I'm just a little beat up and tired. Anyway, Kobe is doing great. He definitely has his moments but he's two so you can't really blame him. He enjoys wearing Daddy or Mommy's shoes around the house. It is safe to say he is attached at our hips constantly - he has to be with us at all times which is totally ok with me!!

Home!

2009-06-05T22:39:00.001-06:00

We are home! Last night was a short night and today was a long day so I'm exhausted. I have some pictures on Facebook - I will post some to the blog tomorrow, maybe. I'm not making any promises because my boy is commanding all my attention - it's wonderful! Things are going great!

Last post?

2009-06-03T14:45:00.002-06:00

This could be my last blog post before we get home. I'm not sure what kind of opportunity I will have tonight so here is the plan:

--We have all our adoption documents and the sealed envelope for USCIS and his passport with Visa.
--Tomorrow around noon we will have our birth parent(s) interview.
--After the interview all THREE of us will head to the airport and eat a ham sandwich at the little shop upstairs and drink an ice cold Coca Cola.
--We arrive in Miami around 9pm and go through immigration.
--Friday morning early we fly home.

Finally! A breeze!!

2009-06-03T09:20:00.002-06:00

The breeze is nice! I caught a peak of Alexandro today, he's so little and so cute! Faline is growing, and gets lots of hugs and kisses. She's very sweet and easy going.

Lou is in school this morning and all will be happy to hear he is not asleep but instead VERY VERY VERY awake! Not in a good way he's running around and keeps escaping...huh. I guess Daddy will have to work on that since he is the teacha. It's really cute because Lou says Good Morning Teacha Jean.

We are ready to fly tomorrow, all THREE of us!

And then there were two...

2009-06-02T16:57:00.003-06:00

Five kids left today to go home with their families! It was awesome to watch them leave. I got a bit teary watching Darline pull her gorgeous suitcase out the door. I took a ton of photos for the families and they waved at me as they drove off. So that leaves Nate and I, we decided we feel a little like we've been stranded on a tropical (very tropical - hot, humid...) island. We visited last year in June, June 16th- 20th to be exact and it was nothing like this time - it was totally bearable. This time it's HOT!! If anyone is wanting to deliver something to me please get on the next flight out and bring a cheeseburger and ice cold Dr. Pepper.

Here is a small update for some families:

Emmi- Is doing WONDERFUL!!! She is so smiley and giggly, she knows exactly who you are and said she loves you. She knows Mama, Papa, JJ, Willy, and Sierra and says all your names.

Peterson & Alder - Put anything that could be gotten into or broken in your house up HIGH, Peterson loves to get into things. Alder hangs out and is a pretty laid back dude. Both are doing very well and the first thing he told me was that he and Lou are friends I think. It was in Creole but he pointed at Lou, they both smiled, and then Peterson hugged Lou.

Wiguerson & Ronese- For Wiguerson read the above on Peterson, he loves to push the limits and is a total boy! He and Dounelson play together a lot and have been playing with a frisbee most of the afternoon. Ronese is quiet but I have caught her smile but she wipes it away as soon as she knows I'm looking. She didn't want me to pick her up but let me rub her back and deliver a kiss on her forehead "from Mama and Papa"

In Haiti!

2009-06-01T19:07:00.002-06:00

We are in Haiti! It's like an oven down here and hot humid oven that makes you miserable and sticky. But we don't care because our boy was waiting for us with a HUGE smile! He keeps saying MAMA!!! PAPA!!!! We sing "Old McDonald had a farm..." and he sings "E-I-E-I -YO!!" We have it on video and I can guarantee it will be YouTubed in the near future. Tomorrow the rest of the group leaves so we will be all by ourselves for the rest of the week. Lou is super attached to us and refused to let us leave him for a bath so we had to give him a bath and now he's eating his second dinner. He's so smart he knows his colors, his alphabet, and can count to ten!

Well I'm going to keep this short because someone is waiting to do actual work for the creche on the computer...what I hear right now is Lou saying "PAPA" "PAPA" -- he wants to eat again. Oh he just walked up and said "MAMA" and showed me his food in his mouth...how sweet!

Our pilot had a lead foot.

2009-05-31T09:35:00.002-06:00

We are at our gate in Denver dining on delicious airport food and waiting to take off for Miami. Our pilot drove so fast when we landed, even I was a little nervous - I think he had a connecting flight he was late for or something it was crazy. We took a corner to come into the gates and I thought we were going to come up off the ground again.

In more fun news they didn't like that we had diapers and no baby at the airport so Nate got strip searched...ok not actually strip searched but he had to get patted down (lucky guy) and I had to answer a whole bunch of questions about where we were going, why, where our son is...blah blah blah. Oh well. The guy was totally nice about it.

Best Summer Ever!

2009-05-30T20:28:00.002-06:00

Tonight is the eve of the biggest day of our lives so far! We leave bright and early in the morning for Miami - we plan to eat delicious Cuban Cuisine at La Carreta. We arrive in Haiti early Monday morning, spend a few days adjusting to our new family, and arrive home Friday afternoon at 1:30. For us tomorrow marks the first day of the best summer to date!

I hope to post from Haiti so keep checking for updates.

Kobe Loudince is coming home!

2009-05-29T19:06:00.002-06:00

Kobe's Visa was received today! We will be traveling to pick him up on May 31, 2009 and home on June 5, 2009.

We are getting everything packed up and ready to go!!!! Thanks to everyone for all their prayers, happy thoughts, and positive vibes - it worked.

Well...

2009-05-28T20:56:00.003-06:00

If you pray please say a prayer.
If you think happy hippy thoughts think happy hippy thoughts.
If you send positive vibes send positive vibes.

The bad news is we did NOT get a Visa today. The good news is we fully expect to GET a visa tomorrow. Either way our boy is coming home but we still don't know when. Our biggest hope is we will get news as early tomorrow afternoon as possible that our Visa is in hand.

The Golden Ticket

2009-05-27T18:41:00.002-06:00

Lou Lou's Visa appointment went well and as long as no printer cords are lost or ink runs out the Director in Haiti should be picking up his Visa anytime after 2:30PM Haiti time tomorrow.

We do not have travel dates yet. Which is so disappointing but we are going to get through the next few hours and days because we've waited a whole lot longer than just the two years it's taken so far. The glitch with that is with such short notice prices for plane tickets out of our town have skyrocketed and so we may have to drive 5 hours to another state to fly in and out.

Lou will be home soon!!!

Think Happy Thoughts!

2009-05-26T19:23:00.002-06:00

Lou's Visa appointment is tomorrow morning at 8AM in Haiti!!

Think happy thoughts!!!

A Good News Wake Up Call!!

2009-05-22T06:08:00.000-06:00

I woke up this morning to an email from USCIS Haiti that said we are approved!!! I cried. Instantly. Then pulled myself together!! We still don't have a date to travel but I'm certain it will be soon.

What's next? Our file is passed on to the consulate where Lou Lou will have his Visa appointment - then a day or two later the director will pick up the Visa. Once it is in her hand we will be allowed to travel.

Last weekend we went to the closest big "city" (LOL I guess you could call it that) and shopped 'til we dropped for clothes for the little bambino. He is going to be the cutest kid ever!

April Update

2009-05-11T18:07:00.003-06:00

Well with the news from last week this update wasn't nearly as anticipated as previous updates. The update in fact does say we are in INS. INS is also known as USCIS - which stands for United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. We also received some much appreciated photos of our growing boy! The part of the update that made me cry was this:

Departure preparation The staffs have been encouraging him to look at the pictures of his adopted family. (They) are frequently telling him he will be going home soon.

Wow. That really hits home. I am completely speechless, there are no words to accurately describe how excited we are. Wow.

So when is he coming home?

2009-05-10T18:23:00.004-06:00

We just don't know yet. I know you all want to know - and so do we! Nate and I have learned over the course of this adoption that it's unpredictable so we don't know yet when Kobe will be home but we are fairly certain it will be soon!

The other day I told Nate that since we were not out of MOI yet that we should probably prepare ourselves to spend the majority of the summer without Lou. Because that is what it takes mental preparation or as my dad would say we had to do our mental psyching. It's what you do to brace yourself for a major let down. What we got instead was thrilling news.

I'm really weird when I get good news on the phone - I felt much like I did when Vivian called oh so long ago with our referral. My world kind of spins and on the inside I feel like I need to jump up and down and scream and cry but on the outside I stay fairly calm but pace around a little bit. In this case I paced my office at work and my face turned bright red from excitement.

So in an effort to keep our "mental psyching" over the last two years we have refrained from buying clothing, toys, and filling our yard with kid stuff. Kobe is our first child and it would be quite depressing for us to have a yard full of toys and nobody to play with. Not to mention we wouldn't get anything done because we would be playing on the toys ourselves, anyway what I'm trying to say is that today I present to you the swing set - go big or go home baby because when we do kid toys we skip the small stuff...Thanks Papa and Granny for helping us finish this monster - if Nate and I kept going at the pace we were Kobe would be long graduated from college by the time we got it done!

PS: Yes as a matter of fact Nate and I were swinging and sliding all afternoon, ya know - to make sure it's safe and sturdy. It is.

Adoption News Bundle Pack

2009-05-07T05:21:00.000-06:00

We our out of MOI!!!! Have been for a little while it seems since we also have his passport. Oh no that's not all his birth parent interview happened this week. Oh yeah and we're in INS.

Now today goes down in good news history. I have to go make lists or something, I don't know but I have a lot to do.

Good Times...

2009-05-04T04:04:00.001-06:00

Wouldn't it be fun if this was how the typical conversation went:

Kind stranger: "Hey when is your son going to be home from Haiti?"
Me: "Oh that's so nice of you to ask, he will be home on May 31st, 2009 at 4pm in the afternoon"

Instead it goes like this:

Kind stranger: "Hey when is your son going to be home from Haiti?"
Me: "Oh umm well I am not sure, I wish I knew, but...
Kind stranger: "What do you mean you don't know?"
Me: "Oh well we are getting closer!!!" (smiling really really big and hoping he will drop it)
Kind stranger: "But haven't you been trying to get him home for a long time now?"
Me: (clearly not having fun anymore and not smiling) Yes. (wanting to add thanks for pointing it out jerk)
Kind stranger: "Well I just don't understand how they can keep you waiting this long when there are so many kids who need homes...."
Me: (eyes glazed over staring off into space can't think of anything to say) "Yeah. Goodbye." (wanted to say "go away please")

In MOI!

2009-04-13T12:57:00.002-06:00

Don't rub your eyes - you read that right. We are in MOI... :-) Yahoo!

Seriously! Could he get ANY cuter?!

2009-04-01T22:12:00.003-06:00

I mean honestly.
This is the boy we know and love.
I think I just fell a little more in love with my son.

Big boy in a little coat...I mean body.

2009-03-25T21:27:00.003-06:00

We got the most fabulous of updates this week.
This little guy is the prince of the crèche. His mom will never believe it, but Little Lou
actually engaged me in play and enjoyed laughing with me.
He was very cute in the pre-school, although definitely not into it. There are a few kids at
the school who are on the younger age spectrum and they basically just
walked around and picked up toys and threw them. Fun times.
He is an adorable kid and really growing into his personality.
The auntie pictured here is his favorite and his mom and dad have met her on both of their visits and know that Lou is a favorite of hers. She takes him around everywhere whenever possible and he relishes in the special attention.
This is what I wrote in my notes about him while I was there: "Big boy TRAPPED in little boy body. But he is very affectionate and makes eye contact much much easier than he used to. He is doing fantastic.

This came from my favorite A.S. -- S.W. - you know who you are!

Labor of Love!!!

2009-03-14T03:52:00.001-06:00

First of all my dad is amazing!!! He's the best dad in the whole world! He made Kobe's bed. It's been a year in the process but is finally in Kobe's room ready for Kobe to sleep in it. So here are some pictures from the process:

First he made the under dresser and drawers.

Then he made the head board and foot board and fitted it to the under dresser.
Then he stained it and hauled it to our house - it took two trucks!
After bringing the bed in the house and putting it together he screwed a few braces in to keep everything in place.

Then in family tradition he signed the bed: "Sweet Dreams Kobe ~ Grandpa Allen ~ 3-1-09"
Then the bed was made with great care.

And his room is officially ready.

Update Time!

2009-03-13T20:44:00.003-06:00

We got an update this week with a photo! BONUS!! Lou is in preschool! It says he doesn't participate much and that he doesn't like to share with his mates. Considering he is TWO we are not terribly concerned. Also, it appears our paperwork is close to going into MOI - which is fabulous news!

****Check back tomorrow for how the bed got in Lou's room!!!****

COMING SOON!!!

2009-03-01T18:44:00.002-07:00

How did this get here?

Cheers to Fat Tuesday!

2009-02-24T06:29:00.000-07:00

Right now they are celebrating Carnival in Haiti. It is a BIG deal! From my research (thanks Google) I found out a few things about Carnival in Haiti.

One website refers to Carnival in Haiti as "The biggest party EVER."
Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday are all about indulging oneself in food, drink, music...etc before Lent which begins on Ash Wednesday and goes through Easter.
In Haiti, shortly after New Years the radio stations begin broadcasting "Meringue Carnavalesque" which is carnival themed music.
There is dancing in the streets, masked balls, parades with elaborate floats, seductive dancing...etc - all the really really good stuff.
According to another website the slaves in Haiti were not allowed to celebrate Carnival the way the slave masters were. After the Independence in 1804 the slaves took advantage of their freedom and went all out for Carnival.

From what I understand during this time it is complete chaos and debauchery in Haiti. It's the biggest party in the world - so why am I sitting here typing about it?!

The word on the street is....

2009-02-21T22:22:00.002-07:00

That Lou is in pre-school!!! Oh we are so proud of him! I hear that he knows his "J" and is very proud of that fact too!

Now I'll be honest with you - I did shed a few tears when I read that he was in pre-school. It's hard being so far away and watching him grow through pictures and words. Every month or so I get a small update in words and sometimes a picture or two and those have to sustain me until he eventually comes home. I know he will come home and I know that the longest part of our wait is definitely behind us.

We are ready for him to be home. There are things we want to teach him. Places we want to take him. I want him to see the world and have the opportunity to thrive because I know he will. He's a smart boy and given the chance he will make a difference, I know this because I'm his mom.

A little food for thought....

2009-02-13T03:07:00.006-07:00

I ran across this poem and wasn't sure if I wanted to put it out there on my blog but my sister in law convinced me that I should because it really puts a lot of feelings into words. I am great at putting things into words but some things hit too close to home to actually be able to put into clear coherent thoughts. So here it is and I hope that it can do one of two things for you; either help you understand where someone else has been or help you put into words where you have been.

There are women who become mothers without effort, without thought, without patience or loss. And though they are good mothers and love their children.
I know I will be better.

I will be better not because of genetics or money or because I have read more books, but because I have struggled and toiled for this child.

I have longed and waited.
I have cried and prayed.
I have endured and planned over and over again.

Like most things in life, the people who truly have appreciation are those who have struggled to attain their dreams.

I will notice everything about my child.
I will take time to watch my child sleep, explore, and discover.
I will marvel at this miracle every day for the rest of my life.

I will be happy when I wake in the middle of the night to the sound of my child; knowing that I can comfort, hold, and feed him.
And that I am not waking to take another temperature, pop another pill, take another shot or cry tears of a broken dream.
My dream will be crying for me.

I count myself lucky in this sense; that God has given me this insight, this special vision with which I will look upon my child.

Whether I parent a child I actually gave birth to or a child that God leads me to, I will not be careless with my love.

I will be a better mother for all that I have endured. I am a better wife, a better aunt, a better daughter, neighbor, friend, and sister because I have known pain.

I know disillusionment, as I have been betrayed by my own body. I have been tried by fire and hell that many never face, yet given time, I stood tall.

I have prevailed.
I have succeeded.
I have won.

So now, when others hurt around me, I do not run from their pain in order to save myself discomfort. I see it, I mourn it, and join them in theirs.

I listen.
And even though I can't make it better, I can make it less lonely.

I have learned the immense power of another hand holding tight to mine, of other eyes that moisten as they learn to accept the harsh truth when life is beyond hard.

I have learned compassion that only comes by walking in those shoes. I have learned to appreciate life.

Yes, I will be a wonderful mother.

***Edited to add: Author Unknown***

New Photo...

2009-02-10T19:21:00.002-07:00

Breaking News...This Just In....

2009-02-10T11:53:00.002-07:00

Someone very wise (hi Raime) once told me that pregnant woman can't think clearly to save their lives. Well guess what? It has nothing to do with the biological effects of actually "being" pregnant. It has everything to do with the expectation of an impending arrival of a child. So I would like to regretfully admit that I have not been able to think clearly for approximately two years now. Through this adoption pregnancy I have been nothing but a lunatic - I can't wait for the days to go by because that means I'm one day closer to my baby being home. I try to stay really really busy but the honest truth is that my house could be burning down and while I'm trying to save all my worldly possessions I would still be thinking about Lou.

I'm not really one to celebrate Valentine's Day. It's sweet and all but really I don't need to be wined and dined. I don't need a dozen roses or anything nutty like that. So this year I would like to ask: Loudince, will you be my valentine?

EEK....someday Lou Lou is going to read these entries from this blog - a long time from now - and he will just die because his mom is soooo embarrassing! I love it!

Dressed To Impress!

2009-02-07T20:44:00.001-07:00

How stinkin' cute is this outfit?!

No News

2009-02-04T11:15:00.002-07:00

Isn't there a song called "No News"? Or something like that? Well it's the soundtrack to my life right now.

So does anyone have any suggestions of things I need to do to get ready for baby to come home? Only he's not a baby anymore. He's a toddler a full fledged walking, running, babbling toddler. He can probably even talk back if he wanted to and believe me if you could see him roll his eyes at me (his mother) then you would understand that he can talk back. And you know what? I LOVE IT! I adore the age he is at. He's awesome. All of him! From the way he rolls his eyes to the way he intensely adores his daddy.

So help me out. If you have a toddler at home -- what do I need/gotta have/can't live without?

Can you help this picture?

2009-01-30T11:59:00.003-07:00

This is one of my most favorite pictures of us with Kobe. Here's the scene ~ It was June and our first trip to meet the little cutie pie and it was EARLY (anything before noon is EARLY to me) and we were getting ready to leave to have our appointment at the US Embassy in Port au Prince. We wanted to get a photo of us with the boy as proof that we both had spent time with him in Haiti - that way we get the good Visa. So we got our picture but then someone brought out this old polaroid film and we figured we might as well use it and we got this gorgeous picture of our family. I TREASURE this shot. But the polaroid came out funky because it was old - does anyone know how to restore something like this?

True Story

2009-01-28T00:16:00.000-07:00

Ko-Lou thought it was the funniest thing in the world to

yank the baby wipes out of the container at lightning speed -

he thought it was funnier that once he had

all his little hands could hold all we did was laugh.

The greatest thing in the world!!

2009-01-22T14:33:00.001-07:00

Is a friend who really knows how to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies. I want to type more but I can't because my hands are too busy shoving cookies in the direction of my mouth, cookie monster style. (As if you needed a visual)

These are the most delicious morsels EVER!!!!!

Thank you Geralyn and Madi!! You both really made my day/week/month!!!

I have a confession to make.

2009-01-16T22:24:00.002-07:00

I am not a good cook. Can I still be a good mom if I don't make things from scraps?

I once made a chocolate cake following the directions perfectly and forgot one thing...the flour. Now the recipe said the batter would be runny so I thought nothing of it when I popped my cake pan of chocolate soup in the oven and let it bake. But it didn't set up like a cake should, it actually turned into dark chocolate soup with burnt chocolate edging all the way around the pan. That wasn't going to stop me though so I let it bake for another half hour...not pretty.

What leads me to this post is that tonight I wanted something sweet. What I really wanted is Molten Chocolate Cake but as you can see from the example above I am not cut out to be making this recipe. I have chocolate chip cookie dough in the fridge - pre-made by someone other than me. I should warn you when I make ANY kind of cookie from scraps it turns out much like a pancake, light and fluffy. I have no idea what I do wrong but it's been that way since I moved out of my parents house. So anyway surely I can't mess up the pre-made cookie dough right? WRONG. In my defense the word "heaping" is in the directions. I made four cookies on the cookie sheet and what I pulled out of the oven was more of a thin cookie cake that covered the entire cookie sheet. I said "oh no" and had Nate come look and he started laughing and said it was ok that I am not a good cook. I laughed and cried at the same time because I am just miserable at cooking but most of all I just want a cookie and it's 10:30 at night.

Today I miss him...

2009-01-12T15:11:00.002-07:00

Today I miss Lou so much. I can't stand it. I could stare at his photo all day long. I hope this craziness is over soon. I want my baby home.

Happy Birthday Kobe Loudince & Elta!

2009-01-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Loudince-

Happy Birthday little boy! Today is your second birthday and I thought for sure that you would be home. It's ok because I just found out your favorite auntie in the whole world shares your birthday!! I know that Elta will make your birthday special for you. Today your daddy and I will be missing you for sure but I hope your day is special, you deserve the best.

I love you forever ~ Mommy

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

Well the last year has been filled with a lot of really extreme highs and a few extremely extreme lows. Cheers to a 2009 full of highs including bringing our boy home!

I hope you enjoy this photo as much as I do. Kobe was following Nate saying "Da-ddy, Da-ddy" with each step. I am very thankful to have such great boys.

Even his pouty face is cute!

2008-12-28T19:34:00.002-07:00

Have you ever heard of a Restavec?

2008-12-26T20:31:00.007-07:00

Restavec ---- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A restavec (or restavek; from the French reste avec, "one who stays with") refers to a social system in Haiti in which parents unable to care for their children send them to relatives or strangers living in more urban areas where they receive food and housing (and sometimes an education) in exchange for "light" housework. In reality restavecs often live in grinding poverty, enslaved to their "hosts" and seldom receiving an education. The restavec system is considered a form of slavery.

My heart was breaking while I was reading this post on the Livesay's blog but then I got nearly to the end of it and I read this:

"[As an aside for adoptive parents. In general adoption is misunderstood. In this culture, if you take someone's child, it is so they can work for you. A lot of people will assume that is also why you are adopting. Jeronne recently told us that once everyone in LaDigue saw how kind we were to our Haitian children, they wanted to know if we would help with their children. We hope that our love and equal treatment of our kids will be evident when we're out and about in Port. Troy noticed a lady at a store observing his shopping with Hope. She later said to him, "You really love her, don't you!?!?!" She was surprised by it and pleased.]"

My heart sank and tears filled my eyes. During our last trip one of the aunties asked several times "do you love Loudince? I love Loudince." We told her over and over that we do love him. Every day I made sure to tell her and him that we love him. Before we left I asked another auntie to tell him that we love him and will be back. Actually I asked Nate to ask her to translate for us, I couldn't get it out without crying. But how do you explain that adoption to us, is a means to finding our family. We adore our baby and will love him forever, I hope he knows that.

Traveler Photo!

2008-12-26T13:35:00.001-07:00

This is a good photo of all three of us on top of the creche. I like this photo a lot!

Playing!

2008-12-20T12:31:00.001-07:00

Oh what fun!

Who loves ya baby?

2008-12-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

Your mommy does, more than you could know!

Sometimes...

2008-12-17T13:42:00.003-07:00

...a Granny's cuddles make it all better.

Blogged Baby

2008-12-15T05:23:00.000-07:00

Cute?

2008-12-14T16:14:00.002-07:00

I think so.

Photos

2008-12-14T10:33:00.004-07:00

Updates for the families!!

2008-12-11T11:25:00.002-07:00

Faline- So cute and grown so much! She's still very little but looking excellent! She'll be adorable in her dress and they plan on putting it on her for the Christmas party.

Richnightder and Jerome- I love your boys!! They are so sweet. Jerome is just Jerome so sweet and so funny. He and I were dancing last night and he was singing me a song. Richnightder keeps coming up to me and giving me his big smile.

Peterson- He wore little toy loops as earings today and was dancing around like a little ballerina! So cute.

Alder- Not at all interested in having his update photo taken - will try again later. ;-) He is feeding himself like a champ and sits at the toddler table now.

Asa Mack- Pretty quiet today but I have gotten a few smiles.

Darline- So cute today. She was giving me a lot of smiles and giggles at breakfast this morning.

Ronese- What a sweetheart she has grown so much! She looks really really healthy.

Ok I have to go eat. You don't want to miss a meal around here :-)

Oh Baby!!

2008-12-11T10:12:00.002-07:00

Now this is more like it!!! Talk about a happy camper today!!

Here!

2008-12-10T14:34:00.002-07:00

We are here. No internet last night so we are all mobbing the computer. Lou is even cuter this time, but he has a cold so he's kind of sleepy. Not much to tell so here are some updates really quick.

Darline- I played a little bit with her last night. She's so sweet. She comes over to the toddler room and helps with the littler kids.

Asa Mack- He's just him as sweet as ever I played a ton with him and Ko-Lou last night. He points to your photos and says mama!!

Peterson & Alder- SO CUTE! Peterson is quieter this time around. Alder is so funny and super cute. He's grown!

Oh it's not half as hot or humid as it was in June - it's very very nice weather especially for December. It doesn't seem like Christmas is 2 weeks away when I'm in shorts, a tank top, and flip flops! Hopefully I can post more tonight!

Freezing in Seattle!

2008-12-08T13:10:00.001-07:00

We are freezing in Seattle.

Must.Have.Warm.Tropical.Weather.

That's all.

Peace Out!

2008-12-07T14:39:00.002-07:00

We are out of here!! We will be at the airport at 5am tomorrow and if you know me then you know I need to go to bed NOW. I will post updates from Haiti every chance I get. If you have a kid at the creche be watching you never know what kind of message I may leave you here!

Goodnight!

Our little boy!

2008-12-02T15:21:00.002-07:00

Our little baby is now a little boy! This little loverboy will be smiling for photos very soon!

OUT OUT OUT!!!

2008-11-25T12:35:00.001-07:00

OUT

PARQUET

No really! We are OUT!

The Travel Forecast

2008-11-25T08:49:00.003-07:00

Our trip to Haiti is *so* close that I can predict (with great accuracy I'm sure) the weather.

Tuesday Dec 9th ~ Port au Prince, Haiti

Partly sunny, a shower, humid

High 87 °F ~ Low 69 °F

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While I'm most concerned with which color flip flops match my outfit:

You will be too worried about warmth to care about fashion:

That leg lamp will never be the same...

2008-11-21T13:07:00.004-07:00

Forever and ever the leg lamp will symbolize
Little Lou's file

GETTING OUT OF IBESR!!!

That's right folks we are OUT!!!!

9 months and A LOT of tears later we are out!!!

Can I say it again -
PEOPLE WE ARE OUT OF IBESR!!!!!!!!!

Is that a...light???

2008-11-17T12:55:00.002-07:00

Some of you may see this as Tifanni's leg lamp but not me! I see it as a little flicker of a light at the end of the IBESR tunnel - maybe? It could be...we will see.

Lost in translation??

2008-11-10T13:00:00.002-07:00

Here's the thing about our monthly updates on Lou - they are written by a person who's second or maybe third language is English and MOST of the time the point gets across but every once in awhile it's humorous.

Take for example this months update:

Mood = Smiling
Nutrition = His appetite is perfect.
Behavior = Interesting
Sleep Habit = His sleep habit is good.
Other General Changes = He behaves a lot better at table.

Not really all that informative, none the less, I still look forward to each month's update as if one day it's going to say come pick your son up tomorrow! Ha! A girl can dream, ok?

Does anyone know what exactly it means to behave interestingly? Is that like he randomly walks around with a pumpkin on his head and refuses to take a decent photo for his mama? Would that be a form of interesting behavior? Something to ponder.

Does this make you laugh?

2008-11-07T21:57:00.003-07:00

If not you're a freak...because THIS is FUNNY!
I LOVE MY SON!

Too cool for school...

2008-11-06T16:31:00.004-07:00

Here is our update photo of the little punk...and I say "punk" with the utmost love and endearment. Apparently he's just a little too cool for scarecrows and cute pictures...

A photo a day keeps the insanity away???!!

2008-11-02T21:32:00.002-07:00

What?!?!?!
It's worth a try anyway!

That's what friends are for!

2008-10-26T18:01:00.004-06:00

The story goes like this....as many of you know we were planning on visiting Haiti with this trip. I was super excited not only to go to Haiti but to meet a couple of people that I just really think are great. Well obviously we didn't make it this trip and many of you know why and those of you who don't email me if you really want the story otherwise it's just a little heavy for this blog. Anyway, I asked April and Beth to please give Lou a big fat smooch on his chubby cheek for me and the fact of the matter is he's a little unsure of visitors and getting within 10 feet of him is pure luck. So I knew he might scream and freak out and well he did - but April and Beth delivered that big fat smooch and they got photo evidence. Thanks guys!!!!!

NOT the Mama!

How do you say "not a kiss day" in Creole?

Thank you Beth, so much for these great photos and all the other ones!
PS: No babies or toddlers were harmed in the delivery of this kiss. No babies or toddlers will be damaged for life due to the kiss.

He looks so cute in camo!!

2008-10-26T11:27:00.005-06:00

In honor of it being opening day for hunting season here are a few photos of Kobe in camo - this is for you Daddio/Kobe Grandpa!!!!

Thank you for the great photos April!!

~THANK YOU!!~

2008-10-25T23:36:00.005-06:00

Sometimes the words "thank you" don't adequately show the amount of appreciation I have. To all who participated in our box drive - thank you! After months of devastating hurricane's the food finally arrived at the Creche. It's amazing to see all that food and all those kids so excited and helping unload the boxes.

It's the little things.

2008-10-22T07:01:00.005-06:00

I could be negative and tell you that today marks 8 months in the first step of the process, IBESR. I could tell you that I have thought about it since I woke up and that I have been fighting tears since my alarm clock went off. I could tell you those things but what is the point?

I am the type of person that feeds off of moods (some may call me moody) so since I'm the only one who can change my mood I am going to focus on some positives. It certainly doesn't take away the hurt I feel but it makes it easier to fight the tears.

Here are a few little angelic qualities about Lou:

1) When he smiles his top lip disappears.
2) He has mismatched eyebrows - his right one(the left when you look at a picture) is in permanent surprise mode. I love it!
3) His eyes are deep. You can tell a lot by a person's eyes and his are gorgeous.
4) His eyes (again) are the most beautiful almond shape they are perfect.
5) His face is so pretty and I don't care that he is a boy - he has a pretty face, gorgeous really, maybe even stunning.

With love from Haiti

2008-10-21T20:50:00.002-06:00

April says:
"Kristi - I kissed Little Lou a minimum of 5 times today and nibbled on his neck. He looks s GREAT. He really likes Mike and was clinging on his legs in Darline's room tonight."

Beth says:
"Kobe is AWESOME!! He was giving me a shy smile, then he closed his eyes to pretend that I could not see HIM. LOL. SO cute. He's a super-chunk and seems to be very happy."

What a difference a year makes!!

2008-10-15T13:55:00.002-06:00

One year ago today something happened that would change our lives forever! Something that we had been waiting for - for a very long time. Do you know what it is?

We were matched with sweet adorable little Kobe Loudince. We got that call and could hardly believe our ears. We saw that photo of him for the very first time and it was truly love at first sight. At that moment I didn't know I could ever love him more than I did right then. Then I met him and I loved him even more. Now when people ask if I have children there is no hesitation I say YES!! I keep loving this sweet little boy more and more every single day. I can't believe how much he has changed in the last year and I can't wait to see how much he changes in the coming years.

Here he is - then:

My handsome baby - this photo was taken at the transition house in Port au Prince sometime between Sept 23rd and October 15th - 2007. He was 8 months old.

Here he is - now:

My adorable, playful, happy, and so much more little boy. This was taken while playing with his daddy at the Creche on June 16, 2008.

September Update!

2008-10-07T11:58:00.003-06:00

Our September update was delivered quite promptly into my email yesterday. Kobe is doing well, still friendly, still healthy, still in IBESR - the first step of many.

Now for a moment here I am going to do something I have not done on my blog I'm going to pour my heart out - WE are so sad to still be in IBESR, sad does not even begin to explain how our hearts feel that Kobe is not anywhere near coming home. It's hard - adoption is HARD - but it is also a huge blessing because we have a son. Even if he is not home yet and will not be home for awhile we have a son who is loved more than we could have imagined loving another human. He is our son - maybe not legally yet - but he's ours.

Please I am asking/begging do not ask how it's going. I am on the verge of a whole lot of tears and it just won't be pretty. Please when I do tell you we are still in IBESR do not launch into a "how can they do that to the kids?" I don't know I don't have the answers but it's part of the process and it's just best that we follow the rules and bring Kobe home when we can. I am not speaking directly to any one person it's just that the majority of people say this and it sticks the knife into our hearts deeper. We have a lot of questions that don't have answers, but for now we are going to keep going and keep asking our questions and soon we will have Kobe home for everyone to meet him. He is such a cool kid. I cannot wait to introduce him to everyone - and by everyone I mean strangers on the street - just kidding - it's not good to talk to strangers we all know that. But seriously you will all know when something happens believe me, I will be telling the whole entire world, even strangers. Take comfort in knowing that when Kobe comes home or is even signed out of IBESR - you will know.

Wow!

2008-09-24T22:07:00.002-06:00

Check out that counter! I can't believe we are going back to Haiti in less than a month!
That is awesome - I can't wait to hug and smooch our adorable boy!!!

Update Photo

2008-09-18T16:03:00.002-06:00

Not so great news...

2008-09-12T15:47:00.002-06:00

We found out today that there is flooding in Lamardelle - the village where our creche is. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:

This is the road by the creche -

and the ditch where, in June, people would bathe and wash clothes.

This is the gate into the creche - as you can see the water

is right up to the gate - we are told that there is

no water inside the compound, yet.

Another photo of the road to the creche -
it is completely washed out.

Here is the information we received from Gina Duncan in Haiti:

“The white river since Tuesday night has flood the village. Access is impossible via vehicle only can get through with donkey. Lucien has been able to get some food and supplies to the crèche via donkey. The children are safe but stuck inside the compound. The village people are without food and drinking water.”

From Vivian with Chances for Children:

"The Duncans, including Mommy and the staff at FEJ have been distributing relief packages to the village as they have been able, but certainly the need in Haiti is only increasing with these storms."

What is...

2008-09-10T17:47:00.002-06:00

...32 inches long and 28 pounds?

KOBE IS!!!! We got our update and he's so cute. Well we didn't actually get a picture yet but I'm pretty sure he's still cute. Something pretty noteworthy is that it says his disposition is "happy" - never before has an update called my little boy "happy" and after meeting him I wouldn't say he's unhappy but he's more stoic - he doesn't get real excited over much.

Wow he's really grown in the last month - I can't wait to see him! Oh yeah and it says he has a bump on his head - not sure if that means he fell down and bonked it or he has a mosquito bite. Hopefully it's nothing major - and I'm sure it's not, so I'll put my efforts worrying on something else.

That's pretty much it.

PS: Our file is still in IBESR.

Amusing Myself

2008-09-07T20:01:00.006-06:00

I am finding it harder and harder to amuse myself while we are stuck in IBESR - and yes I officially consider us stuck. But this weekend I gave myself a headache while squinting at google earth for hours trying to find the creche. I re-traced our route a few times and then finally I spotted it, I found it!!!!! No really I did - and with that I give you a picture of the creche from space!

I've been thinking...

2008-08-25T12:53:00.004-06:00

I wonder if any banks are hiring in Haiti? Not that I've thought this out too much but I could probably live at the creche and work at a local bank - Lou could stay with me and when I had to work it's like instant nannies everywhere. I could totally walk to work and I'm sure my Haitian Creole for Adoptive Families book would get me by until I could pick up more of the language.

Have I lost my mind completely?

Leaving on a jet plane...

2008-08-23T16:25:00.008-06:00

The rumors are true - we are going back to Haiti in October! Even better yet, my mom is coming with us! Kobe gets to meet his grandma!!! It's so exciting. Our tickets are booked and we are just thrilled to get to go back to visit. We left not knowing when we would be back. This time leaving is sure to be difficult but I think I am better prepared now knowing how it all works. Now I know how to leave Kobe or I should say who to leave him with.

Nate and I miss our little boy so much. I can honestly say my arms ache to hold him, I get all teary when I look at his photos because I honestly don't know when he will be home. I keep telling myself he will come home but I have no idea when. It is so frustrating, I want our file to be signed out of IBESR right now! Do they even have any idea how much this sweet little boy is loved? His room is practically ready, which I'm so glad because whenever I'm missing him I can work on little details - like hang a new picture, or write on his chalkboard closet doors.

For now I will leave you with this photo, I've been shopping again!

July Update

2008-08-14T17:37:00.003-06:00

Disclaimer: Yes, going into this, I knew it would be a long process, I knew that I would love Kobe no matter what BUT in my defense I didn't realize just how intensely I would miss my little cupcake sweetie pie (yeah I know that's girly I don't care). We do have an update finally but it's basically no news. We are still in IBESR - 6 months now - it's getting me down - there's just no way around it. Colors are muted, food is bland...just kidding.

My little baby chubby Lou is no longer - just look at him - he's a handsome little boy who grew an inch - ONE - WHOLE- INCH - He slimmed up like kids do and looks extra handsome. The girls are going to be knocking our door down.

Our update also says his mood is friendly, his behavior is improving and he is listening better (it's ok you can laugh out loud now, I am), he plays better with his friends and that about sums it up.

Breakfast at Tifanni's

2008-08-10T11:14:00.002-06:00

Actually it was dinner at Fuddruckers with Tifanni, Mike, & Aurrora - parents and big sister of the adorable boys featured on this blog!

We met up with them to have some dinner and talk about how cute our kids are which is a good form of therapy. It was decided that when we meet up for dinner with all four kids (someday soon I'm convinced) the restaurant will have to have a playplace. Aurrora was awesome and put up with all the boring adult conversation like a pro!

New Name For Ko-Lou

2008-08-05T20:14:00.003-06:00

I would like to interupt this video series to announce that no indeed it is NOT too girly to call Kobe SASSY - so staying true to my promises I told Nate that if I won this little game - that Kobe's new name would be KOBE LOUDINCE SASSY MCSASSTER -- what do you think??

July Trip Back from the Creche!

2008-08-02T15:49:00.006-06:00

The July trip returned safe and sound from the creche - I have so many photos I'm not sure where to begin! April, Beth, and Melissa all took great photos of Ko-Lou for us - thank you so much you fabulous ladies!!

Beth was super nice and delivered the picture poster to him along with a treat (Trail Mix) she was able to get some great photos of him eating his snack and looking at his photos. She said that he looked at the photos with Elta (his favorite) and Elta explained to him what they were - he looks real interested in the pictures and it looks like he wanted to show his friends:

He really enjoyed his snack - he loved eating my Trail Mix when we visited - except he didn't like the M&M's at all when I visited - he acted as if I stuck a lemon in his mouth!! And now he eats them - such a one year old!!! I love him SO much!The next photos are from April - some of the kids (ok MOST of the kids) have had the chicken pox lately and I think (am nearly 100% positive) that Kobe had them right after we left - he has a few marks on his skin but for the most part it looks like he's all healed up. It would seem convenient that he had chicken pox while he was in Haiti but sadly it kind of reminds me of one more thing I've missed - but I'm sure he'll have plenty of colds and coughs when he's home so I can play nurse and cozy him up on the couch and serve him juice and toast all day! In the last photo I'm pretty sure he's saying "STICKERS ARE FOR SISSY'S" -- he's sassy like that.

Thank you Melissa!!

2008-07-31T19:48:00.002-06:00

Melissa was in Haiti picking up her kids - (check out her blog it's pretty awesome) and was awesome enough to take the time to get these photos for us of Kobe - he is so handsome and is with his favorite auntie Elta - She really really loves him - and I'm pretty sure he loves her too. She's great and I'm so glad someone in Haiti loves on him while I'm not there. Isn't Elta beautiful?

Enjoy these great photos - Thanks SO much Melissa!

News from Haiti!!

2008-07-31T08:59:00.001-06:00

Just as I suspected Lou likes M&M's now! Here is what I heard today - Thank you BETH!!

He eats the M&Ms!!! SO CUTE! Asa went to sleep so I had some time to sit with him alone so he could have his treat. He did NOT want to come with me at all until he saw the trail mix.

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!

2008-07-29T20:12:00.006-06:00

Live from Haiti (THANKS APRIL)...

Kristi: Baby Lou is still the fattest kid here! He is so
cute and we captured some cute photos of him! His head is shaved pretty clean and he looks very cute!
It's funny how the smallest things make you so happy when your baby is so far away.

On it's way to Haiti...

2008-07-27T21:05:00.001-06:00

...is this great poster to hang above Little Lou's bed!

How Sweet It Is....

2008-07-26T00:06:00.002-06:00

I forgot that I recorded a giggling baby boy on my cell phone in Haiti. At the time I didn't think it worked because it was so quiet and I couldn't really hear it. Well today I was messing around seeing if I could email a picture from my cell phone and decided to include the little giggle clip and IT WORKED!!! I won't include it because it's only something that a mom and grandma and of course an Auntie Kerry could truly enjoy but I have had about 4 seconds of pure bliss tonight over and over. It reminded me that somebody in Haiti loves me. Every once in awhile it hits me like a ton of bricks that files are flying out of IBESR and mine is still sitting on that big heavy desk being reviewed and checked for any little un-dotted "i" or un-crossed "t" and so when that happens I'm just going to pull out my handy little giggle clip and remember to smile.

Thank you!!!! Thank You!!!!!

2008-07-17T22:03:00.004-06:00

Thank you very much!!

The Box donation drive was a HUGE success! Thank you so much for those of you who generously participated -- the deadline to ship is tomorrow and as of right this very moment 288 boxes have been committed. WOW!! Doing a little bit of quick math that is at a bare minimum - 576 cans of formula, several months supply for our creche. Not only formula but tons of fruits, veggies, peanut butter, beans, tuna fish, rice....the stuff we all take for granted every single day. In Haiti it's not as simple as popping into the grocery store on the way home and picking up some fried chicken.

Just in case more boxes roll in check out the live count HERE!!!!

Finally the end of Thursday

2008-07-13T20:33:00.002-06:00

I know you have all been on pins and needles waiting for this post. Haha! To be totally honest I never actually intended on finishing Thursday. But here it is:

So like I said Kobe learned out to kiss me. It's obvious he hadn't been smooched on a whole lot because he really didn't get what I was wanting from him but once he figured it out all I had to say was "Bezou Bezou" and he would open his mouth wide and give me the most adorably disgusting slobber kiss right on the lips. I can honestly say I really felt like a mommy at that moment - it brings tears to my eyes thinking about it. I enjoyed his sweet kisses so much.

After Mommy Duncan's yummy lunch we just hung out and enjoyed playing at the creche. We played a little soccer, tossed Kobe around, and chased him.

Then it came time for sweet Little Lou to say goodnight - we decided since we were leaving so early in the morning to let him sleep in the toddler room with his friends.

Then with a lot of tears from both us and him we had to say good bye - or goodnight - I don't think I ever managed good bye. The auntie in his room was crying with us. He attached to us so well and it was so hard to say goodnight knowing we wouldn't see him in the morning.

So anyway that's the end - we said good night. And we told him we would be back - the hardest part is I don't know how much a one year old can understand and I don't want him to be confused by us visiting and leaving him.

We left early Friday morning and I considered going to say good bye but I knew I couldn't handle it and I didn't want him to be confused all over again, the night before was hard enough on all of us.

We arrived in Miami and stayed for a couple of days and enjoyed some time alone to relax and unwind. It was wonderful and helped ease our minds.