July Update

Greetings from Sunny Haiti, Shannon!

I chose a “Noah’s Ark” for the theme for July’s photo day at the main house.  I have been thinking about doing photos with this theme since I started at GLA three years ago.  I love the way that the story of Noah and the Ark reminds us, as believers, of God’s faithful and unending promises.

Here is a passage from the story from Genesis 8:15-19…

“Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.” So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds—everything that moves on land—came out of the ark, one kind after another.”
It is important to remember, as you walk through your adoption process, that no matter where your file is or how long you have been waiting that God is faithful to the promises He has given to you.   The same as He has been and will be faithful to the promises He gave to His people after the flood.  I would encourage you to read through the entire account of Noah for some encouragement if you find yourself doubting God’s goodness or promises. 

Kimberlie has had an excellent month this July.  She is talking more and more.  Mainly she uses simple Creole words and sentences but will repeat and imitate English words that she hears.   She is known to talk to herself while she is playing lately as well.  She is not a huge fan of taking walks in the neighborhood but she has developed a new love for having her nails painted.  What a girly girl!  She

loves to dress up in the yellow outfit you sent for her and wear it the entire time that she is playing on the balcony.  She continues to adore the egg carton game that you had sent for her.  She can play with it for up to 20 minutes at a time.  She also never seems to get bored of looing at her the photo albums in her bin.

You will notice that Kimberlie willingly sat on the photo table this month!! She was not all smiles but I am hopeful that she will do better yet next time.  I think she is getting over the idea that she does not care to have her picture taken on photo day.  I think they turned out well this month. 

Kimberlie is healthy and growing: 

Height: 87.5 cm

Weight: 30 lb .5 oz




 

OUT OF MOI !!!!!!!!!!!

This saying has never been more true than this summer as I have waited and waited and waited to exit the dreaded STEP in the my adoption- MOI.

For the last 9 weeks (I thought for sure I would get out in 2 weeks) I have checked my email about every 5 minutes for a message like this one: noreply@bethany.org  

So, yesterday afternoon, when I was NOT watching the "pot boil", my friend texted me and asked "Did you get out of MOI?" I then quickly checked my email and saw this message! The one I have been waiting for for 11 weeks and 1 day ! 
 

Ok... next steps......Kimberlie's passport will be sent for printing tomorrow. =) Then once GLA has her passport the Haitian side of the adoption is finished. =) Then her dossier will be sent to US Immigration (in Haiti) where the adoption will get approved US-ly and get her US Visa to travel home. It does seem like it would be fast... but this is an Haitian adoption...so my best guess is 6-8 weeks to be home =).  Each day is one day closer to her being HOME FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

90,720 minutes STILL WAITING

 I have to admit, I really thought Kimberlie would be much closer to coming home by this point in the summer. I thought she'd be home at the end of July or the early part of August. Unfortunately, a summer homecoming for my sweetie pies is becoming pretty unrealistic given where I am in the process. =(

I have been in my current step (MOI) for 9 weeks or 90,720 minutes. That is a long time to wait in a step where families had been exiting in 2 - 5 weeks when I entered in May.  After I exit this step (which will hopefully be soon) we still have US Immigration. So, she will likely come home 4-6 weeks after I exit MOI. Kimberlie turns 2 on September 13th, I am praying she will be HOME this year to celebrate her birthday!

I couldn't tell you why I have to wait so long for my precious Kimberlie.  It's so hard to wait now. I see her sweet face everywhere. I can imagine her eating at the kitchen table, playing in the living room and sleeping in her room.  I think about what it will be like to drive her around in my car and take her to Target (I will admit I do practice sometime). It's very hard not have her and the adoption consume your thoughts (I guess I am failing miserably).

I have no choice but to cling to this verse:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who’ve been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV)

I do know I love God and he will work this for good. I  do believe God's knows the exact date when I will get to hug and kiss her again and the exact we will have our airport homecoming party! He wants her home too! He will work this waiting for GOOD!!! 
  

The worst definitely is the WAITING... but the best will be SOOOOOOOOOOO WORTH IT!!!!

Please pray with me that I exit MOI this coming week and that Kimberlie turns 2 years old in Eagan, MN !!! 

June Update

This month I got to learn about the women who love on and care for Kimberlie on a daily basis, her nannies. Her nannies names are Maki and Mona. These amazing women are Kimberlie's mommies until she comes home , I hope to be able to thank them personally when I pick her up to come home. 

This month I would like to introduce you to the amazing women who care for your children on a daily basis.  Their nannies!  These women are there for them throughout the entire day.  These women spend more time with the children than anyone else.  From  morning to evening, their days are spent feeding, changing, comforting, encouraging, playing with, and meeting the children’s needs.  What our volunteers do is very valuable and necessary but we could not provide the level of care we do for these kids without our Haitian nannies.  I would like to give you the opportunity to get to know Kimberlie’s nannies a little bit so below you will find some info about each of the nannies that are currently assigned to her.  Each lady works four days on and then they get two days off.  In our main nursery the nannies sleep right in the room with the kids so they are able to be there for them if they need something in the night.  Each of these kids has two primary nannies that tend specifically to them. The smaller nurseries are staff by night nannies and nurses for nightly feedings and wake-up calls.  The kids who live in these nurseries are cared for by three primary nannies that are assigned to the specific room.  There is at least two nannies in these rooms at any given time.  Kimberlie has lived in each of the nurseries throughout her life here at GLA.    It is amazing to see the love these ladies have for each of the children in their care.  We want you to know and value the love and care Kimberlie receives from her nannies on a daily basis. 

These are pictures of Kimberlie with her volunteer and some gifts  I sent to her last month. 

ADOPTION UPDATE:  I am still waiting for Kimberlie's passport. To be completely honest, I have been really discouraged the last few weeks. I really thought Kimberlie would be much closer to coming home by this time of the summer. 

Please pray with me that Kimberlie will be home before her second birthday in September.