Update Photos...

That is Patricia's "I don't want to be doing this" face.

Our friend, Jen, took this one before she left Haiti.
I was hoping to see big smiles, but it is just nice to see updates, however we can get them! I think, though, that I will keep looking at this one...(I took it)

Weary on the Journey...

I don't mean to exclude my non-adopting pals, but really, you have to be an adoptive parent to totally, fully understand how this process wears you out, financially, physically, mentally, spiritually, psychologically, and every other "ally". We are close with China, which is great, but we just found out that we have to have DNA testing done for Philippe and their bio father. You know who pays for that, too. You do. So I don't need to tell you! Just tired. Tired of invoices. Tired of waiting. Tired of stupid things like fingerprints EXPIRING. Just plain weary and tired. So. THERE.

Sisters Make a Happier Home

Since we will soon have two daughters in the house, I found this rather encouraging. Researchers are saying that having a sister makes you happier and more optimistic. The Telegraph reports:

Growing up with at least one girl in the family also makes people more able to cope with their problems, according to the study.

Daughters tie loved ones closer together and encourage them to communicate their emotions more effectively, the researchers believe.

Prof Tony Cassidy, from the University of Ulster, who carried out the study with researchers from De Montfort University in Leicester, said that having a sister helped to promote good mental health.

He said: "Sisters appear to encourage more open communication and cohesion in families. However, brothers seem to have the alternative effect. Emotional expression is fundamental to good psychological health and having sisters promotes this in families."

Girls who had sisters also tended to be more independent and keen on achievement, according to the findings.

The article reminded me of Dawn's favorite song from the movie White Christmas:

Haiti, Last Day with the Kids

Oh, this is a hard day to blog about...our last day with our kids. I think that is why it has taken me so long to post it. You will see in it in their eyes throughout the day. Sometimes they are smiling and happy and perhaps forget for a moment, then others, you know that they fully realize that this is our last day together.

We were told long-sleeved jammies were good because the kids aren't used to air conditioning (oooh, wait until the Minnesota winters!) But the jammies were sometimes a challenge for them to get off...hee hee hee! (and how did she get the dress on??)

"No - don't play with the camera!"

Patricia and I spent our last bit of time at the hotel doing our nails

I had only planned on doing hers...

But when I finished she immediately started on mine

As I thought, "we should get a picture of our toes" she picked up the camera and got a picture

Hugging my boy!

Daddy's girl!

Ugh. In the van to go back to the orphanage. When some of the babies went back to the orphanage the night before, Patricia looked at me and said, "No fini, Mama" and I said, "You don't have to go back this time" but today she knew she did. We were the last ones in the van. She was standing outside the van pulling on my arm saying, "No Mama, No. I don't want it to be finished. Please. No." Ouch. And they asked us not to let them see us cry. Whew.

This small building is across from the hotel entrance (our hotel was protected by an armed guard). Lee said he was trying to figure out what the shed was for and then we realized that this is a home.On our way back...

At the orphanage the boys called me "Mama Philippe" and Lee "Papa Philippe"

And the girls called us "Mama Patricia" and "Papa Patricia"
They had to eat on their own because the other kids had already had dinner. You can see her face here...she wouldn't even look at me.

But then she went to Daddy.And then she came up behind me and played with my hair. Lee said that when this little girl came up, she went to touch my hair and Patricia put her hand up and said a firm, "NO!" (as though to say, "she's MY Mama!")

Time for Philippe to eat...he seemed to like that I was just sitting there, watching him eat.He moved over closer so that he was sitting right across from me

Back on the porch...knowing that time is coming to an end...

Hugging goodbye

He probably tickled her!Me hugging Patricia goodbye...

Hugging sweet Philippe goodbye. Oh, his face shows what we all were feeling! Lee took this and then he said, "Ohhh...that was a sad one"

He looked sad mixed with betrayed when we left and Patricia cried. I did ok with the not letting them see me cry but the second the van door shut...just ask my fellow travelers...it wasn't pretty.

We miss them so much and feel fortunate that we have these pictures. We wish that they had photos, too, since it seems unfair that we get to re-live these precious days in pictures. We hope to get some to them soon. Thank you, everyone, for all your prayers and support. This has been an exciting journey but it has not been without tears. The Lord has brought these Haitians and these Minnesotans together and we are so grateful for it. And they WILL be home someday.

Gentlemen, Start Your Grills!

We kicked off the 2009 grilling season this evening with chicken topped with a spicy mango sauce, along with grilled zucchini, yellow squash, onions, sweet peppers, and cheese-topped corn casserole.



Definitely good eats!

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(Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.)

Haiti, Day Four

I asked Lee to put some aloe vera on my back and within seconds Patricia hopped up and gently rubbed it on my back. If you look at my hand, it is holding Philippe's hand.And here is the rest of him. Doesn't that look like a face of a boy who needs a mama?

View of the mountains from our hotel

We brought a ice cream bucket and a kit to make a stone cast of their handprints
Swimming with the kids

Here is this picture but focused on the kids. They are both smiling big smiles at their Papa!

We got some cute pictures

A little personality from Philippe...

We enjoyed spending time with a new-found friend, Sandy. And our kids love playing together.

Here are Angelo and Angela again
We had an extra cake from Patricia's birthday so we had fun sharing it with other families and staff at the hotel

We have decided that their homecoming presents will be those kid-friendly digital cameras! It will be neat to see America from their perspective. It was cool to find pictures on the camera that neither Lee nor I took...even though they were told NOT to touch the camera :)

More to come!