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.