A Very Happy Thanksgiving

We found out today that our dossier was received in Haiti on Thursday, November 24th! While we sat around the table with friends and family praying for our little man, God was answering our prayers and seeing that this Thanksgiving would be even more memorable than ever! 

A dossier for those curious, and so that you don't have to go back and reread previous blog entries, is our entire lives being presented to the Haitian government. We collected birth certificates, a marriage license, bank statements, IRS tax returns, letters of reference, our health reports (both mentally & physically), 3 forms of ID and a few important pieces I know I have left out. Almost without exception, each document needed to be notarized and then sent to the State of Colorado to be certified (this is a verification process that the notary is truly a notary). All these documents were our job to collect and process while our home study was written by our case worker, notarized and certified. They all came together to be bundled and reviewed by our agency BEFORE it was sent off to be translated into French. After translation, it was sent to the Haitian consulate in Chicago where the bundle was "legalized". When the adoption agency got it back, it was now officially ready to be sent to Haiti. You're all caught up - that's the last 5 months in a condensed soup! 

We still haven't received our clearance from Homeland Security yet to file Christopher's visa paperwork, but since Tracy isn't traveling with me on this trip it's a mute point. We both have to be present at the US Embassy in Haiti to file. We will get that done on our trip in April. His visa is the very last step and since we know we are still looking at an 18 month wait, there is no rush. 18 months you say? Yes. Now that our dossier is in Haiti, we have just paid the Haitian lawyers (via our agency) to put together Christopher's dossier; Smaller but pretty close to ours in required documentation. Once our dossiers are paired (which can take a couple of months) we will be presented to IBESR (Institut du Bien Etre Social et de Recherches - their Social Services). We then get sent to the President's desk for a dispensation. Their law states that no one with biological children may adopt from Haiti. They allow exceptions now with the Haitian President's signature. This can take up to 6 months we are told. Once that happens, we are sent back to IBESR to be assigned an file #. We are then and only then officially "in the system" and can kinda track our progress via our file #. Our paperwork will then be placed on 5 desks for signatures. That is why it takes so long and we will not have a lot of answers along the way. I am hoping to post every step of the way.

Our friends got back almost 2 weeks ago from visiting their little girl in Port au Prince. Hearing their story and seeing their pictures kept me up and restless for a few nights. As I lay praying for Christopher, I had to pray for my heart, too. I am a little unsure as to my emotional state after taking care of him for 3 days. He will be with me, eating, sleeping and playing in a different environment than he's used to. I'm not confident that he fully understands what adoption is. I have heard that the older children are told and understand the process. They are excited & hopeful when it's their turn to be taken on a "trip" with their "manman blan" and "papa blan" (white mom and dad). They know that someday they will have a family forever. I am thrilled to have one-on-one time without other needy toddlers competing for love and affection, but I am uncertain that I will see his real self if he's scared. I know God is preparing his heart and I know he has a longing to be loved by a mom. I am confident that God will give me a way to give him the hope that he needs. 

As I wrap this up, I have some pictures! Here's the bag of clothes to donate. It's not near 50 lbs yet! I'll take more diapers or kid clothes of any size if you are local:

The froggy bag is Christopher's that I will bring home with me and fill back up for next trip.

Here's what's in his bag this time - a photo book entitled "Fanmi mwen" (My Family), a teddy, a sippy cup, an activity book and crayons. There is a recordable book in the bottom picture that someone suggested taking and I just loved the idea. Each of the girls will record their voice on a page. They are thrilled!

I have drugs to stave off many kinds of sickness, bug spray, sanitizer, wet wipes and instant coffee

My bag will get repacked a couple more times but notice his stuff on the left takes up almost the same space that mine does :) This is a carry-on size; I'm packing light so I can bring the black bag back with presents!

As you pray for us the next 2 weeks before I leave on the 11th - 

> No sickness in our family before or during the trip

> Tracy does now have to go to Austin, TX the week before and the week I am gone to Haiti - pray for his peace being away and success on this new job 

> That I will be able to have everything organized for while I'm away as well as for our Christmas trip (we leave for Washington 4 days after I return)

> That God will prepare Christopher's heart to meet me and have new experiences 

What a big week

I have been putting off this update because God is moving us forward and I don't know when there will be any breathing time. So as I pant and try to catch my breath, let me bring you up to speed.

I posted 10 days ago Friday.
Saturday, Tracy and I decided that we should move forward in faith and plan my Haiti trip (without Tracy). There was a possibility that he may have to travel in December after all and we didn't want to pass up any potential work.

On Sunday, I was approached and asked how much more money I would need to make my trip to Haiti happen. I threw out a pretty random number not really knowing the cost of my hotel & food there in Haiti but guessing based on what other experiences had been. "That's about what we thought" was his response and our conversation ended. Later that day, we were presented with an amazing gift and a story that brings me to tears even as I write this. God had impressed on their hearts that their money was not their own. In a nutshell, and without sharing someone else's story, we should not put off giving when God prompts us. At church, we shared with another adoptive family about how we received our appointment letter with USCIS (Immigration) to have our fingerprints taken again. They encouraged us to try and go before our appointment time to see if we could get them earlier. They had done it without hassle. Love that we have friends who have gone before us with little pieces of advice that give us hope!

Monday, with my trip paid for, I began to plan and look into plane tickets. Our agency director will be in Haiti from December 5th-15th. I was planning on going before Mathea's birthday on the 12th but to my dismay, the 2nd half of his trip was to host the families that have children at Lifeline (where Christopher lives). I reluctantly told Mathea I would have to be gone for her birthday and to my surprise she told me that would be okay - she wouldn't be sad. That was a very different tune from the week before and so I knew God had helped her little heart. I think it helps that I'm going to try and Skype while in Haiti. She and I planned her family birthday for the day before I leave and I made a bowling party reservation for the weekend after  I return. She's thrilled.

Tuesday, I made plane reservations and a hotel reservation in Florida. There are only early morning flights from Florida to Haiti so I lose a day to travel but I was able to come into FL early enough that I can get to a hotel and try and get some sleep before my very early flight the next morning. I joined an adoption discussion group through CCAI. I also started buying stickers, nail polish and balloons for the kids at Lifeline. Tracy and I trekked to Aurora (East Denver) and got right in for our fingerprints - 9 days before our appointment! I am confident that God will send my letter soon so that I can check into the Embassy as an adoptive parent.

Wednesday, I gave my phone number to a South Dakota mom who will be in Haiti with me! She and I talked and I could hardly contain myself.  I scoured Facebook as she told me of people who had been there in the last few weeks and may have pictures of Christopher. Her son is 4 and will be staying with her and her husband in the hotel. I didn't realize that Christopher may be able to be with me at the hotel the entire trip. I am still clarifying that with the director but I am over the top thrilled and praying that he and I can bond in a closer way than I imagined during my 3 days there.

The rest of this week has been listening to Creole on CD and figuring out the differences between Creole and French. I have been following our dear friends by blog and Facebook as they have been in Haiti with their daughter.  I am unashamed to say that I have already pulled out my suitcase and packed some summer clothes and 3 oz. toiletries. I have a sweet running friend who gave me 4 HUGE bags of boy clothes that I went through and picked out my favorites to bring with me now and some favorites in 4T to save, hoping we will come home before he turns 5. We had a worship service on Sunday and I was able to share with everyone in 1st service God's testimony in the Hires' lives these past few months. It was awesome!

Phew! Please pray for Christopher's health. We heard that the kids have parasites (not uncommon) and they only get 2 meals a day with a small snack. One thing I just read as well is that he is shy and that's the first time I have heard them use that word to describe him. I don't want a petrified sweetie when I am there so please pray that God will give Him comfort in knowing this change is good and I love him.

Miracles Big and Small

We are still in the midst and I haven't fully processed all the strings that God is connecting for us, so I apologize if this post sounds disjointed.

I have struggled with sharing this portion of our journey. I desired to see the Holy Spirit work through the hearts of people without voicing our needs publicly. I know that God works through people as they hear the needs of those around them, but I had a deep desire to have a private prayer with God that He would wet the fleece and keep the ground dry (Judges 6:36-40) in this stage of our story.

As of September 1st, Tracy had no contract with the VA & it needed to be renewed. 3 weeks later, there was still no contract. A 2nd contract was available but he wouldn't start until after our anniversary trip in October. Fast forward 8 weeks, we had 4 failed contract, only 2 weeks of pay and our spirits were as low as our reserves. God was providing our needs but as we starting looking forward beyond today to our Christmas plans, 2nd round of steep adoption fees and our desire to go to Haiti, I went humbly before God and asked for miracles; big miracles that only He could perform. My prayers went beyond job offers or more work for me. They were prayers that asked God for supernatural provisions. They were prayers that the US government would move faster than could be explained. They were prayers for friends/family to send an unexpected email asking how they could help. They were prayers that God would be the only one that could possibly be credited at the end of this journey.

In the midst of the growing of our faith and the diminishing of our finances, God propositioned us with three avenues of giving. They were from 3 very deserving groups of people all desiring to meet the spiritual needs of people starting in our neighborhood & moving to around the world. These were in addition to paying for our adoption and our regular support of church & missions. Tracy and I both heard God loud and clear something we hadn't been living out to its fullest obedience. Our money is not our own. Ever. We are spending God's resources. We have no right to panic or second guess why we found ourselves in the position of want. We just needed to pray.

During my silence and prayer, I got a Facebook message from a dear friend offering us miles to get to Florida! She thought the offer might sound random; it made my heart leap! God heard my prayers. This Monday, October 31st, Tracy started a new contract that was better than any of the 4 contracts that fell through - no travel through December! After 2 long months, God heard our prayers and answered the way He knew we needed. Today, we received our letter of appointment to move forward with our immigration paperwork with Homeland Security. In 4 1/2 weeks, we could be on a plane to Haiti because we serve a mighty God who desires to show us His love by answering our prayers! The wheels are still in motion after being discouraged for many days these past months.

I am not sure if you have ever felt a tug on your heart to help us to bring Christopher home. If so, I just want to give you a couple areas in which we are praying for financial provision:
 - In the next 2 weeks, Christopher's paperwork needs to begin processing
 - Our travel expenses still needed to go to Haiti (getting to Florida is covered)

Thank you prayer warriors and friends who love us! I know that our lives are blessed because of you.