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