Wow, I didn't realize it had been so many days since I updated . . .

I'm back in the zone of telling myself,
each and every day,
that I CHOOSE to be hopeful
and have faith that word will come regarding Dimitry's USCIS approval,
but at the end of the day
(more accurately, at the end of the Haitian business day, 
two hours ahead of our time zone),
I find myself disheartened and discouraged and feeling defeated once more.

How hard can it be to approve legally attained documents for a child who has lived in an orphanage for 3/4 of his life, with no biological parent interaction?

Why are some able to pass through USCIS in three weeks, submission to approval??

Is it because we lack agency representation?
Is it because the orphanage is remote and holds no creche' licensure?
It is because others have taken advantage and illegally obtained documents, so all files are being scrutinized?

Let's be clear,
I don't care why,
I want this done and over-with and my child home.

No one deserves to be teased with a stable family in an affluent country for 3 1/2 years.

No child should meet a mother and father and brother,
hear that he is loved and wanted,
then left in an institution with 60+ other children,
month after long, stifling month,
wondering if he misunderstood or if circumstances have changed.

post-earthquake rebuild

the new orphanage in Fondwa

I realize that dear friends and others who walk this journey want to be informed,
but it is the lack of communication, day after day, after year,
that keeps me from posting more often.

He should've been home a long time ago.
There is nothing questionable or curious in his file, that we are aware of.
Our 4 year old baby boy in the pink boots
is now 8 and still needs a family.

I wish I had something more encouraging to post,
but for now,
it's the same ol', same ol' story
of waiting and wondering.

One of these mornings,
I'll actually check my email at work and have something to rejoice about.

In the meantime . . .

There are a lot of things I've learned about myself along this adoption journey,
and a lot that I have learned to see in other people, as well.


We often doubt ourselves and what we are capable of because it does not fit the image of what we witness around us. When we do meet someone who is doing powerful things, we think we can't possibility make that kind of impact . . . why not?

What holds us back?
Fear of failure? Lack of support from those around us?

Stepping beyond the "norm" and doing bigger, better things to impact the "least of these" is not impossible,
and while it sometimes brings unwanted attention or notoriety, it also serves as an example to others -- little people can bring about big change.

It may not be your calling to travel and do mission work or adopt children into your family, but each person has a unique gift that allows them to give back.

I have a lovely friend whose family volunteers at Harvesters, a community food bank in the Kansas City area, and she has consistently recruited others to work alongside herself, her husband and her children, gathering and sorting food items for those in need. Will it get her face on the evening news? Not likely, and that's just fine, but their efforts make a difference to those who might otherwise go hungry in the area of that outreach.

Sometimes the work we are called to, doesn't offer immediate rewards . . . to anyone involved.


But it is amazing, at the end of the journey, looking back and realizing the hurdles that were cleared and the obstacles that narrowly avoided our path.

Those who have traveled our adoption road with us know how tenuous things were for a time . . .

We lost the ability to adopt one child due to 1974 abandonment laws in Haiti, and feared losing the ability to adopt Dimitry for a time.
Our confidence in our attorney was frighteningly low, and the lack of communication and action on his part exacerbated the situation.
When laws began to change and independent adoptions were no longer to be allowed, I panicked and contacted a group that I hoped would lead us to the finish line in time.
Looking back, we are so blessed that our attorney kept his word and submitted our son's documents, rather than turning anything over to these other people.
Unfortunately, for many, many families, unscrupulous and unethical acts have caused children to suffer.

My faith was thin, but God knew His plan for us, all along.

I don't have the answers, and certainly wouldn't want my face as a poster child for good deeds, but I am blessed to know good people with huge hearts who have walked with us the past 3 and 1/2 years. I'm so appreciative of the prayers, the financial support and the encouragement we have received from so many.

Sometimes, we don't know what we are capable of until we step out in faith.

Sometimes, we just need another's hand to lead us or hold onto along the way.

And sometimes, we just need to muster up the courage to follow our heart and go against what we hear is possible.

Come on USCIS

It's the start of another week

of praying this child home

So, Eric's prediction was spot on . . .
for a different family :)

USCIS in Port-au-Prince is consistently scheduling visa appointments 2 weeks from approval notice,
which, for the family who received their good news last week,
is February 27th.
This is good information for us, as we look ahead to spring break,

a scheduled mission trip to Haiti (hmmm), etc.

What we think is this:
March is looking like a very good month for a long-awaited
homecoming.

Please join us in prayer that our family's hearts will be prepared for all the changes,
good and not so good,
that are yet to come.

Counting down . . .

Hmmmm . . .

Eric has made a prediction,
so in the hopes that he will be THAT good
and it will come true,
I'm going to share it --

He says that Thursday feels like a good day to hear from USCIS regarding Dimitry's approval.

I pray he is right!

Yeah,
you haven't missed anything.

We are just waiting . . .

Waiting for our home study addendum to be done because we relocated;
Waiting to hear that USCIS is done reviewing Dimitry's file and
Waiting for I-600 approval;
Waiting for a visa appointment.

Just waiting.

tick tock

tick tock

tick tock

Don't worry,
we'll let you know when there is something to tell.

In the meantime,
we're planning . . .
1st trip to Walt Disney World (won't that blow him away?)
Time off for summer camp
2014 holidays

tick tock

tick tock

Almost time

It's surreal that we submitted our completed dossier to the attorney in Haiti on October 21, 2011,
eight months after meeting our son and receiving permission to adopt him.

A full year after meeting Sister Carmelle and getting her blessing to adopt from the orphanage in Fondwa.

This week we submitted the final documents requested by the United States Citizenship and Immigration department to support our son's orphan status.

Now we wait . . .
We have gotten better at waiting.

The next step?
USCIS will (hopefully) approve Dimitry's orphan status and legal adoption --

they will notify us via email,

and we will sing and dance and shout praises of joy.

Then,
we will wait for the final email: a visa application appointment.

After all this time and travel and expense,
this is the end of the adoption journey . . .
and the beginning of a wonderful adventure.

Along the way,
we've met some awesome individuals and families
who have shared their stories, their struggles, their triumphs, and their advice with us.

Most of these faces we will never see in person,
but thanks to Facebook and email,
we know them
and we've cried with them,
we've prayed for them
and we've rejoiced as they've gotten closer to bringing their babies home.

Soon, it will be Dimitry's turn.

I cannot believe that he turned 8 years old this week.

I cannot believe how much has happened and changed since that first trip to Fondwa in February 2011.

I cannot believe that we are finally this close to our son's homecoming.

Now,
we wait.