A Heart in Two Worlds

Adoption Timeline

Sept. 13, 2010: ADOPTION DAY!!
May 2010: Find out we have a Haitian adoption decree from December 2009.
Jan. 24, 2010: Islande and Katiana join us in the U.S.!
Jan. 12, 2010: 7.0 Quake hits Haiti
Dec. 6, 2009: Happy 5th Birthday, Katiana!
Nov. 12, 2009: Hear we're in Civil Court awaiting the judge's approval.
Oct. 24-28, 2009: Jodie makes sixth trip (Mark makes second) to Haiti to sign a blank notebook to "prove" we want our girls. We also find out on the trip that we exited Parquet in June or July 2009, but have sat in limbo since then.
Sept. 26, 2009: Fingerprints done for third time; also find out we have to go to Haiti to "prove" we want our girls.
June 8, 2009: News our file has been submitted to Parquet (I don't know what date we went in).
May 16, 2009: Receive word that we have IBESR approval! Now it's off to Parquet.
April 4, 2009: Jodie hears from several friends that she and Mark are listed in the March 2, 2009, edition of Le Moniteur as having received dispensation. Still awaiting to hear about IBESR.
March13-18, 2009: Jodie makes fifth trip to Haiti. Files are STILL in dispensation (again).
March 5, 2009: Happy 9th Birthday, Islande!
January 20, 2009: Second homestudy update, preparing for I-171H update (grrrrrr).
January 16, 2009: Request 2nd extension of I-72/I-600 since signing in July.
December 6, 2008: Happy 4th Birthday, Katiana!
July 19-24, 2008: Fourth trip to Haiti to sign I-600
July 1, 2008: Update fingerprints and take certificates to State Department for authentication; send docs with friends to Haiti July 8.
June 28: We actually do need to have "Certificate of Good Communal Living," which must be notarized, authenticated, translated and legalized before sending to Haiti -- NOW!
June 26, 2008: Hear from social worker that "Certificate of Good Communal Living" not required; but also that I have to travel to Haiti to sign I-600
June 16, 2008: IBESR wanting another "Certificate of Good Communal Living" from us, even though we did one in January
May 5, 2008: We hear we're out of dispensation
March 5, 2008: Happy 8th birthday, Islande!
February 2008: Third trip to Haiti
February 2008: Find out we're in dispensation (renewed step within IBESR)
February 2008: Home study expiring. Have to pay to update.
January 2008: Receive word that IBESR requests a letter stating how long Mark and I have known each other
December 6, 2007: Happy 3rd Birthday, Katiana!
October 7, 2007: We hear we're in IBESR. Files 15810 and 15811
August 24, 2007: We have First Legalization
August 2007: Dossier complete in time for Jodie to hand-deliver dossier to Haiti on mission trip
June 2007: We make our first trip to Haiti. God chooses for us Islande and Katiana
April 2007: Russia shuts down U.S. adoptions until further notice
April 2007: God switches our gears from Russia to Haiti.
April 2007: Differences between adoption and home study agencies force us to choose one. We stay with home study agency.
March 2007: Receive overwhelming instructions for dossier
February 2007: Finish home study
December 2006: Begin home study
November 2006: Sent application for Russian adoption

Friday, March 18, 2011

Charis' First Missing Tooth

I know. I know. It's been ages since I've been on here. Life happens.

But on Feb. 25, at age 6 1/2, Charis lost her first tooth. The permanent one was coming in behind it. And at this point (March 18) she still hasn't lost that baby tooth's partner.

Monday, January 17, 2011

California Christmas

We arrived in SoCal on Dec. 22. For Esther and Zoe, it was a whirlwind of seeing family, meeting family, and meeting friends.

My parents.

On Christmas Eve day, we visited
Mark's cousin's family.
Our girls are with Kensie and Kadie.

Mark and his twin/cousin, Jeff.

I don't know these people.

Jeff, Charlotte, Kensie and Kadie

Christmas Eve back with Jodie's nieces:
Rachel, Charis, Sarah, Esther, Zoe and Samantha

Christmas morning and opening stockings.

Have you ever seen anyone so excited over
a tape measure?!?!

Decorating cookies after Christmas dinner.

Alex, Samantha, Ariel and Rachel

Ariel, Rachel and Sarah

Jodie's family

The extended family: Grandma, aunt and her kids (and new grandbaby),
uncle and aunt and their kids

Before we left, we were able to have lunch and coffee
with Mark's good friends and their kids.

Then we were able to take a ride in a friend's
1929 Model T.

It was a great ride, including the need to push the car
to get it started after having issues at a gas station.

We were going to leave Wednesday, but a bad storm was set to hit the Flagstaff area, so we chose to leave Tuesday ... but first we all had haircuts set. Priorities, man!

Zoe's first hair cut.
OK, so I ask "Dante" how much he thought needed to come off. He said about an inch. So I'm in a chair on the other side of the salon having my hair done, and an hour later ...

Zoe's short 'do. It's cute. Not what I expected or hoped for. I miss her puffs. But it will grow back and be healthy. Eventually.

We woke up in Williams, Ariz., the next morning to A LOT of snow. Other than some weather in the Gallup, NM, area, we had a good trip in. We planned to spend an extra day with Mark's parents, but that was stretched out because of the storm that hit, especially after seeing the footage of dozens of cars sliding on the icy roads.

Christmas #2

We left mid-afternoon on Dec. 20. Our plan was to spend the first night with Mark's family in New Mexico.

Waiting ...
(doesn't that remind you of dog obedience training?)

We spent the second night in Laughlin. We picked that destination because of cheap hotels, not realizing it's 45 minutes off the interstate. However, it was all worth it for what was next door to our hotel ...

In-N-Out!!!

(it's a California thing ...)

E and Z and their first In-N-Out. They could have cared less.

Photo break with the cool Santa figure in the hotel. Esther is thrilled to be there. I was just thrilled to be out of the car!

Christmas #1

We were going to have Christmas at home. My mom shipped gifts for the kids. We planned on seeing Mark's folks around the New Year. But then things changed.

And we had a chance to drive to CA for the holidays.

So things had to be shifted into high gear, and the girls' first Christmas with us began Dec. 18.

And a friend's Bible study blessed us with some toys in addition to the clothes/shoes we got the kids. The girls loved all of their gifts.

Last but not least ... what could these be?!?!?!

Pillow Pets!! (Mommy had to be the hero somehow)

Christmas Letters and Crafts

The letters/cards are all by Charis. It is so fun seeing how she is able to sound things out -- whether or not the spelling correct (like giving Santa milck and apls) -- hey, works for me! The only thing on Charis' wish list was the dreaded Pillow Pet. The darling angel was created by Zoe, using a template and a punch pin. What a cute idea!

Hot Wheels Cake

Hot Wheels cake for Nathanial. Half-sheet vanilla cake with vanilla icing.
Images are Frozen Buttercream Transfers.

Zoe's First Christmas Program and School Christmas Party

OK, I know I've taken forever to get these posted. The problem is my computer has no room and I had to clean off a bunch of photos from earlier in the year, which I didn't do until recently.