New Pictures from Haiti

Thanks to Mabel for these pictures!

Oh, I WANT THESE GIRLS HOME NOW!


My smiley Islande.


It's hard to see Katiana unhappy, but it's one picture in a moment of time. I'm sure she was trying to push her way through, or getting squished in the throng of girls in the larger picture from which I cropped this.

The House the Charis Built

We bought a Wilton gingerbread house today. It was already put together, but there was still plenty for her to do. I mixed up the royal icing, but let her do the rest.





Look at that intensity.


My beautiful girl.


Charis and her finished product.

Why Wouldn't I?

Thanks Julie for sharing this.

(Turn off my Playlist at the bottom of the blog before launching.)

BIG Baby Shower Cake

That's big cake ... I don't know how big the baby is :)

I received a call Thursday about doing a last-minute cake for a baby shower. At first the woman I talked to thought it was for 15. No problem. Nope. Later she called back to say it's actually for 50! Yikes!

She wanted me to do something like the plates:

So we have two 12" rounds and 2 8" rounds of chocolate afterburn cake with vanilla buttercream. Accents are fondant and gumpaste.

It took me 15 hours to make this.

Last Day of School for Year

Today was Charis' last day of school until the beginning of the new year. There was going to be a party today, and when I came in, Mrs. Wright was reading a Snoopy story to the kids. (Did you know Lucy and Linus have a brother named Rerun?)



After the story, each child was allowed to pick a treat from the Treasure Chest.




Then then children decorated a paper mitten with glue and glitter. The janitor is going to have fun tonight!



Then, after class, Charis and I went to get lunch for her, then came back to school for her to have "Lunch with the Principal" for being a Star Student for the month of December. Below, she is standing next to her bio on the Wall of Fame in the school lobby.



Well, this was Charis' first experience in the lunchroom (wow, what a noise, and it was only K-1st kids). There was a certain table set aside, decorated with colorful tablecloths, and festive decorations. Each child was given a certificate with a coupon for a free meal at Texas Roadhouse, pencil, candy and a cupcake. At the end of lunch, the PTO president announced every Star Student's name and grade.



But no sign of the principal. The VP made a brief appearance as Charis and I were leaving. He gave Charis a pat on the head, which made her day. But then we saw the VPs dogs in the office, and that REALLY made her day.

I'm so proud of my girl!

Song about Adoption Wait During Christmas

Friends Kristi and Lisa posted this on their blogs. I have to share. Even though it was written about an adoption from China, it still applies to all of us who remain "paper pregnant" as another Christmas comes and goes.

Here are some new pictures to look at while the song plays
(be sure to pause my player at the bottom of the blog).


Katiana and Islande


Katiana


Islande with Edeline



Here's another clip with Brad Avery explaining the background of the song.

Lyrics:Merry Christmas - Third Day

There's a little girl trembling on a cold December morn
Crying for momma's arms
At an orphanage just outside a little China town
There the forgotten are

But half a world away I hang the stockings by the fire
And dream about the day when I can finally call you mine

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms
And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

As I hang the tinsel on the tree and watch the twinkling lights
I'm warmed by the fire's glow
Outside the children tumble in a wonderland of white,
Make angels in the snow

But half a world away you try your best to fight the tears
And hope that heaven's angels come to carry you here

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms
And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

Christmas is a time to celebrate the Holy Child
And we celebrate his perfect gift of love
He came to earth to give his life
To prepare a place for us
So we could have a home with Him above

It's Christmas time again and now you're home
Your family is here so you will never be alone
So tonight before you go to sleep, I'll hold you in my arms
And I'll tell you from my heart, and I'll you from my heart
I wish you Merry Christmas

Happy Birthday, My Love

Happy birthday to my sweet husband!


Mark, you are a wonderful man of integrity. Thank you for all you do and how hard you work. I love you!


And thank you for not leaving me out here teetering on the edge alone. Welcome to 39!

At your birthday party many, many, many years ago :)

This is my favorite picture of you from our wedding day.

The first time you held our daughter.

As we arrived for our first trip to Haiti.


You with your Haitian Sensations.

Happy Birthday, Captain Luke (arrrggghhhh)

The latest cake I've made for Emily and her family:


For her son, Luke, who recently turned 5, and who loves pirates.

Here are some of the cakes I have made for her kids this year:







And I expect I'll be making one for Noah when he arrives home from China, as well!

Speaking of China, Emily heads a foundation to help orphans in Henan Province. Emily wrote on her blog: Henan Kids International's purpose is to raise money and awareness for the orphans in Henan. The money raised goes for a variety of purposes: buying formula, training foster families, buying rocking chairs so that babies can be rocked, paying for surgeries for cleft lip and heart babies, buying winter clothes.

Please visit their site and see how you can help!

Happy 5th Birthday, Sweet Katiana!!

This was the day you were brought to the orphanage. June 6, 2007. You were so petite that everyone thought you were about 16 months old. As it turns out, you really were 2 1/2! Daddy and I fell in love with you when we saw your picture. We met you the next morning for a brief time before we left for the airport.


June 2007


July 2007


August 2007


September 2007 -- Love the attitude -- a sign of things to come?


October 2007


I don't remember when this update shot was taken (early 2008), but boy, you sure look like you birth mom here.


April 2008


August 2008 -- I can't believe how much you've changed, even since then.


October 2009 -- This was the second time you got to see Daddy. You weren't too sure about him at first, but it only too 10 minutes before you were all over him.


And giving him attitude.


I love watching you smile and have fun.

Especially with your Daddy.

(turn off music player at the bottom of the blog)




I pray you're home with us soon. We love you and pray you have a wonderful birthday, Sweet Katsi!

Sleeping Beauty Cake

Today I finished a Sleeping Beauty cake for my friend Emily's daughter, Amy.

The cake is white velvet with vanilla buttercream. Sleeping Beauty (dressed for Christmas, of course) was created with color flow (creates a hard image after drying several days). I then brushed her dress with shimmer dust. The roses are buttercream with white cake sparkles (like glitter flakes).

Fun and Fancy, Free!

We braved the bitter cold Saturday while Daddy was working to go to the event at Borders Bookstore Fancy Nancy's "Splendiferous Christmas" event. Of course, Charis had to be dressed fancy.

There were a number of issues that happened as we were leaving and on the way to the event, and we were late. We missed the story. Missed the hot cocoa. Missed the coloring. But the good news was that the store was going to do another storytime later that afternoon.

Daddy met us at Borders, and while they were looking at books, I stood in line for my free $10 gift card during a promotion the mall was doing.

We also got our free candied apples from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Then went to a local eatery for which we had coupons for free lunch.

So, by the time we were finished, it was nearly time for the next story time. We arrived early, anticipating the huge crowds again.

No one was there.

Charis had the story time all to herself.




So they read TWO stories.


And enjoyed hot cocoa and chocolate cake with peppermint pieces on it from the cafe downstairs.


And colored.


And made crafts.


And then she ate all the M&Ms off her candied apple. Forget the apple. She went for the goodies.

That night it snowed. So on Sunday, it was all about:


Snow angels!

Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord

(Be sure to turn off music player at the bottom of the page)

Next Step

Here are steps we're in now, according to our processor.

Dossier sent to civil court (this takes about 7 weeks) (This is where we have just entered. We could have been here in June or July, except the judge in Parquet was making up his mind on whether or not to make families go sign).
Dossier goes to Parquet (no time line given here)
After Parquet, back to civil court (no time line given here)
After Judgment is granted, apply for adoption decree
Then, dossier back to Parquet to be stamped
Dossier to Department of Justice for final or 2nd legalization

This is expected to take several months. Please pray it goes smoothly and quickly!

Garden of the Gods

We spent a nice morning/afternoon together today. We had a "free" breakfast at Mimi's Cafe (if you sign up for their e-club you get coupons for free breakfast, and it's good for each person who has a coupon, so we just had to pay for extra drinks and tip), then we went hiking at Garden of the Gods. Charis and I had gone earlier in the week, but she was in her school uniform, and didn't have on appropriate shoes.

Today she could be a little more adventurous.

After our trek, we went to historic Manitou Springs (we've never been through there). We just drove around because there was nowhere to park, plus Charis fell asleep. I definitely have to go back, though.




This picture looks worse than it was!

Now that Charis is gung-ho for exploring, we need to do this more often.