First Visit to the Zoo

Sunday was such a lovely day, so we introduced Esther and Zoë to our mountain zoo.


Posing with one of the life-size replicas of one of the zoo's many giraffes.


Esther loved the giraffes. She even tried to pet them, but since we didn't have crackers for them, they didn't give her the time of day.

This lioness was very curious about how the onlookers would taste. She tried to paw her way through the glass.

Charis loves the carousel!

Zoë wasn't too sure, but I think she mostly liked it.

Esther loved it, too!

The girls were able to pet a pancake tortoise, like the one that visited Charis' class a few weeks ago.

And then we visited the gorillas ...

Hair

I did tiny box braids on Esther's hair yesterday/today. It took me 6 hours (longest session yet). But I like the look of the tiny braids on her. We must teach Daddy, so he can help!

I don't like how the ends turned out, but her hair is so uneven. I hope it lasts a couple weeks.

I love this headband that we picked up recently.

I did Zoë's hair last week (March 19, I think) -- two-strand rope twists with beads. I think it took me about 2 1/2 hours. This was the first time I've done her hair (and she's been home 9 weeks!), but her hair is so stinking cute loose and natural. But she begged me to do her hair.

It's so hard for her to sit still, and lots of beads went flying during the process. She eventually fell asleep (before bedtime), probably because she was more still than normal!

God Uses Disasters

Please read these accounts of how God worked through the earthquake in Haiti.

These are from Pierre, a pastor and director at the orphanage where Esther Islande and Zoe Katiana lived for 5 and 2 1/2 years, respectively.

Echoing my friend Lisa, I'm so blessed that my children had such a Godly man leading the orphanage, and so blessed to worship my God who is bigger than all the evil and pain in this world!

To clarify a few things ... The women he talks about praying in the church are likely from the church where he is a pastor. Marie France is Pierre's wife, and they have a new baby (maybe 6 months old??) and I think two or three older daughters. Clenide oversees the nannies at the orphanage. Kiki and Franckis are Pierre's brothers -- Kiki is our adoption processor. Franckis manages the adminstrative things at the orphanage.

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Please read this, too.

Bowling

We attended a bowling birthday party for a neighbor today. It was the first time any of our girls had been. The gutter guards were up on the kids' lane; Charis and Zoe used the metal frame to get their balls rolling. Esther rolled hers on her own most of the time. We all had a great time.


Ben, the birthday boy.


Esther bowling.


Esther's ball almost made a strike.




Charis and Esther getting their balls.


Charis using the rack to help. Toward the end of the session she went without.

The 6-pound ball nearly dwarfs 30-pound Zoe.

Zoe gets ready for her shot.

Check out that attention!

Esther's First Week at School

Esther started school Friday, March 12. It was basically a "party" day since her third-grade class had just finished CSAP testing. Her teacher seems really sweet and the kids are very helpful and friendly. Someone is always watching out for Esther.


Esther with her lunch pack, ready to tackle Evans Elementary.

The school decided to put her in third grade, basing that mostly on her age. I don't agree with their assessment, but the principal and the ELL instructor both said she'd do well. They cited two boys who came from Ethiopia a year or two ago, who knew less English than Esther. They put them at grade level, and within a year and change, they are caught up. I'm willing to trust their judgment and give it a try.


Esther at her desk on the first day before the other students arrived.

One week later, Esther says her favorite thing at school is recess. :)

She was supposed to have her first spelling test Friday, but the district closed all schools anticipating the blizzard (we didn't get much snow in our part of town).

When she first got her list of 15 words, we had to go through and explain what some of the words meant, in English and Creole. Some of the things she wasn't even sure of what they were in Creole. Plus, there were both its and it's -- try to explain that concept with a language barrier!

She's now off two weeks for spring break.

Charis goes to an area charter school, where she is thriving. The work a grade-level ahead (so my kindergartner is doing 1st-grade work), so that wouldn't work for Esther right now. Plus the school doesn't offer an ESL/ELL program. I wanted to get Esther into the same school as one of her friends from the orphanage, but the district told me no. Since Evans is our home school, and since it has an ELL program, she must go there. But I have put in a request for "School of Choice" for next year, hoping she and W. can be together.

But having two kids in two different schools not near each other has posed a problem. Charis' school, which is 10 minutes north of us, starts at 8:15. Esther's school, which is two minutes as the crow flies, but 5-10 minutes west in actual drive time, starts at 8:20. So a friend who lives closer to Charis' school and whose son attends said school, has graciously agreed to take Charis. So we leave the house 15 minutes earlier, drop off Charis at our friends' house, and swing back around to take Esther to school.

Pick up hasn't been an issue yet since Charis is only half-day K.

Esther's school does offer bus service, but I'm not comfortable with her doing that yet. If she still has to be at Evans next year, I will have to consider busing.

Zoe has been adjusting well to the new schedule. The first day Esther was gone was stressful for her. She cried silently (she does nothing silently) in the back seat of the car. But everyday, as soon as we drop off Esther, she asks if it's time to get Charis. All morning she wants to get Charis and Esther. She gets really upset when I tell her it's not time.

I've been trying to work with Zoe on her English and getting her ready for school. I'm hoping to start her in kindergarten at the charter school Charis attends. I think Zoe could adjust there more easily than Esther, since Esther is already so behind. Zoe is so anxious to start school, but there are some other issues (behavioral and attachment) we have to deal with first.

Happy 10th Birthday, Esther!

Friday, March 5, was Esther's 10th birthday. I had been praying that she'd be home before this milestone, but I truly didn't think it would happen. But you all know how God works.

After we picked up Charis from school, we went to lunch/play with friends. We then went home to nap (moods dictated that, plus I knew we'd be up late). We met Daddy at Red Robin after he got off work.

I wasn't quite ready with my camera when the waitstaff started singing, and I'm not really sure Esther knew what to think of it. But they brought her ice cream, so it couldn't be bad, right?




Sharing with her sisters.

After dinner, we went over to the mall to have the girls' ears pierced (they've been asking for it ever since they arrived home). Both girls had had their ears pierced (probably at birth), but the holes were uneven and closed up.

Esther was to go first, so Mark had to walk Zoë around the store to keep her "in the dark" about the process.


Speaking of "in the dark," check out these shades!

Esther shows off her new earrings (with Kinderbear). She didn't flinch during the piercing.

As I had mentioned earlier, Esther had previous uneven piercings. In fact, the previous hole in one of her ears is so high, it looks like a piercing for a second earring now.

Time for Esther and Charis to flash the shades!

Zoë and her new piercings. She didn't flinch either. You have to wonder how much these girls have gone through that this was no big deal to them.

We told Zoë this was her belated birthday gift (her birthday was in December).

(After much discussion in English and Creole about the importance of her not playing with or removing her earrings, she took one of them out the next day. It was several hours later, but I found the earring (not the back), and it took several attempts to get it back in. Hopefully she'll obey now.)

When we got home, Esther opened her presents from Mark's family. Auntie Kim got Esther a bear from Build-A-Bear, with a voice box in it. Esther had taken over Charis' bear, so I know this will be a much-loved gift.

Esther holds up the fleece blanket made by Grandma Eyberg. Esther had picked out the fabric a few weeks ago. (Yeah! Now Mommy gets her blanket back!) Grandma and Grandpa Eyberg also gave Esther money toward her ear piercing.

On Saturday, we planned a get-together with the other families at our church who adopted Haitian children. It would be the first time in seven weeks that Esther and Zoe have seen some of their friends. We also used this opportunity to have a birthday party for Esther. We were missing some families, but we still had a great turnout, and talked about getting together like this on a regular basis.

My friend Charity donated the cake!

Esther and V.

Charis and her party blower.

Esther and her cake.

The candles were the "sparkler" kind and were quite difficult for her to blow out.

One of the families brought balloons to make things for the kids. Great idea!

Princess Esther and her crown.

Little Miss Sass.

Charis and her rose.

Esther and Y.

Zoe and her rose.

R., Esther, M, Y, and W.

Welcome Back, "Warm" Days

Tuesday was the first "warm" (close to 50) day we've had. There was no wind, and it was lovely, so we spent the afternoon outside playing.


Charis with Kinderbear. Kinderbear is given to each child in Charis' class for a week. This was Charis' turn. We took pictures and kept a journal of Kinderbear's week with us.


Zoë on the swing.


Esther on the swing. It didn't take her long to figure out how to do it.

After playing on the swing set, we moved out front to ride bikes, play paddle ball, soak up more rays. Zoë even pedaled her bike some.

Esther was all smiles as she opened her birthday card from Grandma and Grandpa Green. In the card was a gift card for her to get her bike. We went to get it after Daddy got home.

Charis has Kinderbear ready for fun on the bike.

Esther and her new bike. I had to have her wait until Daddy got home from work to help her. I tried, but it's hard to run beside with Zoë holding onto my shirt.

Thursday morning I did double strand rope twists on Esther's hair. These took me 2 1/2 hours (a bit better than the 5 hours it took me for the box braids with beads).