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

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Esther's First Christmas Program

Esther performed in the chorus for her first Christmas performance Tuesday: "Melton the Warm-Hearted Snowman." It was all third-graders. A chorus of fourth- and fifth-graders performed five songs before the musical.

Esther plays games with a classmate
before the performance.

Zoe and Charis

Esther singing with the chorus. She wanted to try out for a speaking part (back in August or September), but since there were weekly early morning rehearsals, Mark and I decided that this year she just needs to be used to being in school. She sings beautifully and her English has improved tremendously, so I'd like to encourage her try out next year.

The speaking cast

Esther on the set.

Monday, December 06, 2010

Zoe's Birthday Weekend

Cake I made for the combined party
for Zoe and Chessa. It's white velvet
butter cake with vanilla icing and a
frozen buttercream transfer.

Saturday was a combined birthday party for Zoe and her friend Chessa. One other adoptive family joined in the festivities.

Zoe, 6, and Chessa, 5. We did a
combined party with another
adoptive family.

Chessa's mom, Lael, serves up the cake.

Chessa's dad, Kevin, and Mark.

Esther and Kayla

Birthday girl Zoe

Charis (and her cracked lips)

Zoe shows off her new earrings.

Puppets for Zoe.

Of course we had to play "Kiss the Frog"

Lael's oldest daughter, Katie, and Susan's oldest, Megan

Zoe is ready for her turn.

After the party, we joined the Harrelsons at the Festival of Lights Parade downtown.

Chessa and Zoe

Katie and Charis

Lael, Katie, Esther, Chessa, Charis, Jodie, Zoe, Mark and Michael (sitting back)

Esther all bundled up

Grand Marshal 2010 U.S. Champion and Olympian Rachael Flatt

One of the dogs from the Greyhound Rescue

Chick-fil-A's Santa Cows

The float from Charis' and Zoe's school won "Best Use of Lights."

And of course, it has to end with Santa

On Sunday, the girls decorated our Christmas tree.

On Monday, Zoe's actual birthday, Mark and I took her to Toys R Us to get her birthday balloon and crown, and to spend the gift card the store sent her. She was amazed with all the toys in the store.

Thanksgiving Weekend at Grandma's

The girls spent the week leading up to Thanksgiving with Mark's family in New Mexico. We met at the border on Saturday, the grandparents took the girls, and I came back to clean house (it's easier to clean carpets when the kids are away! I also decorated the inside of the house for Christmas to surprise the girls).

Auntie Kim, who is a K teacher at a Christian school, took Charis and Zoe to school with her one day, then Esther the next. Mark and I went down Tuesday.