Imprints

Vania has been asking a lot of questions about her friends from the O. We are trying to explain to her that they are not in Haiti anymore but at home with their mamas & papas in the USA. While we were riding in the van one day talking about her friends she started talking about Papa Brent. Papa Brent happens to be a fellow adoptive parent from our orphanage & a part of Team Hope who went down after the earthquake to get the children out. As a matter of fact the first picture we have of Vania after the quake is a picture of Brent holding her.

After thinking about the conversation in the van it struck me how much of an imprint he had made on Vania's young tender heart. A very loving & lasting imprint at such a vulnerable time. Thank you Papa Brent :) and all of Team Hope for taking good care of our children & bringing them home !By the way the next day she kept saying " Me go to Papa Brent's house NOW !" :)
Bambi

Good Enough ?

Earlier this week we made our usual trip to the pool in the afternoon. We arrived just after a large group so I motioned to the kids to follow me around the line so I could flash our passes & not have to wait in the long line. We passed the front desk & I whipped out my 5 passes. The lady looked at us & said Day Care Huh ? & I said" no, actually they are all mine. "The comment took me by suprise at first because it is not unusual to have 4 kids. But after giving us a good look she followed up by saying" Wow, you are a GOOD person ". Which led me to believe she was referring to our adoption of Vania. Nothing she said was wrong , it just made me think about the statement that I was a GOOD person. We hear that statement alot when people find out we are adopting Vania. It's true that ADOPTION is a GOOD thing for soooo many needy children. Our part is more of a willingness.The fact is that there is no measure of goodness required to open up your heart & home to a child. I think more people could do it. Of course legally all adoptive parents are put through the wringer of home studies & back round checks etc. etc. But trust me our family is just as mucked up & messy as a lot of others & quite frankly poor. I remember when we first thought about adopting calling the agency to have them re- assure me that when they came out for the home visit they were not going to do the white glove test :) Or the scariness that Adam & I would have to under go psych evaluations as part of the criteria for Haiti.( no worries, we passed :)The fact that we started out & continue on this adoption journey has nothing to do with us being such GREAT people . But more of the fact that we serve a GOOD GOD. Who went through far greater lengths to adopt us as his children. So I appreciate all the wonderful comments, don't get me wrong. It does feel good to have people say nice things. But we cannot take the credit. We are willing participants who have opened up our lives to be the eyes, ears & body for some one much bigger to work his plans through. We could never be GOOD enough to do this on our own. It is in much better hands THANK GOD :)

Happy Father's day

We celebrated Father's Day a little early this year. Yesterday we took the kids out to Rising Park . It is called Rising park because you can hike up to the top of a natural cliff which over looks the city. We all made it to the top. Some with a little more coaxing than others :) It was a beautiful sight. And a little scary being up so high with just a bar keeping you from the edge. Then we hiked back down had a picnic & played at the park. After everyone was done we took the long route to get ice-cream (mandatory naptime for some ) and ate at Ye ole Mill, Home of Velevet Ice-cream.

Happy Father's Day ! Thank you Adam for being a wonderful Father to our kids !! This parenting thing is definitely a team effort & I am so grateful to have you by my side :)
Bambi

Go Marlins !

Zoe getting decorated for battle
Eat My Bubbles

Zane on the middle block . Ready to swim !

This week was our first swim meet of the summer. Long & hot. There were 250 kids total between both teams. So it started at 5:30 pm & ended at 10:15 pm. Vania fared pretty well in all the action. by the end of the night she ended up exhausted in poppies arms. The good news is the other meets should be much shorter :)

Vania LOVES the pool though ! The first day of swim practice she pointed to the pool & said "ME TOO ! " She still doesn't quite understand why she can't swim during practice :)

She has been coveting the other kids inflatable swim rings at the pool. So today we stopped at the store & picked one up .Didn't bring my camera to the pool. Of course ! She was in heaven. She played non stop with the floaty in the big pool & the baby pool. Lounged back with her eyes closed like she was sunbathing. She toted the ring & a splash ball around every where she went. On the guard for prowling children who might take it :) She has been really good about other kids touching her stuff at the pool. She always makes sure to make eye contact with me when it happens though. I think it reassures her that it will be given back . And then if they have touched it too many times after they are done playing she will just take it & carry it around to make sure they don't go for it again.This also made me realize that this could be a good sign of attatchment as far as understanding family/home Vs. strangers/public. Because let me tell you, at home she is way more comfortable in letting you know that she is not happy you have touched her stuff. There is no patient waiting. It is definitely BACK OFF my stuff NOW !

I am so glad she enjoys the pool. I know we do. It is our little oasis in the summer & full of friends to hang out with & cool off. Oh by the way, Giant pixie sticks at the pool, not so cool. Too much effort to keep the pixie powder flowing after all the slobber & too much sugar for the babe. She had fallen soundly asleep on our way home. I eased her into bed . But as soon as she touched the covers her eyes darted open and she shouted " WHERE"S MY PICKY THICK !!!!" Darn that pixie stick ! No nap today.

Bambi
The girls warm-up

Mini- Marlin

Carson in charge of decorating Miss V

Carson. I Think by the end of the night he looked like he had been to the tattoo parlor :)

Wedding Bells

The happy couple Erin & Terry

Vania Anne

Zoe, the beautiful flower girl

Carson

Zane & cousin Tyler

Congratulations to Erin ( Adam's sister ) & her fiance Terry. They tied the knot last Saturday .It was originally supposed to be outside in the gazebo but....... eventually we gave up on the rain cooperating & stayed inside. It was a beautiful ceremony despite the weather :) Welcome to the family Terry !

One Year Ago

One year ago today Adam & I flew into Haiti to meet the little girl in this picture who we had fallen in love with :)

Later that afternoon we were eating lunch in the cabana at the hotel ANXIOUSLY awaiting her arrival. A small little girl in a pink coral dress was lifted up & handed to us over the banister rail. She was quiet & frightened. Her dress wet from a small bag of water she was holding to drink from on her ride in the "Machine ". She cried most of the afternoon, trying to find the hotel exit with shoes in hand:( By the end of the evening she started to open up to us & by the end of the week WE were the ones crying as we handed her back to get into the "Machine " to go back to
the orphanage.
Not in a million years did I think due to a devastating earthquake I would be chasing Miss Vania around our house a year later. Watching her enjoy playing with her brothers & sisters and tucking her into bed every night knowing she is safe & sound. How grateful I am that she is healthy , happy & a little spit - fire today. We love you Vania Anne & feel privileged that God's plan for your life included us as your family.

Vania's Diner

Open for business !!! This reminded me of our meals at the hotel we stayed in Haiti, La Plaza Rue . Just a little quicker :)

3 years old !

Vania Anne turned 3 Years old today !!!!! She is soooo excited that " JUNE SIXTH !" is finally here :) We love you Vania Anne & so grateful that you were able to be home for your third birthday !

Haitian Girls U17 Soccer

This is a touching story of the Haitian Girls Under 17 Soccer team and their attempt to qualify for the World Cup.
VIDEO:E60 – Haiti Soccer (ESPN.com)

White Woman ...Black Baby

Yesterday Vania & I headed to the Zoo with some of our friends. It was really busy & crowded due to the end of the year field trips. So as I was navigating through the crowd with Vania in her stroller I heard a little girl about 5 yrs old announce to her teacher" look a white woman with black baby!"..( pause ) " that's different !" Her teacher just rolled her eyes & shrugged her shoulders. I just smiled & replied " Yep, It is different " A totally innocent remark & very observant child. We have become a multi-racial family which is different. But different isn't a bad thing. It's unique & special.
On the other hand.... While we were in Miami picking Vania up we were at McDonald's and I had taken Vania to the restroom. Adam said as I passed the counter an employee remarked, " What is that white woman doing with that black baby !?" Okay..... RUDE ! The 5 yr old was way more tactful. When we got to the car I came up with all kinds of smart remarks I could've blasted back. But that type of comment doesn't even deserve an answer.
Vania is really into matching up everything. She has a mommies & babies matching game she LOVES to play. And she is always coming up to me with things and asking if they match. Hopefully we can convey to her how special of a match she is with HER family. A unique & special match made in heaven:) More than just what meets the eye.

Vania's favorite animal at the zoo

Baby Beco & his mommy Phoebe