Daddy Needs...

Both of his boys...

For Thanksgiving Day football games,

and for naps.

I can't imagine a better daddy for my two sons.  And I can't wait for the day that they're both snuggled up on the couch with my amazing husband.  

The righteous man walks in integrity...

Blessed are the sons who come after him.

Proverbs 20:7

Then and Now...

This is Asa at eighteen months. He was still such a baby.

And here he is at nearly three years old. No longer a toddler.

A year and a half. Gone.

Two Cute Boys...

I took this video in October. Asa was sharing his bracelet with Kobe. I'm not sure what he was chanting (I would love to know!) but it sure was adorable.

Christmas Gift Idea...

T-Shirts that benefit orphans in Ethiopia! AHOPE for Children is a non-profit organization whose mission is to serve the children of Ethiopia, with a primary emphasis on caring for orphans infected with HIV.

Click Button For Info:

The shirts are cute and 100% of the proceeds support a really worthy cause. So if you have friends/family members for whom you have a hard time buying, I think this is a gift they would truly treasure.

What We're Reading...

The Connected Child by Dr. Karyn Purvis. I had seen this book recommended on quite a few adoption and attachment websites so Jim ordered it a few weeks ago. So far, it seems very informative, practical and in-line with many of our existing parenting philosphies.

I was pleased to find a radio interview with the author and thought it might be helpful for other adoptive parents. The interview is an hour long - I listened to it while folding laundry.

Upon finding this interview, I was browsing the other programs in the series relating to adoption and found one focusing on todder adoption, which I enjoyed listening to, as well.

Monthly Update Photos...

Here are our update photos for October.

We normally get one, much awaited picture with each monthly report. I check my in-box incessantly, looking for a new glimpse of our sweet boy.

These pictures don't come as a huge surprise, though, because.... I took them. ;o)

Sometimes, traveling families will help out by taking the monthly pictures. Another mom (April, who handles C4C donations and came up with the amazing food drive idea) and I took some fun autumn props and tried to elicit smiles** from the children at the creche. Asa's not a huge fan of the camera and it was hard for me to get any good grins out of him, but he sure does look handsome in the Redskins Jersey (which used to be Camden's).

I just have to do this, too:

WOOOO HOOOOO!

I don't think I had fully expressed my joy over the whole MOI thing in the last post. I was in a hurry but wanted to share our news so I only wrote a quick blurb. We're really excited about this forward motion and it will certainly make our holidays a little bit brighter. Thank you so much for all the sweet comments - it really means a lot to know that others (many of whom we've never "met") share our happiness!


**Trail mix and gummi bear bribes might have been involved.

Oh, Happy Day...

We just got word that our file was submitted into MOI.

;o)

No Word On MOI...

Nuthin'.

I had really, really hoped that I'd get some news while I was in Haiti, but as of October 24th, we were yet to be submitted. It does seem like things are moving pretty quickly once files get into MOI, though, and we're hoping to ride that wave. There are quite a few children who are very close to coming home in the next few weeks, which is fabulous news! Just imagining what it'll feel like when we finally get "the call" makes my heart race.

The kids' anticipation is reaching a new level. While all three kiddos have been eager to get Asa home, our little Camden talks about it all the time. His mealtime & bedtime prayers always include lengthy requests about Asa's health & happiness, the adoption process, the Haitian government and all the orphans in Haiti. Both boys have birthdays in early December (Cam will be five, Asa will be three) and back before our eight month stint in IBESR, we thought Asa would be home by then. Cam had been really excited about the possibility of a joint birthday party. But now, he's been asking if he'll still be five when Asa comes home. And I want to say "of course he'll be home before you turn six!" but we've come to realize that there are no guarantees and refuse to make promises to our kids when we simply don't know.

BUT... It does feel like we're actually nearing what could be the home-stretch of this wait. I'm starting to think about things we should buy (a big armoire for the boys' room, a new stroller, etc...) and Jim has been checking on prices for last-minute flights to Haiti - just to get an idea of what it might be when we do travel. The uncertainty of Haitian adoption totally sucks the fun out of what should be excitement. It's been about six months since I've had much hope or joy (in terms of the adoption process). And it stinks! So I might be misguided in my assumption that Asa could be home early next year and I might just have my hopes dashed if we hit more insane delays. But whatever. I'm fed up with fear and anxiety and am just going to look forward to what will be one of the most exciting moments for our family: the day Asa comes home.