Haiti Adoption

Joyful Christmas

2009-01-04T17:05:00.004-06:00

We were so happy to have Stanley home this Christmas!

Let the Stable Still Astonish!!!

2008-12-27T09:47:00.002-06:00

Let the stable still astonish:
Straw-dirt floor, dull eyes,
Dusty flanks of donkeys, oxen;
Crumbling, crooked walls;
No bed to carry that pain,
And then, the child,
Rag-wrapped, laid to cry
In a trough.
Who would have chosen this?
Who would have said, "Yes,
Let the God of all the heavens
and earth
Be born here, in this place"?

Who but the same God
Who stands in the darker, fouler
rooms
of our hearts
and says, "Yes,
let the God of Heaven and Earth
be born here-
in this place."

~ by Leslie Leyland Fields

Wow! How true how awesome this is! Doesn't this just humble you and yet fill your heart with joy at the same time? Meg got me "Patches of Godlight:Father Tim's Favorite Quotes" for Christmas and this now one of my favorite quotes from this book.

simple blessings

2008-10-05T21:07:00.004-05:00

A few weeks before school started some friends from church gave us some passes to Silver Dollar City, Celebration City and White Water. It was so much fun! Our 10 year old son had never been to any of these places and we hadn't been to Silver Dollar City in 14 or 15 years! We were only there 3 days, but we had a blast! Some friends from our Sunday school class were down there too, so we met up with them a few times too.

giving my burdens to God

2008-09-21T21:25:00.010-05:00

I have always been a little too emotional and sensitive. When I was a child I remember crying my eyes out when Pinky Tuscadero left Fonzie on the TV program "Happy Days". How silly is that??? Sometimes I don't know if the Lord is leading me or my emotions are.
I did a LOT of research about adoption before we started the process and really felt "led" by God to pursue it. I also believe God led us to adopt from Haiti and specifically from GLA. I also believe that God had Stanley picked out for us long before the time came for us to find out who he was. At first when I told my parents we were planning on adopting, they thought I was crazy because they knew how busy and stressed we were with our 3 other children and financially barely getting by. I told them how my heart ached for orphans and I knew I couldn't change the world, BUT, I could change one child's world. Well, it still isn't enough. I want to do more! I want GLA to have ALL the money they need to build their new buildings AND to provide for the children at the orphanage. I guess my point is, I want to make it ALL work out, I want the whole problem to get better or go away. Well, I can't do that because I am human, I am not God. This world is not always pretty and there is so much sorrow and suffering in it.
I heard a song on the radio today that really spoke to me, especially the part about the children in Africa. I am not God, I can not change the world and He loves His children more than I do. He is an almighty, merciful, sovereign, loving God and He is our Father.

Steven Curtis Chapman - Yours
From the album This Moment

I walk the streets of London
And notice in the faces passing by
Somthing that makes me stop and listen
My heart grows heavy with the cry

Where is the hope for London?
You whisper and my heart begins to soar
As I'm reminded
That every street in London in Yours
Oh, yes it is

I walk the dirt roads of Uganda
I see the scars that war has left behind
Hope like the sun is fading
They're waiting for a cure no one can find

And I hear children's voices singing
Of a God who heals and rescues and restores
And I'm reminded
That every child in Africa is Yours

Chorus:
And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
From the stars in the sky
To the depths of the ocean floor
And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
You're the Maker and Keeper, Father and Ruler of everything
It's all Yours

And I walk the sidewalks of Nashville
Like Singapore, Manila and Shanghai
I rush by the beggar's hand and the wealthy man
And everywhere I look I realize

That just like the streets of London
For every man and woman, boy and girl
All of creation
This is our Father's world

Chorus:

(4x’s)
It's all Yours, God

The glory is Yours, God
All the honor is Yours, God
The power is Yours, God
The glory is Yours, God

You're the King of Kings
And Lord of Lords

**This is the new verse added**
I’ve walked the valley of death’s shadow
So deep and dark that I could barely breathe
I’ve had to let go of more than I could bear
And questioned everything that I believe
But still even here
in this great darkness
A comfort and hope come breaking through
As I can say in life or death
God we belong to you

The sweetest thing

2008-09-16T15:34:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was my birthday and every year I wish it could be a "special" day for me. Because of time and sometimes money it ends up just being like any other day. As a matter of fact my husband had to work last night. My mother-in-law watched the younger kids while me and my oldest daughter went out to eat. We got home late and it was time for bed. While I was giving out directions to my kids so we could help each other hurry to bed, my 10 year old walks by and hands me a piece of paper. I figured he felt guilty for not telling me happy birthday so he quickly got a piece of paper and wrote "Happy Birthday Mom, I love you" I grabbed the paper and read it and saw that he had enclosed $10 of his own money! I was SO touched, he has been saving money for a new bike from Wal-Mart. Everytime we go to Wal-Mart he goes down the bike aisle and looks to see if they have it on sale. I keep telling him Wal-Mart doesn't have "sales" so it will be the same price, but he goes to look at it anyway, hoping he can afford it. This has been going on for several months and he still keeps saving his money. I asked him if he wanted to keep his $10 for his bike and he said, "no, it's alright". I kept the tears from rolling until I was able to be alone. Times like these are just precious and make me glad to be a mom!!!!

Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble and He knows those who trust in Him.

2008-09-11T18:16:00.005-05:00

Some days I feel so overwhelmed and stressed because of financial issues and just being too busy all the time. I start wondering if we did the right thing by adopting our boy from Haiti. Then I see and hear of the devastation in Haiti and I KNOW without a doubt we did the right thing. As I look at our boy, it is hard to remember he started out as a "failure to thrive baby". He is so healthy and happy because of the great care he received at GLA in Haiti and because he is so loved by his forever family. I think he is a little spoiled because he thinks the world revolves around him sometimes. People are so drawn to him and he is one of the sweetest kids I have ever met. He is such a lover and he melts everyone's heart. We recently met an older couple and were talking to them for quite some time at an outdoor event and Stanley bent over and kissed this man's boo-boo on his hand. He loves everyone he meets and he has the most expressive eyes. While we were at GLA in March picking up Stanley, we sat and talked to the volunteers and saw many of the babies waiting to have their adoptions finalized. It was so much fun just sitting out on the balcony and watching the volunteers the kids playing. I couldn't help but envy the volunteers, because how awesome it must be to be able to stay at GLA and just love on those babies all the time! There was a long term volunteer there and everyday she had a specific little girl with her. I just found out that the little girl had been HIV positive and passed away in August. It hit me like a brick wall. I am sure Anna, the volunteer, must be very sad at the loss of "her little girl" but also she must be rejoicing, knowing that Berlancia is with Jesus now! Here is a video on YouTube of Berlancia and Anna.

4th of July fun in Hannibal!

2008-07-10T19:56:00.001-05:00

Summer is Here!!

2008-05-26T11:31:00.002-05:00

We finally had our last day of school on Friday and I am so excited to be home with the kids this summer. We will try and go to some free movies at our local theater, visit the zoo in Kansas City, go to the drive through animal park near Springfield, camp out in our new tent and hopefully work on my scrapbook. We have had 3 graduations this month, baseball has started, soccer has ended, preparing for band camp, a birthday party, planning another party for oldest son, etc. I am looking forward to slowing down a little this summer and enjoying my family. Hope you have a wonderful summer with your family too!

We are truly blessed!

2008-05-12T16:11:00.004-05:00

Below are the lyrics to a great song that was sang in our church this Sunday(Mother's Day). They changed the words a little to make it apply to our family and another family in our church that has 2 adult children who are physically handicapped and rely on their parents to take care of them. I hadn't heard this song before and when it got to the verse about adopting, I just sobbed uncontrollably. I am SO grateful God has blessed us with our newest family member. As I look at his sweet face I can't imagine him being a burden to anyone! Our son fits into our family so well, it is hard to imagine he has only been home for 6 weeks and not 3 years. He is such a delight and truly a blessing to us.

Heroes by the Isaacs

Momma combs his hair and Daddy helps him brush his teeth
Day after day for thirty years the same routine
The special needs he lives with make life seem so unfair
But he thanks God every day cause he knows Mom and Dad are there

(chorus) He's a hero and she's a hero
It doesn't matter that nobody knows their name
They keep on giving to make life worth living
Might go unnoticed but they're heroes just the same

They tried for many years to have a baby of their own
But God knew a little girl who didn't have a home
Someone else's burden was their blessing in disguise
And now she's got a Mom and Daddy there to hold her when she cries

(chorus)

Every single parent who must carry twice the load
And those who sacrifice to raise a child that's not their own
They dedicate their time to make a difference in someone else's life
And in my eyes

(chorus)

They might go unnoticed but they're heroes just the same

My 3rd Birthday!

2008-05-06T17:27:00.001-05:00

First Day at the Babysitter's

2008-04-21T17:01:00.003-05:00

I had to return to work today and I was so worried about how Stanley would do. Especially since he won't let me leave the room without him. I have been praying that God would give me the strength to leave him at the babysitter's house and that He would prepare Stanley to adapt quickly and easily with this situation. Stanley wimpered and kept going to the door saying "momma" but he calmed down after awhile and decided he was having fun. He did great and was happy and content until I picked him up at 1:30. I am so thankful that he is doing so well and all the transitions he is dealing with seem to be going good. He is getting a little braver around our cats and I think eventually he won't be afraid to touch them.

The cutest thing

2008-04-14T12:12:00.002-05:00

I sit to the right of Stanley at the dinner table, and yesterday at lunch he grabbed my left hand with his right hand. He then realized he couldn't feed himself if he was holding my hand so he reached across himself and held my hand with his left hand so he could eat with his right. His little arms were all twisted up but he was content anyway. He is just so sweet!

Photos from Haiti and Journey Home

2008-04-13T18:56:00.001-05:00

So glad to be back home with our boy!

2008-03-29T21:57:00.003-05:00

Stanley is doing GREAT! He is so loving and playful. We got home about 2:00 in the morning on Friday. We had left the orphanage at 5:00am the previous morning, it was a LOOOONG tiring trip and we are glad it is over. Stanley went right to us when we first met him but started crying and it lasted for about 2 hours. Every time he saw an orphanage worker or volunteer, he would reach out for them and cry harder. It was breaking my heart and I just sat there holding him and started thinking that maybe we weren't doing the right thing by taking him from the only home and family he has known. He fell asleep in my arms and when he woke up seemed to be fairly content with us. Late in the day we dared to take him upstairs to the room he used to sleep in. He ran over to a nanny and hugged her. We thought to ourselves, "oh no, we will never get him away from her" but when Daddy told him to come on he just walked away from her and left with us. It was such a relief for us to know he was already starting to bond with us. The next day another nanny came up to him and started talking to him and held her hands out to him and he wouldn't go to her, she took him from Daddy's arms anyway and hugged him and talked to him and he allowed her to do this and then went right back to Daddy's arms. We were feeling GREAT by this time. He was feeling like a big shot as he walked all around the orphanage grounds with us smiling and waving to all the workers. You could tell he was content and happy to be with us and I think he was kind of showing off for the orphanage workers. Now that we are home, he loves all the attention he is getting from friends and family. There are so many people who have suffered through this long journey with us and now they are rejoicing with us and we thank God for each one of them. Stanley did wonderful on the shopping trip in Haiti and on all 3 plane rides home. He isn't afraid of people but is terified of animals and even stuffed toy animals. He is a little wild and certainly doesn't act like the shy little boy we saw in pictures from the orphanage. We can not believe how quickly and easily he is settling into our family. I think I could actually get something done if it weren't for the cats scaring him. He won't go near the cats and runs to me to be picked up, as he is screaming, if he even sees a cat. I know he will get over this soon. He is so smart and obeys well, BUT, he is very hornery and likes to do the opposite of what we tell him as he just smirks at us. At the airport in Miami he kept running off from us and just laughed as we chased after him, to him it was all a game. He is such a joy and we are so thankful to finally have him home with us.

We are Going!!

2008-03-19T15:23:00.001-05:00

We are finally going to Haiti to bring our son home!!!! Thank the Lord!!!!!

Emotional Roller Coaster

2008-03-15T09:57:00.003-05:00

After calling the consulate in Haiti on Wednesday, we were told we would probably have our visa appointment next week! That meant we would leave Sunday, arrive in Haiti on Monday, have our appointment on Tuesday and leave Haiti with our son on Thursday to return home!!!! We were so excited but Laura Bush went to Haiti on Thursday and evidently the consulate was busy in meetings and receptions, they even canceled an appointment for another file at the last minute with our orphanage on Thursday. The woman at the consulate, whom we spoke to on Wednesday, told us she would check with the woman in charge about our visa appointment and email us back. We assumed it would be a simple thing and we would hear something Wednesday or Thursday. We tried calling the consulate on Friday between 2pm and 3pm(the only time they accept calls) and couldn't get an answer. Our orphanage said they tried for an hour also and couldn't get an answer. Evidently they closed the office Friday with no notice to anyone, so hopefully we will hear on Monday when we can travel to Haiti.

We received the sweetest update email from the orphanage this morning.(below)

Happy Easter greeting from Haiti Bobbi and Jim!,

>I know you and Léa just chatted about how tough the weekends are while you wait for Stanley's Visa. I was planning to send out updates on starting Monday, but I thought you could use this a little early to make your weekend a little brighter! In fact, I went up to the nursery to give Stanley a hug and to get a photo for you! I hope this helps, even if only a little bit. You are both in my thoughts and prayers. - Chris<>

Back on Track Hopefully

2008-03-08T14:52:00.002-06:00

We received the following message yesterday from the orphanage. We are now just waiting for the Consulate to appove Stanley's Visa and set up the Visa appointment. Once the appointment is made they should let us know the date so we can be in Haiti for it. They usually give the parents about a one week notice.

Good morning!

I am pleased to tell you that we retrieved the dossier yesterday, and we were able to have one paper corrected by the judge late yesterday. For the other paper, Dixie has written a note explaining why the paper had to be made the way it was. The consulate should therefore have everything they need on that front, as we are sending the paperwork back down this morning.

We have also provided Stanley's passport and medical, so when the consulate receives the package today, they will have a complete dossier for his application.

I thank you for your patience and trust during this time. I can only imagine how challenging it is for your family while we work these things out. We want you to be united with Stanley as quickly as possible, too!

Update on visa and new pictures

2008-02-29T17:44:00.003-06:00

Dear Family and Friends,
We were just waiting to hear that they had approved Stanley's visa so we could go to Haiti to get him, however, things have now changed. This week we have received notice from the orphanage that there is a discrepancy on a document as to where Stanley was born. They have been trying to get our file back from the consulate so they can have this document corrected. The person who has our file was out of the office in the middle of the week and as of today they still have not been able to get our file released from that office. We are pretty upset by this new event and continue to need your prayers. Please pray God will reveal to us how to handle this situation(I am seriously considering going to Haiti to take care of the matter myself but need to save my days off at work to stay at home with Stanley a few weeks before returning to work) Also pray that God will comfort us at this time and that He will work out this problem quickly so we can bring Stanley home. There are some financial issues that are affected by the filing of our income taxes which can not be taken care of until Stanley gets here and gets a social security #. Please pray this matter will also be cleared up soon and God will guide us in this situation as well.

Jeremiah 32:27
Behold I am the Lord the God of all flesh; is there any thing too hard for me?

Passport is printed!!!!

2008-02-21T15:44:00.002-06:00

We received the following information from our orphanage.

"We have Stanley's passport in our hands, and we are sending Stanley for his medical tomorrow."

When we asked them if we could book our flights and if they had time frame on getting Stanley/Bo's Visa they replied with....

"Likely we are a few weeks out yet, but I will keep you posted, as I know more!" "P.S. Please don't start looking into booking flights just yet. Once they approve the visa, we'll be able to make travel plans with you. "

So we are now waiting for his Visa. We are getting closer and closer!!!!! It's getting hard to stay calm and not get too excited.

You Know You're an Adoptive Parent If...

2008-02-17T09:37:00.002-06:00

I love this, it is so true.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE AN ADOPTIVE PARENT IF ...
1. The fact that there are 143 million children without a parent tokiss them goodnight has made you lose sleep.

2. You realize DNA has nothing to do with love & family.

3. You can't watch Adoption Stories on TLC without sobbing.

4. The fact that, if 7% of Christians adopted 1 child there would beno orphans in the world, is convicting to you.

5. You spend free time surfing blogs about families who've experiencedthe blessing of adoption.

6. It drives you crazy when people ask you about adopted child's"real" parents.

7. You've been "pregnant" with your adoptive child longer than ittakes an elephant to give birth.(2 years!)

8. You'd no idea how you'd afford to adopt, but stepped out in faithanyway, knowing He'd provide. (& He does!)

9. You've taken an airplane half-way around the world with a child youjust met.

10. You believe God's heart's for adoption.

11. You realize that welcoming a child into your heart & family is oneof the most important legacies you could ever leave on this earth.

12. You know what the word "Dossier" means & you can actuallypronounce it correctly!

13. You've welcomed a social worker into the most private parts ofyour life.

14. You shudder when people say your child's so lucky that you adoptedthem, knowing full well you're the blessed one to have him or her inyour life.

OUT of MOI!!!!!

2008-02-08T16:37:00.001-06:00

We finally got word today that Stanley's pasport has been approved!!! We are so excited, but also trying to make sure that all our ducks are in a row. We will be pretty busy over the next couple of weeks!!

I don't know what to say.

2008-02-05T20:38:00.000-06:00

I am so frustrated about the adoption and it seems like it will never end. On the many blogs and Yahoo groups about Haitian adoption I keep hearing of so many problems at every stage of the adoption process. I am so angry and it makes me want to fight, but who will I fight? What can I do? Nothing, just pray and wait. I can't explain the emotional roller coaster I ride every day. I just know that we are not the only ones going through this. When I read the blogs and posts on our adoption group I can't even feel excited for others who are bringing their children home. I want to be excited for them and deep down I am. The negative posts I read just depress me even more. I sit here and think, "what can I say to express what I'm feeling?" but there are no words to describe it. My mind is numb. I see the pictures of our boy in Haiti and I just smile, then reality hits and I feel like we will never see him. He has the most kissable little face and the sweetest smile and the biggest, mose expressive eyes. We are all so edgy, waiting every day for some news about our son's passport being approved. Then we hear that there is someone new in the final step, the U.S. Visa, whom wants to go through every paper in the files before she will set up a Visa appointment. I believe Satan is at work in the Haiti adoption process, but God is greater. I can't imagine going through this process without God in my daily life, He gives me strength when I have none left. To God be the glory!!!!!

Psalm 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Our great friend and Pastor gave me the following scripture references. I have been reading them daily for the last several days.

Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

John 16:20-22 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

January update

2008-01-31T16:49:00.000-06:00

Well, no news on our file but we got new photos.

I am very pleased to tell you that Stanley, is doing very well at GLA this month! Stanley and his volunteer go out for walks around the neighbourhood almost every day! He makes it known when it's time to go out by pointing to the box of shoes up on the shelf and then at the door! Of coarse he has his signature, beautiful grin on his face as he does this. No one here can so no to his smile He is getting more and more confidence on his feet on the uneven ground outside and even animals they see along the way don't scare him as much anymore! Stanley's volunteer stops him and 'barks' like a dog, or 'oinks' like a pig when they see those animals. I think this calms him down quite a bit. When Stanley first began walking around the neighbourhood and they saw an animal of any kind, he would need to be picked up immediately... Not any more, well, once in a while, but for the majority of the time, all he has to do is keep his distance. He doing so well and gaining confidence every day and it sure shows! We are so proud of your little Stanley!

Stanley's other favourite past time is playing in the pool with all his closest friends! If Stanley is not pointing at the shoes and wanting a walk, he is pointing at the pool and stripping his shirt off so he can jump in! He always plays so well with the other kids!

Here are some details:

Height: 34 inches
Weight: 28 lbs 5 oz
Adoption status: MOI

Have a lovely Valentine’s Day, and know that we are sending you lots of hugs and kisses from Haiti!

Chris Davies
Your GLA Photographer/Update Coordinator

MY IDEAL LIFE

2008-01-17T10:06:00.000-06:00

My Ideal Life would be:

1. My husband worked 8am to 5pm and had weekends off.
2. I would be a stay at home mom/wife who does not have to work outside the home.
3. We would have enough money to get braces on my teeth and our teenage daugher's teeth.(one time a little kid asked me if I had a loose tooth because my front tooth is so crooked it looked like it was falling out!)
4. Having enough time and money to take vacations with my family(at least once a year).
5. Having a dependable mini van for me to drive our kids around in.(our mini van is 10 years old it is showing it's age, but then again aren't we all)(see photo)
6. Be able to eat whatever I want and still be thin.
7. Own a pop up camper for family vacations and weekend getaways with friends and family(see photo)
8. Have all our medical bills paid off.(my husband had 2 surgeries, 1 hospital stay, 2 emergency room visits and 1 ambulance ride last year thanks to complications with kidney stones)(Our son broke his hand and his collarbone at different times so we had numerous office visits, x-rays and 1 emergency room visit due to the fact his collarbone was protruding through his skin. It happend after hours of course)
9. Build our dream home on a few acres in our children't school district(we designed our own floorplan a few years ago)
10. A cute little dog that doesn't shed, poo, pee, get fleas, or chew up things.

11. A fish aquarium that doesn't grow algae.

12. Laundry that does itself.

13. A live-in maid you never see or hear but cooks and cleans everything for you.

14. A face that doesn't need makeup.

15. Hair that is perfect ALL the time.

16. No wrinkles or gray hair.

17. Kids that act like they love each other.

18. No back talk or sass from kids.

19. Free pedicures and manicures.

20. Have our son home from Haiti!!!

Please keep in mind I am NOT complaining about my life, this is "if" we lived in a perfect world and it is just for fun. What is YOUR ideal life???

saving aluminum cans

2008-01-10T19:19:00.001-06:00

We have been saving aluminum cans to recycle and saving our change in a big jar to help with the adoption expenses. My husband took in the cans today and got $42.00 and took the change to our bank and had it counted out. The change total was $111.45. Every little bit helps!

New Job!

2008-01-09T16:45:00.000-06:00

My husband got a job and he starts Jan. 16th! They were very impressed with him in the 2 interviews and brought up more than once they were wanting to move him up into a supervisor position soon. He wasn't even applying for a supervisor position or hadn't even discussed with them that he wanted that type of job. Of course there are no guarantees but it sounds like what he has been looking for. He just needs an opportunity to move his way up in a company. We are so thankful that he wasn't unemployed for very long.

Still no word on Stanley's passport coming out of MOI. Still praying and waiting.

Nothing too exciting happening.

2008-01-04T13:57:00.000-06:00

My husband goes for a second job interview on Monday. It sounds like a good company to work for with good benefits. The starting pay is a little less than his last job and the hours are a little weird but I think once we get used to the hours and days he works it will be fine. They also talked to him about his previous supervisor experience as they like to promote from within. That is great considering that is the area of work he would like to pursue. He doesn't have a degree and not enough previous supervisor experience for most companies to hire him for that sort of position. He is great at it and enjoys it and just needs the opportunity to prove how capable he is. He also mentioned to them that he would need to take a week off when we go to Haiti to pick up our son and they said that it wouldn't be a problem. Yeah! I wasn't looking forward to going without him and I know he is concerned about Stanley-Bo not bonding with him.

Since our orphanage's office was closed from December 21st until January 7th we haven't heard anything about our son's passport. I am hoping and praying that we will get an email on Monday from them telling us that during that time our son's passport was approved. I know I keep saying this, but I just don't know how much longer I can wait to bring him home. It has been really hard on me the last several months. I try and not think about it too much, but we "miss" our son and want him home!! I just keep praying that God will stop the nonsense that is going on in Haiti and release ALL of these files and let these children go home to their families. I get so angry and feel so helpless and feel the need to do something, but I know there is nothing I can do but wait some more.

I cling to His word to encourage me.

Behold I am the Lord the God of all flesh; is there any thing too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27

For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalm 27:14

Our God is an Awesome God

2007-12-20T21:24:00.000-06:00

Tonight our wonderful friends(our pastor and his wife) had us over for dinner and surprised us with a stocking full of money that had been collected from our church family. We were totally shocked and feeling extremely blessed to know that our church family loved us SO much. I hope that everyone that is a part of this will feel as blessed as we do. We thank our Heavenly Father for the wonderful people He has put in our lives.

December update from orphanage

2007-12-20T14:39:00.001-06:00

It is so nice to see Stanley smiling. This is only the second photo we have gotten that shows him smiling or laughing. Most of the other posed photos we have received he looks so sad or intimidated. What a blessing to see him happy at picture time.

In shock!

2007-12-18T19:37:00.000-06:00

We are still waiting for our son's passport approval and hoping to bring him home SOON. My husband lost his job very unexpectedly yesterday. It is very upsetting to him because he doesn't understand why it happened. He loved the work he was doing and it will be next to impossible for him to get a similar job because of various reasons. Please pray that God will give him confidence, strength and peace about this situation. We are also asking that you pray that God will provide for our family and that He will guide my husband to the right job for our family.

Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble and He knows those who trust in Him.

Please pray for ALL Haitian adoptions

2007-12-07T09:32:00.000-06:00

Please keep these three government departments in your prayers. They have a meeting in a little over a week to discuss many things but a very important matter is the problems in Parquet and MOI with dossiers sitting for several months and not being signed!

Parquet has a box of 100 dossiers that they are refusing to sign because the families have biological children. IBESR is not happy about these not being signed. They have the authority to approve families under the law. Parquet should sign any dossier already approved by IBESR. Hopefully, there will be a resolution to the problem and all of the dossiers with biological children will be signed.

MOI is doing better and seem to be working on the passports quicker than before.

We have heard that IBESR wants all dossiers and passports signed and out before the new law is voted on. This meeting hopefully will have a positive outcome and some compromise will be found! So please pray every day for wisdom and compassion for all of the people involved.

And Life in Haiti goes on....

Dixie Bickel, RN
God's Littlest Angels
Orphanage Director
www.glahaiti.org

Chilli and Soup Benefit

2007-12-05T14:18:00.000-06:00

My mother-in-law is having a chili and soup benefit for us at the local Lions Club on December 15th from 4:30-8:00pm. We hopefully will raise some money to help with the expense of airline tickets for us and Stanley(Bo) as well as the costs of our stay in Haiti when we go pick our son up and bring him home. We were hoping to be able to go get him by Christmas but it doesn't look like that will happen. We are still waiting for his passport approval, we have been in this stage since September 12th. Please pray God will give us patience as we CONTINUE to wait and wait and wait.

Adoption Song

2007-12-02T08:20:00.000-06:00

This a great song by Third Day. It is about one of the band members adoption of a little girl from China. It obviously fits our situation, but, I think anyone who is away from a loved one can relate.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rcPBA9-wyZE

November Update from Orphanage

2007-11-28T15:30:00.000-06:00

Greetings Bobbi and Jim from Haiti!

It has been a great month here at GLA! Last month, Léa and I really missed spending our evenings up in the nursery with the kids. One evening recently, I came up to the nursery earlier in the month after supper, Léa and the nannies were leading the kids in some songs before the kids went to bed. You could tell the kids loved it! They were sitting in a semi circle around Léa and the nannies, and they were clapping and laughing as they sang! Some of the children held up their hands and said ‘Alleluia’ at the right time, too! When I snuck in to join the crowd, a few kids turned around and they ‘clapped’ their hands onto mine while dancing to the songs. This is one of my favorite memories from the month!

I would like to express a thank you to all of you that may have had to wait for your update last month due to Tropical Storm Noel and our email issues. Since Noel has passed, it’s been nice to see the sun again! We here are just coming out of the ‘rainy season’ and into dryer weather. It’s been great for both the kids and the volunteers to be able to head outside the walls of the orphanage and go for walks again!

We have been blessed with some amazing visitors at GLA this month. We have had teams and amazing volunteers stay with us this month. They have worked wonders with the kids! We’ve had some amazing ‘firsts’ with some of the kids this month. We’ve had first steps, new teeth and more confidence in walking and in themselves!

I am very pleased to tell you that Stanley, is doing very well at GLA this month.

Stanley, as well as GLA has been blessed with having a wonderful volunteer here this month! Stanley has always been a little apprehensive with going out side his comfort zone. He is fantastic in the nursery, and doing so much better up on the balcony. So we have been “expanding his world” by taking him downstairs in the main house and introducing him to these new surroundings. At first he was really bothered by it. But his volunteer has been making a point of bringing him down just about everyday. The staff have been so supportive when they see him!

He’s been doing really well. After another week or so, we are planning to venture outside the house with him a little more. It has been so rewarding to work with Stanley, and seeing the progress he has been making!

Here are some details:

Height: 33 3/4 inches
Weight: 27 lbs 6 oz
Adoption status: Passport (MOI)

Have a fantastic month of December and a wonderful holiday season! Help us to pray for good things for each and every GLA adoption dossier in this coming month!

Chris Davies
Your GLA Photographer/Update Coordinator

Slideshow of Stanley

2007-11-27T14:57:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8AtvSmk_UI

Click the above link to view our video/slideshow of Stanley

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting.....

2007-11-24T18:18:00.000-06:00

On our way to my sister's house for Thanksgiving dinner I couldn't help but daydream about Stanley being in the back seat of our car with our other two children. I wonder what words he knows and what his personality is like, would he be sleeping in his car seat or playing with his siblings, would he roam around the house playing with his toys or would he be sitting on his daddy's lap watching football? The waiting is killing us! So many times my husband or I will say that we have a feeling that when we get home there will be an email telling us we are out of MOI and on to the printing of Stanley's passport, but, we haven't gotten that email yet. I can not wait to kiss his little feet, and cheeks and forehead, and his little round belly!!!!! I can't wait to give him a bath and put him in his jammies and hold him till he falls asleep. The sad thing is he is getting older, he is 30 months old now and everyone knows how independent toddlers become. I hope he still likes to snuggle when we bring him home. We just keep hoping and praying that God will bring him home to us SOON! We know God has a plan and we are so thankful that Stanley is in a great orphanage where he is taken care of. Please pray for us and ALL the families waiting to bring their children home from Haiti. The adoption process in Haiti has gotten even more complicated and the wait is so long for these waiting families.

A Sweet Story

2007-11-18T20:29:00.000-06:00

Our 9 year old son, Ty, will be sharing his room with Stanley when he finally gets to come home to us. One day we were all in Ty's room sorting through some clothes for Stanley and Ty said, "I just can't wait to bring Stanley home, I miss him SO much!! It feels like Stanley used to be with us and he has gone away and we are waiting for him to come back!" Of course we said, "We miss him too!!!" It is kind of strange to "miss" someone you have never met, but we already know him in our hearts. We loved him the instant we knew he was going to be ours. It is hard to explain how you can love someone SO much without ever meeting them, or holding them or knowing them. We love Stanley so much and can't wait to hold him and kiss his sweet little face. He is so precious and we feel so blessed to be a part of this adoption, even though it has been one of the hardest things we have had to go through.

Trials

2007-11-18T18:07:00.000-06:00

We have waited for so long to bring our son home and sometimes it seems like it will never happen. Several times this past week I have woke up in the middle of the night with dread/worry/concern about being able to provide for our son when he comes home. I don't remember having these worries when our 3 bio children were born, but this adoption has been such a battle/struggle. One of my major worries is who will care for our son while my husband and I are at work. With our other children we always had a family member or myself to stay at home with them, but that is not an option for us this time. I SO want to stay home with Stanley and I believe it is what God would want me to do, but God has not shown us a way to do this yet. I have been praying for months and months about this as well as our finances. Which is the main thing stopping me from staying home with Stanley when he FINALLY comes home to us. The other problem is, our children go to a great school but are only allowed to attend there because I work there. If I were financially able to quit my job and stay home with Stanley that would create the new problem of my kids attending a great school or going back to a school with nothing to offer them. For too many years I have tried to figure everything out and it is such a battle for me to let God take care of everything. He is slowly changing me but, He still has a LOT of work to do in me. Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid or dismayed, for the Lord you God is with you wherever you go.

Our Adoption Process Timeline

2007-11-14T14:14:00.000-06:00

-February 2006 started home study and collecting other documents
-August 2006 sent completed Dossier(paperwork) to Haiti
-August 2006 received referral from Orphanage
-IBESR(Haiti's social services) went in August or September 2006 and came out January 30Th 2007
-Parquet went in February 1st 2007 out April 4Th 2007
-Courts/Legalization went in April 5Th 2007 (they lost Stanley's birth certificate) finally came out September 11Th 2007
-Stanley is now our legally adopted son with his new last name!!!
-MOI(Ministry of Interior) Passport approval went in September 12Th 2007 and we are still stuck in this stage!

Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord

Stanley's beginning

2007-11-12T18:45:00.000-06:00

Luke 12:7: But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Here is a photo of Stanley when he first arrived at the orphanage. He was abandoned with an unknown mother and father. The following information was in our referral.

Stanley came to us when he was 3 months old. He was very skinny and malnourished. He was a failure to thrive baby. We were very fortunate to have an African American RN who came to Haiti for a month and gave Stanley full time attention. This was the turning point
for Stanley and with her 1:1 attention, he started gaining weight and
being a happy little boy!

More photos

2007-11-12T18:42:00.001-06:00

Monthly Updates

2007-11-12T18:29:00.000-06:00

We receive monthly updates and pictures of our son. It was great at first, but as time went on and we saw how much he was changing and growing it got to be frustrating and depressing to get them. Here are a few of the monthly update pictures.

My husband's side of the story

2007-11-12T18:13:00.000-06:00

My wife had said many times over the last 10 years that she wanted to adopt a child and I would say, "OK" but I never thought it would actually happen. When she brought up adopting AGAIN two years ago, I said "OK", but never thought it would go any farther than that. Our oldest child was 17 years old and our youngest was 7 years old. I thought we were getting to the point in our lives where our kids were getting more independent and self-sufficient. My wife started researching adoptions and orphanages online. She wanted me to be included but I wasn't sold on the idea of adopting or starting over at that time in our lives. I never expressed my feelings to her because I wanted to support her, but my heart was not in it. I was slowly coming around to her way of thinking but it really hit me when we got our referral. Ever since I saw our son's picture and realized he was going to be OUR son I have not been able to stop thinking about bringing him home!!

Our Referral Story

2007-11-12T17:49:00.000-06:00

We sent our application to God's Littlest Angels in Haiti and were accepted. We started our mountain of paperwork and finally got it completed and sent it to Haiti on August 17, 2006. We had requested a boy under the age of 12 months. We notified the orphanage that we mailed our paperwork to them. We immediately received the following email from them.

Bobbi,

I know that you said you want a baby boy up to 12 months, but would you pray about a baby boy born 1 May 2005. His name is Stanley. I have been praying about your adoption ever since I spoke to you. For some reason, this child will not get out of my head for you.

So when this happens, I feel I need to write and ask. Do not be afraid to say "no". God's telling me to ask...so I'm asking!

Blessings,

When we read this and saw the attached picture(shown above) we knew instantly this was the child God meant for us to adopt! There were no doubts in our minds or hearts. We loved him immediately. It is SO awesome to think this precious child has been at GLA since he was just a few months old and he was just there waiting for US! I just kept thinking, "WOW, I can't believe this child hadn't been spoken for yet and that he is OUR son". People would ask why had he been at the orphanage so long(12 to 13 months) and not been spoken for yet (like maybe there was something wrong with him) and I just smiled and with a heart about to burst said, because God had chosen him for us!!! It is so amazing to know that God has these things planned out for us. Hope you are blessed by this awesome story.

How it all started. January 2006

2007-11-12T17:43:00.000-06:00

It all started about 10 years ago when I saw a special on TV about orphans in Romania. I just was sick about the way those children were neglected and how no one cared about them. Approximately a year and a half ago we started discussing adoption again and decided it was a good time to do it. Our oldest is now 18, lives independently in our hometown, and is attending school, our middle child is 13 and our youngest is seven. We started researching agencies and countries to adopt from, after much time and consideration, we felt drawn to Haiti. Two women from our church go to Haiti as missionaries for a few weeks a year and we keep hearing about the people’s needs in Haiti and feel a strong connection. We have so much to offer a child. We are a loving family who enjoys sports, watching movies at home, snuggling together and being with family and friends. We are all very involved in our church; we attend Sunday School, Sunday morning, Sunday evening and Wednesday night services regularly. We are a close family and we all are very excited about the idea of having another family member! We feel that God has blessed us in so many ways and we want to share those blessings with others. We want to give a child, in need, a home filled with love, laughter, and good Christian morals. We also believe we are helping God’s kingdom to grow by bringing up a child in a Christian home. Our extended family and church family are supportive of this adoption and we feel it is very important to have so many of their prayers and emotional support during this time. We believe that if this is God’s will, then He will provide a way for it to happen. We knew going into this that the financial side of the adoption would be our largest obstacle to overcome (other than the waiting!) However, we know that God is in control and He is capable of anything!!!! We received $400 from a memorial fund in December when Jim’s grandmother passed away. We have talked to our pastor about the church’s support and he has been approached by a member about taking up a love offering for us but he feels it needs to be handled appropriately since our church has never had anyone adopt and this will be something new to them. He understands this adoption for us is NOT just about having another child, but serving God by bringing up a child, without hope, in a Christian home with the hope of Heaven.
Nahum 1:7
The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.