Saying good-bye

Last night Rachel invited us for a wonderful Lasagna dinner. We were able to take some time is saying our good-byes to the babies.
It was really hard. I don't think I realized how attached I feel to these little people. 

I will miss them like crazy!

But, feel such peace in knowing they are well cared for now and they are going to wonderful families. 

The Boys- All with new haircuts. When we came only three of these guys were walking. Now all but one are walking all over!

The Girls- Love these lil' ladies so much!

The whole group as we were leaving, just sitting on the steps looking as sad as we were feeling. 

Baby Hannah Update

Today we saw baby "Hannah" at the beach. 

She looks awesome.

It was a great way to close a hard chapter for me to see her so happy and thriving. 

She has gained so much weight and really looks well.

I guess God does know what he is doing after all. 

Why do I ever question Him?

Baby Hannah, six weeks ago on her last day here.

Baby Hannah Today

Toddlers

I believe all should have the opportunity to raise 5 toddlers at once. It is comedy and adventure every minute of everyday! Especially when 3 are boys.

Loved and Lost or Never Loved at All?

Here is the question. Is it better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all? This is something we wrestled with when we started to do foster care. Everyone told us the research shows that if you can get a child to attach to one person then they will be able to attach to another person too. Seems easy enough right? The problem is in order for them to attach you have to too. And then you just feel guilty when they have to leave and you start wondering;

-          Who will rock her to sleep in the hammock ever night?

-          Who get him water, when he says in the cutest voice “Mommy, wader please?”

-          Who will lay down with them to have a nap so that they will fall asleep?

-          Who will get them the medical care they need?

-          Who will given them kisses when they pucker their little lips?

-          And who will hold them when they cry?

The good thing with these two is that I know someone will someday. And for one of them I know that some of their needs will be met in the mean time. Unfortunately that child just needs more than can be given in a orphanage setting. For both I pray for a quick adoption process. And I pray that the love we could give them in the mean time will be enough to carry them through some rough days ahead. 

Velo, playing the part of Batman on his scooter. 

"Fiona" stealing bites of cookie dough when I turn my back.

The Orphanage Today

Despite things being a little crazy here this weekend, we had to sneak over to borrow a port-a-crib and have a little love from the babies. 

The Line-up, all the kids in their highchairs

Baby Nora and her first two teeth.

Our boys have discovered the ride on cars and the hill on the driveway  go quite well together.
Here are the two oldest boys at the O, enjoying their rides too.

IS and I getting our loves from Partick, Grace, Giselle, Nora and Alex

Giselle was so giggly today. I think she knows she is going home soon and you  tell how happy she is about it!

The New Orphanage

This week the big kids and I have spent some time helping Rachel set up her new Orphanage. 

And I have to say that I am really excited about it for a few reasons.

1- it is a home with two levels and real bedrooms and couches, a yard and a kitchen etc.

2- they have another new nanny that I really like, the other new one stayed at the other house. 

And they have a boy room ad a girl room with room for all their clothes etc.

3- they have an incredible storage that I got to organize.  For those who know me well, you know this made my day!

4- They also have a real playroom with real toys for the real kids! 

A concept not understood in a lot of orphanages.

CT with Jasmine, teaching her how to color. 

IS with Lance.

Building Trust

We have had Velo for about a month now. 

 He is a super sweet little boy, but has never lived with a family and that is a huge change for him I am sure. 

He is our oldest "foster child" we have ever cared for, pair that with the fact that he is coming from an orphanage and does not speak the same language as us and we can just say it has been an interesting adjustment.

I find with all of our "foster kids" we have a building trust time. 

Here is a classic example. 

We go to the pool, he stands on the side and watches the other kids jump in from the side. 

I think having kids the same age is one of the best ways to help new children in the home adjust. Frankly, we really believe it saved our SF. When we got her at 2 years old, she could not even crawl correctly. 

Velo, has been no exception. Although he tries to boss even the oldest children around, he is much more apt to try new things when the other kids are too.

And eventually by himself, into the pool, head under bobbing to the side and everything. 

Having these kidos in our house has given us a renewed interest in foster care for sure. We are excited to get home and start working with some families in our home town. After being here we also have a renewed interest in keeping families together. We see so many people here who have to give their babies up due to economics. From my experience in the foster system in the states, every parent has every ability to get their child back, if they truly want to. There are programs galore and money galore to help parents. I really hope that we will be able to help some families stay together if it be Gods will at home. 

The Orphanage Today

The whole clan (well most of the clan) a few were napping etc. 

I am starting to feel really anxious about leaving these babies. 

Not because I do not think they will be cared for because they will.

Not because I worry about the homes they are going to, they are all great homes.

Really only for very selfish reasons. I love these babies. So many of them have nestled a special place in my heart and I will miss kissing their sweet faces on a regular basis.

I tried to get a better picture of baby Nora and I today, so I gave IS the camera. So, sorry there are a lot of pictures of me today.

Baby Giselle, who is going home really soon. I am so excited for her.

I had to sneak some kisses in.

Nora & I

Just the girls. Giselle, Grace and I.
This truly is my happy place. 

Alex with the new nanny working on his walking.

Grace, using IS's recorder. I think she is going to be musical.

Just the boys. Patrick, Alex and Lens (a new and very malnourished little boy) 

For you medical people out there his H&H were 8.4/21. Whoa!

I have kind of a tender heart for Giselle today.

IS with another new baby. 

This little one sleeping in a drawer just cracked me up. 

Nora smiles, I love how happy and endearing this sweet baby is. 

The Orphanage This Week

There is a new Nanny at the O named Kettley. I really like her. When we arrived this week, many of the kids were outside playing on riding toys. 

 Baby Nora and I

(I will try and get a better one before I leave, Angie) 

 My kids and Stevenson playing with the parachute, everyone else looking at us like we were nuts 

 Amy, I hope you are ready to battle this hair!

I love baby Nicolas smiles! Especially when they are accompanied by open arms running to me. 

 IS and Nora, she is really going to miss this baby

 Baby Giselle is going home so soon, we are so excited for her and her wonderful family!

GLA

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

We have had the opportunity to meet so many amazing people while in Haiti. I have talked about some of the Haitians and I really need to write about some of the expats here. I have been struggling with how to tell other peoples stories, so I decided to just tell you my interaction with them and you can link to their websites to learn more if you so desire. Most of the people I want to tell you about have relocated their whole lives to Haiti and are now here serving with and working with the people of Haiti to help make their lives better. 

The first organization I wanted to talk about is God's Littlest Angels. It is an orphanage up in the mountains above our home and it is amazing. I have known it was amazing every since I first set foot in there, but this week I was able to go with Adrah and do a PT eval at the toddler house. 

I think it is one thing to do babies well, it is a whole other thing to do school age children and the terrible twos and threes well. And they are doing VERY well. They have a school on site, a huge playground, computer lab etc. This is one well run organization.  

IS with one of the little girls who probably should have been napping

They have clean, well painted, cute rooms with nice beds and their own stuff

A few days ago another local orphanage was shut down due to the conditions. GLA took 23 of the kids in. Two of the children were so covered in rat bites that they had to be hospitalized right away. Here are the children having their afternoon nap. They are in the process of trying to figure out what to do with them permanently but in the mean time they are doing a beautiful job with what they were given. 

They have a great US style NICU. I mean a real isolette and CPAP and everything. Adrah got a picture I will post later. 

The Orphanage Today

Lately, I have been really bad about taking pictures at the O. I tried to make up for some missed ones when I brought Adrah today. 

Baby Abi

 A new little girl feeding a new little boy

 Baby Nora

 Another new little boy, this one has some major red skin/hair. But, I am sure within weeks Rachel will have him all fixed up

 Patrick, who is a full time walker now

 Alex, who is learning to be a great walker

 Adrah with baby Whitney

 This is one of the new nannies who is helping Alex and Patrick walk. It is good to see them out playing with them.