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. 

Best Friends

These are the moments that I think I will miss the most. Sure, they will still be friends at home they were before they came too. But, it is different here, they don't really have anyone else so they are always playing together. They make up different games for instance the game they were playing in this picture was "store", they had used a whole package of construction paper to make different things that were for "sale" and then used monopoly money to buy from each other.

View of the Back Seat

The kids are going to miss the non-seatbelt, non-carseat country. 

 And they are going to miss their puppy clobbering them in the back seat too. 

Quote of the Day

We walked by a really noisy rooster this morning on our walk. BT quickly noted "Hey Mom, that chickens barking."

When the guys were here looking at the car the other day. BJ bellied up and looked over the hood then looked confused at the mechanic and said "Why you put the generator in our car?" I guess it does look like a generator, kind of odd my 3 year old even knows what a generator is and the creole word too (delco). 

During Primary, which is held in our home in English, last night Justin asked when is a good time to repent, TJ in all seriousness said "Um, I think that is something you do when you are like 12." Guess we better get back to 'real primary', we miss you Lowreys!

Also, IS broke my heart the other day when suddenly out of the blue, she refused to wear her Disney Princess shirt, stating "Mom, I hate princesses." I tried not to act shocked and cry when I asked her since when, she said "since I turned 8 Mom, princesses are for babies and I am not a baby."  Is this how the independence starts? 

a Hole or a Trench?

When we were considering adopting BT, I counseled with a very wise friend of mine. I was concerned that if we adopted the first child we fostered it would limit our ability to "help" other children. 

She talked with me about the fact that sometimes when you "go to war" you dig a fox hole (for two people), and sometimes you dig a trench (for a number of people). One is not better than the other. 

I have since thought about this a lot. Justin and I have talked a lot about what we feel is better for our family. It turns out my wise friend was correct, one is not better than the other. 

And it also turns out lucky for us that God has made "our burdens lighter" as we have been able to help and we have not really had to choose. And it also turns out in the end we are the ones that have been "helped" anyway...

The Feeding Clinic, trenches,

Some of the kids from the Feeding Clinic

While we love the trench, it is really the holes are the ones that stick with us. And if I'm honest I feel like seeking after the one is of eternal importance.

Baby Nicholas who holds a special place in my heart

A baby at the feeding clinic that I have fallen in love with, its funny even among the many one always sticks out.

And of course our two "foster babies", Velo

And Miss Hannah.

Teeth

Sorry, this picture has noting to do with Haiti. Except to make me realize we need to get home and to the orthodontist. Because I am pretty sure teeth should not be growing in perpendicular to each other. 

Other teeth stories from Haiti.

*TJ brought his tooth fairy pillow on a whim. It is a good thing he has had to use it 4 times since being here. And in case you were wondering the Haitian tooth fairy is as forgetful as the American one often not delivering until later in the day, only after the child has been held in suspense. And the Haitian tooth fairy brings gourdes instead of dollars. Imagine how excited TJ was to get 100 gourdes, the equalivant of about $2.50 USD.

*SF fell and chipped her tooth our first day in the new house. Not really a big deal except with her cleft palate she has a bit of a snaggle tooth that looks even more snaggled now. 

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.