Thanks Navarro’s!

Fedna is blessed already!!!  Thanks Navarro’s!  You guys rock!

how things change.

It is amazing how quickly life can change.  Just when you think you know what’s going on life throws you a curve ball.  Sometimes you’re ready for it and other times you’re not.  In the past 24 hours I have been thrown 2 curve balls.  One I was ready for and one that knocked me to my knees in surprise.

As you know Fedna and Bear were scheduled to be picked up by Salem (a volunteer for MAT) in PAP tomorrow and then she would get back on a plane in PAP and head to FLL with both kids.  That is a lot of work for one person.  Bear is critical.  He needs constant care and constant watch over his “bump” on his back.  Fedna is almost three and is paralyzed from the waist down.  Salem is a champ and was prepared.  Double stroller with a special pillow for Fedna.
Sarah, Salem and I were talking last night and we thought it would be best if someone could meet Salem in Fort Lauderdale and fly back with her to Austin.  That way someone can take care of Fedna while she takes care of Bear.  Much better.  Here comes my curve ball that I was prepared for and had thought about the what if’s of me doing this.  I said “I’ll go”.  I don’t mind spending a day flying to FL and back in one day to help get Fedna.  It would give us time to “bond” and she could get to know me and it would help Salem out lots.

Great.  Plane tickets were bought last night for me.  Head out at 7AM on New Year’s Day and home by 10:30 with Fedna, Salem and Bear.  Sarah (another volunteer for MAT from Washington) and three of her kids would fly in the same day and meet us at the airport.  Sarah will be Bear’s host mom while he is here.  All the plans were laid out.  Things were in place.  Rooms were reserved at the Ronald McDonald House, doctors were on call, time was set to get to hospital, surgeries were set in place.  Yippee!

This morning I woke up with a crazy to do list going on in my head.  One of my most important things to do today was go out and find the perfect doll for Fedna.  I wanted to meet her in FLL at customs and have this doll for her.  Something she could love on and have to comfort her.  The boys were loaded in the van and I was locking the front door when my phone rang.

Here comes the curve ball I was not prepared for.  The one that knocked me to my knees.

I answer to find Salem on the other end.  It’s not happening she says.  They are not coming.  WHAT???  Did I just hear that right?  There was an error on Bear’s passport and the visa office wouldn’t even look at it.  Passport offices in Haiti are closed.  Maybe until Jan 8th.   Nothing we can do.  He can’t get his visa.  He’s not coming.  They are not coming now.

I think the earliest they can get stuff done will be January 8th.  The kids will be coming to Austin, just not when we originally thought.  I’m struggling with why God would do it this way.  Why would he allow this to happen when Bear is in critical condition and needs help soon?  I have no answers, but I do know that God is a good God and that his ways are not always our ways.  I am choosing to TRUST that he has a plan bigger than ours and that this will work out in his timing.

Selfishly I’m wishing Fedna was here this weekend.  It seems to be the perfect weekend for us. Aaron doesn’t lead on Sunday and was planning on taking the boys camping while we were at the hospital.  Once again, God’s plans are perfect even when to me they look flawed.  I’m trying to make myself understand and believe this 100%, but it’s hard when our minds tell us differently.

Please pray for Bear as he waits for possibly another week to get here.  Pray for Licia & Lori as they have worked so hard these last few days getting passport and visa appointments together.  Pray for Bear’s caregiver this week.  Give them strength and wisdom as they change his bandages.  Pray for the doctors, nurses, staff, hospital here in Austin.  Pray that schedules can be changed and that people are understanding of this being out of our control.

Curve balls.  You never know when they are coming.

Fedna is coming

YIPPEE! Fedna will be here on THURSDAY night. Yes you read that right. Thursday, as in two days from now Thursday!

Any folks out there with clothes that we can borrow? We need dresses (comfy not churchy!) and tights/leg warmers for our sweet little girl. She will be 3 in January and I don’t know her height or weight. So, I’m guessing 2T or 3T stuff. I know that’s a whole years difference, but we’ll make it do!

If you have stuff we can borrow, be sure and put your name on it so I can get it back to you. Don’t let me borrow anything that you would be devastated if you didn’t get back. You just never know!

I have a page on the blog that is just for needs that we might have while she is here.

Life is about to get C.R.A.Z.Y!!!!

dreaming of Barbara

At breakfast this morning all of a sudden my dream hit me.  I think we were talking about Haiti or something and it all came flooding back.  You know how dreams do that.  It is missing pieces, but for the most part I think I remember most of it.

I was in a meeting room with our adoption facilitator in Haiti and she was drawing a diagram for me of all the steps we have next.  Then she went on to tell me how long each of them was taking.  They all added up to 10 weeks!  (oh how i wish that was true!!!!) We were so excited.  I’m sure there was more conversation between us, but that’s all I remember.  Then as I was walking out of the classroom (yeah we were in a school for some reason) she called me back in and looked at me with this happy go-lucky look and said “don’t worry Jamie, I’ll have your kids home by June!”.  Then I left and woke up.

Oh my goodness how I wish someone could for real give me a date to when they’ll be home.  That’s part of the hardest thing for me.  I can try and try to guesstimate when I think they’ll be home.  I read blogs that give estimates of how long each department is taking and I try and figure it all out.  You can’t figure it out!  It’s pointless.  There is no “official” timeline.  We have no clue when they’ll be home.

June does sound good though!

Austin vet

I hate using my blog as a yellow pages request line, but what the heck …. you guys never let me down.  I know I’ve asked this before and I think I stored all your great advice on my old computer.

I need a vet.  Carson needs updates shots!  We live on the north side and would prefer not to drive all the way across Austin!!

So, bring it on!  Where can I take my pooch to get some shots?

boiling eggs gone bad.

I pretty much suck at being domestic.  It’s just not my thing!

Today I was going to boil some eggs for us to have as an afternoon snack.  I started them and then my domestication got out of control.  Before I knew it I was doing laundry, vacumming and sweeping the floors.

I forgot about my eggs until I heard a loud pop in the kitchen.  Oh yes all the water gone and eggs exploded!  All four ruined.  No water left in the pan.

Sorry kids. No eggs today.  Mom will try again tomorrow!

Getting ready for a girl!

My emotions are crazy these days. I have a few things playing against me. #1 it’s about to be that time of the month. I know – what too much information – but it explain a lot. #2 I’m trying to prepare physically and emotionally for Fedna’s arrival. #3 I’ ve been working on Story’s room for Fedna and it is making me miss her tons.

Fedna could be here as early as next Thursday, or sometime the week after next. I’m praying she gets here sooner than later so she can begin her life change. I’m trying to get Story’s room ready for her so that she’ll have a place to stay and will feel comfortable. I have a few 2T winter shirts, but nothing bigger than that. I should know by Tuesday her height and weight and that will help with clothing. I have heard that dresses might be easiest with some tights or leg warmer things. Oh this girl stuff is so new to me!

The thoughts of helping Fedna bring me to tears. The thought of her momma sending her away is heart breaking to me. The thought of my boys loving on her and seeing our family help someone out brings me to tears. I pray that God uses these weeks to mold their hearts towards those that need our help. I pray that at a young age they see what really matters in life.

Today in Babies R’ Us I thought I was going to start crying. I want to get so much stuff for Story and Amos. Everything will be new and exciting to them. BUT I know that “stuff” will not matter to them one bit. I have been so good at keeping myself from these desires. It does me good to every once in a while just go walk around in there and dream of things for them.

Today I did buy a bed sheet for the crib. I figure that Fedna doesn’t need to be sleeping on blue sheets! She needs sheets with pink and flowers!!! I also recently made a fabulous purchase for Story’s room the other day. I found this amazing guitar at Pottery Barn Kids and knew this would be awesome in her room. Lucky for me it was on clearance – $8 – amazing!!!

Everything in here is special …. here goes:

1.  THE guitar from Pottery Barn kids – how stinking cute is that??!!!

2.  When we were collecting things to take to Haiti one time someone gave us this stuffed animal.  Somehow my kids got it out of the pile and it was deemed “Story’s pig” by Deacon. He insists that this is for her and that she’ll love it.  I can’t tell him it’s someones left over!

3. I bought this doll on my first trip to Haiti in November of 2006.  I wondered at the time if I would ever have a little girl to love on this doll!  I will!  What you can’t see is that her neck is literally about to fall off.  It looks like someone tried to cut it off.  I’ll have it fixed before she gets here!

4. The two sheet brown baby dolls.  I found them at Target (I’m sure although I can’t fully remember) and bought them.  One for Story and one for Fedna.

5.  This is the first gift we received when I was pregnant with Cayden.  My mom bought this for us.  I still have it and I think it will look great in a little girls room!

6.  Once again this is a stuffed animal that we’ve had forever and Deacon insist that it is now Story’s!

7. I bought this sweet brown doll as soon as we found out about her.  It’s been waiting for her every since.

And the sheet!  Yes my first girl sheet!  Oh how I love it!!!  So now if I can get Aaron to do some painting in there for me we’ll be getting closer!!!  Any toys that a one year old girl would love?  Send ideas!  We’ll just start getting a few things here and there!

adoption time line

Does anyone else that’s adopting internationally ever try to determine THE date that your kids will come home?  Every couple of weeks I do this.  I even go as far as to check plane and hotel tickets for those dates!  Very crazy!  I did this tonight.  Checked room prices at the Miami Airport hotel!!!  I have it all planned out as to how we’ll travel to get our kids!!!!

Am I alone in this?

favorite cards of the year

I absolutely LOVE to get CHristmas cards.  As I stated before we didn’t get ours out last year and as of today they still aren’t even printed!  Don’t worry …. we’re sending 2009 New Year cards!

I got my two favorite cards in the mail today.  They were the best of the whole year.  Amos & Story sent us cards!!!!  Look how sweet these are.  I can just imagine someone holding their little hands as they colored a sweet picture for their family in Texas.

Keep praying for April 12!

Thanks Licia!!!

Daddy’s little girl shirt

I’m hoping I get to put this on Story this summer!