Bella meaning beautiful

Our little Bella was something else. (Nerlande is her given name) She did not like sharing her mama with John Carey at all. For the first few days I thought she was 100% RAD but she started coming around and eye contact got better and her feisty attitude started to show.

We were sitting at dinner at the Visa and I had to make a diaper change run for JC so I left her with Trish. She picked her toy up and threw it at me showing her dislike of me leaving with JC and not her. Boy was she a mess. When we were alone in the room she would run around and play with JC and babble mama and other foreign things. I have no doubt with a lot of love from her nanny she will come around and be as well adjusted as JC.

I can't wait to visit my babies again but with husband in tow!

John Carey

My biggest surprise on this trip was John Carey! This is him last time I saw him on the trip to pick up TnT.


He was the saddest little boy. No eye contact just really withdrawn. He has come so far! He was the happiest most well adjusted little boy I have seen. He was very loving patting mama on the back when I carried him just an absolute joy! I attribute this change in him to his nanny Veve love and care. I can't wait to get that boy home!

Turmoil

My heart has been heavy since coming home from Haiti. Our adoption of Darline has been up in the air. I was not prepared at all for this trip or the behavior displayed by her. I have gone back in forth in my decision and totally decided against adopting her but after much prayer and talking with my husband we are going to adopt her.

When I arrived in Haiti she was very sick. She had the measles. I had read on the CDC site there was an out break but who would of thought about her having them. Our director M let her come see me and she wanted her to return to the O for care for a few more days but she was not having it. She wanted to stay. We had to keep her separate from John and Bella in hopes of them not getting them. She threw up and had severe diarrhea all night. No one slept much that night. I called M the next morning and ask her to pick her up and bring her back when she was better. She stomped the whole way to the car in rebellion.

Most of her surprising behavior happened after she was feeling better. S and I talked and we have a lot of resources to help her through his employment if needed. I was just so worried about how this would affect TnT since they transitioned so well. We have at least two years before her homecoming and more time to prepare better for her. I ask all you praying folks to remember us and Darline in prayer.

Haiti Trip

This is a trip I won't forget anytime soon. It was a real eye opener I will talk about it more later I thought for now I would share some pictures of our beautiful children.

I'm Home

I am so glad to be home. It was fun visiting the kids but there is no place like home.
I will post more in a few days when I catch my breath.

Packed and ready

My suitcases are packed and ready and my hubby is dropping me off at the airport on his way to work in the morning.I am a little nervous flying Spirit for the first time I have always flown AA and will from now on. They only allow one checked bag per person on trips to Haiti. That is almost impossible going international and taking stuff for 3 kids and gifts from other parents.

I am really excited about this trip to Haiti. I will be rooming with Trish and her friend Sonja, so we will have a room full. I am a little nervous about how the kids will react to their new mama but I'm sure after a day or so it will be ok. If you are the praying kind prayers are welcomed!

Finished Dossier

I finally finished our dossier for Darline. It is at the Haitian Consulate right now and I am praying they send it out today. I might just have back in time for travel on Wed morning.

It took me 9 hours on Tuesday to translate all the documents that were going to the Consulate and I finished the rest yesterday. I can't believe how much ink and paper I used to compile this file. After making 4 in the past you would think I would remember.

I am getting really excited about the trip and meeting some other families adopting from PAC. A few will be there to pick up their kids and I am rooming with Trish my online friend!! I can't wait to meet you Trish!! and Sonja!! We are going to have so much fun!

Crazy Day

Today was just one of those days. While S was off today we tried to get all of our paper work completed for our dossier. I got up early got myself and the girls ready to go. I already had the folders for 4 different court houses in the van ready to go. So S drove to the Barrow County court house first only to discover I didn't have the documents for that office with us. They were also needed for our updated HS so they were at home. We call the house to get our son to meet us with folders of documents only to find they were not in there either. HS paperwork was on the kitchen counter. Why? I have no idea.

I told S I could just fedex everything to the 4 court houses but he wanted to save money so we set out again. We got to the court house and the lady was at lunch the only lady that could possibly do this job at lunch. There goes any chance of making it to the office in Atlanta to get all the docs authenticated. They wanted us to wait an hour. I told them I would come back tomorrow.

Next we head to Gwinnett County to get the next batch of docs certified. Did I mention this is the 1st Tuesday of the month and they are auctioning homes on the front steps of each place we go! We get this done pretty fast but I notice I had another Barrow in the folder the lady at the bank used two different counties. Is that legal? I was looking for a reason to scream but I held it together praying to myself that the rest of the day would go smoother.

Off to office number 3 Dekalb county it was about a 30-40 minute drive so we stopped at the golden arches for the girls some lunch to eat in the van. We arrived there and of course there was no parking out front where you drop your little quarters in and save money we had to park in the 6.00 parking garage. We had the girls so walking a long distant with little T turtle was not appealing so we dealt with it. Before leaving the parking garage on this trip S decided to remove all the change from his pockets and take his belt off since he had a big buckle on there and had to remove it inside the other two court houses. He opted to carry little T turtle since this is not the safest area of town and we started walking. We walked out to the streets and waited for the Marta buses to unload so we could get by, then S started to sit T turtle down and his pants hit his ankles. OMG I lost it and so did the girls I really thought I was going to pee on myself I was laughing so hard. I then stopped to look around afraid we were going to be arrested for his accident. Guess no one seen thank God! Anyway I finally composed myself and told him I was sorry but he was fine and has a great since of humor. We quickly made it in and out of that court house with no more problems.

Court house 4 Clayton county was about 45 minutes away but we found it and was in and out in a matter of minutes. By far this was the best set up of all 4 we visited.

I was able to get up early and go pick up the docs from yesterday and get the two I forgot yesterday so our file is ready to be sent to Atlanta (I am not driving there by myself) so they are going fedex. Then once they return off to the Haitian consulate in Chicago and we will be finished! Yeah!