tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70988709158383074872024-03-13T15:02:29.762-05:00Our Adoption JourneyThis blog has been created to keep people up to date on our amazing adoption process from Haiti.we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-79443509265870426932019-11-23T16:19:00.000-06:002019-11-23T16:19:50.659-06:002019<span style="font-size: large;">2019 Has Arrived!!! AND is Now Almost Gone!!!</span><br />
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I was reminded last night how quickly time moves on. Lying in bed I had a moment to glance at my Facebook quick before turning out the light. One of the memories listed at the top was a link to our last blog post. It warmed my heart to see the adorable update, and then I noticed the date! Many years have passed since I wrote a true blog! How on earth can that be? I suppose that it is because life is occurring at breakneck pace. We are running from sunup to sundown. I truly believe that every year goes faster than the one previously. All the more reason to keep tabs on the happenings in this crazy household.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-djvSWULmb40/WxcAK1hSFJI/AAAAAAAANEI/7Aq8z3ywk_47TClngiQjnZLuafnZa9tgQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-djvSWULmb40/WxcAK1hSFJI/AAAAAAAANEI/7Aq8z3ywk_47TClngiQjnZLuafnZa9tgQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_8514.JPG" width="320" /></a>I know our Christmas letters have been included on our blog to keep everyone updated on the main highlights of the year. So the basics are in the books...but truly...how is life? How is everyone doing with the overall transition to a crazy family of seven? We are now five+ years in...and we are doing well! We have had ups and downs along the way...but way more ups than downs. And believe it or not, but we decided a year ago that we needed even a little more excitement around the DeWit house! We added a sweet English Cream Golden Retriever, Archer, to our family! Now we have seven + 2 dogs! The kids have been amazing helping take care of the newest DeWit boy.<br />
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We had the joy of watching Elijah and Judah graduate from Kindergarten and first grades! We are now well into 2nd grade! Hard to believe that all of our kids are in school now and doing well. The school decided for the twins to be in separate classes, and I truly think that this was a blessing! They have their own friend groups and have been having fun becoming more independent of each other.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mfqtFwiFwhc/WxcA0fmKw_I/AAAAAAAANEY/SXXeTrpbfZAlsnvMZw1JNnsvx2yaFHMnwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mfqtFwiFwhc/WxcA0fmKw_I/AAAAAAAANEY/SXXeTrpbfZAlsnvMZw1JNnsvx2yaFHMnwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_8166.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KrB5Eb5Qj9c/WxcAywbKI2I/AAAAAAAANEU/BT8eo-XopTwScQ0QITMYr_MTYR6BvSArgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KrB5Eb5Qj9c/WxcAywbKI2I/AAAAAAAANEU/BT8eo-XopTwScQ0QITMYr_MTYR6BvSArgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_8165.JPG" width="320" /></a>They are still so opposite of each other...Eli is very aware of the details...focused and a defender of the rules...even to the point of annoyance at times. We have been trying to teach him that no one likes a tattle tale and the importance of being understanding. Judah is independent in his own way as well. Loves to play alone and has an incredible imagination. He is strong and tender at the same time. I think that we are going to have a couple of athletes on our hands and have had fun watching them play baseball and football.<br />
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Both boys did a fund raiser at their school and Craig was able to volunteer and test them on their knowledge of over 50 facts. They did really well and these photos were taken at the event. We were very proud of them. It has been amazing watching their English progress...to the point that no one would even know that English is their second language. Too bad we didn't know enough Creole to keep them fluent in that as well.<br />
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We took the boys to their school carnival and it was so fun watching them interact with the other students. It was also exciting watching them play the games at the carnival. Their zest for life is truly a blessing.<br />
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We have made a lot of memories at school and at home with our family. We continue to wrestle behaviors at times...and if I let myself over analyze it, I sometimes wonder if their need for praise or over the top frustrations that they experience could be adoption related. We are still working through all of that and will likely be working on this for the rest of time...but they are such a joy! There is nothing more special than Eli's smile and Judah's belly laughs! We praise God above that he decided to create this crazy family that we call our own!<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IKSaCj05ybw/WxcAr6aP3RI/AAAAAAAANEQ/7R-PXjxJ8QMOQvEyqGZ6xj8ODHFYMKj2wCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IKSaCj05ybw/WxcAr6aP3RI/AAAAAAAANEQ/7R-PXjxJ8QMOQvEyqGZ6xj8ODHFYMKj2wCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_9022.JPG" width="320" /></a>Each year the kids grow closer and closer to each other and we are able to navigate life with slowly decreasing drama. I know that sounds silly but navigating the grocery store alone is a challenge where the boys spend half of their time on the floor searching for lost coins and treasures. Doesn't sound like a big deal until you are in the aisle or checkout and your kids are literally army crawling around the legs of strangers. LOL.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oGm1M4la6bg/WxcBLmbYzVI/AAAAAAAANEo/G3deHsU11v4oLnBEh2Cb4nvPAGNutIB0wCLcBGAs/s1600/DSC_6669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oGm1M4la6bg/WxcBLmbYzVI/AAAAAAAANEo/G3deHsU11v4oLnBEh2Cb4nvPAGNutIB0wCLcBGAs/s320/DSC_6669.JPG" width="320" /></a>When we began our adoption process, we were told that this would be a difficult journey. We knew that and felt up for the challenge. By God's grace we have come through as a beautiful family that is growing stronger every day. We have gotten a little smarter over the last couple of years too and have networked with several other adoptive families We have learned that the trauma of adoption and life in an orphanage has affected these sweet boys in ways that we need to address and process through with them. We are receiving special support in their classes at school, are seeing a counselor, have gone through a Brain Paint neurofeedback program and have even identified a couple of helpful medications.<br />
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The extreme love that these boys feel in our family, church family and friend group and these outside supports have helped our boys to find joy in ways that were difficult to envision. It is a beautiful thing watching them grow like weeds physically and to blossom cognitively as they pour over books. Every year they accomplish so much, and we could not be more proud of them!<br />
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We are so grateful for the love and encouragement that we have received over the years! I truly know that without the prayer support, we would not have gotten through. We rely on the Lord absolutely every day!<br />
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We hope and pray that the Lord is working in your life as well! Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we continue to navigate this path. Hopefully my next letter will not be so long in coming!<br />
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Many blessings,<br />
(Safely on the sand)<br />
<br />
Rebecca<br />
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PS It literally took me five attempts to finally post this....so the pictures are a bit outdated....but a new Christmas letter will be coming soon!<br />
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we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-28810196985443360992018-01-30T21:49:00.001-06:002018-01-30T21:53:48.467-06:002017 Family Christmas LetterAs Rebecca is preparing to write a new, long overdue blog-post, we realized that we failed to post our 2016 and 2017 family Christmas letters. Here is 2017 as quick little "preview" of our life since our last post, until Rebecca can get a new post fully written.<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">2017. </span></b><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n b" , serif;">Hmmm, 2017?</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;">
Everybody is a year older. End of
Christmas letter.</span></div>
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<b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">Much Love, </span></b><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;">Craig, Rebecca, Aftyn, Haley,
Aiden, Elijah and Judah DeWit</span></b></div>
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Ok, well, Rebecca says I should
write ‘something.’ Here’s a few tidbits
for you…<b><span style="font-family: "mistral";"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">Aftyn</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;">
(15) is a sophomore at Washington High School and is driving! She played
softball with the same team, the Gators, for the 10<sup>th</sup> year in a row!
Once again this year they took home the league championship! (Three-peat!) She
also played JV softball for WHS in the fall. (THEY did NOT win any
championships. </span><span style="font-family: "wingdings";">J</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;">).
She enjoys being academic (like her mom) and is active with volunteering. To
make some spending money, she babysits and teaches piano lessons from our home.
Last spring she went with the WHS Band to California and this summer Aftyn came
with Rebecca and me to Haiti on our church’s mission trip. She loved it; and we
loved seeing her love it! This fall we started a new hobby together... looking
at colleges. She has started receiving letters from schools and this spring
we’ll start going on campus visits. </span><span style="font-family: "wingdings";">L</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">Haley</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;"> (13) is rocking 8<sup>th</sup> grade and looking
forward to joining Aftyn in high school next year. She is excited to start driving this summer
(Yikes!). Instead of playing sports, Haley loves spending time in the kitchen
with Rebecca or hanging out with friends. We’re lucky if we get to see little
miss social butterfly on weekends. (Only a small exaggeration) She, too,
babysits and really enjoys spending time with kids. This summer Haley attended
two church camps where she was able to practice her social skills. Needless to
say, they were both highlights of her year. She and Rebecca are also currently
working on helping redecorate our church’s youth room, which is a fun project
for them to do together since Haley loves redecorating and all things HGTV.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yl-cHn6imWk/WnE6XjFaryI/AAAAAAAAJ5o/5bxGYm-ipwA4fBmGjejLvmH_B6jtDC-pQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yl-cHn6imWk/WnE6XjFaryI/AAAAAAAAJ5o/5bxGYm-ipwA4fBmGjejLvmH_B6jtDC-pQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4313.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">Aiden </span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;">(11) played Michael in Eugene Field Elementary’s musical,
Peter Pan, last spring. It was so good
and so fun to watch him have a lead role. When the girls were in musicals at
E.F. they never wanted a lead role (which was fine), but theater is how Rebecca
and I met (25 years ago), so it was fun to see his interest in theater. This fall Aiden started middle school and is
at Whittier with Haley. It’s been an interesting transition getting used to
being bussed, the larger school, having a locker, and going from classroom to
classroom. Aiden’s happy place is in front of the computer, or a smaller piece
of technology staring incessantly at other people playing games. I know other
parents would agree with me; why not play the games yourself instead of
watching other playing???? Or better yet, GO OUTSIDE. When I am at home and
turn the WiFi off, he does enjoy building creations with Legos, riding his bike
or scooter and doing boy stuff in the neighborhood with the other neighbor kids
whose parents turned off their WiFi too. This summer he went to his first
church camp and had a great time. During the fall he played FCA Flag Football
and really enjoyed that too.<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">Elijah</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;"> (6) is in Kindergarten and loves learning. We have the
twins open-enrolled at Eugene Field Elementary where “the bigs” went, as well
as where my brother and I went. Eli fills our house with sassy spice and also
considerate compliments. From minute to minute you never know what’s going to
come out of his mouth, sweetness or sass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">Judah</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;"> (6) is... Judah. More often than not he is so sweet and
loves cuddling. On the other hand, when
he’s not being sweet, look out. This boy can tantrum. All-day, every day,
kindergarten takes its toll on 6-year olds who are used to taking afternoon
naps. Lucky for his teacher, Miss Pederson (who was also my kindergarten
teacher, Aftyn, Haley and Aiden’s kindergarten teacher too), he saves this
behavior for us at home. Both of the boys love playing outside with the
neighbor kids and also going across the street to ask for popsicles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">Craig</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n b" , serif;"> (Forty-something) went Mt Biking in a new state this
summer, Wisconsin. It was amazing, and without injury! I look forward to
heading back over there next summer. I’m
in my 5<sup>th</sup> year of trying (and failing) to grow wildflowers in our
backyard. Someday they’re going to be amazing!
Once again this past summer, Rebecca and I led a team from our church to
Mission-Haiti, and more specifically up on a mountain in a village called
Toussaint, where we continue to fall more and more in love with the Haitians.
Coming up in February of ’18 we get to witness one of the blessings stemming
from God’s work through us on our August trip. In August we were honored to
lead a two night couple’s retreat where we talked about God’s design for
marriage. Now, coming up the first week of February we get to help organize and
witness a wedding for 8 of the couples that were at our retreat and now desire
to get married. God is so good!</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">Rebecca </span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n b" , serif;">(Forty-something +3 months)</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;"> continues to work just shy of full-time, while also
running kids every-which-way and running the house beautifully. Not saying she
doesn’t get stressed out at times, but it is amazing how great of a job she
does at all of it! Honestly, the other six of us in the house don’t even know
half of how blessed we are. When Rebecca
does make down time for herself she enjoys vegetable and flower gardening,
reading and scrapbooking our family’s memories. (Although she’s considering
going all-digital scrapbooking... (gasp!)) Sadly, last February we lost
Rebecca’s Grandpa, but had a great time visiting family and remembering a great
man!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">2017
Events: </span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n b" , serif;">Sledding, ice skating, family game
nights, visits to see family in MN, Valleyfair, annual family hotel weekend
staycation, taking in SDSU basketball and football games, Pinterest wood pallet
projects, Rebecca and the Bigs took in Matilda, the Broadway Musical, we kept
our eyes on multiple pairs of ducks (including Wood Ducks!) on our pond, we
continue to enjoy hosting Life Groups, all three of the Bigs played in their
last Piano recital in May, but then quit taking piano lessons after that </span><span style="font-family: "wingdings";">L</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n b" , serif;">, we went for lots of walks and nature hikes, went
kayaking a few times, hosted a neighborhood picnic, went to see U2 in the
cities, saw Garth Brooks in Sioux Falls (I know, country music, crazy, right?),
we took an Omaha Zoo family trip, just to name a few.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif; line-height: 107%;">We would like to wish all of our friends and
family a happy </span><span style="font-family: "blackoak std"; line-height: 107%;">2018</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif; line-height: 107%;">!
May God richly bless each of you, and may the gift of Christ be ever in your
thoughts and hearts as you navigate the journey ahead!</span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QDYRfPFtqm4/WnE6FYxufSI/AAAAAAAAJ5c/Dr9R-IhEeJEFPM2FB052ocwmThog1BwxQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="85" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QDYRfPFtqm4/WnE6FYxufSI/AAAAAAAAJ5c/Dr9R-IhEeJEFPM2FB052ocwmThog1BwxQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/3.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<u></u>we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-32019763278877622072018-01-30T21:36:00.001-06:002018-01-30T21:52:16.886-06:002016 Family Christmas LetterAs Rebecca is preparing to write a new, long overdue blog-post, we realized that we failed to post our 2016 and 2017 family Christmas letters. Here is 2016 as quick little "preview" of our life since our last post, until Rebecca can get a new post fully written.<br />
<u> </u><br />
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">2016</span></b><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;"> has proven to be another year filled with adventure and
new experiences! Our family took advantage of the “Every Kid In A Park,” free 4<sup>th</sup>
graders National Parks Pass. We visited the Black Hills, Tetons and Yellowstone
during a week long road trip. God’s beauty was incredibly breathtaking, and it
was so much fun to spend time exploring creation as a family. Some of our
favorite places were Schwabacher’s Landing, Grand Prismatic Spring, Devil’s
Tower and Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon. A couple of hikes were Lake Creek Trail
to Phelps Lake, Woodland Trail Loop, Lunch Hill Trail and the hike to
Inspiration Point at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone! The trip was incredible!
In August, we loaded up the car again and headed to Northern Minnesota to spend
time with my family. While there, we were able to honor my dad for his military
service in Vietnam by having the Wounded Warriors motorcycle club visit him.
They presented him with a quilt handmade by the American Gold Star Mothers.
Many tears were shed, and it was such a blessing to watch my dad, who has been
through so many trials in his life, be honored for his service in such a
heartfelt way. Also during our week at the lake, we played in the water almost
nonstop; skiing, tubing and knee boarding (Until Aiden ended the fun with 6
stitches in his lip. He was just one of three “boys” in the family with
stitches this year!) From the lake we headed up to Duluth with my brother, Nate,
Jen and their girls to watch the Tall Ships and the World’s Largest Rubber Duck
come into the harbor! We spent Labor Day Weekend the same way we have since
1998; soaking up the sun and music at Lifelight Music Festival. As always, it
was fantastic. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;">Our oldest, </span><span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">Aftyn</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;">
(14), continues loving piano, reading and playing with our golden retriever,
Griffin. She spent much of the summer at band camp...but had the most fun at
Klein Ranch Camp with three of her closest friends. The rest of her summer was
spent behind the plate catching for the Gators…back-to-back Softball League
Champions!!! This fall she began a new chapter in her life; high school! She
gives it a 10/10 and has made many new friends. She played on the Washington High
School softball team this fall. In October, Aftyn was confirmed and gave her
testimony at church. We are so proud of her! She is now beginning to study to
take her driver’s test and will begin her first AP class next semester. She is
also preparing for a trip to California with the WHS Band in February. She is
driven, outgoing and full of fun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">Haley</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;"> (12) also filled much of her summer with softball. She
played on a team with her cousin, Mickila, again this year. She went with many
of her friends to Sno-Daze Winter Camp, and to Pickerel Lake Bible Camp this
year and has grown so close to several of her church classmates. She is looking
forward to a trip to our church’s Association Free Lutheran Bible School (AFLBS)
in Plymouth, MN in February to go spend time with one of her summer camp
counselors and several of her friends. She too continues to love to read and
play the piano. Haley has made many new friends this year and is loving middle
school. She plays percussion in the
school band, Whittier Winds and Jazz Band. She is the lighthearted, witty and
compassionate kid in the house.<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">Aiden
</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;">(10) played baseball on a team with
several of his school classmates and friends this summer. He also passed many
hours having Nerf gun fights and created a ridiculous number of one of a kind
Lego creations. I know I am biased, but this boy has an incredible creativity
and understanding of spatial relations! At Eugene Field A+ Elementary he was
cast in last spring’s musical, The Lion King, as a mouse and wildebeest. (He
just finished auditioning for 2017’s Peter Pan before Christmas break!!!) In
the fall, he played FCA Flag football for the first time and completely loved
it. He tried valiantly to drop out of piano, but we thwarted his attempts and
recently discovered that some vision issues might be leading to his
frustration. That said, he recently began vision therapy and we pray this will
make life a lot more fun for this boy who has been struggling with reading and
participating in sports while seeing double! (We didn’t know this was happening
until his vision was being tested and he asked the Dr, “which one?” when told
to touch a pencil the Dr was holding.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J2f4uE8czO0/WnE3gHIKs5I/AAAAAAAAJ40/RNvZluMkZK8T2B4aadUeszHv9P0v_Y9LwCLcBGAs/s1600/Nikon_0001%2B%25281055%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J2f4uE8czO0/WnE3gHIKs5I/AAAAAAAAJ40/RNvZluMkZK8T2B4aadUeszHv9P0v_Y9LwCLcBGAs/s320/Nikon_0001%2B%25281055%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "blackoak std"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Elijah</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"> (5) and </span><span style="font-family: "blackoak std"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Judah</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"> (5) continue
to go to Jenna’s daycare and are now the biggest kiddos there! This fall they
started preschool at SF Christian and have learned so much already. It is so
fun watching their vocabulary and understanding grow every day! In May, Judah
began the adventure of having glasses. The first pair lasted exactly six months
prior to being bent, twisted, flung, stretched, lost, stepped on and then chewed
by a dog. We replaced them, and two days later he added his own chew marks to
them. Sigh. Once again…parenting five has its moments. The boys continue to
love Sunday School, playing with siblings and neighbors, and being outside! The
difference in their personalities is growing as they become more and more
independent of each other. Elijah is competitive and precise. Judah has a
creative imagination and often plays by himself; narrating the adventure loudly
with lots of dramatic sound effects (whether at home, in bed, or in church).
They continue to grow quickly. We can’t
imagine life without them!</span></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">Craig</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;">
is starting his 14<sup>th</sup> year at Midco and this year had the privilege
of traveling to San Francisco, Washington, DC, Las Vegas and New York City on
business. (I happily joined him in LV and NYC!! Elton John in Vegas was
incredible, but it was especially fun to experience NYC! We took in two
Broadway Shows and saw many of the sites. Being in Times Square for election
night 2016 was an “experience,” but Central Park is still my favorite!) Craig
had his 9<sup>th</sup> Annual Mountain Biking Trip to Maah Daah Hey in the
North Dakota Badlands. In July, Craig and I were blessed to lead a team from our
church to the mountain village of Toussaint, Haiti. We held VBS for 150
children, spent time with the children at the orphanage, and I led a women’s
retreat. We had the privilege of leading several people to Christ through our
home visits! It was incredibly powerful and was like nothing we have ever
experienced on previous trips. On October 4th, this same area of Haiti was
devastated by Hurricane Matthew. Craig traveled down 10 days later with three
others to assess the damage, gather and distribute supplies, and to take and
prepare photos and videos for fundraising. It was a powerful trip he will never
forget, much like his first trip to Haiti in 2010 after the earthquake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;">I, </span><span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">Rebecca</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;">, am still happily employed at Goodcare Rehab. I am the Occupational
Therapist at Dow Rummel Village in Sioux Falls and have gotten to know many of
the residents over the last year and a half. I spent many hours in my flower
and vegetable gardens, and had an incredible year feeding the hummingbirds around
our yard. (I think I am becoming more and more like my mom every year!) I am
enjoying a new role working with the older youth at church on Wednesdays. I
continue to treasure my scrap-booking time with girlfriends and enjoy reflecting
over the adventures of our busy but adventurous family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;">We would like to wish all of our
friends and family a happy </span><span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">2017</span><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;">! May
God richly bless each of you, and may the gift of Christ be ever in your
thoughts and hearts as you navigate the journey ahead! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "blackoak std";">Much Love, </span></b><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "kozuka mincho pr6n m" , serif;">Craig, Rebecca, Aftyn, Haley,
Aiden, Elijah and Judah </span></b></div>
we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-47058612994361813752016-01-31T15:34:00.000-06:002016-01-31T15:34:20.159-06:00Final Adoption TimelineIt has been too long once again...but the rhythm of life seems to sweep me away in it's current and I find it more and more difficult to find time to reflect by blogging on the many blessings that we have been given...and indeed...they are many.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wel2d2DBsnc/Vq56-nVxVHI/AAAAAAAAEv8/xEBm541Pa9k/s1600/DSC_0980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wel2d2DBsnc/Vq56-nVxVHI/AAAAAAAAEv8/xEBm541Pa9k/s320/DSC_0980.JPG" width="211" /></a>Today I was just sitting down to the computer to put a few final touches on the life books that I have created for our boys...and I decided that the information that I was including in their books could be so helpful to the many of people still waiting and contemplating adoption. I finished up the boys' adoption timeline. It is such a blessing to just be able to write those words!!! It is finally finished!!! The process of getting them here was such a struggle and brought so much strife and hidden blessing. Here is their overall adoption timeline!<br />
<br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yD2pD39_eCo/Vq56-jUcObI/AAAAAAAAEv4/MYRNxFr-vrE/s1600/DSC_0964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yD2pD39_eCo/Vq56-jUcObI/AAAAAAAAEv4/MYRNxFr-vrE/s320/DSC_0964.JPG" width="211" /></a>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>1997—Started
sponsoring 3-year-old Wichelanda Bazil in Haiti through Compassion<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Summer 2009—Connected
with Mission-Haiti for a short term mission trip to Haiti<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>12.09.10—Received
the dates (June 2010) our family would go to Haiti in the evening and an earthquake
hit 12/10– 3:53pm CST<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>03.13.10—Craig
went to Haiti with Mission-Haiti and began praying about how our lives
would change after having been to Haiti<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>10.03.10—Rebecca
went to Haiti with Mission-Haiti and we began praying together about God’s
will for our lives<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>01.15.11—E-mailed
Kiki (Alexis Jean Kuislin) at Maison des Enfants de Dieu <o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>01.23.11—Sent an
e-mail to family and close friends asking for prayer as we began
considering adoption <o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>02.01.11—Interviewed
LSS about being our South Dakota Home Study agency <o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>03.01.11—Emailed
Kiki at For His Glory Outreach (The US side of Maison) and Dede at LSS
saying we’d be going through them <o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>05.26.11—Started
the adoption blog<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>06.19.11—First paperwork
sent to CAN<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>08.21.11—Home
study completed and Dossier process started<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6354amxSBAw/Vq56-B2JSJI/AAAAAAAAEv0/G-U-GrpM2Ig/s1600/DSC_0337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6354amxSBAw/Vq56-B2JSJI/AAAAAAAAEv0/G-U-GrpM2Ig/s320/DSC_0337.JPG" width="211" /></a></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>08.25.11—Kiki,
director of Maison, passed away<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>10.05.11–-Twins
born<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>10.13.11—I-600A
document done <o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>10.17.11—Dossier
completed<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>10.20.11—Dossier
mailed to CAN</b></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>11.01.11—Dossier
approved by Secretary of State and sent to translation<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>12.12.11—Translation
completed<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>12.19.11—Chicago
Haitian Consulate approves paperwork <o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>12.20.11—Dossier
heads to Haiti and arrived seven days later<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>01.10.12—Twins
arrived at the orphanage<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>01.19.12—Informal
referral regarding 3 month old twins<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>01.25.12—Twins’
birth mother passed away <o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>03.09.12—Received
8 photos of the boys, names, general medical information and USCIS
approval in the form of I171-H<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>03.27.12—Formal
referral received at 2:45 pm, medical/social history received<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>04.03.12—Accepted
referral</b></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_-Gx0XjOK-4/Vq56-IGNgAI/AAAAAAAAEvw/LrC0esaCQA8/s1600/DSC_0328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_-Gx0XjOK-4/Vq56-IGNgAI/AAAAAAAAEvw/LrC0esaCQA8/s320/DSC_0328.JPG" width="211" /></a>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>04.27.12—Dossier
submitted to IBESR three days prior to an adoption freeze<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>04.30.12—Invited
to meet the twins<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>05.03.12—Decided
to take entire family to Haiti to meet the boys<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>06.10.12—First
Bonding Trip, met them on 6/11, US Embassy appointment 6/12, Haitian Court
appointment 6/14 and returned on 6/16<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>06.27.12—Birth dad
misses his US Embassy appointment-then misses a second appointment on 8/7
and a third on 10/1<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>08.13.12—Card
shower for support<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>08.14.12—Elijah
took his first steps and the Scranton house sold<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>09.04.12—Adoption
file waiting for Dispensation in the President’s Office, Judah walking too<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>10.23.12—Dispensation
received<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E-T1Cih0gQ8/Vq56-CEAloI/AAAAAAAAEvs/4LbmAjPcjEo/s1600/DSC_0351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E-T1Cih0gQ8/Vq56-CEAloI/AAAAAAAAEvs/4LbmAjPcjEo/s320/DSC_0351.JPG" width="211" /></a></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>11.01.12—Exited
IBESR, transition to Parquet<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>12.03.12—Birth dad
attends the USCIS appointment-signs off on the boys<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>01.16.13—1st legalization
of the Adoption Decree by Parquet Court-Judgment Granted<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>01.18.13—Notification
from CAN regarding not receiving accreditation from Haiti to process
adoptions<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>01.25.13—Adoption
Decree Granted!!! Notified 1/29. (2nd Legalization of the Adoption Decree
by Ministry of Justice. 3rd Legalization of the Adoption Decree by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">02.27.13 thru 3/8—Second Bonding Trip</b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>03.19.13—Entered
Ministry of the Interior<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>04.17.13—Adoption
Decree is reviewed by the Ministry of the Interior and 4/26 submits
request for Passport<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>08.17.13—Passport
issued by Haitian Immigrations (notified 8/20 and scanned copies 9/13)<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">09.17.13</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">–-Attestation from the National Archives</span></span></b></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">11.20.13</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">—Judah submitted to USCIS</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">-Elijah submitted to USCIS-date unknown</span></span></b></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<li><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">5.22.14</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">–-Notified CAN that we’re done paying monthly care fees until we’re in
country picking up the twins</span></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>6.13.14–-Submitted
to USCIS <o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>6.13.14–-Unofficial
USCIS approval<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>6.20.14–-Official
USCIS approval<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>6.24.14–-Visa
appointment date set for 7/8 and boys get their physical exam<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>7.8.14–-Visa
appointment date<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>7.10.14–-Visa issued
by US Immigrations<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>7.15.14 —Exit
letter printed by IBESR</b></span></li>
</ul>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>7.22.14–-Flight
from PAP to Miami to bring Elijah and Judah to the US</b></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>7.22.14–-Elijah
and Judah become US Citizens as soon as they got off the plane!<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>7.23.14–-Flight
Miami to Sioux Falls-5:20pm<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>8.24.15–-Re-Adoption Completed<o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">9.1.15 –-SD
Birth Certificate issued</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.6667px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v2YuGOcZOzY/Vq58_GCqCPI/AAAAAAAAEwo/Yrs0IwYyDnQ/s1600/DeWit-117-2100%2Bcropped%2Bsaturated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v2YuGOcZOzY/Vq58_GCqCPI/AAAAAAAAEwo/Yrs0IwYyDnQ/s640/DeWit-117-2100%2Bcropped%2Bsaturated.jpg" width="426" /></a>It is such a blessing to know that the boys are home and all of the paperwork is final. The crazy thing is though...that this journey has just begun! We literally have a whole lifetime to pour ourselves into these precious boys and it is such a blessing that the Lord has given us this time with them and trusts us to share Him with them!!!</div>
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Please continue to pray with us as we continue on the journey of life with these boys. We continue to work through many aspects of life together and prayer is such a gift and help in times of struggle.</div>
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I have also decided to include a copy of our annual Christmas Letter as an update and glimpse into our life together. Over the last year, we have deepened our bonds and have gone on several adventures together. This beautiful family that only God could have mended together is such a creative and precious blessing!</div>
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All my love,</div>
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Rebecca</div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Blackoak Std"; font-size: 20.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M";">2015</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M', serif; font-size: 10pt;"> has been filled with blessings and thankfully we have
been able to find many moments to breathe and focus on what an incredible thing
it is to be a family of seven! This year we were blessed to be able to travel a
bunch and made many new memories. In March, the twins had an extended stay with
Craig’s brother and sister-in-law, Jaron and Heather, while we took the “bigs”
to Phoenix to visit our friends, the Petersons and also Craig’s extended DeWit family.
We took in Sedona and the Grand Canyon, and also hiked to the top of Camelback
Mountain. It was so much fun! Then in July, we loaded the entire family into
the van and headed to Northern Minnesota and the North Shore for an incredible
adventure of visiting family, hiking, kayaking on Lake Superior and exploring
God’s beautiful creation! On the way home we spent a few days in the Twin Cities
enjoying time with friends and visiting Valleyfair. This summer we enjoyed
multiple camping trips with family and friends. Over Labor Day, we soaked up
the sun and music at Lifelight Music Festival. As always, it was fantastic. This
year we also had the blessing of taking in multiple other great concerts, as
well as a weekend with friends and the zoo in Omaha. This fall we got to spend
a fun-filled weekend at the Ramada Inn in Sioux Falls for our annual DeWit
Christmas celebration. The “bigs” also had the opportunity to travel to Florida
to visit Grandpa and Grandma Skalsky in November. They had an awesome time!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">Our oldest, </span><span style="font-family: "Blackoak Std"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M";">Aftyn</span><span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"> (13), officially became a teenager this summer and it
has been incredible watching her mature. She has a great passion for piano and
is now playing keyboard and vibes with the Jazz Band at school. She continues
to love percussion as well and is in Whittier Winds, a special band ensemble,
again this year. Last summer, her Gators
softball team won the championship title! She was a speaker at the Whittier
Honor’s Night and did a beautiful job. Her favorite past time is spending time
with her great group of friends! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">Both </span><span style="font-family: "Blackoak Std"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M";">Haley</span><span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">
(11) and Aiden took part in Shrek the musical at Eugene </span><span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">Field Elementary last
spring. They had a wonderful time being a part of the production. Haley too spent
a big portion of her summer playing softball. She continues to love to read and
play the piano. Last fall, Haley headed off to middle school and has made many new
friends and in October was honored as Student of the Month. Along with big
sister, she too plays percussion in Whittier Winds. She has a witty sense of humor,
and it is precious in combination with her sweet spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Blackoak Std"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M";">Aiden </span><span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">(9) still loves to spend most of his spare time either
making elaborate Lego creations or attached to </span><span style="font-family: "Blackoak Std"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">some form of technology. He is quite a daredevil when on
a bike or scooter and loves to spend time outside (when asked to get off of
technology). He played baseball for the second year with several of his friends
and just finished his first Lego League season where his team was awarded the
“Up and Coming Stars” award. This fall, he composed, performed and recorded his
own piano piece and submitted it for the Reflections PTA competition, and has
now moved on to the City level of the competition. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Blackoak Std"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M";">Elijah</span><span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"> (4) and </span><span style="font-family: "Blackoak Std"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M";">Judah</span><span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">
(4) have both grown leaps and bounds! They continue to go to Jenna’s daycare
where they have many friends and have been working on their vocab, language,
counting and letters skills. They are doing well in their first year of Sunday
School and Wednesday night church classes. We just got them registered for next
fall’s preschool! They love playing outside, biking, hiking, kayaking and
generally being silly. Elijah is intense and competitive and Judah is quiet and
happy-go-lucky…most of the time…but both of them are adorable and sweet. We
simply can’t imagine life without them! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Blackoak Std"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M";">Craig</span><span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"> is now in his 13<sup>th</sup> year at Midcontinent and
this year had the privilege of traveling to Las Vegas and New York City on
business. (I happily joined him for the Vegas trip!!) He took the three oldest
kiddos snow skiing, found time to fly kites with all of the kids and even built
the kids a treehouse with our neighbor. Craig is an incredible father! In June,
Craig led a team of missionaries from Sioux Falls (including his brother,
Jaron!) to Toussaint, Haiti. They led Vacation Bible School and Youth Group,
made home visits and continued building deeper relationships in Haiti. His
annual guys’ biking trip was spent at Cuyuna State Recreation Area exploring
more of MN and working on their technical biking skills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">I, </span><span style="font-family: "Blackoak Std"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M";">Rebecca</span><span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">, am
still happily employed at Goodcare LLC., however, in May I began working at a
new location (Dow Rummel Village in Sioux Falls) so I no longer have to travel
each day. I love my new position and have enjoyed meeting many new people. I
continue to treasure my scrapbooking time with girlfriends and had a great time
gardening this last summer. I also had a fabulous vacation to Florida to visit
my dad and Barb. It was a wonderful, and much needed relaxing time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">We would like to wish all of our
friends and family a blessed </span><span style="font-family: "Blackoak Std"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M";">2016</span><span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">! May
God richly bless each of you and may the gift of Christ be ever in your
thoughts and hearts as you navigate the journey ahead!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Blackoak Std"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M";">Much
Love, <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">Craig, Rebecca, Aftyn, Haley, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Kozuka Mincho Pr6N M",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">Aiden,
Elijah and Judah DeWit<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-85586474992435692492015-09-01T16:44:00.001-05:002015-09-01T16:44:54.930-05:00Finding That Spare Minute...<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zWK5diPr1M0/VdjEEkvBsqI/AAAAAAAAEJ4/eDxMzZ1A0aQ/s1600/DSC_0854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zWK5diPr1M0/VdjEEkvBsqI/AAAAAAAAEJ4/eDxMzZ1A0aQ/s320/DSC_0854.JPG" width="211" /></a>Unbelievable! The last day that I found a moment to put some
of my thoughts down on this blog was December 21, 2015. Multiple times I have
thought, “Hmmm…I really should find a spare minute to update my blog…and then I
run on to do the next task and it quickly leaves my mind. Seven months later, I
am finally finding that spare minute while driving on a family trip to Northern
Minnesota with five sleeping children in the back of the vehicle and a goal to
stay awake to help my hubby navigate to my childhood summer destination. It is
the perfect time to begin to gather my thoughts and provide an update.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wz8hKCP34JM/VdjE37wCqdI/AAAAAAAAEKc/xEdZSukWyNU/s1600/DSC_0398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wz8hKCP34JM/VdjE37wCqdI/AAAAAAAAEKc/xEdZSukWyNU/s320/DSC_0398.JPG" width="320" /></a>Incredibly, Wednesday, July 22, was the official one year
mark!! The twins have been official members of our family for one whole year! I
know that in my last post, the entire family was doing beautifully with
bonding. We were finally finding ourselves wading out of the emotional turmoil of
initial adjustment and bonding. This overwhelmed mama was kneeling in the
sand…beginning to feel some stability and normalcy in this foreign territory. <o:p></o:p><br />
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Now, one full year after bringing the twins home, we are all
fully standing in the sand. The last year has had its challenges, but the
journey has been so beautiful. Breathtaking even. Watch<o:p></o:p>ing the twins explore the world around them, one new thing at a time, and watching our beautiful big kiddos cheer them on along the way has been beyond words. It is as if we are still navigating through life’s challenges and continuing to teach the twins the way that this very foreign land operates…but we are doing it while holding their little hands and helping each other along.<br />
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I was reminded to get back onto the computer and update our blog shortly after putting together the adoption update on the twins. Craig and I have to provide written updates on the twins’ progress to the orphanage and our agency in varying intervals. Our most recent one was due at the one year mark, and it was beautiful to look through photos and to reminisce over the last year and all of the firsts and experiences we have been through together. I have edited the letter some to preserve some of the privacy, but hope that it is helpful in updating how the twins are doing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Please enjoy the update and continue to keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. Also enjoy the multitude of photos from our fantastic Northern Minnesota vacation. It couldn't have been more beautiful or more of a blessing to our spirits!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Happily walking in the sand,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Rebecca<o:p></o:p><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">*********Annual Adoption Update*********<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5oGZGod8qgw/VdjHLgRw5sI/AAAAAAAAEMw/TzznOOE2ECc/s1600/IMG_7731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5oGZGod8qgw/VdjHLgRw5sI/AAAAAAAAEMw/TzznOOE2ECc/s320/IMG_7731.JPG" width="320" /></a>When they first arrived home from
Haiti, July 23, 2014, we knew that there were some minor surgical procedures
that needed to take place. Judah had an umbilical hernia and several adhesions
requiring circumcision. Elijah also had adhesions requiring circumcision. They
had their surgery on August 22, 2014. Judah then had recurrent sinus
infections. He underwent an additional surgery to remove his tonsils and
adenoids on December 30, 2014. We have had several doctor’s appointments to get
them up to date on their immunizations and to screen for any other issues.
Initially we needed to treat for giardia and C-difficile. No additional medical
conditions have been found and their immunizations are now current.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our adoption was processed by
Children of All Nations agency. The boys were adopted from an orphanage in
Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Craig and I traveled to Haiti to complete our adoption
on July 15, 2014 and returned with the boys to Miami, FL on July 22, 2014, the
day the adoption was finalized. The boys were Naturalized United States
Citizens (IR-3) upon our arrival home.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Elijah demonstrates normal
development. He has good stamina for physical activity. His fine and gross
motor skill development is appropriate for his age. He has had a screen for
development through our local school system, and he was found to be within the
normal range. He has a structured eating and sleeping pattern. See below for
the schedule. He typically sleeps through the night and takes a 1-2 hour nap
daily. His current height is 37.5 inches and his weight is 31 pounds which
places him at the 25<sup>th</sup> percentile for his age. He has not required
any ongoing medical treatments beyond the surgeries listed above. Elijah is a
headstrong and independent boy but is also tender and loving. He desires to
please and has a good sense of humor. He is able to attend to a task for a
prolonged period of time and has a vivid imagination. He has attached well to
the rest of the family and has adjusted well psychologically. He typically
responds well to correction and encouragement. He did not know even one word of
English when he came home, but now has an extensive vocabulary. He is precise
with his language skills and is always trying out new sentences and adding descriptive
language to give more detail. He shows good comprehension of the English
language as well and appears to understand all of our commands.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JfGDImVeqgs/VdjXgaDk60I/AAAAAAAAEOQ/JBbcv13EaP4/s1600/DSC_2834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JfGDImVeqgs/VdjXgaDk60I/AAAAAAAAEOQ/JBbcv13EaP4/s320/DSC_2834.JPG" width="211" /></a>Judah also demonstrates normal
development. He has good stamina for physical activity. His fine and gross motor
skill development is appropriate for his age. He has had a screen for
development through our local school system, and he was found to be within the
normal range. He has a structured eating and sleeping pattern. See below for
the schedule. He typically sleeps through the night and takes a 1-2 hour nap
daily. His current height is 39.25 inches and his weight is 35 pounds which
places him at the 50<sup>th</sup> percentile for his age.<span style="color: #ffc000; mso-themecolor: accent4;">. </span>He has not required any
ongoing medical treatments beyond the surgeries listed above. Judah is more of
an observer and often follows the lead of Elijah when it comes to creativity
with play. He is more gentle and loving. He desires to please, has a good sense
of humor and is very ticklish. He has a shorter ability to attend to task and
plays more concretely. He has attached well to the rest of the family and has
adjusted well psychologically. He is improving in his ability to respond well
to correction. He becomes easily frustrated and requires step by step
instruction and encouragement. He did not know even one word of English when he
came home, but now has an expansive vocabulary. He is less precise with his
language skills than Elijah but is showing improvements every day. He shows
good comprehension of the English language and appears to understand all of our
commands.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Both boys are currently in
daycare for the hours that Craig and I are working. Their daycare provider is a
nurse by trade and is skilled at incorporating educational opportunities and
activities that encourage fine motor coordination and early educational skills
as well (counting, colors, ABCs, shapes, etc.) They get along well with the
other children at daycare and play well with them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<u>BOYS’ EATING/SLEEPING SCHEDULE<o:p></o:p></u></div>
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7:00 am wake <br />
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8:00 am breakfast </div>
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10:00 am snack </div>
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12:00 pm lunch </div>
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1:00 pm nap<br />
3:00 pm snack<br />
6:00 pm dinner<br />
<o:p></o:p>7:30 pm snack</div>
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8:00 pm bedtime</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--tafBVxePC0/VdjE7ADs9TI/AAAAAAAAEK4/9C6STtrgSvk/s1600/IMG_7395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--tafBVxePC0/VdjE7ADs9TI/AAAAAAAAEK4/9C6STtrgSvk/s320/IMG_7395.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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On our way home from Haiti, the
boys appeared to be comfortable and attached to my husband and me. When the
boys first arrived home, they were busy observing the world around them and
were quite hesitant with others. We limited our activity for quite some time
and also limited the direct contact with the boys from extended family and
friends. We made sure that we were the only ones assisting them with toileting,
eating and when they were hurt. They attached to my husband most quickly. They
also attached quickly with our two daughters. They took a little longer
attaching to our oldest son and me. I feel that they are now well attached with
our entire family. They seem to understand that we are a family unit and are
loving and affectionate with all of us. There is some sibling rivalry at times
between Elijah, Judah and our oldest son, Aiden. This rivalry appears to be
normal rivalry. Our older children have been so mature letting their needs go
unmet in order to meet the needs of Elijah and Judah. They are helpful and
thoughtful towards them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Our extended family, close
friends and church family have been supportive throughout this entire adoption
process. They continue to pray for our family and encourage us daily. They have
welcomed the twins with open arms and love them already. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aO7z9q_ebDg/VdjXmLz_erI/AAAAAAAAEO4/u2hl709MnYc/s1600/IMG_5623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aO7z9q_ebDg/VdjXmLz_erI/AAAAAAAAEO4/u2hl709MnYc/s320/IMG_5623.JPG" width="320" /></a>Adding Elijah and Judah to our
family has not caused us to have to make significant changes with our work
schedule. Craig works a 40 hour work week and I continue to work a 30-35 hour
work week. Our daily life at home has changed, however, because we have had to
incorporate a nap time and this has affected the number of family outings we
have been able to take. We look forward to being able to take all of the kids
on more outings in the future but welcome the quieter time at home connecting
with them over the past year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S434XDWxHbk/VdjXnN5A1dI/AAAAAAAAEPE/QQQ92biu10c/s1600/IMG_7703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S434XDWxHbk/VdjXnN5A1dI/AAAAAAAAEPE/QQQ92biu10c/s320/IMG_7703.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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We received their Social Security
cards and are currently in the process of applying for South Dakota birth
certificates and citizenship. Their re-adoption in the state of South Dakota is also finalized! We will likely
also apply for passports in the future.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It is a blessing that we have not
had any significant major family or life changes since bringing the boys to our
home. We all continue to be healthy and our marriage is healthy as well. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Also worth noting is our family’s
love for the country of Haiti and people of Haiti. We look forward to continuing
to travel to Haiti on mission trips (Craig just returned a couple weeks ago
from his 5<sup>th</sup> trip to Haiti.) and teaching Elijah and Judah about the
country they were born in. We want them to know and be proud of the great
country they come from.<o:p></o:p></div>
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we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-13802490853586350332014-12-21T22:28:00.000-06:002014-12-21T22:28:32.472-06:00Kneeling in the Sand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Praise God...I am no longer standing on tippy toes in the deep waves...I am now kneeling in the sand. Over the last few months (and I apologize that it has been so long since I wrote last), I have been gradually finding my way toward the shore. My feet have left the unstable surface of the shifting sand and the water has stopped threatening to pull me under. I am weary...on my knees...trying to catch my breath.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nKt0-hUorSU/VJdNpADkC9I/AAAAAAAAD3s/q2mW-d3bcis/s1600/IMG_2670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nKt0-hUorSU/VJdNpADkC9I/AAAAAAAAD3s/q2mW-d3bcis/s1600/IMG_2670.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>I truly have not even had a spare moment to sit in front of the computer to update this blog for three months! I can't believe that much time has already passed by. Each day just flies by with the normal routine consuming every waking minute.<br />
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Our typical day starts with hitting the snooze button at least two times...followed by showers, getting a family of seven ready, breakfast and a departure for work/school/daycare all within a one hour time frame. I load four of the five kiddos into my beautiful new "Mama machine" (Honda Odyssey) and head to daycare to drop off the twins and then on to Eugene Field to drop off Haley and Aiden. Aftyn is able to catch the bus to and from school on her own since she is in Middle School. Then it is the mad dash to NW Iowa to put on my Occupational Therapist hat while Craig heads off to work at Midcontinent Communications. At the end of my day, I hurry back to Sioux Falls to attempt to fit in a quick workout before heading back to Eugene Field to pick up Aiden and Haley. I help them with their homework and start to prep dinner as Aftyn arrives home from school. I make sure all is well with her world and then head off to pick up the twins. We are usually in the middle of making dinner when Craig makes it home from work. We eat dinner, finish homework, do baths, brush teeth, say prayers and tuck in five munchkins. Then Craig and I dash around the house putting all of the pieces back together again just in time to fall into bed exhausted....only to get up the next day and do it all over again.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y5lJlDSXuHc/VJdXIlNdVcI/AAAAAAAAD4k/QGgut4b6R_M/s1600/IMG_5794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y5lJlDSXuHc/VJdXIlNdVcI/AAAAAAAAD4k/QGgut4b6R_M/s1600/IMG_5794.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
The beautiful thing is that in the midst of all of this craziness, we are able to find time to dance like no one's watching, sing at the top of our lungs, snuggle like it is our last chance, hug closely and smooch sweetly. We try to soak up the moments with the bigs and the littles. When the twins are sleeping, we snuggle with the bigs on the couch watching movies together, play board games and on one occasion arranged for the twins to play at their aunt and uncle's so we could take the bigs to see the traveling Cirque du Soleil show, Varekai!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-prx2LHwP7eU/VJdOSRL9q6I/AAAAAAAAD30/4muUEcoG64U/s1600/DSC_7674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-prx2LHwP7eU/VJdOSRL9q6I/AAAAAAAAD30/4muUEcoG64U/s1600/DSC_7674.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a>When the twins are awake and we get a chance, we try to take in all of the firsts with them that we can. Over the last five months...they have experienced so much of life! So many firsts! They began their lives experiencing life in a small room with two nannies, fourteen other children and very few opportunities to leave that small space. Since arriving here, they have flown on an airplane, been on a boat, swam in a lake, took a warm bath, kayaked, ate a frozen treat, drank cold beverages, rode a bike, learned how to play with a variety of toys, went to the zoo, played at a sprinkler park, watched fireworks, saw hot air balloons, went for a road trip, ate at a restaurant, jumped on a trampoline, touched their first snow, trick-or-treated, rode in a car, sledded in the snow, learned to like dogs, went to a wedding reception and partied at a dance party with the SD Lieutenant Governor, rode a four-wheeler, went hiking, made a snowman, tried dozens of new foods, soaked up every moment of outdoor fun that they could and even opened their first Christmas present...EVER!!! It has been an adventure.<br />
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When I blogged the last time, Aiden and I were still having some trouble connecting with the twins. I am happy to share that Aiden and I seem to have bonded with the twins much better over the last few months. Aiden has learned to play a bit more gently with them and has figured out ways to connect with them better when playing with toys. He has even read to them on occasion without , my prompting! I am so thankful for this step in the right direction.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-81KMj04j_14/VJdVo6_FUiI/AAAAAAAAD4E/jC9wqTDJ07o/s1600/IMG_5960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-81KMj04j_14/VJdVo6_FUiI/AAAAAAAAD4E/jC9wqTDJ07o/s1600/IMG_5960.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>I think that the twins have gradually learned that I am their mama. This has helped them to connect with me over the last few months. They don't fight over their dad quite as much and sometimes even will choose me. (Although they usually still choose him.) I have to admit that this transition has probably been the most difficult for the twins and then for me. I have done a lot of thinking about why that is and have come up with a couple of reasons. The biggest reason is that I am an introvert. I recharge when I have alone time...and I have successfully created a family that places me in the midst of a crowd at almost all times. I was noticing that I was beginning to struggle with anxiety more and more. After talking to Craig, we decided that I should discuss this with my doctor.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z6AHJc0bTH8/VJdXZgAsjKI/AAAAAAAAD4s/AVDUMlVg9jk/s1600/DSC_8502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z6AHJc0bTH8/VJdXZgAsjKI/AAAAAAAAD4s/AVDUMlVg9jk/s1600/DSC_8502.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a>It was very difficult to punch in the number to call my doctor and then even more difficult to admit to the receptionist, the nurse and then the doctor that this beautiful family that I fought to bring together is now forcing me to anxiousness and even possibly the need for medication. Sigh. My mind slipped back to that Beth Moore event where I learned that "I am woman enough"...and my heart broke because I was filled with a dreadful feeling that I was failing. After many tears and some sweet heart to heart conversations, I realized that I was not giving myself the grace that I would give a friend in the same circumstance. I am a super busy Mama trying to juggle five kiddos, a professional career, a husband, a dog, after school activities and several volunteer opportunities. I am pouring myself out for this family every day. I was able to receive two prescriptions to trial to see if they would help the anxiety. I am still just getting started with them and haven't even used one of the meds yet, but feel blessed to know that I have the support system I need to figure out how to manage these emotions.<br />
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Please continue to pray for us as we journey onward as a family of seven. I am truly kneeling in the sand. On my knees in prayer for comfort, patience and guidance. Resting my head in the sand because I have never been more tired in my life but filled with joy and anticipation at the same time. So happy to be out of the deep waters and shifting sands.<br />
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Kneeling in the Sand...Praising the Lord,<br />
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Rebeccawe2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-14442798550838636182014-09-24T22:59:00.000-05:002014-09-24T23:12:07.619-05:00Buckling Down and Pressing OnOk...so I think that life is short, and it is very important for a person to be real. I think that it is also important to allow others to learn through our own difficult experiences. The purpose of this blog from the very beginning was to show our loved ones and other families walking through the murky waters of adoption what our journey was like. No two journeys are the same and no journey is ever exactly what is expected.<br />
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I have done a lot of thinking over the last several weeks since we came home with the boys. The emotions of this entire journey have been over the top. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows. It is so unlike any other journey in life, that sometimes it is difficult to even explain it to those that have not been through it...and even those that have been through it have had their own unique experience and challenges.<br />
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I have tried to think of ways to explain to my friends the emotions that are filling my heart since the boys have come home...and I almost feel as though I might disappoint some of them because of a few of the emotions that I am wrestling with. At times I am tempted to share my emotions, and sometimes I do, but other times, I smile and share some of the antics of the twins and move on...leaving the deeper emotions out of the conversation.<br />
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Just over a week ago...I was right in the depths of working through these emotions. It was at that same time that our church sponsored a Beth Moore Live Simulcast. I have done her studies, and I have seen her live at our arena, (and I love her) but I had never done a simulcast and really didn't know what to expect. I knew that I was wrestling with some serious emotions, and Craig suggested that I go. It was at this event that I was able to get some real clarity about the emotions that I am wrestling and a way to explain them to others. I was also able to receive some serious encouragement and prayer. Bear with me as I use a story to convey our experience:<br />
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Before our family decided to embark on this adoption journey, we were amazingly blessed! Our family was incredibly beautiful to me. It was all that I had ever dreamed of, and I really couldn't think of anything that I would change.</b><br />
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<i>It was almost like standing on the most gorgeous Caribbean beach and looking out at the sunset. It felt perfect in every way...I really had no plans to change a thing about it.</i><br />
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<i>Then off on the horizon, we spotted something. It was far off and hazy but appeared to be a small and breathtaking island. There were only a few people that had traveled to this island, but somehow we knew that it was God's plan for us to travel there. The decision to leave the beautiful beach was frightening and more than a little exciting. We knew that the journey would be difficult and costly, but we knew that we had to follow His will for our family. So we prepared as best as we could for the journey and just trusted that He would help us along the way.</i><br />
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Our adoption has been a journey we have never embarked on before. Choosing this plan was a huge leap of faith.</b><br />
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<i>We set off into the water and began to move toward the island. We practiced our different strokes and began to make some real headway toward the island making sure that the entire way across we held our family of five together tightly.</i><br />
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We filled out all of our paperwork...checking small boxes on list after list obtaining all of the paperwork required to fill our Dossier. We were fingerprinted five times, had bloodwork, background checks, psychiatric exams, shared all of our financials down to the penny and pretty</b><br />
<b>much bared our souls in the process. We tightened our budget, began to save our vacation time and really began to feel like we were making progress. This was the first year.</b><br />
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<i>We had tried all of the different swimming strokes many times over, only to find that it really didn't matter...we were beginning to show signs of fatigue. We were still able to keep the five of us together, and we were still afloat, but the progress was slow and the waters were becoming rough. We could hear our friends and family back on the shore cheering us on, but we had been swimming for quite some time and their voices were beginning to fade. At times, I even yelled out to my friends and my church to cheer louder and pray so we would stay together and stay afloat. There were times that some of the waves were so big, that Craig and I held our children above our heads and sunk below the surface just to keep them out of the water.</i><br />
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The next two years of the adoption process we had many ups and downs. We had moments of elation over steps completed and moments of sheer despair when we uncovered untruths, setbacks, delays and falsified documents. It was a terribly difficult time to navigate because we wanted to stay positive for Aftyn, Haley and Aiden, but the pain we were feeling was so much at the core of our being, it was quite difficult at times. Some of the low points, it truly felt like all of my joy was draining right out of me, and I began to despair. My mind would tell me that the Lord would bring us out of this triumphantly, but my broken heart hurt beyond belief. I was sinking. A couple of times, I sought out my friends and asked them to pray over me because I felt like I couldn't get through it on my own. Further along in the process, I actually asked our church to please hold a prayer vigil because I knew that I had sunk to my lowest low. I felt like I needed to hear my church family praying. My heart was being gripped, torn and I feared what impact the despair I had been experiencing was having on me and my family.</b><br />
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<i>We were still tired, every muscle cried out with each pull forward through the water. We still had encouragers but occasionally had people suggesting that we turn back. "Maybe this journey was too difficult, too costly, too long...or just that our efforts could be better spent in another way." It was painful to hear their voices in the midst of the waves. It brought on a whole new kind of pain, but after brief thought, we remembered why we set out on this journey in the first place. It was God's plan. We took a deep breath, pulled each other close and continued to paddle forward despite our fatigue.</i><br />
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As we moved through the process, we had family and friends make comments that were likely meant to protect us. Unfortunately, some of these comments were difficult to hear and made the journey more painful at times. As I look back now, I am thankful for the opportunity to witness to these loved ones of the importance of following the path the God has laid out for our family, and I hope that this truth resonated with them in some way.</b><br />
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<i>The harder we pushed forward, the closer the island became. We could see that the shoreline was even more beautiful than the beach we had left. We could see that the trees were filled with fruit and the sunsets and sunrises were going to be beyond stunning. We began to imagine our family on the island...complete and rested. We began to think of our future and the ways that the Lord would guide our paths once we were settled there. In many ways, it was encouraging and pushed us on in our fight through the waves...but in some weary moments, I would glance back at the shore we had left...and begin to weep. Why had we chosen this path? I was beginning to feel so alone, and I had never been more tired in my life. It really was beautiful on the shore we had left too...</i><br />
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We were able to travel once with Aftyn, Haley and Aiden to see the twins and also traveled to see them on a second bonding trip as well. We have thousands of photos of this time together as a complete family, and we got a taste of what our new family would look like. It was truly beautiful...yet after arriving home...navigating all of the disappointments and losses...my heart had moments of fear...fear that I wasn't strong enough for this. Fears that I wouldn't be able to juggle everything once the twins came home. I felt like many in my life were tired of hearing about the twins...our struggles...and that we STILL didn't have any good news to share. I was weary. Many tears were shed during this time. I tried to make the most of my time with our three kiddos at home and truly treasured my time with them.</b><br />
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<i>My arms and legs felt like they were not going to make it. I was barely able to keep them moving. At times Craig would hold me and push further forward though the water...and at times he would be frustrated, and I would buckle down, hold our family tight and press on. The island was just in the distance now...</i><br />
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We were close...we had been submitted to the US Embassy for Visa Approval. We were in the homestretch.</b><br />
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J<i>ust when I thought we were almost there...we were stuck. We were made to tread water for ten months! TEN MONTHS!!!!!</i><br />
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After ten months of time and multiple documents were done over, we were resubmitted for Visas for the third time and received our approval!! Praise God!!! The end was in sight!!! I just knew it that once the twins were home with us...we would be able to move forward with our bonding and our family would be able to finally move forward. We traveled to Haiti in July, picked the twins up July 22, 2014, and brought the twins to our home on July 23, 2014. We had a beautiful homecoming and many sighs of relief coursed their way though my tired body.</b><br />
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<i>We pushed on towards the island, and I watched as Craig, Aftyn, and Haley quickly left the water. They hurried onto the island and began to recover from the long journey. We had stayed close together through the entire journey, but right at the end...they pulled ahead of Aiden and me. I really don't know what happened, but we continued to find ourselves over our heads in the water. The waves were much smaller in the shallower water, but we were still tired and we were unable to touch bottom. There was no rest for us, and for some reason...as much as they wanted to...Craig and the girls were not able to reach in and get us out. We would have to work our way out on our own. In the meantime, the twins waded into the water and began to tread water along side the two of us. What? I was confused. I thought that once we made it across, we would all step out of the water together and begin to discover our new life with all of its beauty together. I couldn't understand it. I still felt like I was struggling...was I ever going to make it...was I strong enough...could I help Aiden and the twins navigate the waters when I was struggling myself?</i><br />
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It's true. I was almost certain that we would come home and our bonding would happen together. I thought that it would have its struggles, but I thought that if it was hard for one of us, it would be hard for all of us. I really don't know where I got this notion, but it was definitely a delusion. Craig is the most easy-going person I know and the adjustment seemed so easy for him. The girls are wired to be little mommies, and they get to pick and choose when they want to occupy that role, and that gives them a flexibility I do not have. I have to be there through the tantrums, when the food is pushed away, when directives I give the twins are ignored and when the crying just seems too loud for my ears. I am there in the middle of the night when the twins can't sleep, when they are sick or in pain and when they have to undergo surgery. I change diaper after diaper, take them to the potty five billion times per day, prepare meals that aren't always appreciated and still do all of the mommy chores that I did before with my family of five. I fall into bed at night and sleep like the dead until a small cry wakes me. I am SO TIRED.</b><br />
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<i>I am treading water. I am trying to figure out how best to manage trying to move the twins, Aiden and I towards the shore. I am tired, but I am pushing forward. I am encouraging them, guiding them and praying my way in.</i><br />
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Finally today, I had a profound moment of feeling like I have finally reached the turning point. I know that there will still be hard days and maybe my next blog will say that I was deluded, and we have struggles that I never even dreamed possible...but despite the multiple tantrums, the language barrier and the not listening...I feel like we are moving forward. I feel like we are connecting slowly, and like I am finally moving out of the depths.</b><br />
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<i>I was kicking with all my might, dragging my three sons with me, keeping their heads above the water and trying to take an occasional breath when I could...and it happened. My flailing legs were slowed as my toes skimmed the surface of the sand. Dear Lord, I was so tired. I held my three boys in my arms and tipped my head back lifting my nose towards the sky. I could just barely touch. If I focused and held the boys close, I could rest just a little. My legs were still straining...I was on my tip toes, but I just couldn't push further forward yet. I needed to rest. Praise God...a moment of grace.</i><br />
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Please continue to pray for our family as this journey is not yet over. The twins are home. Yes, that is true...but the real adjustments are just beginning.<br />
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We are having to find amazing amounts of patience and are trying to juggle life with much less sleep than we would choose if we could. It is more complicated to accomplish the normal tasks of life like mowing the lawn, making dinner and getting to school or church on time.<br />
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It is difficult to know how to handle discipline, the transition to work, and juggling all of our other commitments at the same time. We have simplified life, but it continues to be a struggle at times.<br />
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I don't mean for this blog post to be negative. It is just truthful and honest. This has been one of the hardest things that I have ever experienced.<br />
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The Beth Moore event also helped me to process through my fears and inadequacies. It challenged the women attending that God has made them WOMAN ENOUGH!!! I found myself with eyes full of tears and a heart that was healing as the pain began to leave it when she said that. It is true...with God, I AM WOMAN ENOUGH! I can do this. I can juggle this. It is not easy...I have to take it one day at a time and make sure that I am covered in prayer and my nose is in the Word, but I am WOMAN ENOUGH. I have to try to carve out time to exercise and have been trying to eat well so I will have the energy and general health to be WOMAN ENOUGH! Bonding might have been a bit slower for Aiden, the twins and I, but in time it will piece together beautifully because I serve an AMAZING GOD, and with Him, I am WOMAN ENOUGH!!!<br />
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Praise God for that little nugget of truth!!! I love you, Jesus!<br />
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Standing on my tiptoes with my nose just above the waves, but buckling down and pressing on,<br />
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Rebecca<br />
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<i><br /></i>we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-33511243287323637302014-09-08T22:38:00.001-05:002014-09-08T22:45:47.425-05:00Establishing Our New 'Normal'<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GJiilsHV0Tw/VA5qyTZUjGI/AAAAAAAABuA/DhN0MGG2o_k/s1600/IMG_5401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GJiilsHV0Tw/VA5qyTZUjGI/AAAAAAAABuA/DhN0MGG2o_k/s1600/IMG_5401.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>I have thought about how much I need to get myself in front of the computer to share how things are going so many times...but it has taken me many days to actually carve the time out to begin this journal entry. :) Life is crazy busy right now. We are working hard on establishing our new normal and getting to know how to navigate these new waters. It is taking literally almost all of our time just trying to keep the ship floating.<br />
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Our normal day includes many hugs, several kisses, a couple of time outs, a lot of laughter, some bouts of tears (at the top of their lungs), some frustration, but lots and lots of love. People have asked us what the transition has been like...and well, when in preparation I was thinking that we might have little boys ransacking the house, breaking everything in sight, doing unspeakable things with the contents of their diapers and writing on the walls...well, life has been quite simple in comparison.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rnvQebXjX_8/VA5qxikeNsI/AAAAAAAABto/847cQRG4kuI/s1600/IMG_2920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rnvQebXjX_8/VA5qxikeNsI/AAAAAAAABto/847cQRG4kuI/s1600/IMG_2920.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>I have to admit that this new direction of our lives is requiring a bit more patience, several deep breaths and 100% commitment of Craig, myself and each of our big kiddos. It has been challenging, but I think that it is going quite well. It would be nice if the boys could understand a few more English phrases so we could communicate better, but even that is progressing nicely. They are able to scream "COW" and "CAR" at the top of their lungs as we drive down the road and tell us, "All done," when pushing their plate away from themselves. They can follow many of our commands even though they aren't able to vocalize them themselves...for example..."take my shoes to the door," resulted in my shoes being ready for church right by the door courtesy of Judah! ;)<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GdVVqsFXrxk/VA5qxnER7-I/AAAAAAAABtw/eM5yjxfCJjU/s1600/IMG_2953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GdVVqsFXrxk/VA5qxnER7-I/AAAAAAAABtw/eM5yjxfCJjU/s1600/IMG_2953.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>We are beginning to understand the different cries of the boys, I can almost always tell if they are hurt, hungry, tired or just plain crying with no real purpose (which happens more than I would like.) Elijah cries consistently for 2-5 minutes each time when heading to nap or bed. It is just how he operates. I have to admit that I think that Elijah is just blooming here. We have been told that he was almost always in tears at the orphanage, and it was often the case when we were there with him as well. It seems like he is thriving in this quieter environment and that he is having very few bouts of uncontrollable crying. He is sharing well with his brother and we see more and more smiles from him every day.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2dudik2LHq4/VA5qxWN3cYI/AAAAAAAABts/UP0HDpVAsHE/s1600/IMG_2937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2dudik2LHq4/VA5qxWN3cYI/AAAAAAAABts/UP0HDpVAsHE/s1600/IMG_2937.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>Judah is very happy go lucky by nature. He made a very simple transition here and has been the newest little socialite in the family. His incredible happiness has been given a little setback, however, because our dentist has informed us that he really needs to stop sucking his thumb. We have been working on this and it is getting better, but difficult to take such a simple comfort item from a little boy that has had so many changes in such a short time. Please pray that this transition would continue to go well.<br />
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Both boys did well recovering from their minor surgeries. They are all healed up now and will have their followup visits to the doctor tomorrow. We pray for continued healing and for no further issues to come. We did get some results from some lab work and blood tests and praise God that nothing was found besides Eli being a bit anemic. That is to be expected from his Haitian diet and should turn around quickly.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">We had the boys' baptism on August 23rd and it was a fantastic time. My sister in law, Heather, and a close friend at church, Leah, did a phenomenal job making it quite the event! There were decorated balloon animals, little homemade arks and animals two by two. I have never felt so blessed. I just had to get the boys ready, gather the photo albums and the slide show and make it to the party. They literally took care of EVERYTHING. This girl is so blessed to have such an amazing family and church family that loves me and my family in such a beautiful way! (There are links to the videos that Craig and a couple of friends prepared for the baptism at the bottom of the blog.)</span><br />
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Labor day weekend we had a fabulous time with our family and a few of our friends at Lifelight Music Festival. It has been a huge event for our family since it began 17 years ago. We have gone rain or shine every year. We have had fresh ACL surgeries and brand new babies at Lifelight and hoped that this year we would be able to make it even with all of the new changes to our family. For the last two years it has been difficult to worship at Lifelight knowing that the boys were still in their orphanage. Lots of tears were shed those years. This year, we didn't know how the boys would handle the event. We prepared ourselves for a possible early departure. We were pleased that they did quite well. They did not mind the noise. (I guess they are used to everything being FULL VOLUME...especially Judah!) We snuggled them up in our Tula carriers and we enjoyed the weekend. Friday night was very muddy, and Sunday I wasn't able to head back out with the boys after naps due to the rain, but we made many fantastic memories at Lifelight this year!<br />
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We began a new chapter in our story last week on Tuesday because Craig began back at work again.With the big kiddos at school, that makes the house quite a bit quieter during the day. I love the weekends with the faster pace and more activity, but I have to admit that these quieter days are a real blessing to my soul.<br />
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One thing has been a bit difficult for me after bringing the boys home...and that is that they are Daddy's boys. BOTH of them! That is not typical for a DeWit child, and please don't get me wrong...I am happy that they love their Daddy and don't mind that he is number one with them. In fact, it warms my heart. It is about time he get a Daddy's boy...however, it is made more complicated because after Daddy, they then choose Haley and then Aftyn....and then come Aiden and me. We are at the bottom of the pecking order. Hmph. I guess that it is hard when one of them is hurt and Daddy is not home...and they don't want me...they want their sister. This has been an adjustment for me. <br />
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We have done a lot of thinking and think that part of this is because our girls are so awesome and part of it is because at times when the boys are upset and I have given them a consequence...they might get a bit too much sympathy from their sisters. We are currently working on that and it is getting better slowly.<br />
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I think that being home with the twins on my own the last week and today has helped me to become more of an equal with the girls. I also see them working hard at trying to be sure that they are not comforting the twins when they are in trouble any more. We are learning from this process, and I think that it is getting better every day.<br />
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Work has been going well for Craig, and he easily switches back into Daddy mode as soon as he enters the door. While the kids are at school and Craig is at work, the twins and I have been snuggling, introducing new toys, taking trips to the zoo, visiting with good friends, visiting some stores and running errands and doing chores at home. Pretty simple but so good for the soul. They are so adorable.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lnH4b3sRSP4/VA5uZGLXX3I/AAAAAAAABuM/GCaHP29rVtk/s1600/IMG_3011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lnH4b3sRSP4/VA5uZGLXX3I/AAAAAAAABuM/GCaHP29rVtk/s1600/IMG_3011.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>I would like to inform all of you that we have turned a new corner with the dog situation. The twins are now no longer screaming every time they see Griffin or other dogs. We can drive in the car without every strange dog on the sidewalk causing a meltdown. In fact, we are now trying to keep Eli from running full speed to greet (semi-cautiously) every dog that we might pass or that might pass by our home. On Sunday, he was in our driveway with Griffin and was literally sitting on Griffin like a horse while he was laying in the driveway. Amazing. Judah is a bit more hesitant yet, but he will also let Griffin close to him and even lets him lick him!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qq41y6mAMm8/VA5uZY0oO9I/AAAAAAAABuQ/ZpaGJr2yuv0/s1600/IMG_3005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qq41y6mAMm8/VA5uZY0oO9I/AAAAAAAABuQ/ZpaGJr2yuv0/s1600/IMG_3005.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>I have chosen a day for my return to work. I will be going back Thursday, September 18th. We are so pleased that we have been able to spend all of this time with the boys and really feel that the time at home with them has been priceless for the transition and attachment. Craig and I have each brought the boys to the in-home daycare that they will be attending to introduce them to the six other children and to the daycare provider. We are thankful that Jenna, the daycare provider, has a history with Haiti and even has family that have worked with an orphanage in Haiti. She has been there before, and I really think that this is going to help her to be even more understanding as they make this transition. These boys have been through so much in the last two months...not to mention the first two years and nine months of their lives.<br />
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Later this week, we plan on having a play date, where I will bring the twins to Jenna's for a couple of hours so they can play...and I will leave. This will be the first time that we will have left them anywhere (other than in the operating room during surgery after they fell asleep). Please pray for all of us. Just thinking about this makes me teary-eyed. I can only imagine how they will do. I pray that they will love every minute of it and really won't even know that I have gone.<br />
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I know that many of you have been hanging back in the last several weeks. I want to encourage you to reach out if you would like the boys seem to be attaching well, and we have been venturing out without consequence. The twins have adjusted well and are ready to meet more of our fabulous prayer warriors and friends.<br />
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We are so grateful for all of the prayers and support that we have received. We know that this has gone so well because of God answering your prayers on our behalf. We have even come across prayer warriors that we have never met that follow our blog, recognized us and have stopped us in many places in our community over the last six weeks to encourage us! Please continue to pray for my transition to work, the twins' transition to daycare and for the continued attachment to our family. We love you all more than any words can express!!!<br />
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Blessings to you all!<br />
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Feeling grateful,<br />
Rebecca<br />
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Videos:<br />
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I edited three video/picture slideshows (for the twins' baptism) to songs that have been very meaningful to Rebecca and me during this Haitian adoption process. I've included links to the three songs below in adoption chronological order, along with two other songs that others have put together for us. - Craig<br />
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1) <a href="http://youtu.be/qO7-PWq367Q" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">"Follow You" by Leeland</span></a> edited by Craig<br />
2) <a href="http://youtu.be/tsIKZ9lMEsY" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">"City On Our Knees" by TobyMac</span></a> edited by Craig<br />
3) <a href="http://youtu.be/2cLal9TxNA4" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">"Gotcha Day" at the Orphanage</span></a> edited by Jonathan<br />
4) <a href="http://youtu.be/UYRKIftZ3_Y" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">"Kings and Queens" by Audio Adrenaline</span></a> edited by Craig (my favorite!)<br />
5) <a href="http://youtu.be/WY2aWhmUm3U" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">"Homecoming"</span></a> edited by Chad<br />
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we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-21009960393437479822014-08-02T08:50:00.003-05:002014-08-02T08:54:11.772-05:00The Gotcha Week in Review!!!!Oh my....I knew that this was going to happen. I just knew that we would be sucked up into the mission trip and adoption whirlwind and the blogging would go by the wayside. Tonight I am feeling a bit sleepy...but I suppose that I should begin to put my thoughts down before the memories begin to fade and the details are lost.<br />
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This last week has been surreal. That is the word that I have been sharing with everyone that asks how it is going. The mission trip that we participated in from July 15-22nd was simply amazing. We went with a team from our church and were joined by a few others along the way. Together with the Haitian Mission Haiti Youth Group, we were able to travel 5 1/2 hours from Port-au-Prince by bus, hike three hours up and down the mountainous terrain, and witness through vacation bible school to 280 children and many, many adults and youth. It was amazing. Many new relationships were formed and more than anything, I was reminded that God's beautiful family includes people from all over the world. It makes missions seem all the more vital to our Christian walk.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-53KM6WpIKm0/U9xxCQ-2lbI/AAAAAAAABmc/yWTiGfUKgf8/s1600/DSC_5954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-53KM6WpIKm0/U9xxCQ-2lbI/AAAAAAAABmc/yWTiGfUKgf8/s1600/DSC_5954.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a>On Tuesday, July 22nd, the mission team drove us to our twins' orphanage. Because they had to fly out at 9am, we left the house we stayed at in Port-au-Prince extra early (5:00am) so the team would be able to spend time seeing our boys and their orphanage before getting to the airport in time to check in. It was such a blessing to me because the team requested this. After a week of serving in the mountains, we were all tired...but the team saw the beauty in seeing the humble beginnings of our boys to the point of sacrificing their sleep so they could all be a part of our re-introduction. My heart swelled with love for this team and with love for our church.<br />
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We arrived at the orphanage and of course the boys were still sleeping because it was early (5:45 am). The staff had us stay out in front of the orphanage as they woke and readied the boys. I am sure that they were lifted out of a deep slumber, stripped of their wet cloth diaper, set in a cold bath with eye-burning lye soap, dressed in a fresh outfit (shoes and socks included...which the boys are not used to) and brought out to meet us. I don't know for sure how long we waited, but it felt like forever.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uquXxkfjQP4/U9xxCsWeGOI/AAAAAAAABmY/3C1LOKytcW8/s1600/DSC_6012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uquXxkfjQP4/U9xxCsWeGOI/AAAAAAAABmY/3C1LOKytcW8/s1600/DSC_6012.JPG" height="320" width="211" /></a>Judah Elysee was brought out first and he was quiet but content. He was placed into my arms and the photos began. The team did a beautiful job taking photos and videos of this reunion. We were re-united to Elijah James shortly after, and he was not so content from his early morning waking. He was tearful but quieted eventually in Craig's arms. There were teary eyes and lumps in throats...but with a joyous heart....it was nothing but a blessed moment!<br />
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The team took a quick tour of the orphanage but then had to leave to head to the airport. We said our goodbyes and remained on the porch as they drove out of the gate. We planned to stay at the orphanage for much of the day and then had our flight for four later that evening to Miami.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hy23MNv_spY/U9xxCIKpyCI/AAAAAAAABmU/3c3hx5Vio7I/s1600/DSC_6043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hy23MNv_spY/U9xxCIKpyCI/AAAAAAAABmU/3c3hx5Vio7I/s1600/DSC_6043.JPG" height="320" width="211" /></a>We spent the day reconnecting with the boys, and they seemed to connect with us very quickly. We snuck in every snuggle we could and couldn't help but wish the time to pass so we could be on our own with the boys. We met a few of the missionaries that were currently at the orphanage and spent some time capturing photos of the other children at the orphanage so their parents could have a little piece of the joy that we were feeling. (From past experience we know that it is terribly difficult to sit at home as you know that other parents are with their children at the orphanage, and somehow it makes it a bit easier to know that your little one was loved on a bit in your absence, and to get updated photos is always a blessing.)<br />
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We had been praying for years that we would have the privilege of meeting the boys' birth dad. We knew that we wouldn't know for sure until he actually arrived, however, we knew that the director, Pierre, had contacted him. About two years ago prior to our first bonding trip, I had compiled a list of questions that I had for the birth dad, just in case we would be blessed with this opportunity. I still had that list and had brought it along with me. Praise God for that, because at one point during the morning at the orphanage I chased Judah out onto the porch and knew immediately that the man who had come in the gate and was seated in the wicker chair was the boys' birth dad.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EbMbGUbuy-0/U9xxFCE5wXI/AAAAAAAABm0/1nysk3FeFzE/s1600/DSC_6111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EbMbGUbuy-0/U9xxFCE5wXI/AAAAAAAABm0/1nysk3FeFzE/s1600/DSC_6111.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NXAs_zBKTxc/U9xxEpMie6I/AAAAAAAABms/tkPfQHTjcic/s1600/DSC_6082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NXAs_zBKTxc/U9xxEpMie6I/AAAAAAAABms/tkPfQHTjcic/s1600/DSC_6082.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a>I was speechless. There was another man on the porch as well and he was an interpreter that had come to the O just in case. He stepped in immediately when I found my voice. I introduced myself and asked if he was Elie and Elysee's birth dad. He said yes. His name is Jean Robert. I quickly told him that I needed to go get my husband from inside. I came back with Craig and my list of questions. Through the course of our visiting, we learned that the boys' birth father is soft-spoken, handsome, relatively short, lives on the streets of the most dangerous and poor area of the capital city (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cit%C3%A9_Soleil" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">actually the most dangerous neighborhood in all of the world</span></a>), and he misses the boys and their mom every day of his life. Heartbreaking.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_kJbL6ztzRI/U9xxF94eZTI/AAAAAAAABnE/NPT4iJSO94U/s1600/DSC_6113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_kJbL6ztzRI/U9xxF94eZTI/AAAAAAAABnE/NPT4iJSO94U/s1600/DSC_6113.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a>The love he felt for the twins was very evident...and he made it very clear that he could see the love we had for the twins as well. We had a beautiful conversation with him that lasted almost 2 hours! We learned about him, the boys' birth mom, how they met, what their birth was like, who was born first (Eli at 10am at home, Elysee 4pm at a hospital), where they were born, how their mother died, what the names of their half-siblings are, that they don't have any known family illnesses and that they were named after Isaiah and Elijah in the Bible because their mom was a Christian.<br />
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Praise God for that bit of information. That was the most painful thing that I was afraid to learn. I feared visiting with their birth dad and finding out that their mom was not saved. We are hopeful that someday the boys will profess a love for the Lord, Jesus, and I know that they will be relieved to know that one day they will be reunited with her in Heaven.<br />
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I took that opportunity to ask Jean Robert if he was a Christian. He said no. I am thankful for his honesty but wasn't content just knowing this fact. I shared the truth of Jesus with this broken man and expressed how important it is to me that he know the Lord, so he not only is reunited with the boys' birth mom someday in Heaven, but so that he can be reunited with his sons as well, and live with Jesus! I wish I could say that he gave his life to the Lord right there...but he didn't...so we will continue to pray for his salvation and ask that you all pray as well.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LzytYWUHJGQ/U9xxE8zVBrI/AAAAAAAABmw/i2jgySS3W0M/s1600/DSC_6109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LzytYWUHJGQ/U9xxE8zVBrI/AAAAAAAABmw/i2jgySS3W0M/s1600/DSC_6109.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a><br />
(If any of you reading this have not accepted Jesus as your Savior, please contemplate the eternal ramifications of taking that decision lightly. I would love to celebrate with all of you as one HUGE family in Heaven someday. Please contact me if you have questions, or <a href="http://needhim.org/knowing-jesus/the-good-news" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">visit this site</span></a>.)<br />
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So saying goodbye to Jean Robert was difficult for us, and we could tell that it was difficult for him to pull himself away as well. We said our goodbyes and promised to send photos of the boys to the orphanage so they could deliver them to him, so he would be able to see where life brings them and that they are healthy and happy. We promised to provide for their basic needs, provide an education and most importantly to love them unconditionally. We hugged and said that we are family, forever.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-giZbTvRXbBg/U9xxG46aB1I/AAAAAAAABnM/s76JQpNovAQ/s1600/DSC_6217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-giZbTvRXbBg/U9xxG46aB1I/AAAAAAAABnM/s76JQpNovAQ/s1600/DSC_6217.JPG" height="320" width="211" /></a>After he left, we continued to play with the boys, ate lunch and then it was time for baths and a quick retreat to the airport. We found out at the last minute that the normal orphanage van was not available, and we would get to take a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tap_tap" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">tap-tap</span></a> to the airport. Really? Well...if that was the only way...why not leave this country Haitian style? It was a little unnerving to pile into the back of a pickup with a wooden board to sit on and nothing to hold on to with two toddlers in tow...but we made it.<br />
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Once we got the airport...it was a whirlwind of paperwork and getting whisked to the front of lines. It was amazing how many people came up to us and commented that what we were doing was a blessing and thanked us. In many ways, this broke my heart. This country is so broken that the people are grateful when perfect strangers take their young to raise them in another country. What a broken world we live in.<br />
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One of the people that whisked us to the front of lines tried to scam us at the very last minute, and I have never been more grateful for my husband and the way that he defended us and guided us on our way. This man said he was going to help submit our folders of exit paperwork for the twins to leave the country, and that he needed the paperwork and $40. Craig said he would pay him inside the security lines and give the paperwork to the counter that needed it. He could tell the man wasn't allowed beyond security so we just headed for the security guards ourselves.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-emD5I3veZFY/U9xxHwiBgbI/AAAAAAAABnc/5ZXc1VEo2A0/s1600/DSC_6243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-emD5I3veZFY/U9xxHwiBgbI/AAAAAAAABnc/5ZXc1VEo2A0/s1600/DSC_6243.JPG" height="320" width="211" /></a><br />
We made it to the gate and spent more than an hour there getting acquainted with the twins. It was there that we realized that the twins knew how to pee on the potty! They didn't tell us when they had to go, but if we placed them on the potty, they would go! Oh, happy day! We could also tell that the boys were already connecting with us.<br />
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We were a bit apprehensive about the flight but were thankful that we were only traveling the first leg of the trip on our day. The flight proved to be the simplest endeavor yet! The boys both got sleepy and after a quick snack, Judah slept for the rest of the flight and Elijah just played quietly.<br />
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Immediately when we got off the plane in Miami, another mom adopting from our orphanage greeted us from behind a thick window and took video of our boys on US soil for the first time!!! What a blessing to meet her and share in her excitement as well, as she was headed to Haiti to pick up her adopted son from the same room and orphanage as our boys!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zYsoitNnna8/U9x0a6-bRSI/AAAAAAAABpo/0Ko4kTmhxiw/s1600/IMG_5003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zYsoitNnna8/U9x0a6-bRSI/AAAAAAAABpo/0Ko4kTmhxiw/s1600/IMG_5003.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>After the flight, we headed through customs and immigration. It took roughly 50 minutes for us to process all of our paperwork...and probably 20 minutes just to get the boys to the correct area of the airport. Eli literally cried for the ENTIRE time through this process; and continued to cry while walking to the boarding area for the shuttle to the airport (via walking to the completely wrong floor first), while on the shuttle, while checking into the hotel, and all the way to the room. Judah joined in as we rode in the elevator. I have to admit that at this point I thought, "Oh, boy! Now we are in for it!"<br />
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I muttered a quick prayer for patience reminding myself of all of the changes that the boys had been through in the last 8 hours and was shocked by the transformation in their behavior. We sat them down for a snack and immediately we had little boys throwing food and giggling wickedly! Again, I thought, "Oh my!"<br />
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Thankfully shortly after snack, we were able to lotion the boys up and cuddle them into pajamas. Judah's thumb headed straight for his mouth, snuggling began, and we were quickly listening to the slow and deep breathing of two beautiful little boys. Oh my, God is so good.<br />
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We quickly realized that we, too, were exhausted. We got ourselves ready for bed. We slept solidly from 10:00 pm to 8:30 am. We literally had to wake the boys the next morning so we could head to breakfast in time to make our morning shuttle to the airport. They ate fairly well, but Judah did much better than Eli.<br />
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We headed back up to the room and realized that our time was very short. We hurried Craig and the twins through the shower, got dressed and headed to the elevator in record time. We made it to the shuttle with ten minutes to spare, and of course Elijah cried the whole way to the airport!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-67qX3ckohLw/U9x0ZTN_UdI/AAAAAAAABpQ/bCzVhzWsClY/s1600/DSC_6292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-67qX3ckohLw/U9x0ZTN_UdI/AAAAAAAABpQ/bCzVhzWsClY/s1600/DSC_6292.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a>The flight to Chicago was pretty uneventful. Both boys slept about an hour and a half on the way, and once at the airport, did well with waiting during the short layover. When we boarded the plane to Sioux Falls, it all began to feel very real. Unbelieveable. This journey we had been on for three and a half years was coming to a close...or was it just beginning? It was a mix of nerves and excitement...but mostly excitement. We knew that our friends and family were going to be waiting for us on the other end of this flight, and I was beginning to be filled with anticipation.<br />
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The end of the flight was a bit rough. The twins were beginning to act like they needed a nap. Uh-oh. Not good timing. This was the most important part of the journey...and I so wanted them to enjoy it! More prayers and a deep breath...and we were headed off the plane and towards the double doors I had been longing to walk through since we watched another little Haitian boy come home to his forever family earlier this year.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXCCFMEn_4E/U9x13hwVx7I/AAAAAAAABp8/2XiTYbD_EFc/s1600/IMG_3514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXCCFMEn_4E/U9x13hwVx7I/AAAAAAAABp8/2XiTYbD_EFc/s1600/IMG_3514.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C3OxhuyZZ7w/U9xxjPXnVkI/AAAAAAAABn0/kaa8uE_0EsI/s1600/IMG_3544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C3OxhuyZZ7w/U9xxjPXnVkI/AAAAAAAABn0/kaa8uE_0EsI/s1600/IMG_3544.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a>We got to the doors, pushed through, and the emotion bubbled over! The sweet cluster of our immediate family waiting for us was beyond words! A huge welcome home banner, my three smiling big kiddos, the two little kiddos in our arms and all of the people that had prayed so faithfully for us all gathered together. Many tears were sparkling in eyes crinkled shut with smiles. The hugs and sweet words are a treasure to Craig and me.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PNPTsd6iOWg/U9xxkz2T6_I/AAAAAAAABoM/Vc75_cl_Cus/s1600/IMG_3671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PNPTsd6iOWg/U9xxkz2T6_I/AAAAAAAABoM/Vc75_cl_Cus/s1600/IMG_3671.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">We had several photos taken capturing this family reunion...and then it was time to venture to the lower level of the airport to greet and introduce the twins to our prayer warriors. We headed down the escalator and my breath caught in my chest. I knew that there was going to be several of our friends and extended family...but</span> the crowd gathered there literally took my breath away.<br />
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My eyes saw friends from all areas of our lives. Extended family, college friends, the closest of family friends, prayer warriors from our church, the team from our mission trip, our kids' elementary classmates and their families, coworkers, our bosses, and even another adoptive mom that barely knows us but has been a quiet prayer warrior all along. Craig's coworkers, a Mission Haiti friend and even Craig's boss were behind cameras capturing every aspect of our homecoming!!!<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-acl17ga89B8/U9xxlA5_42I/AAAAAAAABoQ/l3-hfLfJWOA/s1600/IMG_3722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-acl17ga89B8/U9xxlA5_42I/AAAAAAAABoQ/l3-hfLfJWOA/s1600/IMG_3722.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cdn12V3KdSY/U9xxmB86EUI/AAAAAAAABog/XR9LEQgp_Lk/s1600/IMG_3738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cdn12V3KdSY/U9xxmB86EUI/AAAAAAAABog/XR9LEQgp_Lk/s1600/IMG_3738.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>Unbelieveable. That is what that moment was like. Unbelieveable. Truly surreal. If I could choose to stop time or bottle up moments of my life, this is most definitely one that would qualify. It could not have been more magical. We introduced the twins to all of the people there and soaked up the well wishes.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n38WkMXKaMA/U9xxm3elyrI/AAAAAAAABos/3zOMo-PfrmM/s1600/IMG_3789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n38WkMXKaMA/U9xxm3elyrI/AAAAAAAABos/3zOMo-PfrmM/s1600/IMG_3789.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>After the crowd had dwindled, we realized that the KELO-TV people were at the airport. We knew that this was a possibility...but did not know that they actually had a live shot of our homecoming on the news as we got off the plane! <a href="http://www.keloland.com/newsdetail.cfm/dewit-family-adoption-journey-is-complete/?id=167332" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">They interviewed us for the ten o'clock story</span></a>, and then we were headed to our car. Our complete family of SEVEN loaded into the Pilot and settled in for the short ride home. We caught up on the happenings of the big kiddos and soaked up the first sweet moments of our forever family.<br />
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Once home, we realized quickly that there was going to be a serious issue with our dog. The boys were terrified of Griffin, and we had to put him in the kennel in order to get into the house and that was certainly still with much drama. (We later found out that one of the nannies at the orphanage told the toddlers that if they misbehaved or didn't move fast enough that the dogs at the orphanage would eat them...so needless to say, in a two year olds mind....being terrified makes complete sense. Not too pleased with that nanny.)<br />
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We went inside and I was overcome by emotion. Coming home after a mission trip is always an emotional time. On a mission trip a person's heart becomes raw, our abilities are stretched, our bodies are fatigued and that is even without bringing home a beautiful set of twins! My emotions were over-flowing. I sat in my living room on the floor holding the twins and just cried. Huge, cleansing tears. I squeezed all of my beautiful children, was kissed on the head by my champion of a husband, and dried my eyes!<br />
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The real adventure was about to begin...no need to cry!!!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VUVpxubylJM/U9xxLO637OI/AAAAAAAABno/BTDgpZmxbdY/s1600/IMG_5035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VUVpxubylJM/U9xxLO637OI/AAAAAAAABno/BTDgpZmxbdY/s1600/IMG_5035.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>So then began the transition to home. We had a few family members join us at our home that first evening and we headed to bed relatively early. We got all five of our kiddos set up for bedtime in the twins' room. Aiden in the top bunk, the twins in the bottom bunk, and the girls in sleeping bags on the floor. It was heartwarming watching them bond!<br />
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I will share a few of the highlights from the week following our arrival home.<br />
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It was the next morning that I realized that my beautiful friend and my sister-in-law had both gathered some supplies for my fridge and what a blessing that was. Craig and I were both feeling under the weather as our digestive systems attempted to adapt back to normal. It was such a blessing not to have to cook a meal that first day! We had the boys' first doctor's appointment that day and later found out that they both have a bacterial infection and have now begun treatment. Other than that, the doctor said that they were beautifully healthy!!! Praise God!!<br />
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On Thursday, we stayed home most of the day bonding but had the opportunity later in the day to take the twins to see their Great-Grandma Mary. She is now in a nursing home because she fell just prior to our leaving for Haiti and broke her pelvis in two places. It was a blessing to bring the boys to visit her. She has been fighting Alzheimer's Disease for quite some time now, and it was a blessing that she immediately knew who the boys were and spoke to them so sweetly. We also were able to bring the boys on their first wagon ride later that night. Unfortunately we had to cut the ride short because we saw a dog up ahead and knew it was either turn around or prepare for a serious meltdown.<br />
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Friday was the perfect opportunity to introduce the twins to Mr. Connor's pool. He was on vacation and we were able to head to the pool with Jaron and Heather (Craig's brother's family) and spent the time getting the boys used to being in the water. They were very scared...but warmed up a little by the end of the night.<br />
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Saturday was warm and we decided that it would be good to spend much of the day outside playing and then later headed to Connor's pool again. Craig was feeling pretty ill this day, and I was encouraged that I handled five children mostly single-handedly without too much trouble. The boys were more comfortable with the water and were playing by the end of the night.<br />
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Sunday was a huge blessing. We loaded up our vehicle and headed off to church. We were greeted by past Mission Haiti team members, prayer warrior and friends! It was such a joy to introduce them to the boys. The boys did quite well during the church service. They were mostly quiet, and I even was able to soak up some of the message. During the service, they showed the sweetest video of our team at the orphanage when the boys were presented to us. The music spoke of God's faithfulness. Indeed.<br />
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After the service, we had trouble leaving the church. We visited with everybody and enjoyed our JB cookies and the boys got to have their first JB cookies...and they LOVED them!!!<br />
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We ran by Great-Grandpa Richard's apartment so he could see the boys and then headed home for some mowing. The twins did fairly well with this, and Eli rode around in my Tula back carrier as I pushed mowed the trim, and Judah rode around on the riding mower with his daddy. They were nervous at first but warmed up with time.<br />
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On Monday, we ventured to the mall. Both boys appear to be bonding well, and we felt ready for a challenge. They were like champs at the mall. We got the couple of things we needed and headed home to play outside for much of the day. Judah said his first English word on this date. When the girls helped him outside the front door to find me, they shut the door and he loudly said, "O-pen!!!" "O-pen!!!" So cute.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mfIma1pNxpQ/U9x58Sa6oAI/AAAAAAAABrM/9jYrCh8iSQM/s1600/IMG_5037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mfIma1pNxpQ/U9x58Sa6oAI/AAAAAAAABrM/9jYrCh8iSQM/s1600/IMG_5037.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>Tuesday, July 29th, we woke with a knock on our door. I should tell you all that we are BLESSED with sleepers. (These twins can sleep in like no other child I have ever had under my roof!) We looked at the clock and it was 8:45am! I went to the door thinking one of our big kiddos would be there...but no, it was Eli, needing a fresh diaper. He had just woken up and came straight to us without big kiddo assistance! Unbelieveable! I changed him, and then we realized that, "OH NO!!!" We had a doctor's appointment for Judah at...of course...8:45am. No joke. So, after a few phone calls...we had set up our appointment a little later and worked to get out of the house.<br />
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We were able to get to the appointment and actually had both boys evaluated. They are both going to have minor surgeries, and we were able to schedule them for August 21st. I was thankful that we are able to do the surgeries while both Craig and I are off with the boys.<br />
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After the appointments, we were able to take our first stroller ride straight through the Great Plains Zoo. We had no idea how this adventure would go provided that the fear level of a household dog was at the terrified level still. Surprisingly, the boys did very well at the zoo and were attentive and interested in all of the animals. They really did not show any fear. Interesting.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gbgo7H62Osc/U9x6d43ridI/AAAAAAAABsA/I0T6oPAW2M4/s1600/DSC_6433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gbgo7H62Osc/U9x6d43ridI/AAAAAAAABsA/I0T6oPAW2M4/s1600/DSC_6433.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a>The twins also learned a phrase from Craig today and have said it consistently every day since. That is the phrase "Oh man!" So for example...Elijah was running around with a blanket over his head and ran right into the doorframe and appropriately said, "Oh man!" Pretty stinking cute.<br />
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On Wednesday, the 30th of July, we stayed home for most of the day and soaked up just being a family. It was wonderful. The normal routine is beginning to fall into place. We received a dinner invitation to Jaron and Heather's and headed over there in the evening. The kids all had fun playing and the twins warmed up right away. They were skittish over Wembley, their small dog, but were more content by the end of the visit. Eli even touched her paw! Progress in the dog department.<br />
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The kids also had the opportunity to jump on the trampoline and the boys were cautious but appeared to be having some fun with this.<br />
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Thursday was a quiet day at home. We spent time together inside and outside and soaked up all of the snuggles we could.<br />
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Friday, the 1st of August, (today) was a little bit sad because we knew that the big kiddos would be headed for an adventure to Minnesota and Wisconsin with their Grandpa and Grandma Skalsky for five days. This was our last day all together until we all would meet up in Northern Minnesota on August 6th. So we made the most of it. We enjoyed the morning at home...and then headed out to Terrace Park Pool and then later met up with friends for the Milky way Ice Cream experience. Mmmmm.....<br />
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I realize that this blog is long and rambling, but I hope that it give a little insight into our adoption. We feel very blessed that the transition is happening as smoothly as it is. We prepared ourselves by thinking that it would all be difficult and that bonding would be complicated. It has not been. The language barrier has been tough, and we hope that someday they will love their dog, Griffin, but for the most part, we have nothing to complain about. Life is certainly busy, but it is blessed. Greatly!<br />
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We hope that you will continue to pray with us as we continue to bond together. Pray that the English language will gradually become familiar to the twins, and that Craig and I will continue to be able to grow our abilities to speak in Creole as well. Pray for the boys to feel loved and for them to continue to be comfortable with us. Pray that when we finally begin our transition back to work, that it would go smoothly. Also pray that their little systems have nothing else going on that we have not yet discovered. Pray for their birth dad, and pray that he will find work. Pray also that our big kiddos would enjoy their time away but that the reunion would be smooth. Mostly, give God praise for the beauty of the work that he has done in our family and pray that He would get all of the glory. His will for us and our lives is nothing but beautiful.<br />
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Feeling greatly blessed,<br />
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Rebecca
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The excitement is simply bubbling over right now!!!! I can’t
believe it, but the countdown has begun and the planning is in full force. I am
running from one activity to another and in all of the in-between moments, I am
soaking up snuggles with Aftyn, Haley and Aiden. Not only am I working on
packing for the trip to Haiti, I am finalizing plans with three fabulous women
for a retreat at our church, leading thirteen 5<sup>th</sup> graders through a
week of vacation bible school, packing 800 snacks for vacation bible school in the
mountains of Haiti, packing for our kids to stay at their aunt and uncles for
when we are gone to Haiti. And just to round out the craziness…we are headed
out of town this weekend to camp with two families from our church!!! So pretty
much…life is fabulous…but it is crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After the little ones are tucked into their beds at night,
it is my time to flit around the house and prepare for the twins to come home.
I listen to praise music and pull out the supplies that we will need. I have
stacks of little socks, shoes, shorts, jeans and snuggly fleeces all laid out
and prepared to pack. I set out the twins’ teddy bears on their beds and
vacuumed their room one final time. I can’t wait to see their little footprints
smooshed into the carpet. I polished the fridge today and look forward to the
tiny finger prints that will decorate it soon! These are the things that I
think as I am preparing my nest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The countdown has begun….but is difficult to know what
number to use. It is THREE days from our departure date for Haiti. It is FOUR
days from the time we will be reunited with the staff and children at the Mission
Haiti orphanage. It is FIVE days from our mountaintop experience at Toussaint,
Haiti working with the children and staff there. It is TEN days from being
dropped off at the orphanage and being reunited with the twins!!!!! This is the
GOTCH DAY that adoptive families speak of. It is the first day of the rest of
our lives together! And then finally, we are ELEVEN days from arriving home to
reunite our family at the Sioux Falls Airport!!!!! Unbelieveable. (I get choked
up just typing this.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We are thrilled to tell you that we are anticipating an
incredible homecoming that night at the airport! I know I shared this already,
but we welcome all of our family, friends, coworkers and prayer supporters to
join us there. We will be arriving from Chicago on American Airlines Flight #3469
at 5:20 pm. We are asking that all people wait for us at the bottom of the
escalator. (Except for our kiddos, Craig’s immediate family and my immediate
family, and some photographers.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As we are traveling home that day, we will have access to Facebook
and will keep you all posted if there is any change in our plans or if we are
delayed in any way. We plan to greet the people at the airport but want to
gently remind everyone that the boys are going to likely have quite an
overwhelming day. They will be experiencing many things for the first time. We
are not sure what their reaction will be but want to be certain that everyone
remembers my blog from October of 2013 that gave a bit of insight into the
first few months home for us. It will be a time of cocooning with our boys. A
time when Craig and I (and eventually our kids) will be the only ones holding
them, feeding them, changing them and tucking them in at night. We will be the
only ones to kiss their owies and attempting to help them with their fears. It
is a time of them learning that we are now in the role of Mama and Daddy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is the blog discussing this a bit further:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://we2wits.blogspot.com/2013_10_01_archive.html"><span style="color: blue;">http://we2wits.blogspot.com/2013_10_01_archive.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is an excerpt from that blog that I think is
especially important to share with all of you:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“We will be cautious at first with visitors...we will
need to begin with close family only and then we will gradually progress to a
larger circle of friends when we feel the twins are ready for that. Believe me
when I say that when we come home with the boys, I will want to show off their
handsome faces to all of the people that have been praying us though...but we
have a responsibility to do this right...and we only get one shot at this.
Please, please do not be offended when we tell you that we can't let you hold
the twins for the first few weeks when they get home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The twins missed out
on developmental stages that they would have naturally had if they would have
been in our family from day one. We need to be the ones to hold them, change
them, feed them and comfort them for a very long time. It is almost like
reversing the clock so we can give them all of the nurturing and love that they
missed. The twins are used to being independent and this might be a tough
transition for them. They will be learning how to be a part of our family.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We also wanted to take this opportunity to share with
all of you that we were able to secure August 23, 2014 for the boys’ baptism
and for the official Welcome Home Party. It will be held at Abiding Savior Free
Lutheran Church from 3:00-5:00 pm. We will begin with the baptism and then will
have a time for socializing to follow.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Many people have asked how they can help us with the
transition with the twins and we are still learning what to expect. There are a
few things that we have thought of so far and would welcome help in these areas
if you are willing and able.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Prayer
for a smooth transition and successful bonding.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Meal
preparation-call in advance to arrange if possible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Older
kiddo assistance as needed for transportation or outings (I would like to make
a list of people willing to assist with this if we need.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Date
night assistance list as needed (for when we are able to break away for small
segments of time)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Your prayers are more important than ever as we are
preparing to travel and transition home. We can’t wait to introduce the twins
to all of you! Thank you for walking along with us as we journey down this
path!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anticipating their arrival,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rebecca</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-26925142597930298332014-07-07T07:44:00.000-05:002014-07-07T11:45:09.792-05:00Praising an Awesome God... homecoming plans!It is with a heart of joy that I write today to inform all of you that we have officially made our travel plans. I have been meaning to write this blog for several days now, but all of the excitement and planning has gotten the best of me. I guess that I am nesting full force and forcing myself to sit down for any length of time is harder now than ever. I think that I should rewind and give you a bit of a recap over the last week as it has been a bit interesting.<br />
<br />
Last week, we learned that our boys' Visa appointment had been set and amazingly it paired up with the mission trip that we had been planning on being a part of perfectly. We had been praying for months that God would make His plan for us clear and that we would know whether we were supposed to attend this mission trip, and we are pleased to share that our God is truly an amazing God. He didn't have to plan for all of this to fall seamlessly together at the end, but we are without doubt of His unshakable love for us, because the timing couldn't have been more perfect.<br />
<br />
I think that this process has been a bit confusing for those families that have never adopted from Haiti. Each country has such unique timelines and processes....and Haiti is no different. I received a couple of comments wondering why we weren't going down to get the boys right away when we received our USCIS approval. When we received our USCIS approval on June 20th, we were still a few steps away from having everything completed. We had to receive our Visa appointment date, the boys had to receive their medical checks and we also still had to receive the exit letter from the Haitian government. So, we have been trying to restrain our excitement as we continue to wait for all of the pieces to fall into place.<br />
<br />
We had a little excitement Thursday, July 3rd when I received a call from our agency with some new information. Craig had been contacting them several days a week for over three weeks asking how we were supposed to fill out our final two documents. We thought that these documents needed to be sent to Haiti in time for the Visa appointment. Well, we didn't receive any response...until the 3rd. We were informed that we needed to fill out the two documents immediately, and they would need to be overnighted to Haiti prior to the Visa appointment on Tuesday, the 8th. Then she informed me that one of the documents needed to be notarized as well and of course the next day was a holiday. So, Craig buckled down over lunch and got all of the documents lined up, thankfully one of his employers was still in the office and was able to notarize the document. It was placed in the mail with the fastest delivery to Haiti and is scheduled to make it to the orphanage director in Port au Prince tonight (Monday) since it needs to be brought to the US Embassy at 8am tomorrow. Just in the nick of time, hopefully. (Craig just check FedEx tracking seconds ago and it's still in Miami.)<br />
<br />
So, we got that piece of the puzzle in place and we are asking our prayer warriors to be praying that the documents do not get held up in customs. We were told that the Visa appointment would not be able to take place without the originals, so your prayers are appreciated. Apparently an "overnight delivery" to Haiti takes a few days.<br />
<br />
I should also clarify that our agency advises that the adoptive families wait to travel to Haiti for several days after the Visa appointment to make sure that all of the final documents are ready, and just in case of any delays. This works out beautifully with our mission trip and allows us to serve the people of Haiti as well. Our whole adoption process began as a result of a mission trip to Haiti with Mission Haiti and it seems appropriate to praise the Lord through missions as He finalizes our adoption and allows our boys to come home.<br />
<br />
So.....drum roll...we will be leaving for Haiti on July 15th with a team from our church headed to Toussaint, Haiti for mission work in the rural mountains (a 6 hour drive plus 3 hour hike from Port au Prince). We will be teaching teachers, instructing pastors and leading youth group for approximately 25 youth and VBS for 250 children!!!! What a huge blessing. We are thrilled to reconnect with several of the youth group members in Ti Riviere, the children at Mission-Haiti's orphanage and to meet the children and staff at Toussaint, the school that our church sponsors. We will also get to witness first-hand three women from our congregation experiencing Haiti for the first time. What a blessing that God paid attention to all of the details and enabled us to be a part of His plan.<br />
<br />
On Tuesday, July 22nd, the team will drop us off in Port at Maison, our orphanage, prior to them leaving for the US and Sioux Falls that same day. We felt that it would be better for the boys to slow down the transition and allow them to warm up to us a little bit first instead of us going straight to the airport with the mission team. We haven't been able to be there for over a year and it doesn't seem natural to just swoop in and whisk them home. We are planning to spend much of the day at Maison reconnecting with the boys and loving on the nannies. We hope to take many pictures there with the boys so they can remember their friends and their orphanage home as they grow older. We are also praying that the boys' birth dad will be able to come to the orphanage to meet with us. We have several questions written that we would like to have the answers for the boys. What did their mom pass away from? What was she like? How did they meet? What are their siblings' names? and so forth. Please pray that God would orchestrate this and allow this to happen.<br />
<br />
Later that evening, still on the 22nd, we have flights out of Port-au-Prince and are headed to Miami. We decided to stay a night in Miami so we wouldn't have to stress about connecting flights as we are going through immigration with the boys. We know that it can be difficult and can take quite a while, so making a connecting flight would be tough and flying with the boys for multiple flights on the first day would be tough as well.<br />
<br />
We leave Miami around noon the next day (Wednesday, the 23rd) so will get a slow start in the morning, which might be good because we haven't had toddlers for several years, and we've never had two at the same time!!! We will then fly through Chicago and will get into Sioux Falls at 5:20 pm!!!!!! (American Airlines Flight 3469) We thought that this flight would be perfect because then we would be able to invite our family, friends, and coworkers to the airport to greet us at our homecoming!!!!!! We are completely pumped for this moment. In many ways it still seems so surreal that this is even in the near future.<br />
<br />
We are planning to have our immediate family (Aftyn, Haley and Aiden, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins) meet us at the top of the airport greeting area so we can spend a few moments just with them prior to coming down to the lower airport area. We are going to have a few photographers up there with us too capturing the moment, and then we are going to come down the escalator to greet everyone else as a complete family of 7!!!!<br />
<br />
I would like to personally invite you all to attend if you are able, and look forward to sharing the joyful moments there with those that have prayed us through. We have also now booked our church for the twins' baptism and welcome home open house. This will be on Saturday, August 23rd from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. We'll have the baptism right at 3:00, which you're all welcome to attend, and then snacks and fellowship after that. Our amazing/supportive church is Abiding Savior Free Lutheran at 49th and Bahnson. Please join us!<br />
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We began our countdown the day that we booked our flights and currently today, July 7th, we have 16 days left!!!!! Crazy exciting! Haley even fabricated a countdown chain, and we remove a link every morning! The chain already seems to be shrinking quickly. Praise God! You are such an Awesome God!!!!!<br />
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I'll be in touch soon with details of our "cocooning plan." :)<br />
<br />
Bubbling over in joy,<br />
Rebecca<br />
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we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-26490063073266701552014-06-21T09:48:00.000-05:002014-06-21T09:48:12.717-05:00Official USCIS I-600 Approval!!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Official USCIS I-600 approval was received yesterday. Now we move on to the Visa's!!!!! Once the boys have a Visa appointment date set from the US government, we can schedule our flight for FOUR out of Haiti for roughly five business days after the appointment. The government needs a few days to print the Visas.<br />
<br />
*********************************************************************************<br />
<br />
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Dewit,<br />
<br />
USCIS in Port au Prince, Haiti is pleased to inform you that the I-600 petitions, which you filed at this office on June 12, 2012 on behalf of __________ Elysee and Elie, seeking to qualify them as your immediate relatives have been approved. Your case has been transferred to the Adoption Unit of the Consular Section for the visa process. This completes all action by USCIS on the referenced petition. The Consular Section will soon contact you to follow-up on your case.<br />
<br />
Should you have any question regarding the visa process, you may send your inquiry to the consular section at papadoptions@state.gov.<br />
<br />
Regards,<br />
<br />
<br />
Adoption Team<br />
<br />
Department of Homeland Security<br />
U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services<br />
US Embassy, Port-au-Prince<br />
<br />
*********************************************************************************<br />
<br />
The last couple of weeks have been an interesting emotional adventure. Craig and I have had some significant ups and downs. By the end of last week, we had had enough of all of the broken promises. We had been told a ridiculous number of times that our paperwork would be submitted only to have further delays for no apparent reason.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2pOi6KNe1OE/U6WYYPEkvvI/AAAAAAAABkQ/PfZc0jlzNNc/s1600/Elie+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2pOi6KNe1OE/U6WYYPEkvvI/AAAAAAAABkQ/PfZc0jlzNNc/s1600/Elie+(3).JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>I spoke with our adoption counselor on Thursday afternoon and told her that if our paperwork was not submitted on Friday the 13th as promised, again, that Craig and I were going to be very upset. We told her that we wanted to be given updates of any movement with the paperwork. She seemed to understand our frustration and said she would be in touch. The orphanage director had an appointment 6/13/14 at 9:00 am Haiti time which was 8:00 am our time.<br />
<br />
On Thursday night, Craig and I had a discussion and decided that if the paperwork was not submitted the next day, Craig was going to jump the first flight south to Haiti to bring the paperwork to USCIS himself. We knew that we couldn't take one more day of delays and needed to push to bring our boys home. It felt good to have a plan. Craig also sent a message out to the director of the USCIS immigration department and notified him of the plan for our paperwork to be dropped off and our intent to bring the boys home with us following a potential mission trip.<br />
<br />
The next morning, we prayed from the minute we woke up. I told my girls before leaving for work, "our paperwork is going to be dropped off in 5 minutes! Pray that they get it and by some miracle that we would get approval." I knew that it was not likely we would get approval and was just hopeful that it would be dropped off! We rallied our friends and families to pray. So many of our loved ones were praying over the adoption.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ws86gtczQ0o/U6WYXwxE6qI/AAAAAAAABkA/SWedB0oZr-s/s1600/Elie+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ws86gtczQ0o/U6WYXwxE6qI/AAAAAAAABkA/SWedB0oZr-s/s1600/Elie+(1).JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>It was at 11:45 pm our time that we received the email indicating that the boys' dossiers were received by USCIS! The second sentence of the message brought on dancing in the office of my work! They had already reviewed the documents and concluded that they were free of errors and met their expectations!!!!!<br />
<br />
This was the day that we had been waiting for....for so very long. The message indicated that we would be receiving our official I-600 approval early the following week...so we decided to wait to inform the world on our blog once the official message came. Well, "early the following week" came and went without any message. Finally at 2:02 pm Friday the 20th, we received the official message that was copied and pasted above!!! It is official, they are approved!!!!!<br />
<br />
Now we wait again...but just for a short bit. We should be receiving an update soon with a date for the Visa appointment!!!!<br />
<br />
So.......I have been nesting like a crazy woman. Totally loving filling my grocery cart with diapers, wipes and snacks for the plane ride. I have been sorting through adoption paperwork, organizing all of our files for the trip and starting to choose clothes to bring for them. I have started lists, lists and more lists. :) Lists for plane supplies, a list of questions for the birth dad in case we get to meet him, lists of translated simple Creole/English words, and lists of the remaining steps and what we need to remember as we come back into the states with our precious boys!!! My head is spinning and sleep is rare, but all of it feels so magical! Such a blessing.<br />
<br />
Continue to pray with us as we are moving closer to the final date. We are still tentatively planning on going on our church's mission trip just prior to bringing the boys home. So far it looks like God intended this all along because the timing appears to be perfect. If we get notice that the boys will be ready long before the mission trip, we will be backing out of the trip and going to get them as soon as possible...only God knows how this will all play out...but we are excited either way. Mission trip or no mission trip.<br />
<br />
We will let you all know as soon as we have a timeline and flights. We will then be letting you all know the plan for our arrival and what "cocooning" (or bonding) will look like for our family.<br />
<br />
Thank you so much for all of your love and prayers!!!<br />
<br />
Beyond grateful,<br />
Rebecca<br />
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we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-31931934665107564112014-05-31T09:19:00.000-05:002014-05-31T09:19:51.742-05:00Praying Us ThroughSometimes it is difficult to know where to even start. Sadly, I feel like I am saying the same things week after week after week for the nine months now! I really look forward to the day that I am able to tell all of you that the end is truly in sight and a date has been given to us, but unfortunately this is not that time.<div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QZl-bJB7yqc/U4nju-VxS7I/AAAAAAAABiY/7e5gno9Y5Ak/s1600/1425461_10202475476302973_6408535618226205244_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QZl-bJB7yqc/U4nju-VxS7I/AAAAAAAABiY/7e5gno9Y5Ak/s1600/1425461_10202475476302973_6408535618226205244_o.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>Instead I am here to tell you that your prayers are powerful, and we are really feeling them. With as many delays as we have been having at the end of this process, I have to admit that there have been many moments of frustration, defeat and sometimes even anger. I think that having these emotions in the face of something so central to the makeup of our family is to be expected. However, I really believe that we have survived these negative feelings because of prayer. Dozens consistently and likely hundreds periodically have been lifting our family up before the Lord pleading for patience, health for the twins and for this process to move forward. I am certain that the spiritual realm is bristling with energy with all of the prayers that are surrounding our family. I firmly believe that your prayers have protected us from the lowest of lows. Without our faith, and without our family and friends praying us through, there is no way that we would have been able to venture into the adoption world.</div>
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The end of last week, we made some decisions that required much prayer and wisdom. We spoke with a local lawyer and received some information from an international lawyer as well to make our decision. I don't feel that this is the place to elaborate, but I feel that for the first time in a year we have some leverage. I am not sure if it will truly make any difference in the grand scheme of things, but it has given us a sense of peace that we haven't had for a long time.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yi_4au2qOFA/U4nju9E8yoI/AAAAAAAABic/w1MzqNB-Www/s1600/1890652_10202475474742934_4150232977316240585_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yi_4au2qOFA/U4nju9E8yoI/AAAAAAAABic/w1MzqNB-Www/s1600/1890652_10202475474742934_4150232977316240585_o.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>Last week two other families that had been submitted to USCIS found out that they had errors that needed to be fixed as well. Our international adoption counselor informed us that there might be these issues with our paperwork as well. My anger flared when she said this. I really felt a bit hopeless at that point but was able to express to her that they needed to examine our paperwork immediately to determine if we would have these issues as well. It was incompetent to NOT be looking for these errors in our paperwork when we should have been submitted NINE months ago! Let's just say that my assertive communication was working at its best in those moments. Point taken....she discovered early this week that we did not have those same errors. Supposedly.</div>
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It is now Saturday, May 31st, and I am reflecting back on a week that I thought might be OUR week. Our week for re-submission. I rallied for prayer support this week, hopeful for everything to finally be complete.</div>
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We were told that this week our director would be checking on our adoption decree attestations which are the last documents that we need for our file to be ready for re-submission to the US visa process. Sadly it took until Friday for our director to go check on them and they were not ready. I do not know how long it normally takes to do this portion of the process, but next week I will be clarifying when our documents were dropped off for attestation and how long that usually takes. I want to know if there is an issue causing the delay with wrapping up this step. None of this seems to make sense to me. All of these delays are maddening...but your prayers kept me from hopeless anger.</div>
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We had been sending many messages this week checking in with the new Haitian lawyer that we are going to have review our case prior to resubmitting to USCIS. He was ill at mid-week but thought that he would be able to pick up our dossier to review it sometime on Friday. Well, late Friday I contacted him to see if he was able to get it, and he was at Parquet court all day Friday so wasn't able to pick it up. Sigh. What a strange feeling to always be hopeful and guarded at the same time. It has to be your prayers that kept me from freaking out at that moment. </div>
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Surprisingly, in the face of all of these disappointments, the emotion that I feel the most today is hope, HOPE! Crazy. After nine months of broken promises, dealing with a broken system, with a broken heart...I feel hope. The only explanation for this irrational feeling at this time is your prayers!</div>
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I cannot tell you enough how much I appreciate all of you! Those praying that we see regularly or talk to often and those praying that we have never even met!!! I received a couple of messages this week from strangers that have stumbled across our blog and lift us up in prayer regularly. That gives me a lump in my throat and swells my heart with what I can only describe as HOPE.</div>
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This world is so broken. Broken like my heart, but with people like you praying consistently, we are given something irrational in our situation...HOPE.</div>
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Craig and I took another step this week that we have been praying about for many months. We have been trying to figure out when or if we should schedule a trip to see the boys. This waiting is torture. It has been one year and three months since we saw them last. They have changed so much in that time. I really try to keep myself from thinking about all of the firsts that we are missing with the boys. That is survival. If I dwell on the bruises and battle wounds I see in their pictures or think about the parasites and other organisms that are likely affecting their health and growth, it eats me up inside. This is what pushes us forward, but it also makes us want to jump the next plane and just go hold them. </div>
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As much as I am excited to head back to Haiti to do missions again, I am hoping that we won't be able to go. If the boys come home before the travel dates, we won't be going along. Our pastor and Mission Haiti is aware of this and are very supportive. They have been praying for us in our adoption since the earliest days of this journey.</div>
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So, it is with a spirit filled with hope that I plead for you to continue to pray for our family. </div>
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Pray:</div>
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* that the adoption decree attestation would be completed.</div>
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* that the new lawyer would obtain our dossiers and find them error free</div>
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* that we would be submitted to USCIS for visas and it would take less than the normal 6 weeks</div>
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* that we finish our 4th home study update paperwork</div>
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* that the boys continue to have good health</div>
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* that we would have the patience we need</div>
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Thank you for praying us though,</div>
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Rebecca<br />
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we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-16968241107352965742014-05-22T00:42:00.001-05:002014-05-22T00:43:24.898-05:00Frayed but Clinging to GodA beautiful couple we met when we were in Haiti on our first bonding trip to meet the boys experienced the homecoming of their lifetime tonight! With huge grins on their faces and two adorable Haitian boys in their arms, they greeted the people from their community that have been praying them through on their journey. With tears of great gratitude and thankfulness to God, I am so happy that they were able to move through their adoption without any delays. These boys will begin a new chapter in their lives...one with bedtime kisses, huge high fives and a mommy and daddy to love them through all of life's moments! I am so happy for them.<br />
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I hate the huge lump in my throat in the midst of my tears of joy. I hate the questions that surface in my mind. I chase them away only to have them resurface. Why, Lord? Why. Why so many delays...and right at the end? This has been the longest nine months of my life. I don't think that I have ever been more raw emotionally.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Po_ZGHnDsYY/U32Nf3XrvTI/AAAAAAAABhw/W0U0gCcrPuE/s1600/Elie+&+Elisee+05.16.14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Po_ZGHnDsYY/U32Nf3XrvTI/AAAAAAAABhw/W0U0gCcrPuE/s1600/Elie+&+Elisee+05.16.14.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>I am not one bit angry at the Lord. I know that He wins in the end. I know that the delays are not orchestrated by Him. I know that He will use this to create something beautiful. I just don't feel at this moment that I am feeling very beautiful in the midst of my pain.<br />
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I move through my days trying to keep my focus on the present. I have such a beautiful family of five home with me. I have the incredible privilege of loving and being there for them each and every day. My loving husband and my adorable children are my everything...almost. You see...that is it. I find joy with them in all of the little things. Watching Aftyn and Haley hug last night...the best of friends sharing the first days of their summer together, cheering on Aiden as he nailed the baseball at tonight's game, giving snuggles and soft kisses as we said our prayers and I tucked the kids in to bed tonight. Precious. I soak up every moment.<br />
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But tonight, Craig is away on business. Once the lights were out and the sweet dreams begun for the kids, this Mama's heart began to ache. It is just me now. Me and my broken heart. You see, I want for my boys to be home with every fiber of my being. It is a breath-stopping, chest-aching, throat-clenching, head-pounding sort of pain. After tucking in Aiden, I walk past the twins' bedroom. I glance in and see their names on the wall, the stuffed animals in the bin, and the Haitian Bible on their dresser. By myself tonight, I let myself cry.<br />
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I hate to even write that, and I am tempted to erase this post, but it is true. I want people to see the beauty in adoption because it is truly beautiful. However, the reality is that our world has caused parts of adoption to be truly painful.<br />
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We wait...and wait...and wait. We give the same responses...over and over and OVER again! Oh, how I long to be able to tell the first person that our file has been approved for Visas, and we are planning our homecoming. There are days when it feels like that day is never going to come...but I know in my lonely mama's heart that it is.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D1OYDMYyKjI/U32Nfjuk7yI/AAAAAAAABhs/ct3UP8OMyM4/s1600/Elie1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D1OYDMYyKjI/U32Nfjuk7yI/AAAAAAAABhs/ct3UP8OMyM4/s1600/Elie1.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a>We were told last Monday that our paperwork was going to be picked up and would be turned in to USCIS by last Friday. Hmmm....well, that never happened. Thursday came and surprise!!! I guess our adoption decree attestation was not ready yet. I guess they must have overlooked that on Monday when they told us that it was ready. Arrrgh....such disappointment!<br />
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I don't like how that news broke my heart and filled me so full of anger in that moment. I have been wrestling with doubt, anger and pain ever since that moment. I can hear the Holy Spirit giving me words of encouragement. Reminding me that God is in control and He has this! Then the pain rises up and my heart wrenches all over again. I have asked for my ladies' bible study to pray for me, pray for our family, pray for the twins, pray that this insanity will stop and the boys will come home.<br />
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This week we have not received any updates of progress. We did get a few sweet pictures of the boys from our agency and from the family that just came home today...but no news of progress.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mhM2BlYsyxg/U32Ngi4bBsI/AAAAAAAABh4/ruWXS2Nnv1M/s1600/Judah1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mhM2BlYsyxg/U32Ngi4bBsI/AAAAAAAABh4/ruWXS2Nnv1M/s1600/Judah1.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a>We have notified our international adoption counselor that we absolutely need this to be our LAST submission to USCIS. Our documents NEED to be correct. Our hearts simply can't keep going on like this. Will we give up? NEVER, but are we pressing hard for accuracy and finality? YES.<br />
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We are having another lawyer look at our paperwork prior to being submitted this time. Please pray that the director of our orphanage will turn our paperwork over to him. Please pray that there will be no errors, but that if there are, that he will find them and they will be fixed quickly.<br />
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Please also pray for patience in our long-suffering. I need your prayers every day! I truly don't know where I would be without them. I can feel my heart struggling with the spiritual nature of this battle. I need all of my prayer warriors in FULL force right now. I have seen Craig struggling a bit more <br />
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too. He is amazingly strong...and I know that he somehow manages much better than I do, but the edges of his emotions are beginning to fray as well. As for me, I am just strings held together by your prayers.<br />
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If you get a chance and can send me prayers, call me to pray with me, or drop by and pray over me or our family...it would mean so much to me. If you know of another family going through adoption, domestic or international...pray with them. This is a battle, and you all can help us to win the fight. I think it is more about the spiritual battle than the paperwork battle.<br />
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Frayed but Clinging to God,<br />
Rebeccawe2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-81172471742630071442014-04-19T00:08:00.002-05:002014-04-19T00:09:10.691-05:00Inching Closer?<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KagpfxGqRE0/U1H-y9jupOI/AAAAAAAABhI/5N-uJuSM9u0/s1600/IMG_0911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KagpfxGqRE0/U1H-y9jupOI/AAAAAAAABhI/5N-uJuSM9u0/s1600/IMG_0911.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>I apologize for not being very prompt with these latest updates. The last few weeks have been anything but normal. Craig and I decided that it was not healthy for me to take only two days of vacation in one year. So several weeks ago, we purchased tickets so I could join him on his work trip to Las Vegas. I spent five days with three other wives soaking up the sun, getting exercise in the pool and walking to see the sites. The rest and time together with Craig was just what I needed to mend my spirit. It also provided us many opportunities to reflect on this emotional journey we have been on.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cZv1nxtPu8Y/U1H-t_8-TzI/AAAAAAAABgM/5U4QLXT2grc/s1600/IMG_0893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cZv1nxtPu8Y/U1H-t_8-TzI/AAAAAAAABgM/5U4QLXT2grc/s1600/IMG_0893.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>Just before leaving on our trip, we received a brief update that our new court minutes had been issued for both of the boys. This is the first step in repairing the remaining errors. The orphanage director was able to get the twins' birth father to return to court with him which is a huge blessing. We have requested copies of these documents so we can review the new dates, but we still have not received them yet. (We hate to be cynical, but after being submitted twice to USCIS with so many errors remaining, it is impossible NOT to be cynical at times and protect against ongoing errors.)<br />
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The last full day that we spent in Las Vegas, we received a message from Sarah, our international adoption counselor informing us that her last day would be April 11th!!! That was a big bummer, but somehow getting that message as I basked by the pool refreshing my spirit made it a little easier to take. Sarah has been wonderful. I really think that she has been pivotal in getting our case moving forward these last few months. I connected well with her over the phone and had complete confidence that her heart was in the right place. She even called us several times after hours so we would not go without updates. She will be missed greatly.<br />
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After returning home from our trip, we didn't know how quickly we would get an update from the new counselor...our fifth one in three and a half years. We received an email on Monday introducing Tihana to us. On Tuesday I decided to give her a call to introduce myself.She was familiar with our case but communication with Maison was minimal this week. By early Friday (today), we still had not heard an update. I decided that meant it was time to call again. This morning, Tihana still had not heard anything from Pierre on our case.<br />
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Craig confided to me earlier this week that he is beginning to feel restless about the adoption. I told him that it was about time! I have been feeling that way for a long time now. I shared with him that I had begun to wonder if I was just an insane worrier, if he was amazingly strong, or what...and he said, "Maybe I am just an idiot and should be more concerned." I don't know what the right answer is, but it is nice to be on the same page. This morning on the phone with Tihana, I shared that we are struggling with this wait. Eight months is much too long to be waiting for submission. The transition time from passports to the Visa process should have only taken the time to physically transport our dossier from one office to another. However, because of the all the errors and delays, we are over eight months. It is truly unbelievable. She seemed to understand and said that she would keep trying to get updates.<br />
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Well, late this afternoon we did receive an update. Tihana says that Pierre was unable to submit the dossier this week, but he says, "This dossier is almost done. The Lawyer is working on getting signatures for the judgments and decrees. I think it will be finished in two weeks."<br />
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Craig and I were together shortly after receiving this update and our response was almost identical. We both sighed and thought, I hope this is true. We had a long talk about how this process is affecting our ability to trust and increasing the time it takes to become excited about any step of the process. I hate to be a cynic about anything...but I find myself thinking, "well, I hope so." I am guarded to share the good news because we have not seen any hard copies of the corrections. We have gotten our hopes up so many times before and the last fall was very painful. So forgive us if we guard our hearts for now.<br />
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Craig says that he will get excited when we get on the plane with the boys and the jet leaves the runway. I am quite sure that I will be ecstatic long before that. Big surprise. I think that the moment for me to begin to hope and dream will be when we have USCIS inform us that all of the errors are fixed and they have approved our dossier and can proceed with the Visas! Oh, how I long for that moment. I can't wait to tell the first person that asks me if we have heard anything new that we actually have a REAL timeline!!!!!<br />
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Craig and I were visiting with some close friends of ours, and we were discussing patience in our adoption process. I commented something about how difficult this has been and what a struggle it is emotionally at times. The husband said that he thinks that we have moved from the process requiring patience to it being a journey of long-suffering. It was almost like the wind was knocked out of me. Long-suffering. I have never thought of it like that, but that is the most perfect way to express what this is like. Long-suffering.<br />
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It is amazing how at certain times in our lives the Lord uses so many different methods to communicate His love to us. He certainly speaks to us at times through our friends and family, but He has also been speaking to me this week through a bible study that I have been working through. A group of women from my church are studying a book on parenting called Give Them Grace...Dazzling Your Kids With the Love of Jesus. There have been some wonderful nuggets of truth in this book but this last section I have read has really shed some light on our adoption journey. I am going to share some of these little insights:<br />
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"Would our chosen path [in life] ever lead us to the valley of the shadow of death with our children? If we spend our whole life trying to avoid that valley, how will we ever experience His comfort while He sustains us by His grace in the valley?"<br />
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"Do we see these trials as God's gifts to us? Do we see our children's struggles as our Savior approaching us in love to make His grace strong in our lives? Do we believe that we must have this kind of humiliation so that Christ's grace will flow through us to our family? Do we want His grace that much? Do we <i>really </i>want<i> </i>to glorify Him? Whether or not we like it, whether or not we understand it, it is kind of the Lord to demolish our confidence in our own strength, abilities, and cherished methods."<br />
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"Our weakness is the place where we learn to depend on His power. When we're stripped of everything that we thought we could trust in, when we're absolutely desperate for help, the Lord moves into our circumstance and demonstrates His power. Sometimes He shows us His power by changing the circumstance, miraculously accomplishing what we could never accomplish. At other times He shows us how His sustaining grace enables us to endure situations that otherwise would crush us. Sometimes He makes us feel His strengthening arm upholding us in the trial. At other times He teaches us to walk by faith, believing that His arm is there even though we don't feel it. It is in these varied circumstances that we learn of His greatness, His sustaining grace, and His ability to glorify Himself in ways we would never have imagined."<br />
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...And sometimes He asks us to do all of these things!<br />
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I have bumped into so many people over the last several weeks. I have had hug, after hug, after hug and words of encouragement from so many family members, friends and acquaintances. We have been lifted up in prayer from at least three continents and many different states! I was stopped in the grocery store today by an Augie classmate of mine I hardly ever see and she's been praying. I get messages from people that read this blog that I have never even met that identify with what we are going through and are praying! This journey is truly remarkable!<br />
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I would never change my mind about embarking on this journey even if I would have known that it would be filled with so many bumps. The valleys are hard, but the growth in our spirits and in the structure of our family is incredible. I have never dreamed that our lives would be this beautiful. It is a incredible thing to trust the Lord, even in your own heart-ache, pain and long-suffering. I give God all the glory for bringing us to this place. I know that without Him and His grace, this situation would have crushed us.<br />
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Praise God for His love and faithfulness!!!<br />
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Holding On,<br />
Rebecca<br />
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PS. Enjoy these beautiful photos of our boys courtesy of another adoptive mom from our orphanage!<br />
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<br />we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-1359816254878532014-03-31T22:33:00.000-05:002014-04-02T22:25:23.380-05:00We Are Nothing Special...I have been thinking about writing on this topic for quite some time now...but was drowning in emotion and had difficulty thinking of how to word exactly what I wanted to say. Since our prayer session at church, I seem to be in a much healthier place emotionally and decided that there was no time like the present to share my thoughts...<br />
<br />
Craig and I are nothing special. It is that plain and simple. So many people have made statements to Craig and me over the last few years about our adoption journey and how amazing we are...or how our strength is so great....or how incredible our faith must be...or how they could never go through all of this waiting and pain. Well, we are nothing special.<br />
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If you recall in the Bible, there are many Bible heroes that we are shocked to find never felt prepared to do what God was calling them to do, and they were afraid. God called to Moses, gave him a job to do and Moses remembered his past failures and felt inadequate for the task. Jonah, a prophet of God, literally fled the opposite direction of where God was calling him to go. God enabled a nobody named Gideon to win a battle even though he was hiding when the Lord's angel came to him. Of the four women in Jesus' lineage, one was a harlot, the second a Gentile, another an adulteress and the fourth another harlot. God can and will use anyone! He uses us in our weak state so that HE ALONE can be glorified. The point is that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. We are nothing special, but we faithfully follow an amazing God who is anything but ordinary!!!<br />
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Ever since the beginning of this adoption journey...I have had times where I struggled with doubts and fears. Let me tell you...when we were in Haiti on our mission trips, God's voice and calling to adopt was so clear. However, when we returned home...it was almost like slipping back into a sort of spiritual slumber. It is so easy to fall back into lukewarm living. Our culture has so many ways to fill time with things that really don't matter for eternity...Facebook, television programs, music, sports, and even entertaining our families. These things are not bad in and of themselves...but when they consume so much of our time that we find ourselves lukewarm and doing nothing that is out of the ordinary for the Lord...we have lost our testimony!<br />
<br />
When we committed to the adoption, we abandoned our lukewarm status and headed into uncharted territory. Like Gideon, in the beginning there were days that I wanted to hide myself away and was filled with fear over the decision that we had made. Believe me, any questions that our friends or family members shared with us, were questions that we had already wrestled with multiple times. "Is this really what the Lord is calling us to?" "Will our biological children adjust to the changes well?" "Will we be able to afford it?" "How will we ever help five children with college." "How will I handle juggling five kiddos and a job when I get anxious already with three?" "Will the boys have special needs that we won't be able to handle?" And so forth...<br />
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Over time, I have seen the faithfulness of our Lord! Oh, what a beautiful thing it is!!! I really do feel like the Lord has chosen a weak vessel...me. I can tell that through this experience He is doing an incredible work in me. I am nothing special in and of myself...but with His help...we are doing something amazing! I give Him all of the glory because on my own...I would not be on this journey.<br />
<br />
"God has used the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty." 1 Corinthians 1:27<br />
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If you think that God can't or won't use you, think again. His glory shines the greatest through the weakest of vessels. If the Lord has put a tender heart toward adoption in you, it is likely because He has a plan to use you in one of the most remarkable ways...if you will let Him. That is the key. In our lukewarm society, it is so easy to rationalize why the decision to adopt simply does not make sense. It is too expensive, too time consuming, too emotionally taxing...<br />
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We are forgetting that adoption is so beautiful!!! It gives a lonely and broken child a home. It causes spiritual growth in the adopting family and their support system. It tests faith and allows an incredible love to bloom. It creates a connection between cultures and helps us to see our family grow beyond the borders of our own country. It allows the Lord to do a work in our lives that we would never be able to accomplish on our own.<br />
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"For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?" says the Lord in Isaiah 43:19<br />
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We are nothing special...but the Lord is faithful! He has begun this work in us, and He will bring it to completion!<br />
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As I write this...I have not had a new update. Several families received updates today and all of them were good updates. Praise God for that. Many of us adoptive families have been really hurting lately and have been noticing more than ever the emptiness of our arms. Tonight I snuggled my three kiddos on the couch and knew that as wonderful as it was...a key part of the family was missing. We long for our families to be complete.<br />
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Please continue to pray for our family and other adoptive families.I really believe that your prayers make all of the difference in this spiritual battle. Without your prayers...I am sure that we would have had a much different journey.<br />
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Also remember in prayer tonight all of the people that the Lord has placed adoption on their hearts but for whatever reason...have decided against it or are questioning the calling. Help them to know that it doesn't matter if we have weaknesses, if we are still growing our faith, or if we think we are too weak to handle the waiting and pain of the process. All that matters is how BIG OUR GOD IS...and if HE can handle these things. I assure you, He is a very big God!<br />
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Thank you so much for your faithfulness!<br />
<br />
The Weakest of Vessels,<br />
<br />
Rebecca<br />
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4.2.14 - Added links of interest from Craig: (please talk to Rebecca or me if there is even a glimmer of questioning or interest in adoption before you let the world speak!)<br />
What percentage of Christian's would need to adopt to care for all of the orphans of the world?<br />
<a href="http://abbafund.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/how-many-christians-would-it-take-to-adopt-all-the-orphans-in-the-world/"><span style="color: blue;">http://abbafund.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/how-many-christians-would-it-take-to-adopt-all-the-orphans-in-the-world/</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.toomanymillion.org/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.toomanymillion.org/</span></a>we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-10152937863129047822014-03-26T23:10:00.000-05:002014-03-26T23:10:09.738-05:00Trusting is DifficultSince my last entry, we have received a number of updates.<br />
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We had been considering looking into a new lawyer to assist with our paperwork to help speed the remaining process up. We have been requested to wait until April 7th to allow the director to try to fix the errors and resubmit the paperwork. We have heard that if we hire a lawyer prior to this, we will have to move the boys to a different orphanage. So, we have taken a deep breath and are trying to see where the Lord will lead us.<br />
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We then received an update from USCIS. The US Embassy requested that our orphanage director and his lawyer come to the Embassy to meet with them to discuss a plan for remedying our situation. This appointment was scheduled for the 24th of March, but it appears that they actually met yesterday on the 25th. <br />
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We have been informed that after speaking with USCIS, the new orphanage lawyer believes that he can fix our paperwork in the way the Embassy is requiring in approximately two months. Then the paperwork will be submitted to USCIS and will be processed for Visas (for the third attempt.) <br />
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The most difficult part of all of this is trusting. Trusting that the lawyer understands what needs to be repaired, trusting that we are a priority at all, trusting that the director has any real plans to finish our adoption and lose his monthly support checks, and most of all trusting that the TWO MONTHS is really TWO MONTHS. We have been informed that the passport process should take 1-2 weeks and ours took 4 months, the process of moving our dossier from passports to the USCIS should take a day and ours has taken over 7 MONTHS! Yes, trusting is difficult.<br />
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So Craig and I are spending much time in prayer and are waiting on God's answer for what direction we should go. We are still contemplating whether we should travel to see the boys in the near future. We are also trying to determine if we can trust to move forward with the current lawyer processing this paperwork. We are hoping for a clear answer to this.<br />
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I know that we have the God of the Universe on our side! I trust Him completely! He is watching over our boys this very minute as they sleep on their metal bunks in a tiny room in a broken building with a dozen other toddlers and two nannies. I pray that He is moving in the hearts of all of the individuals from the Haitian government and from our orphanage that will need to be a part of piecing all of the remaining documents together. I pray that God would move mountains and this would be completed MUCH faster than 2 months.<br />
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I have had an extra dose of patience this week and attribute that to all of your prayers. I am so thankful to you and I love you all so much.<br />
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Resting in Truth,<br />
Rebecca<br />
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<br />we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-25567199220268519192014-03-20T22:31:00.001-05:002014-03-20T22:35:56.064-05:00Restored Through PrayerThis has not exactly been the easiest week...we went from receiving devastating news on March 11th...to waiting for OVER a week to have another update. The time in between was not without pain. I have learned many things in the last week.<br />
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One thing that I have learned is that when adopting...it is not wise to get your hopes up. When we thought we had a timeline of weeks...I began to daydream and plan. This is clearly dangerous business because it is the reason that when the next glitch surfaced, I felt as though the rug was pulled out from under me completely. Craig, on the other hand, admitted yesterday that he did not feel as crushed because he guarded his heart when we received the information that it could be only weeks remaining. Hmmm....I will try to work on that...but I will likely fail miserably at controlling my emotions. Sigh.<br />
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I have also learned that as a Christian, we need to be extra careful with how we use our words when talking to someone who is hurting. I have learned that it is not healing to be told that the circumstance "is a part of God's plan." I think that it is more helpful to think that the circumstance "will be used by God to grow our faith or to be a testimony to others."<br />
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I have also learned that sometimes we think that our friends can understand what we are going through...but actually it is impossible for others to understand the depth of the emotion that we are experiencing without having experienced it themselves. I had a situation this week that knocked me to my knees emotionally. I don't want to go into the specifics of the situation, but it really helped me to see that for our friends and family, it might be difficult to identify with the fact that we are adopting two real little boys...flesh and blood...not just pictures. Of course this is easy for us to grasp because we have held them, fed them, giggled at them, bathed them, changed them and slept beside them. When we struggle with the distance, it is because we have known them as our boys since they were three months old, been able to spend less than two weeks with them and have now been apart for more than a year. A very large portion of our hearts is truly in Haiti. Even on a good day, our hearts are broken. So, when we consider traveling to Haiti on an extra trip and hiring a lawyer, it is because these boys are a part of our family and we have already missed too many moments with them. Two years and almost three months worth of memories since we received our informal referral. So, if the need arises, and we have to find a way to hire a lawyer to bring the boys home, please understand at this point, we will do anything to get them home.<br />
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In the last week, I have also learned how important it is that when we begin to struggle emotionally, it is best to reach out for help. I have been struggling with feeling anxious ever since this weekend. I have been anxious about our finances. I have been anxious that the adoption could come to a screeching halt; the paperwork might not be repaired in a timely manner; that Aftyn, Haley and Aiden might be affected negatively by all of this waiting; and that our friends and family won't understand the choices we make as we move forward from here. So many things on my mind and the anxiousness began to take control of me. This weekend I decided to open up to our Bible Study group about it and boom, three days later we have a prayer session scheduled at our church!!!<br />
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I know that many people have been praying for our adoption since the moment we shared our intent to adopt with our family and friends in February of 2011! We thank you so much for your love and thoughtfulness! I truly do not know where we would be without all of you. It is interesting though...when the anxiety begins to take over, somehow knowing that people are praying for you simply does not feel like enough. I needed to HEAR it. I needed to HEAR the words leaving the lips of those that love us and are lifting us up before the Lord. There were about twenty five or thirty of us in the conference room at our church last night. We shared a bit about where we are in the process and what the current issues are preventing the boys from coming home. Craig and I had prepared a list of prayers and petitions to help update everyone who was there. Our pastor opened with prayer and then we broke up into small groups to pray. Within seconds, the rumble of voices began. Many beautiful voices pleading with the Lord for His mercy and grace. I could just feel the tension begin to leave as the tears began to fall. My broken heart could not be fixed, but my wounded soul was being pieced back together. Praise God for the gift of being able to come to Him in prayer and petition, and praise God for our church family who so loving and rapidly put together this time of prayer.<br />
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Just one day later, I find myself experiencing a renewed peace. I am restored through prayer. I know that there will continue to be ups and downs, but I have learned to ask for people to pray for me. OUT LOUD. I want to encourage and challenge you that the next time that someone you know is broken with the circumstances of life...pray with them...THAT VERY MINUTE. They need the angels to fight the fight for their soul right that minute. If you are shy about praying...believe me...that person won't care if it is the clumsiest prayer ever uttered...in such a broken state...those details don't even matter. Let the Holy Spirit do His work through you!<br />
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So...we received an update today from the US Embassy via Senator Thune's office...and I am not sure how to even summarize it. I'll just say this, the Embassy is aware of many families from our orphanage that are hurting. Please, in your prayers for us, remember all of the others that are going through the same process.<br />
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We were also informed that there is a scheduled appointment for the orphanage lawyer to meet with USCIS/Embassy on Monday, March 24th to clarify what needs to be repaired in our paperwork. Apparently, he must have missed his appointment last Thursday morning. So, please pray that this lawyer would make it to the appointment and would understand thoroughly what needs to be repaired.<br />
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That is all for now. We love you!<br />
<br />
Blessedly restored,<br />
Rebeccawe2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-40682964877502359412014-03-11T19:07:00.002-05:002014-03-11T19:08:45.082-05:00There Are Not Enough Words...What a difference a day makes...<span style="color: blue;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaSkalskyDeWit/posts/10201023136255392?notif_t=like" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">www.facebook.com/RebeccaSkalskyDeWit</span></a> </span>That was yesterday.<br />
<br />
This is today. There are not enough words to fully describe what we are feeling right now. Honestly I would like to curl up into a little ball and just turn the world off for the rest of the day...but I thought that maybe venting some of these emotions would help me to cope better and might encourage some seriously needed prayer.<br />
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The adoption took a terrible turn today. We received an email from USCIS (United States Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services) at noon indicating that there are further issues with our paperwork. The US government's email expressed some serious frustration with the way that our orphanage director "repaired" our documents. I am sure that I don't fully understand all of the details but it looks like instead of changing the documents by amending them, we need completely NEW documents. We still have many questions. We do not know if this is just for Eli's paperwork or for both boys, and we have no idea what the timeline will look like to accomplish this, but it looks like it could be months.<br />
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My heart fell as soon as I read through the document, and I called Craig immediately. He was angry...and rightfully so. I am upset, but my emotions seem to be showing themselves through tears currently. The ups and downs of this process have really thrown me for a loop this time, and I am feeling so discouraged. I HATE that Satan and his minions are all over this adoption. I am so angry that when families choose to adopt, that he pushes every button to make the process a terrible trial.<br />
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I am weary of having people tell me that this is a part of God's plan. I don't want to offend anyone that might have said that to me...but you know what...NONE of this is a part of God's plan. God's plan was for there NOT to be sin in the world, and we screwed it up...a long time ago. Now we live in a broken world, with broken families, broken government, broken processes and broken hearts. If this were God's plan, then the boys would be with their birth mom and dad and would have all of their needs met. Instead their country is in shambles, their birth mom passed away, their birth dad couldn't provide for them and they live in an orphanage in conditions that would not be acceptable in the US for our homeless. They have adoptive parents that would love to hold them, love them and provide for them...but greed and errors have made that impossible.<br />
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I have no doubt that God will bring beauty from these ashes. I know that He is grieving with us, and that He longs for the boys to be home with us too. I really think that this is what people mean when they say it is a part of God's plan...but somehow that doesn't mend the broken heart that so many adoptive parents experience and it certainly doesn't sooth the soul.<br />
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So for now, I am praying for clarity. We are waiting to hear back from our adoption agency to see what their plan is to address this situation. They called with apologies, but we are looking for action. Sarah at our agency has been wonderful, and we are hoping that she will help to solve this situation. We need timelines, plans and solutions. We are so DONE with waiting, and patience, then continuing errors. We need clarity with what direction to move, how to find accountability and how to get answers. We are also beginning to discuss whether we need to find a Haitian lawyer to create some more accountability...but this too is a frightening venture. Lastly, we are trying to determine when we should go and see the boys.<br />
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We have put off traveling to see the boys for a whole year!!! Imagine missing a year of your child's life. A YEAR! Enough said.<br />
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Needing prayer,<br />
Rebeccawe2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-17393483193119207422014-03-10T21:01:00.000-05:002014-03-10T21:01:36.907-05:00We Are Fully Submitted!!!!After much prayer and a serious dose of patience...we have finally fully made it to the last stage of the process. Elijah's dossier was dropped off at the US Embassy on Thursday, March 6th, 2014!!! We received notification from USCIS today that verified that they have received our documentation and that we are pending final review!!! Anything with the word FINAL in it sounds fantastic! He said that they will advise us as soon as they complete the review. <div>
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I spoke with another Haitian adoptive mom on the phone today to get a few bits of information from her. We talked for about an hour and I was blessed to soak up much wisdom from her. All of the timelines are tentative and will vary on so many little details, but it sounds as though our paperwork could be processed and ready for us to head down to Haiti to pick up the boys in as little as 4 weeks and as many as 10 weeks provided no errors are found in their paperwork!!!!!! I think my heart just skipped a beat just typing those words!</div>
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So we talked a lot about the items that we need to bring along with us and how the process will work when we are in Haiti and returning to the US. It is a bit of a complicated process and involves hauling precious paperwork and two precious boys through many checkpoints. I just hope that the jumble of information will begin to make more sense to this scattered mama's brain by then.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UUx9a6RzXB8/Ux5ttjedjZI/AAAAAAAABfw/mjLEPSesnkA/s1600/DSC_3930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UUx9a6RzXB8/Ux5ttjedjZI/AAAAAAAABfw/mjLEPSesnkA/s1600/DSC_3930.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a>It was so fun to talk about the details of bringing them home. We talked about immunizations, toileting, parasites, scars, skin care, hair care, re-adoption, foods to try and about<br />
<br />
the general transition process. We will have our hands full, and I couldn't be happier than I am. It is such a joy to be thinking about real life after the boys are home. This wait has been forever and at times it almost seemed as though the wait would never come to an end. Now, the end is truly in sight!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cqkuekno3tI/Ux5th6-nSiI/AAAAAAAABfg/huny0MpsZKA/s1600/DSC_3925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cqkuekno3tI/Ux5th6-nSiI/AAAAAAAABfg/huny0MpsZKA/s1600/DSC_3925.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a>My heart hurts when I think that it has been a full year as of last week since we have held the boys and snuggled them to sleep. We have a room all decorated for them and a closet and dresser filled with clothes. If we would have known that the wait would have been this long, I know that we would have traveled one more time, but the end has always appeared to be just a few weeks away...so we continued to wait. I don't know why, but this must be a part of God's plan.</div>
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We will be certain to let you all know when we have verification that the paperwork has been approved! Until that time, continue to pray that the paperwork would be without errors and that the end will draw ever closer! I just can't wait to introduce all of you to these sweet boys!</div>
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With a skipping heart,</div>
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Rebecca</div>
we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-4701831837030800902014-02-16T23:14:00.001-06:002014-02-17T22:06:30.727-06:00An OvercomerI am simply amazed by how quickly the weeks are passing by. It has already almost been a full month since I posted last. Unfortunately we are not in a position to provide any more details of forward progress with the adoption but thought that it might be worth it to provide some emotional progress.<br />
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I really think that Craig and I have been doing quite well managing our emotions through this almost three year process. We have moments of happiness, joy, sadness and longing, peace, questioning, anger and even fear at times but through all of it; we have held onto a strong sense of trust in the Lord and His plan for our family. He knows what the perfect timing is, and we will continue to rest in that.<br />
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Over the last few weeks, there have been three events that have made our emotions swing from pure joy to sad longing. On January 20th, Craig had surgery on his left wrist after a mountain biking injury last June tore some cartilage and ligaments and broke the tip off his ulna. He has been having some struggles with sleeping the last few weeks, so we have been a bit on the over-tired side which often leads to heightened emotions. We are thankful that some areas of the wrist were able to be repaired. Yet, it is hard to think that this injury might be part of the reason that the Lord did not feel that this was the proper time for the twins to be home.<br />
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In addition to the emotions about his injury, we have been dealing with the emotions of watching other families move forward in their adoptions and three families bringing their children home. It is hard to describe the feeling that fills the heart with the news that a child has been united to their forever family. It is not jealousy...it is not envy. It is LONGING. I don't wish that I could have their place or timing. I don't feel anger or resentment. I just feel longing, pure and simple longing. I just want to hop the next plane and head to the orphanage to hold them and take them home.<br />
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We were blessed to be at the airport to watch a Sioux Falls family bring their adopted son from Haiti home for the first time. It was amazing to watch the joy on their faces...the joy on their children's faces. There was no envy, no jealousy...just LONGING.<br />
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One of the families that we met on our first trip to the orphanage took us under their wing a bit as we visited the embassy and learned the ropes at the hotel. They were able to bring their two sons home after a four year battle to finish their adoption. Nope, not jealous, not envious....still only LONGING.<br />
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Tomorrow, yet another family from our orphanage will be bringing home their daughter. I am so happy for them and the future that will begin for their family when the sun rises tomorrow. My heart soars for them, but it is also filled with LONGING.<br />
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Last Tuesday we were filled with a longing of a different sort as a team of people from our church packed their supplies and backpacks and headed to the airport to embark on a mission trip with Mission Haiti. They literally passed about two miles from our boys' orphanage. We have been asked several times if they were going to be able to go and see our boys, but we have no idea if they were able to fit that in or not. I can't tell you how much Craig and I wanted to pack our bags, put on our Haiti gear and head out on mission. Many tears have visited my eyes as I have thought about this. Do I wish that I could take their place? Not at all. I am over the moon excited for the Lord's working in the team members' lives and am certain that a love for Haiti will be placed in their hearts as well. I am just LONGING. Longing for the twins and longing for the country. I love the boys, and I love Haiti. I suppose that this is why it is so hard.<br />
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On Friday, February 7th, we were notified that it was likely that Eli's Birth Certificate would be able to be picked up the following week. We were filled with joy! This is the final document we need to be able to submit him to the US Embassy (USCIS) to request a Visa to bring him home. We began our "patient" waiting.<br />
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On Thursday, February 13th, we attended a concert that proved to be exactly what we needed at the time. We had purchased tickets for our entire family to attend a Toby Mac, Mandisa, Brandon Heath, Matthew West and Matt Maher concert as a Christmas gift. We were literally in the front row and center. We could not have had a better view and the concert was amazing!!!! There were many moments during the concert that spoke directly to my heart but the most profound one was when Mandisa performed her song "Overcomer." There are just not words to express the emotion attached to the song, and it spoke so beautifully to this LONGING mama's heart.<br />
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<b><u>OVERCOMER</u> by Mandisa</b><br />
Staring at a stop sign<br />
Watching people drive by<br />
T Mac on the radio<br />
Got so much on your mind<br />
Nothing's really going right<br />
Looking for a ray of hope<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uyBnyPkwXmc/UwGaH7b4IQI/AAAAAAAABfA/3veHMZLn8a0/s1600/Corriolan+boys+jan14-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uyBnyPkwXmc/UwGaH7b4IQI/AAAAAAAABfA/3veHMZLn8a0/s1600/Corriolan+boys+jan14-3.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a>Whatever it is you may be going through<br />
I know He's not gonna let it get the best of you<br />
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You're an overcomer<br />
Stay in the fight ‘til the final round<br />
You're not going under<br />
‘Cause God is holding you right now<br />
You might be down for a moment<br />
Feeling like it's hopeless<br />
That's when He reminds you<br />
That you're an overcomer<br />
You're an overcomer<br />
<br />
Everybody's been down<br />
Hit the bottom, hit the ground<br />
Oh, you're not alone<br />
Just take a breath, don't forget<br />
Hang on to His promises<br />
He wants you to know<br />
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The same Man, the Great I am<br />
The one who overcame death<br />
Is living inside of you<br />
So just hold tight, fix your eyes<br />
On the one who holds your life<br />
There's nothing He can't do<br />
He's telling you<br />
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I thought about this song and the lyrics multiple times through the next day. God is amazing and He, the God of the Universe, has a plan for us. I trust in that completely! We just need to hold tight and fix our eyes on Him. He will orchestrate everything. It was 5:30 pm on Friday, February 14th, when I realized that we had not yet heard from our agency. Part of me wanted to be heartbroken, but I think that meditating on the words of this song throughout the day helped me to take a deep breath and focus on the fact that this LONGING I feel is LOVE, and that we are going to be OVERCOMERS in this process! Love will win. It always does because He has this all figured out, and we will continue to hold onto His promises!<br />
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LONGING for overcoming,<br />
Rebeccawe2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-7997107893316667502014-01-25T00:02:00.001-06:002014-01-25T08:57:27.391-06:00One Step Closer...I am happy to share that I received an email today letting us know that Judah's paperwork has been officially resubmitted to USCIS. That means that the orphanage staff must have gotten the remaining document ready for him. We are grinning from ear to ear happy about this!<br />
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Unfortunately, we did not receive an update on the progress towards getting Eli's birth certificate and extract. We are happy though that the progress for Judah means that we will find out if the errors are truly fixed. If they are, then when the birth certificate is received for Eli, there should be nothing standing in the way of issuing those Visas!<br />
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I am tired tonight and ready to place my head firmly on the pillow knowing that we are one step closer to the twins being under our roof where they belong!!! Continue to pray! The Lord is hearing every plea and mountains are being moved...I have no doubt!<br />
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Resting peacefully,<br />
<br />
Rebeccawe2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-21256415743430911542014-01-17T23:18:00.000-06:002014-01-18T09:55:09.051-06:00Dancing Around the Room!!! Oh my!!! Where to start? I suppose I should say that we don't have a date to go to Haiti yet...but that it is drawing closer. The last post I put out highlighted what exactly needed to be redone and that it would likely be a long wait. Because of all of the past mistakes and delays, we were unsure what kind of a response the new lawyer and director of the orphanage would have. So...I mentally prepared for the long haul and took more of those long, slow breaths and spoke more quiet prayers which seem to make this process bearable.<br />
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About a week ago, I decided to begin to put together a much belated Christmas letter. We had planned to wait to send one so we could include photos of the homecoming and first few days with the boys in our letter. However, with the delays that were surfacing, we knew that it could potentially still be many months, and I didn't want to wait that long. So early this week we began to write and print our letter and developed photos of the boys and a photo of the rest of the family. (They are sitting on the desk beside me as I type just waiting for envelopes and stamps.) We figured with photos of the boys in our friends' and family's hands, we were bound to have our prayer warriors in full force!!!<br />
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I called our international agency on Monday and left a message asking for an update. There was no response for three days and then the updates began to arrive! I feel giddy just writing this. Yesterday we got an email with ten attachments!!! The attachments are scanned copies of several of the documents that needed to be redone...and YES, they are REDONE; for both boys!!!<br />
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Sarah said that the people at the orphanage are working diligently to compile the documentation for our case. She thinks that the documents she received fulfill the first two of the items on the list below that need to be redone.<br />
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1. Minutes of Consent<br />
2. Minutes of Adoption predating the Final Order<br />
3. Certificate of Adoption<br />
4. Biological Mother's Death Certificate<br />
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She also informed us that there is good news regarding Elijah's birth certificate. The orphanage was able to clarify what the issue was with the document. Apparently the government was unable to find his information in the book that the certificate stated it had been registered in. Turns out that they were able to locate his information in a different book. Now the orphanage will be able to have a new birth certificate issued with the correct registry information and then the staff will have to apply for the extract from National Archives. It sounds like the director of the orphanage, Pierre, was already working on getting the birth certificate made on Wednesday!!!<br />
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Then, yesterday, we received another message that clarified that Elijah's documents are being corrected at the same time as Judah's. This is a huge blessing as we won't have to wait for the corrections a second time.<br />
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So here's where we stand (although we think the boys need medicals in here somewhere too):<br />
<strike>1. Minutes of Consent</strike><br />
<strike>2. Minutes of Adoption predating the Final Order</strike><br />
3. Certificate of Adoption<br />
<strike>4. Biological Mother's Death Certificate</strike><br />
5. Elijah's Birth Certificate<br />
6. Both boys submitted to USCIS (US Visa Process)<br />
7. Visa's issued<br />
8. Exit letter issued<br />
9. Bring the boys home!<br />
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I was feeling like I was on top of the world last night just knowing that some progress was being made. We tucked all three of our kiddos into bed and said prayers for their brothers to come home soon. We kissed goodnight the three that are here with us, and I walked into the twins' room and just sat on their bed and prayed. I couldn't help but think of how different it will be when the twins are here and we give kisses and snuggles in their room each night too.<br />
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I figured that we wouldn't have another update until next week sometime since we had received such good news just yesterday...so you can imagine my surprise when my phone dinged and I saw that there was another message from Sarah at CAN. I dropped everything and read the email. Before I knew it, I was dancing around the room. I don't think that I have danced like that since before my ACL repair! It was a fabulous feeling!!! This message stated the we have received a copy of the boys' birth mom's death certificate today!!! I think I reread that line five times! Unbelievable!!! This is truly prayer and God at work. The death certificate is the document that we had heard had taken other families upwards of six months to obtain! Praise the Lord!!!!!!<br />
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Sarah said in her email that it is her understanding that we only need to get item #3, the Certificate of Adoption, and Elijah's birth certificate and extract; and then we will have two complete dossiers to turn into the US Embassy!!!! She said that the staff are already working to obtain all of these documents. I am bubbling over with anticipation. The joy I feel is unbelievable. I have longed for it for so long now!!! I truly feel like the Visas will be issued in the near future. I really hope that I am not being unrealistic...but all signs are pointing towards this possibility at this time!<br />
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Please continue to pray for patience, forward progress and huge PRAISES to GOD for the progress so far! Your prayers are what has brought us to this point, I have no doubt!<br />
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We love you all and can't wait to share the next update!!!!<br />
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Dancing around the room,<br />
<br />
Rebeccawe2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-89460395449411947062014-01-07T20:48:00.002-06:002014-01-07T21:12:18.483-06:00"Baby" Steps...<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">Okay, so I contacted our international agency today to see if there was an update. The most recent information is that Maison's United States lawyer is involved in our case and is working with the adoption lawyer at the orphanage in order to figure out what needs to be repaired on our case. It is rare that he gets involved in cases, so obviously something is really wrong and it is imperative that this gets fixed in a timely fashion. It sounds like they are going to be working to fix four different things at once. We will likely have to request an extension to our U.S. visa process. I really don't have any idea how long this will take in the end. It sounds like obtaining the death certificate is going to be the lengthiest part of the process. A family we're familiar with who is also adopting from Haiti was delayed 6+ months waiting for their birth-mom's death certificate, so we'll see. Please continue to pray for miracles.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;">Recently we were informed of another family adopting from our orphanage and agency that has also had issues with paperwork and they actually have to start their Haitian paperwork completely over. So, I am trying to continue to be thankful that we at least don't have to start over from the beginning with the process; as far as we know. Please pray for this family and the many others that are finding out about random paperwork issues.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">Sarah (our agency social worker in Texas) will continue to followup with the director of the orphanage and will make sure that progress is being seen. We will continue to followup with her. She is going to ask about a more clear timeline as this would help us to know if we should be praying about another trip to visit the boys, or not before everything is finalized and we can go down there to bring them home. If we are led to go for a visit, then we'll start the process of carving out the funds and figuring out the Sioux Falls childcare if that is the direction we move. We are also faced with Craig having surgery on a wrist injury on January 20th...so it will have to be down the road a little bit, but with vacation time and details...some planning time would be necessary anyway.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">I have felt much less stress over the last week and am sure that the reprieve from stress and anxiety has been strictly due to the prayers coming from all of you! Thank you so much for lifting up our family in prayer!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">Trusting,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">Rebecca</span></span>we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098870915838307487.post-80141982264493242512014-01-02T22:36:00.000-06:002014-01-03T22:43:10.438-06:00A New Year and Continuing Hope<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vd3H0c2oLwE/UseQTGirdTI/AAAAAAAABec/j5LPQSduqIU/s1600/image-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vd3H0c2oLwE/UseQTGirdTI/AAAAAAAABec/j5LPQSduqIU/s640/image-1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I suppose that it is time for me to collect my thoughts and try to put some words to the way that we have been feeling. I have to admit that the last two weeks have been heart-wrenching. Getting that last notice from USCIS that they intend to deny Judah orphan status was a pretty low blow and knocked the wind right out of my sails. For some reason, I really felt that the US portion of the process would sail smoothly. I was naive. I guess I forgot that for it to move smoothly...it would require all of the paperwork to be flawless. Um, yes. Naive.<br />
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The document from USCIS had some information about the errors, and we were quickly flustered about what to do. Getting this information on December 23rd complicated things...especially since we knew that our international adoption counselor, Sarah, was going to be out for the entire Christmas week. At first we were thinking that we were going to have to wait to talk to her for an entire week (which would have felt like a year under these circumstances). Then it dawned on me that she has a supervisor. It was high time to get to know her supervisor more fully.<br />
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I called Emily, who is the director of CAN, and she was available immediately, PRAISE GOD. She listened to my update carefully and was thoughtful and caring when my tears and fears surfaced. She was action oriented and solution based. She immediately sent our notice on to the orphanage so they would have the update and know that there were issues. She was puzzled along with us that these errors could have been overlooked or missed at all. (This is something that we will never understand.)<br />
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We plugged into our adoption network and began to gather information about others that have had similar situations when adopting from Haiti and quickly received information about a gentleman in the USCIS office in Port-au-Prince that would be potentially able to clarify what exactly needs to be corrected in Judah's dossier. We received a bit of education on how to call directly to Haiti, downloaded the Rebtel app for our phones and were placing a call all within the hour. Of course he was on vacation as well, however, his assistant was able to provide some clarity.<br />
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I know that this is going to mean absolutely nothing to most of you but for my records, here are the items that need to be fixed-<br />
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1. We need a new Minutes of Consent<br />
2. The Minutes of Adoption should predate the Final Order<br />
3. We need a new Certificate of Adoption<br />
4. We need the biological mother's Death Certificate<br />
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This week we passed this information on to Sarah, our International Counselor and she passed it on to Maison, the orphanage. In the meantime, we were receiving information that we needed to message the Embassy to allow Judah's Dossier to be released to the staff at Maison so they could pick it up. A few more emails ensued and we still have not received confirmation that it has been picked up. We assume (which is dangerous) that it has been and were told that the new lawyer for Maison was going to look at Judah and Eli's Dossiers to see what needed to be done.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jx7oqIeNhMc/UseQXFmsumI/AAAAAAAABek/o3QKdFtjfxQ/s1600/image-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jx7oqIeNhMc/UseQXFmsumI/AAAAAAAABek/o3QKdFtjfxQ/s320/image-3.jpg" width="240" /></a>We have asked for a rough timeline on how long they feel these documents will take to re-do. We have also asked to ensure that while this process is occurring, the Birth Certificate issue for Eli (which we still don't really know what is wrong) will be in process of being fixed as well. When we are updated on the timeline...we will have to make a tough decision. If the paperwork won't take long, we are planning to wait to travel until we can go to finalize their adoption and bring them home with us. If the paperwork is going to take several months, we need to decide if it is wise to see the boys one more time before the adoption is final. This is a trip that we were not planning on, but we feel that we need to consider going because in March it will have been a full year since we have seen them. Our hearts are lonely for our boys.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jZz7Zs4iztM/UseQX6bvtpI/AAAAAAAABes/0WLQBrSwnos/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jZz7Zs4iztM/UseQX6bvtpI/AAAAAAAABes/0WLQBrSwnos/s320/image.jpg" width="240" /></a>These delays put a bit of a damper on my Christmas spirit at first. It took a few days to work through the emotions of this, and I know that after Craig's last blog many of you were praying. Thank you so much. I really felt like I was having a panic attack after we first found out. Nothing like a panic attack to change the mood of Christmas. Since then, I have had a couple of people call to pray with me, to speak scripture to me and one friend even woke in the middle of the night and felt that the Holy Spirit placed our family on her heart and gave her some thoughts to share with us. She texted me and said, "Truth is on your side. The issues that need to be resolved are all things for which the truth will prevail and resolve. Once the truth of these inconsistencies is revealed, the process will go forward. God lives in the truth!" So true...and then she said my favorite part..."God must have huge plans for these guys if the process is going this way. I'm excited to see how He uses these guys!!!"<br />
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My heart soared when I read her words. It's true. Satan focuses his scheming attention in places where God will prevail the greatest! My boys are going to be AMAZING. I know this! I, too, can't wait to see how He will use them. We will not give up on this battle. I will not panic. I will not feel defeated...even for an instant. I am disappointed that I cannot be with them, hold them, love on them right now. I am disappointed that I can't kiss their foreheads as I rock them at night, but for now, I need to trust that Jesus is walking with them and loving on them through His hands and feet...the nannies in the orphanage. Breathe in, breathe out. This too shall pass, and soon I will press warm kisses on them night after night.<br />
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We are thankful for a wonderful Christmas and New Year spent with so many family members and friends to help take our minds off of this complicated and heart-wrenching process. Please, please continue to pray for us. We are close, and that is when Satan will try to defeat us the hardest. We need your prayers. Pray specifically for these glitches to be ironed out, for a clear timeline if that is possible and for clarity about whether to travel to Haiti for a visit if the paperwork is going to take a while. Pray for the boys to stay healthy and for their nannies to love on them completely.<br />
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Humbled and Hopeful,<br />
Rebecca<br />
<br />we2witshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07096341893116202586noreply@blogger.com0