Progress.....

...... Not with our babies, but exciting all the same! On Christmas Eve, a mommy & daddy left Haiti, with their new children, to take them to their forever home in the US. I can't think of a more special Christmas gift!! There have also been a handful of passports issued this week, which means more children are on their way!! It also means things are moving along. We have not heard anything and I'm really not expecting to anytime soon. Just knowing that things are moving along for other families who have been at this longer than we have makes it a lot easier for us to wait. For a while it seemed like nobody was hearing any news and things were at a standstill. Hoping and praying that the new year brings LOTS of movement in the system and LOTS of children HOME!!!

Christmas at The Creche

We are so lucky to have a support group of other adoptive parents who are in our same situation. We belong to a Yahoo group made up of all parents adopting from the same orphanage as us. One of the girls posted this message. It just really made me so happy to picture this and know that our children are celebrating Christmas and having a very special day at the creche while we are home wishing they were with us.

I am sure I am not the only one who finds it hard to know that while we are celebrating Christmas here our children are so far away in Haiti. However, I don't want anyone to picture them alone or sad. My husband and I spent last Christmas Eve and Christmas with the Bernards and at the creche, and it was very sweet and special (you can see some photos in my album-- I think it's called Christmas 2010).

First, there are some simple Christmas decorations-- so it does look festive in the creche. Then, on Christmas day, the nannies spent hours in the morning washing and doing hair and dressing up all the kids in their nicest clothes (and themselves-- I was amazed at the formal dresses the nannies wore!). A little after noon, all the kids gathered in the big room by the pool, sitting on their little colored chairs, and Dr. Bernard and Claudette came down for the Christmas performance. Last year, all the little kids were wearing Santa hats made out of construction paper. The kids are out of school for two weeks at the holidays, but the nannies work with them during that time and from about 3-years-old up, all the kids put on the Christmas program-- they sing, recite the Christmas story and do dances to music. Then, there is a big meal (about 2 p.m. Haitian time). Finally, Dr. B passes out little gifts to every child by name and they all go up and say Joyeax Noel and he hugs them and gives them their gift. There are huge smiles and lots of laughing and squealing and checking out each other's presents. It was so sweet.

Anyway, those happy pictures in my head from last year really help me in preparing for a holiday spent apart, and I hope it might help some others too. =)

December update from Haiti

We got our monthly update from NLL today.

Good morning Mr, Mrs. Whitaker,

We hope this email finds you well and are excited to share with you this month's updates and picture of your precious kids. Starting with Jovanika, her weight is 30 and her height is 37. As for James, his weight is 22 and his height is 34. They are both doing well.

The New Life Link crew wishes you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Thanks.

Smith

Attached were these 2 pictures:




First of all, I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that the Christmas tree is in a big ole can! How resourceful is that, I just love it! Second, my sweet little Jovanika is clearly in that 3 year old little prissy pants stage!! Every picture of her that I have seen lately has her posing with her little hands on her hips. How cute is she!! I am still waiting on my handsome little guy to smile for me. I think he is camera shy. Pretty sure he is just holding out to show off his little smile til I come see him and his sister in 3 weeks!!!!!!!

New pics!

When I was in Haiti this past June, we met the sweetest couple, Seth and Jamie. They are photographers and took some amazing pictures. Since then, they have started the adoption process and are adopting a sweet baby boy from our same orphanage. They went there over Thanksgiving and brought back some fantastic pictures of all the kiddos at the creche. I would have to say my favorite are these:

Jovanika and her friend Janika
My friend Marilee & Jovanika
James

Handsome!