Beyond the mountains, more mountains. Dye mon, gen mon: August 2012

Friday, August 17, 2012

It has been about 2 months now since we have been back from Haiti, our whole family intact. We are so happy words can hardly do justice to the feelings of contentment that I have right now. And gratefully I can also now change the tune of this blog (if I can find the time to keep it up) to one of our whole family.

I can also proudly now add in the story of our sweet son Jimmy, who I couldn't blog about for the 2 years that we were his foster parents. We received Jimmy into our home right from the hospital on his 4th day in this big world in the spring of 2010. As our love grew so did our apprehension about his future. We were finally given the green light to begin his adoption when he turned 1 years old and by the time he turned 2, he was officially our son forever. Jimmy's adoption finalized just a few months before we travelled to Haiti to collect our twin team members and now our house is full of love and noise!

Here is a quote that we recently posted on our wall that pretty accurately encompasses what we are all about:

We are celebrating all 3 of our new additions tomorrow afternoon with a 'Welcome to the Family' party. We are so excited and happy to officially introduce them to our family and friends after a couple of month of cocooning and getting to know each other. Thank you to all of our loved ones, old and new, who are joining us on this very special day, and to all who will be here in spirit.

Will post our children's videos next -4 special videos of our 5 special people. We love them so much!

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann c.1920

Adoption Timeline

June 8, 2012 - we are a forever family (gotcha day)
May 2012 exited MOI
Sept.14, 2011 - entered MOI
Aug.17, 2011 - passed court in Haiti!
Aug.8 , 2011 - exited IBESR
Jan.21, 2011 - entered IBESR
Aug.24, 2010 - we receive our proposal from Haiti - it's twins!
Mar.31, 2010 - We are given the green light to proceed with our adoption and our dossier is forwarded on to Haiti
Jan.13-Apr.2010 - all Haitian adoptions are unofficially 'on hold' indefinitely
Jan.13, 2010 - devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 strikes Haiti
Dec.3, 2009 - Dossier is sent to the Haitian Embassy
Nov.30, 2009 - Officially decided not to proceed with Imagine and Ethiopia
Nov.19, 2009 - Dossier back to provincal office to be sent out to Haitian embassy
Nov.10, 2009 - received Homestudy approval
Oct.21, 2009 - Homestudy complete and sent in for provincial approval
Sept.13, 2009 - Decision to proceed with an adoption from Haiti Children's home
August, 2009 - We are made aware of the children in Haiti Children's Home waiting for families
July 13, 2009 - Imagine adoption goes bankrupt
Dec.27/08 - our Dossier arrives in Addis Ababa, we are officially expecting
Dec.9/08 - home study approved by the Government of Alberta
Nov.3/08 - signed homestudy report arrives at Anne Scully's office awaiting provincial approval
Oct.12/08 (Thanksgiving Sunday) - signed our completed Homestudy report
Oct.8/08 - sent in all the required paperwork for our Dossier to Imagine adoption (except the Homestudy)
Sept.17/08 - application sent in to our Ethiopian adoption coordinator, Imagine adoption
Sept.13/08 - first visit by our social worker for our Homestudy
Sept.6/08 - attended International Adoption Seminar
Aug.22/08 - adoption application to C.A.S

Beyond the mountains, more mountains. Dye mon, gen mon

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Love makes a family

Friday, August 17, 2012

Jimmy's adoption video

The twins adoption video