Love makes a family

Check out:
http://www.lifeunfolding.ca/index2.php#/home/
For gifting us with the AWESOME images!
Thank you Sara :) xoxo

Jimmy's adoption video

The twins adoption video

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!

Congratulations, it's BOYS!

Wow, I can hardly believe that I am writing this. Our little boys finally have made it out of MOI. And in one short week they have gotten their passports AND their visas! So I barely have time to update as we scramble to pack and be ready! By this time next week our boys will be waking up beside us and we will all look at each other with wonder. Each of our lives re-directed forever. I have been watching all of my kids closely as this date so suddenly draws near. Sugarbear can barely contain her excitement and has posted numerous countdown calendars all over the house, Jimmy will tell you his brothers names and where his brother's rooms are, but cannot grasp what is really going on, bur sweet D, her waters run deep. She has been stoic and quiet. She has cried more easily when in conflict with her sis. She has been getting upset quicker than normal about inconsequential things. We have talked to her several times about this transition. Told her it is ok to be nervous and scared. She was able to express her need for a hug, oh, about 8 times last night, and of course each time she got a big long snuggle. It is a reminder to be hyper aware of each of our children's needs as I this change will be so much more than bringing a baby home from the hospital. These little peoples lives are all 5 going to be turned upside down - but with a little help and awareness we should all land on our feet. Oh, and the other thing I wanted to mention about this was how flippin' EXCITING it is! When I was going into labour, there was of course HUGE excitement, but tied to the anticipation of having to endure PAIN. This is all smooth sailing from here baby - our labouring is complete!! All this packing and preparing and flying and then at long, long, last MEETING them....this is truly truly a miracle!

Haitian Independence Day - Jan.1st

Jan.1st was Haitian Independence Day. We celebrated in our house by making Traditional Haitian Pumpkin Soup. It is considered good luck if it is the first thing you eat on Jan.1st. So before breakfast, we all took a bite, and my brother in-law thought it was so good that he ate a bowl for breaky!

I have tried this once before, but I totally destroyed it and it was disgusting. This year I found this delicious and easy recipe:

Ingredients:

Servings:

4 4

4

Servings Size

Units: US | Metric

• 1 lb corned beef or 1 lb beef stew meat
• water
• 1 1/2 lbs pumpkin , peeled & diced
• 2 turnips , diced
• 1 small onion , finely chopped
• 1 sprig parsley
• 1 sprig thyme
• 3 garlic cloves , crushed
• 1 cup milk
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3/4 cup rice , washed (uncooked, not instant)
• salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 -4 teaspoons butter

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, cover beef generously with water and boil over medium low heat, partially covered for 1 hour.
2. Drain and chop beef into bite-sized pieces.
3. In a saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil; add pumpkin, turnips, beef, onions, parsley, thyme, and 2 cloves garlic.
4. Simmer until pumpkin is tender (15 minutes).
5. Discard parsley and thyme.
6. Transfer pumpkin to food processor with 1/4 cup stock and puree.
7. Return to saucepan and heat through.
8. Add milk, nutmeg, butter, and rice; cook until rice is tender (15-20 minutes).
9. Season with salt and pepper, and mix in remaining garlic.
10. Serve hot with a little butter in each bowl.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/haitian-pumpkin-soup-soup-joumou-soupe-giraumon-117705#ixzz1krWWR9HW

Even better than the soup was the reason for it. Before Haiti won their independence, Pumpkin was considered a delicacy and the slaves were forbidden from eating it. So every year they eat pumpkin soup to celebrate their victory. Read more here:

http://silverinternational.mbhs.edu/v162/V16.2.04a.Independence.htm

Third Day

Listened to this a lot over the holidays. Thinking about MnM a lot, especially as their 'gotcha day' draws near. At this moment, I think it could be about a month more until we get 'the call' that they have their visas and we can pick them up and take the HOME! But as we have learned, this is adoption is some ride, and that time frame can quickly lengthen (or shorten??Please God!)

In any case, our bags are packed with about 100lbs of donations from the girls school and community. It has been such an awesome feeling to have all this amazing support behind us and we are so happy to be able to take these items and hand deliver them for all of the people who were kind enough to want to help. Looking forward to posting those pics when they are in.

In the meantime, still listening to these melancholy/happy ending songs and dreaming about what my little boys will feel like in my arms...