Nekkid!

Malot had scabies pretty bad. Well, ALL the kids at the O had scabies pretty bad. It's one of those "gifts that keep on giving".

By halfway through our stay, I could see that there were some that needed to be drained. There was one on his toe that was particularly bad. So I took him in the bathroom (the light was slightly less-bad in the bathroom) and sat him up on the bathroom counter so I could get a better look at the toe sore.

Yup... It needed more medicine. So Momma tells Malot to stay there (in Creole-glish) and I take literally 4 steps from the bathroom to where the medicine is and 4 steps back.

When I return, this is what I find:

in my short steps, Malot managed to strip himself down and decided to give himself a bath in the bathroom sink!SO CUTE!

Brochures

Nichole had some brochures printed up for distribution during the fundraiser this weekend. I thought you might like to see them. Yes, that is a picture of the Rosenlofs and there is also a picture of Jessica.

The text says:

Haiti Food Prices

1 50 kg bag of rice is $53

1 50 kg bag of beans is $79

1 bottle of cooking oil is $8

When providing care of 45 children this becomes very expensive. The food cost is $3500 each month. This makes three vitamin-rich meals a day impossible.

We currently hold a nonprofit status. Please call Wasatch Adoption Agency or visit our website at http://www.hopeforlittleangelsofhaiti.org/ to place a donation.

Hope for Little Angels of Haiti wants to make a difference in the lives of the children placed in their care. They provide medical care, stable housing and allow each child meals throughout the day. They are a safe haven for children but they are only a temporary one. These children need families and homes that provide the care and love they deserve.

Adoption

Most available children are under four, but there are also only children available. There are many sibling groups available as well. The children live in a family style home with a care ration 5:1.

New Programs

Immunizations and well child checkups
The cost to immunize a child in Haiti is $450. This includes all the immunizations from birth to five years of age. These immunizations would protect against measles, meningitis, and many other childhood illnesses that we do not experience here in the States.

AIDS Sponsorship Program
For children who test positive for HIV, they are unable to be placed in many orphanages. This is a death sentence to many. We would like to have a program that enables children to have parents in Haiti to provide for their medicine and daily care. This program would involve $50 a month for a 6 month commitment.

Education is necessary to make a difference in the lives of the people of Haiti. We currently have a teacher coming to the orphanage to teach the caregivers and children. There is always a need for funds to enhance education in the lives of these people.

Haiti is a beautiful island located in the Carribbean. It share an island with the Dominican Republic. It is considered the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

Contact information:
http://www.hopeforlittleangelsofhaiti.org/
http://www.wiaa.org/
ynicholehayden@yahoo.com

Help! I Need a Lawyer!

Well, actually, Nichole does. She needs to find someone to help her file all the necessary legal paperwork to get a non-profit org set up without fees that will exceed what hope to raise in funds.

Anyone know a good lawyer?

Updates and stuff we need.....

We had a bit of a scare there at first with the Mamba. The mamba mixture has to be mixed with water. Remember, this is only the most malnourished children in our orphanage that are getting this supplement.

Well, unfortunately, somewhere along the lines the children picked up a water parasite (they are in Haiti - these tings happen). So our sickest children were getting SICKER.

They got medical attention for them, and the doctor gave them the go ahead to start the Mamba again. We got word last week that they seem to be doing very well now with the Mamba. We're really hopeful that they'll have a little meat on their bones by the time we get down there in October. (49 days if anyone else wants to count with me)

We also are so excited about the teacher that will be coming in. We are thrilled to be able to do this for the kids at the O as well. There are a few of us parents that have school-aged children that will be covering the cost there. It means, though, that the aunties might have the opportunity to pick up a little English as well. This one little thing will benefit all of the people at the O - and all the children that are old enough to participate will be able to have lessons.

We're also in the process of trying to figure out how to set up a non-profit organization to "handle" the orphanage's needs. If you have any good contacts in Utah for someone that might be able to help us get that paperwork together, I'd love to hear from you.

We're going to St. George next weekend. Nichole, who is the coordinator for our O, is holding a fundraiser down there for the orphanage. If you'll be in St. George this next Friday or Saturday, come find us selling hot dogs in the Walmart parking lot.

I've got a "Christmas Jar" that I put all my change in all year long. It's meant to be given to someone in need at Christmas. I'm gonna take it down with me and add it to our little proceeds. I can't think of anyone more in need that the kids in Haiti.

We're trying to get enough money together to cover a shipment of food for the orphanage. That's the goal. Every little bit helps.

It's crazy how someone like US can be doing something to help kids in Haiti. I never expected this in my lifetime. I never imagined that our children were in Haiti. Now that I've met them, I can't imagine any other way.

Please, Heavenly Father, let us have these kids again this trip. Let them come home soon.

Conversions

We all understand that there are 16 tbs in a cup. You can grasp the volume of each unit of measure and it makes sense.

We also "get" inches in a foot, centimeters in a meter.... you see where I'm going....

WHO ON EARTH decided that the conversion rate between DOLLARS and SKY MILES should be like 2 jagillion sky miles to one dollar???

What is up with that?

Paper Moving On

We received word that the judge... THE JUDGE.... the judge that has had us in limbo since June... finally signed the necessary paperwork for Malot so we can move our paperwork to the next office.

They also told us that for some reason they are making EVERY dossier go through the Presidential approval step now (we shouldn't have to because we meet every requirement: 35 yrs of age, married 10 years and no biological children) but for some reason we now have the additional step and then it can go to IBESR where it will sit for another unending amount of time.

But at least the judge signed. One down...

Brent updated the info on the lower right to indicate the added Presidential approval step.

School Daze

We have word that they've found a school teacher to come in and teach preschool at our O. AND he speaks fluent English! We're so excited!

You can't imagine how boring it is to be one of 50 kids in an orphanage with no room to run around.

The school season in Haiti starts in September, so our teacher will start then as well. That means that by the time we go down (Oct 12th) Malot will have had a few weeks of preschool under his belt. It was apparent from our first trip that he hasn't had a lot of opportunity to use crayons or pencils. He really didn't know how to use them. It was like watching my 2 year old neighbor color.

I'm so happy that Malot will have something to think about and learn!

Two points for the Lord!

Hurricane

We've had several people ask us if our kids are OK after the hurricane.

This is one of those situations where we have to expect that "no news is good news". We don't get word out of Haiti on a normal basis, and if there really were an issue (kids were in the hospital or something) they would let us know.

We just have to assume that all is well because we haven't heard that all is NOT well.

Ignorance is hell, but that's where we are.

Thanks for your prayers, thoughts and concern for our kids. I can hardly wait for Malot and Jessi to meet all the people that already love and care for them.

Pictures I Haven't Shared

I really like both of these. Isn't Malot handsome in red? I need to find him another red T-shirt, I think...

We only get one shot at "childhood pictures", so we have to try to make them good!

Goin' Back to Haiti and We're Gonna Hug our Kids....

October 12th we'll be leaving on a jet plane. Another blessed week with our babies. I'm hoping Jessi will be able to play with us this time. Maybe do a little bit of "chase" with Daddy. Some ball toss with Malot. Lots of tickling. A chance for Momma to stretch her limited Creole vocabulary. A chance for Daddy to take his basketball shoes to Haiti and be SCHOOLED in the game by our fine waiter, Vladimir.

A week of baths and playing in the pool and feeding them all they can eat and snuggling for naps, and dressing them and doing their hair and lovinglovinglovingloving them.

Malot, I wonder if you'll be excited to see us or if you'll be stressed and nervous since you know now that we leave at the end of the fabulous week. I wonder if they'll tell you that we're coming. And if you ll be as anxious as we are. I wonder if you think of us and wonder where Momma is. Do you wonder if we're coming back?

Will you recognize us? I wonder if i said, 'Bay-bee" in that special way I reserved for you if you would know my voice.

Are you happy and healthy? Are you sleeping well.

We're getting a teacher for you soon, baby! She's going to start in September. Then you'll be able to have something to do during the day and you can learn and grow.

I wonder if you know how much we love you and Jessi. Please, baby, come home soon.

Transition Stories

I have to share some of Melissa's stories after bringing home Luc and Lyvi this month. These two, in particular, crack me up!

You need to know that Coltyn is her oldest child, age 7. Seth is her husband.

Story one:

Tonight Seth took the all 3 kids to play mini golf and ride the bumper
boats at a nearby place. There was a snotty little boy who had no adult
supervision and kept coming onto the course that Seth and the kids were on. The
kid whacked Coltyn with his putter and all hell broke loose. Luc and Lyvi
FREAKED out!!! They started yelling in their native tongue at this little boy
and waved their putters at him. At one point Seth said he actually had to hold
Lucio back. Seth and Coltyn were shocked and didn't have any idea what Lucio and
Lyvi were saying to this little kid that picked on the wrong big brother. They
did get something about "brother" and "Coltyn" and that was about all they could
understand. Coltyn thanked them for scaring away that kid for him :-). Coltyn is
a whole head taller than Luc and Lyvi.

For the rest of the evening, every time Lucio or Lyvi saw that little
boy, they yelled stuff at him. Seth said it was hilarious. It was a good bonding
moment for Coltyn and the kids as well to see them stick up for him like
that.

And story two:

The other day Luc and Lyvi "exchanged words" and then Luc kicked her and
made her cry. When I asked what happened, Coltyn was all distraught and told me that Luc kicked Lyvi. I asked him why and he got all frustrated and said, "I
don't know, I don't speak Chinese" and looked at me like I was some kind of
idiot.

Good times, good times!


I love that Luc and Lyvi were immediately protective of their new adoptive brother (I think the golfing incident was on their 2nd or 3rd day in America). And I love that Chinese and Haitian are equally unintelligible to Coltyn!

I agree, Coltyn! It's all Greek to me, as well!!

We Have Updates - Who Could Ask for Anything More!

We received an update today on our kids and it included PICTURES!!! This is a huge deal for us! I don't know if we've ever had an update with pictures before.


The update said that the judge verbally said he would sign and release our paperwork this Friday so our kids' files should be in IBESR by middle of next week. FINALLY. We've basically been waiting since we got back from our trip for this judge to do just that.


The rest of the update says. "Harry said that Jessica is a cutie and she is doing well. Malot too is good."


That just pleases me to no end. If I had buttons, they might burst with my pride right now. Sometimes, it's the little things.


Here are the pictures:

HE LOOKS SO GROWN UP!! It's only been 8 weeks, and he looks so mature.

She's standing. She was wobbly on her feet in June. She's drinking from a cup (at least I think that's what it is). And she's not screaming. These are all pluses for Mommy.

Sometimes, it's the little things.

Thanks, Aunt Lynnae

My dear, sweet Aunt sent me a birthday card this week with a check inside and a note that she hoped it would be able to help one of our little Haitian Angels feel better.

Thank you so much for caring about our kids and about our orphanage.

I'm hoping that I hear back on the Mamba soon and I hope that they find it to be helpful and beneficial.

Thank you, Lynnae!

This is what Jessica sounds like - all the time.

Sorry the video is sideways, but you get the general gist I think. She had a hard time and screamed and screamed and screamed. When she wore out her screamer, she'd switch over to some hollering, and then some cries and then finally, a bit more screaming.

LOVE HER!

Time Keeps on Slipping.....

I turned 35 this week.

I really thought we'd have children by now.

But I do feel confident that we know who our children are this time. :) Malot and Jessica are waiting for us - so they can vini avec Mama. Mama's waiting for that as well.

In honor of their waiting, I give you this beautiful picture of my daughter, Jessica. I call it "Beginnings of a Stink Eye".


Got info today on our October trip so we should be able to book that very soon.