Watching from afar

We got this picture sent to us from Julie and Paige...they are in Haiti right now and were nice enough to bring Jean Delson some birthday presents from us. We got him those new shoes..nice huh? They are a size 10!!! UNREAL. He is getting so big, but those skinny little legs. We also sent him a few new outfits, which it appears he needs! Still NO news from ANA.Enjoy the picture, I hope to have more to share soon. ~Melissa

Adoption Updates

Well this week brings yet another week of NO updates from Haiti. We are told we should hear something soon, but we have been told that since October of 2007....
Anyhow, in other adoption news, Scott and I will be going to our very first meeting on the Wisconsin Special Needs Adoption next week. We are looking into adding one more little one to our family through this service. Just the fact that a child is a minority would classify them as "special needs". We don't know too many details yet, but I should be able to post more regarding this adoption soon. Please pray for all the journeys we are taking to make our family complete! ~Melissa

Quick Update

I don't have any major news, but Rock did send us an update on Jean Delson's height and weight. He is now 30 pounds which is a huge step up for him. When we had updates in October he was only 27 pounds, so he is moving in the right direction. Also he grew taller again as well, he now comes in at almost 36 inches! Wow...he is growing up so fast, later this month he will celebrate his 3rd birthday. I can not wait to have him home. Pray for some REAL updates soon!!! Melissa

What if I were Angelina?????

The question listed in the title of this post has come up several times throughout our adoption process. Usually posed in ways like: "well I bet if you were Angelina Jolie you would have Jean Delson home." or "Don't you wish you had $$ like Angelina Jolie, then you could just go down to Haiti and pick him up.". I have to admit that these things did cross my mind at times, but the more I get into the international adoption scene, the more I realize celebrities like Angelina and Madonna are just people like you and me. They do not get "special" treatment just because they are famous.
Actually, when celebrities adopt an orphaned child the facts are....
Another child is getting a home vs. living in an orphanage.
They make headlines...making adoption a 'feel-good' story in the
news.
They encourage others to adopt from those countries. (Ethiopia &
Vietnam are suddenly gaining popularity in adoption by Americans.)
So...What are the facts of Angelina's Adoption? Read them HERE:
http://www.everythingforadoption.com/angelinas-adoption-story.asp

Keep Praying more people will consider Adoption as another way to
create a family!~Melissa

If our adoption were....

Something fun I did was decide what our adoption would be if it were for example a candy bar instead of an adoption. Here are a few I came up with that you may enjoy:
If our adoption were a candy bar it would be a Turtle (I hope that changes to an Almond Joy!)
If our adoption were a color it would be Blue (because we are having a boy and because this is the feeling I have had for awhile now)
If our adoption were an undergarment it would be Depends (thanks for that one Renee!)
If our adoption were a song it would be Hold On for One More Day, I am hoping this changes to Mama I'm Coming Home!
If our adoption were a game it would be Twister
If our adoption were a drink it would be a SLOW Gin
If our adoption were a type of ice cream it would be Rocky Road
If our adoption were a type of movie it would be an Adventure
Hope you enjoyed this list, I think I have too much time on my hands. Happy Monday!~Melissa

Tragedy...can you help?

I got a very disturbing email from Granny Bin today. As many of you may recall, she is the one who put together Jean's TIYL report and is truly a God send. She gave me permission to share what happened to her last week and I am hoping there may be some people who may want to help. Even through this horrific event(which took place in Haiti), she remains strong and keeps her faith in God. If you can not help by donating money, please help by offering prayers. If you would like to give a donation to help with her loss, leave me a comment and I will get you details. ~Melissa
.INCIDENCE: ..I went to the bank Thursday past to withdraw $3,000 to pay for the new place and the moving expenses. Here's what happened.
I was the victim of three armed gunmen who robbed me at gun point as I had has just left the bank with a withdrawal of $3,000 US to pay rent for new place. They grabbed my purse out of my hand and they mounted a red motorcycle. It seems obvious that someone inside the bank was observing and it is thought that when they saw me withdraw a large amount of money that they, by cell phone, alerted bandits outside who watched me and followed. I stopped in a gas station not far from the bank and it was there they they approached my driver and me with guns. Everything I had was in my handbag including credit cards, driver's licenses, Haiti identification, passport, camera, keys, bank blank checks, etc. I felt completely stripped of my identity. This was Thursday past. Since then, I have been running around trying to get blocks on everything and at the same time renew cards, apply for new passport, etc. It was a traumatic experience but I am glad that I am alive and my driver also. There is nothing worst than a gun being pointed in your face..
granny bin
THE GOOD: I still moving forward with more courage than ever.

Happy (Almost) Mother's Day

Today is kind of a bitter sweet Mother's day. Last year at this time I had no doubt in my mind that Jean would be home and we would be celebrating. I never would have thought that he would not only not be home, but that we would be in the exact same place as last year with the adoption process. I thank everyone who has had words of wisdom and support over the past 23 months since we started the journey to bringing Jean home. It is that support and the prayers that really keep us going, even when we feel like giving up. Today was a constant reminder that I am not yet a mother, but rather than have a pity party, I would like to focus on a VERY important mother who will play a huge part in our lives for years to come. That person is Viergemene Chery and she is Jean Delson's Haitian Mama. She is a true inspriation and I thank her for the great gift she is giving me. The opportunity to become a mother to Jean and raise him in a way that would make her proud. So today and for every Mother's Day to come I honor you Viergemene. Thank you. ~Melissa