Pictures posted

I posted some pictures from the first few days home. Here's the link.




















The first few days have flown by. We knew that life with 3 kids, 3 and under, would be fast-paced and that's certainly been true so far. We are soooo grateful to our church for providing dinner for us these first few nights and the next weeks - we likely would have been eating applesauce and bread & butter every night otherwise!

We are very grateful to have 3 kids who, as of now, take very good naps and sleep all night, because they definitely have been exhausting us! David and Josh are getting along very well together. There are some things (sharing in particular) that can use some work, but I'm guessing that might be an issue no matter what age of brothers. Speaking different languages hasn't slowed them down at all and they simply repeat what each other says and make up their own babbling language to fill in the gaps.

Anyway, I'll try to post more in the next few days. For now, I'll just let you scan through pictures!

Back home

We made it back home this afternoon and are settling in as a family of 5. The energy level in this house has been crazy as Josh & David ran from one thing to the next together! Hectic, but also easy for us to sit-back and smile while watching.

Here's a few pictures and then I'm off to bed to get some rest before the trio wakes up in the morning :-)

Jay and David walking to the plane as they left Port-a-Prince:














At the airport!














Laying on the floor, being goofy, before bed tonight:

Family of 5

They made it! Right now we're back at my parents and have 3 kiddos in bed :-)

I'll post pictures in the next few days.

For now, its time to send many, many praises up to God!

Last leg of the trip

I just got a call from Jay and they've boarded the plane and are waiting to take off from Miami for the last leg of the trip.

Immigration went fine, but took a loooooong time. Jay said that David did amazing during their hour and a half wait in the room at immigration. In fact, he said that David has been an amazing traveler in general. In order to make their next flight, Jay had to sprint across the Miami airport carrying David. He said that he'll be awfully sore tomorrow!

Ends up that there was a missions team staying at the guesthouse with Jay all weekend and coincidentally they also were heading back home today and had the exact same 2 flights that Jay & David have. It sounds like that has been a huge blessing to have the company and extra hands!

U.S. Citizen

Their plane landed in Miami. David is now a U.S. citizen!

In the air

Jay and David's flight from Port-a-Prince is in the air :-) Less than 8 hours until I pick them up from the airport!

Landed in Haiti

After a long day of traveling (he was at the airport at 4:30am), Jay's plane landed in Haiti late this afternoon. He headed straight to the orphanage to get David and then they made it to the guesthouse without any troubles. After some lego playing, David went back to the orphanage for his last time and will return to the guesthouse tomorrow for a full day of time with his daddy.

Josh, Brenna, and I are staying at my parents' house, since they live close to the airport, until Jay & David get back into town. What a crazy realization it was yesterday when the 4 of us left home, realizing that on our return there would be 5 of us!

Ready to come home

David's visa will be ready tomorrow afternoon! So, tickets are booked and Jay will be heading to Haiti this weekend to bring David home :-)

Praise God!!!!

God's Perfect Timing

3 years ago we felt God nudging us toward adoption, 2 years ago we first saw David's picture, and a week and a half from now we can bring him home!!!!

This morning, I got an e-mail from the US Embassy in Port-a-Prince saying that David's visa appointment is scheduled for next Thursday the 12th. That means that as long as there are no crazy unforeseen delays, Jay can travel as early as next Friday to pick him up! We'll likely wait to book tickets until next Friday when we hear that our orphanage director has the visa, just to be on the safe side. So 99% likely that Jay will be on a plane sometime next weekend!!!!

I'm excited and giddy. Yet, also nervous for the unknown. We'd appreciate lots of prayers for travel plans, preparing our house for a new child, and the transition for David and the rest of our family. Please be praying especially for David. We long for him to attach quickly with our family, but we also know that the road will likely be a long one with ups and downs.

"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever."
Romans 11:36

Waiting on a Visa

We're getting so close - can you feel the excitement in the air?!

David's paperwork has all been turned into the US Embassy and he just needs this little slip of very important paper inside of his passport (aka his visa). Then Jay will get on an airplane and bring our little guy home! His bed, car seat, clothes, etc. and family are waiting and ready!

We could be waiting as little as a few days to a few weeks, but I definitely know what I'll be thankful for at Thanksgiving this year :-)