T Minus 8 School Days and Counting

Only eight school days left until Spring Break! Jason and I are as bad as the kids about counting down the days. This quarter is usually the one that drags out and seems forever long, but it has actually gone by pretty quickly. That could be due to the number of breaks that we got for snow days, or maybe just because my job gets so busy during this time of year. Either way, Spring Break is coming. Usually we take a ski trip, but this year we're doing something a little bit different. Okay, a lot different. We're heading to Haiti to visit the orphanage and spend some time with Sammy and Jasmine. My mom and sister and Jason and I are going to spend a few days down there. The kids will get to stay with us in the guesthouse and we can take them swimming and hopefully to the beach. Needless to say, I'm super excited to get to meet them and spend some time with them!

I haven't really processed through what I expect of the experience yet. Obviously, I know that it will be great to get to know the kids that will soon be joining our family. And I also understand that it is going to be difficult to leave there without them. However, I really haven't thought too much about what the week will be like and what we will see. I've seen lots of pictures of the orphanage and the kiddos, but I'm sure my feelings about those won't be anything close to what I'll feel when I'm there. I know that it will break my heart to think about all these children that have no parents for whatever reason- all of those children who are hoping and waiting that someone will choose them to be a part of their forever family. My husband has already told me that I can only have one because he and I both know I'll want to take more of them home. I am also sure that it will make me sad to see the conditions that they live in. It always does. Every time I've spent some time in the poor areas of Mexico, it gets to me. My family has so much and I've had so many opportunities; it always makes me feel so selfish to think that there are times when I complain and gripe about my life. However, its a humbling experience and its nice to get outside of my world every once in a while and gain a fresh understanding of how blessed I am. I fully expect to feel that way. I also fully expect to be in tears as I leave the orphanage and even hours after, especially since I won't know when I will get to see those kiddos again. I am also not sure how I'll do being away from Cade for that long. We've spent a few nights away before, but never a full week. I know he'll be in good hands with my in-laws and I'm not worried about him. I just know that I miss him for the few hours that I'm away at school during the day, so it will be really hard to be away for so many days. I'll make it though! I'm glad he gets to spend some extended time with his grandparents that he doesn't get to see often enough. Part of me wishes he could go with us and meet his brother, but I'm glad we'll get to spend some one-on-one time with Sammy and let him get to know us so that he will feel a little more comfortable when the adoption does go through.

We have made some progress with the adoption. All of the paperwork is done, certified, translated, and at its temporary home at the Haitian Consulate in Chicago. From there, we'll send it to the attorneys in Haiti and we'll wait for it to finalize through the Haitian government. We're hoping that it only takes a few months more, but there's no way to tell. Just keep praying that there won't be any snags and that we can get our kids safely and quickly. 

So, just about a week and a half and we'll be on a plane to Port au Prince. I'm excited and anxious at the same time. I can't wait to see the kids, but I am already dreading leaving them. However, more than anything I am thankful for this opportunity and for the road that God has led us down. I'm so thankful that His thoughts are not my thoughts and His ways are not my ways. I never dreamed we'd be here, but God knew!

God Bless!

Manesseh