Our little peanut

A friend of a friend took some photos of Avery while she was on a mission trip a week or so ago! We got a TON of photos! Lovin' it! These photos are all us adoptive families have to cling to until our children come home. So thank you, Angie! I don't know you personally, but you made our day and many other families as well!

It's hard to tell these two are related...

Photos from our NY trip! These two, although they have their moments like any siblings do, adore each other. Preston wants to be just like his big brother, and even though Caden doesn't like to admit it often, he LOVES having his little brother by his side. We're gearing up for a family beach trip this upcoming weekend. So we'll be off the blog for about a week. We're heading down to Cherry Grove (North Myrtle) for our last vacation before we are back to reality. I am back to work in 2 1/2 weeks. Where did the summer go? For some reason, this summer flew by like no other. I can't even fathom that it's coming to an end already!

We are all hoping for a MAJOR miracle, that Avery will be with us on our beach trip next summer. I think I wrote that same sentence last year at this time....one of these summers it's bound to happen! :)

Thank you, Katy!

Thank you so much, Katy, for delivering a little teddy bear blankie to Avery. I am sure it's long gone already, but I am so glad she got a little something to hold on to even for a few minutes! It means the world to us to have these photos, so thank you! Hope you're feeling better soon!

The Toddler Room

Our little girl is officially a toddler by Haitian standards. A friend of mine took photos for us in Haiti and I bypassed all the toddler photos quickly, as I was trying to find Avery one as fast as possible. I never imagined she had already been moved to the toddler room, which is sad to me. I thought she would be home or almost home before being moved to that room. I am hoping that room is more fun and cozy that it looks. It's a big room, basically empty, with tile type flooring. I hope she is enjoying it in there with her little friends. I can't believe she has gone from eating only bottles last November (no solid food) to sitting down at the table eating with a plate and spoon!!! She is the one wearing the cute red princess dress in the photos. I wonder if they put it on her for the occassion! :)

Anyway, lately relatives and friends have been asking WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG!!?? I hate not having an answer. I really really can't stand it. Because I also want to know, WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG? I know there MUST be some sort of answer, but I haven't heard one. Not one. I guess it's one of those things we have to live with but I don't do well with not knowing why something is happening (or not happening.) Anyway, I won't continue to blab about that for the millionth time...

Off topic: The boys and I had a great time in NY. I'll post more photos later this week.

We're off to Granny's

Tomorrow the boys and I are heading to upstate NY to visit Granny (Mike's mom.) The boys LOVE it there and we are looking forward to lots of fun outdoor activities in nice cool summer weather! I checked the weather and the temperatures are supposed to remain in the 70's all week! What a nice relief from our 90 degree/humid weather!

Anyway, as with a few of my other adoption friends, we got some news (not good news) about our paperwork. The update is....we are STILL STUCK in IBESR. Which we already knew, but we finally found out what this hold up is about. Found out it's because of our age. Which is puzzling me, because in Haiti adoptions one parent needs to be 35 years old (which Mike is.) So I am not exactly sure why age is holding us up at this point? Then of course, there is the marriage rule...need to be married at least 10 years. Well, we're good there too. We do have bio kids, but the update I got didn't mention that as causing our delay. Just age. I am not trying to be harsh but our ages are clearly listed in that huge stack of paperwork we sent in 16 months ago...I am hoping someone takes the time to realize we have met the age requirement since January!

On a lighter note, I am so looking forward to new photos from a few friends heading to the Orphanage this week! I am so excited for them and anxious to hear all about their trip!

I'll be blogging again next week, with NY photos, and possibly new photos of Avery!

FACE ACT...Sign if you haven't already!

Please take a moment to read this and sign the petition. Please ask your spouses and friends to do the same.

"The intercountry adoption process is a long, tedious process for American citizens seeking to adopt a foreign born child. Paperwork includes home studies, finger printing and criminal checks. The process can take up to three years to complete.At the completion of the adoption, the child must be approved for a U.S. immigrant visa in order to enter the U.S. and gain citizenship. The immigrant visa is required despite the fact that the "immigrant" is the child of a U.S. citizen.The U.S. is one of the few developed countries in the world that requires internationally adopted children of citizens to immigrate in order to join their new families.Most countries recognize internationally adopted children as citizens upon the finalization of their adoption. The Foreign Adopted Children Equality Act (FACE Act) would recognize that internationally adopted children deserve to be treated as children of American citizens and accorded the same citizenship process as children born aboard to American citizens.Under the FACE Act, Adoptive parents would apply for a U.S. passport and Consular Report of Birth instead of a visa. These documents provide adoptive parents with immediate proof of citizenship for their adopted child and provide immediate proof of U.S. citizenship. "

- McLane Layton Equality for Adopted Children (EACH)

Please follow the link to sign the petition.
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/face-act-of-2009.html

Walking...

Nothing like finding out your little girl is walking from a photo posted to our adoption email group! Another milestone....missed.

Awesome surprise though to get a photo today that actually shows her entire face! :)

Desperate or what?

Got another photo (thanks, Katy!) from someone who went on the mission trip a couple weeks ago. That's Avery behind the little boy! Obviously not a great shot, but we are desperate for any glimpse we can get these days! The next mission trip is in a couple weeks. I am getting a little depressed that I am not going this time around. I sure hope I can make it work in the fall. I need to hug our little girl soon!!

Caden got a new insulin pump yesterday and he loves it. It is the Minimed Paradigm 722 covered in a NY Yankee Skin. He loves the new pump so much he doesn't want to go to the pool today because he would have to take it off! I am sure the newness will wear off by the end of today, but it's funny to see a kid love being diabetic for a day due to his new gadget! We really switched pumps because we wanted the continuous montoring sensors that can be added to this brand of pump, that show blood sugars every second without having to even prick his finger!! It is amazing...BUT...my insurance denied us because they said his blood sugars weren't low enough to cause danger to others. HUH? He has had at least five readings in the 40's just this week, and insurance says that's not low. (Normal blood sugar is around 100.) If we decide to buy out of pocket, it's $1000 to get started and $350 every couple weeks....but the sensors are so awesome they are almost worth going broke!

Apparently, he needs to have a seizure or be unconscious to get approved. Rediculous.