First Moments

The internet is in and out, so this will be short but sweet.

The boys look really good overall. They have really kind spirits. They are both pretty healthy. Malnourishment is always going to be a factor, but no illness right now.

They are playful and affectionate with us too.

We wanted to say hello and we miss you to the kids at home.

So, hello to Savannah, Lilah, Lona, Ella, Noah and Isabella! We'll be home soon!

Just to clear up some confusion

As many of you know this will be our second trip to Haiti, our first time meeting the boys, but no, we won't be bringing them home. Not yet.
Unfortunately, we are not very far in the process even though we've been at it for about a year and a half.
A lot of people ask us why it takes so long. The amount of time an international adoption takes varies by country. Each country requires their own specific steps and procedures. The nice thing about Haiti adoptions is that you can visit your children there about once a quarter. Below are the steps and time it takes to complete them.


Minister of Foreign Affairs
2-8 weeks

Preparation of file for IBESR (This is where we are)
2-8 weeks

IBESR
3-12 months

Civil Court
4-8 weeks

Legalization
4-12 weeks

Minister of Interior/MOI
3-6 months

Immigration/Passport printing
2-8 weeks

USCIS
3 weeks minimum

Visa Process
1 -2 weeks

Total timeframe
12 – 28 months

If I look at the the time frames, it's easy to get discouraged. However, Chris and I learned a valuable lesson with our second daughter's adoption. There were many court dates involved, all required steps and part of the process. Each time we counted on the court date and that particular step to be completed, we were let down. The court date would come and go with the case not being heard, or with the step being delayed another 6 months. After a while, that became heart breaking and completely discouraging. Then, we began to feel a nudging from the Lord to trust in the promises he had given us for this adoption and not to focus on the court dates and not to be intimidated by them. Which is exactly the opposite of what our circumstances were dictating. The judge held the verdict in his hands right? That's what the world tells us. That's where we got off track. We put our faith in the judge and the way the world ran things and not in Christ. By his grace, he refocused our eyes on him. Even though we had to walk by faith and not by sight (taking our eyes off what we could see in the courts, and putting our eyes on Christ and the unseen that he was working out) we began to have total confidence and peace. Peace that he had given us a promise and that he would make good on it. We've continued to look at each adoption that way. He gives us a promise in his word and that's where we try to keep our focus. We know he is able.

Updates!

I think this is the first photo I've seen of Changlais that he's not smiling. I can't wait to see that beautiful face. Do you see those eye lashes?! And what about Schneider? Wow! Have you seen more beautiful eyes?

Whenever the email comes across for updates, my heart leaps into my throat. Is this a good update or a bad update? Are they healthy or have they been hospitalized? Are they still at the orphanage or, well, you understand.

I'm kind of in a state of expecting the unexpected, especially since we're so close to leaving for the parent trip on the 13th.

But, all is well! Yea! Double Yea!

Haiti like sushi?

I think about Haiti a lot. I think about our last trip, I think about our trip coming up and I think about how to explain the way I feel about Haiti. One day, I don't know why or how, but sushi and Haiti connected. Funny, I know. I'm kind of quirky that way.
The first time I experienced sushi, my first thought at seeing the raw fish I was about to put into my mouth was, this is weird, scary, possibly dangerous to my health and, well, not right. And yet, I still wanted to try it. After I tried it, I didn't really enjoy the experience, but, I didn't hate it either. In fact, there was something about it that made me want to try it again. The next time I tried it however, I actually did like it. From that point on, I've enjoyed eating sushi.
So, how is sushi like Haiti to me? Well, the first time we experienced Haiti, it was evident as soon as we stepped off the plane, that the people of Haiti were desperate and in a desperate place. It's thick. And yet, we had children there. Children we had been longing to meet. That fact pushed us through what we would see and experience of Haiti. It was weird and surreal, scary and hard. Our children, though at a very good orphanage, were still in Haiti and food is limited and illnesses are not. The experience of caring for our children whose bodies were severely malnourished was not something I could have ever prepared myself for. Seeing people so desperate and a place so devastated was another thing I could not have prepared myself for. It was a lot to sift through in the week we spent there. It was hard, hard on the soul. But, it also changed my life, my perspective on everything. To hold and feed and love a severely malnourished orphaned child you want to claim as yours to the whole world dramatically changes your life. From that experience, as well as many other adoption experiences, my husband and I have fallen deeper in love with Jesus. He fills us and refills us with a passion and a desire for orphans, adoption and family that is more satisfying than anything we've ever know. He is abundant life. He is.
So, my second trip to Haiti has me feeling a bit apprehensive. I'm afraid of the feelings I felt last time. Fear, sadness, overwhelmed with it all. So, though Haiti was quite an experience, my boys are there and Haiti calls me back to try it again.

Pray for us if you think about.

Blessings.

Off to Haiti... THANK YOU!

We purchased our flights for the June parent trip to Haiti!

We just want to express our thanks... so...

THANK YOU!!!

Thank you to all of our fellow parents traveling to Haiti! Thank you for your prayers and continuous encouragement!!

Thank you to all of our church friends and family for your continued support! Thanks for keeping up with us and asking us how the adoption is going. We treasure your prayers and your kind words of encouragement.

In Him,

The Peterson Bunch

Uugh blog guilt!

Sorry. Here I am again, behind on blogging.

I'm just going to jump right in though.

This was taken when the boys first arrived at the orphanage. What can I say? It's heart wrenching. So many things go through my head when I look at this photo. What do they understand about what is happening? How do they feel? How do they feel when a week has gone by? A month? A year?

That brings me to June. Please pray for June!

That's the next parent trip and we really want to go meet our boys. Changlais and Schnider have seen families come and get their children at the orphanage so many times without having a family come for them. We would just love to be in there in June to change that!

Again, I'm humbly asking for your prayers for God's financial provision. Thanks so much for your prayers!!!

Wow, it's been a while...

Sorry, it has been sooo long since I've updated.

The flu hit our house and then, things got busy and well... you can read more about that on my husband's post today. To read it, go to http://tentstakes.blogspot.com

Anyway, we got updates on our boys!! They look really good don't they. Schneider has hair now.

We love you boys and can't wait to see you and scoop you up in our arms!!!