"Hello!" from Minnesota!
We arrived home late Wednesday night and Maya is now a US citizen! I apologize for the delay in posting-we're sleep deprived and overwhelmed and struggling to compose sentences, but oh-so-happy!
Getting out of Haiti was difficult (shocker). We got the visa easily that day, rushed to the airport to be there 2 hours before our 455 flight. At around 6 they told us to head out to the tarmac. Thrilled, we got the bottom of the steps of the plane and were then told to go back to the gate. At 8 they cancelled the flight all together. We were put up in a hotel and tried not to cry. Fortunately we got pushed to the front of many lines due to the cute 37 lbs we were lugging with us.
On Wednesday we went back to the airport for our 10 am rescheduled flight. At 930 they announced that the crew had just left the hotel and we'd board in 1 hour. We boarded at around 11 I think (there are no clocks or screens in the unairconditioned airport). We were then told that we had no fuel. There was also no AC on the plane. When the fuel truck finally arrived it ran out of gas. We dripped with sweat as we waited for a new truck. I think we took off at around 1. Maya, used to the crazy heat, handled things very well, enjoying the view of airplanes out the window. When we finally took off, she clapped her hands and said, "bon travay!" (good work!) unprompted by us.
We went through immigration very quickly in Miami, at which point she became a citizen, and flew home on the 745 pm flight. At that point shock and delight set in and I could hardly contain my glee as we flew towards MN.
Sean's bro and sis in law, Adam and Amanda, were waiting to pick us up (photos and videos from them to come) and Maya woke up and was excited to see the people we'd been showing her pics of for the last month. She loved riding in her own car and was even more excited when we arrived home. Our house was bursting with love from so many friends I can't even comprehend it. Our sidewalk and steps were chalked with decorations and welcomes, there were flowers in a pot outside, a cooler of food on the steps. In the house the fridge was fully stocked, there were presents galore, all of our laundry had been washed and folded, a closet bar had been added to Maya's closet full of new outfits, artwork with her name hung on her wall, and my favorite thing: the bathtub had been recaulked! A team of friends and family, led by my wonderful friend Jenna, had made our home a wonderful place to return to. We don't even know who to thank because so much was done, so if you did something-THANK YOU!
Her first days here have been good. She's adjusting well and her favorite thing is that she has her own car that we can go in anytime. She also loves her little red trike and has made numerous laps around the block. We've gotten so many adorable outfits and everytime she sees a new one she takes off her current clothes and puts on new ones.
Poor Sean had to return to work today. I'm not sure how he's able to complete sentences as I know I'm not making much sense. Glad tomorrow's Saturday! I'm off for 8 more weeks. :)
We're having Maya baptized on August 2 and are thrilled about the family that will be descending upon us at that point.
I'll add pictures as time and energy allow. Thanks to all of you for your support through this process. We could NOT have done it without you!!!!! :)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Not Today, But Tomorrow...we think
Hey friends,
We had high hopes of leaving Haiti tonight, but no amount of begging and tears convinced the Embassy to give us the visa today instead of tomorrow. (They typically say next business day, but our consulate buddy had said at one point that she could get it for us in one day). So, we'll get it tomorrow at 230 and then be on the 455 flight to Miami. If all goes well, we will be in St Paul by Wed afternoon.
It was a little sad that this moment that we've been waiting for was hampered by the disappointment of it being tomorrow instead of today, but after having some pancakes at the hotel, we're reminding ourselves that this is it! Tomorrow we'll have the visa and that's the final step!
Maya has been a trooper and gets more hilarious each day. Last night she was wearing Sean's t-shirt and baseball hat, giggling at herself in the mirror. While she was sleeping the other night she said, "you're welcome!" in her sleep (one of her favorite English phrases).
Although this has been a long, frustrating, and mosquito and sweat ridden experience, we can't help but see how blessed we have been. At every moment there's been a handful of people here in Haiti who are watching out for us, taking us to the store, ordering pizza for us (a special treat!), taking us to church, leaving us with their extra snacks and toiletries, and just letting us know that we're supported. We are so grateful for how well she's handling everything and that she has transitioned SO well.
When we went to church last week, we understood very little, but at one point I could recognize that they were all reading from the Bible together. I asked our friend who had an English Bible with him if I could read along with him and when he handed the Bible to me the verse they were on was from Psalm 113 and was something close to "the Lord blesses the childless woman by bringing children to her home". Yes He does!
Speaking of children, I should help poor Sean who is sitting in the restaurant, trying to get Maya to put her pants back on after a trip to the bathroom. :)
See you soon!
We had high hopes of leaving Haiti tonight, but no amount of begging and tears convinced the Embassy to give us the visa today instead of tomorrow. (They typically say next business day, but our consulate buddy had said at one point that she could get it for us in one day). So, we'll get it tomorrow at 230 and then be on the 455 flight to Miami. If all goes well, we will be in St Paul by Wed afternoon.
It was a little sad that this moment that we've been waiting for was hampered by the disappointment of it being tomorrow instead of today, but after having some pancakes at the hotel, we're reminding ourselves that this is it! Tomorrow we'll have the visa and that's the final step!
Maya has been a trooper and gets more hilarious each day. Last night she was wearing Sean's t-shirt and baseball hat, giggling at herself in the mirror. While she was sleeping the other night she said, "you're welcome!" in her sleep (one of her favorite English phrases).
Although this has been a long, frustrating, and mosquito and sweat ridden experience, we can't help but see how blessed we have been. At every moment there's been a handful of people here in Haiti who are watching out for us, taking us to the store, ordering pizza for us (a special treat!), taking us to church, leaving us with their extra snacks and toiletries, and just letting us know that we're supported. We are so grateful for how well she's handling everything and that she has transitioned SO well.
When we went to church last week, we understood very little, but at one point I could recognize that they were all reading from the Bible together. I asked our friend who had an English Bible with him if I could read along with him and when he handed the Bible to me the verse they were on was from Psalm 113 and was something close to "the Lord blesses the childless woman by bringing children to her home". Yes He does!
Speaking of children, I should help poor Sean who is sitting in the restaurant, trying to get Maya to put her pants back on after a trip to the bathroom. :)
See you soon!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Finally Some Good News!
At the last minute on Friday we got an email from the Embassy saying we can come in on Monday with our Visa payment! We're planning on being there bright and early Monday and are praying that they'll issue it during the magical designated time of 230-3pm that very day. We're checking out flight options (with the wonderful help of my parents who are doing the research so we don't have to search the web with the mosquitos) and if we get the visa on Monday we hope to fly to Miami Monday evening and be home in Minnesota by Tuesday. This bit of news has given us the strength and optimism we needed to get through another weekend here. We're dreaming of being home and can't wait for you to meet her!
Speaking of, I'm being summoned as we speak. Keep checking and hopefully I'll be posting from MN SOON!!!! :)
Speaking of, I'm being summoned as we speak. Keep checking and hopefully I'll be posting from MN SOON!!!! :)
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Still in Haiti
Hey friends,
I've tried to post a few things, but between an internet connection that often doesn't post the things I just spent a while writing and a toddler that is very attached to me, the posts have been few and far between.
We're still in Haiti and feeling desperate about it. As I'm sure I've mentioned, the only thing the Embassy still needs is the DNA results, which we found out today that the results have been sent to the EMbassy. So we wait. We wait for the phone call or email from the Embassy, which we hope will be each day. This afternoon I packed one suitcase, which felt good. We're so hoping and praying to be home by the weekend and are crushed to miss a good friend's wedding tomorrow night.
Maya's hanging in there. Learning tons of English and making friends with everyone. We feel very blessed to have this time with her without the distractions of home. We just dream of the comforts of home and of the time we get to introduce her to you in person.
Please continue to pray that the visa will be in our hands this week and that we'll be on our way home to MN soon!!!
I've tried to post a few things, but between an internet connection that often doesn't post the things I just spent a while writing and a toddler that is very attached to me, the posts have been few and far between.
We're still in Haiti and feeling desperate about it. As I'm sure I've mentioned, the only thing the Embassy still needs is the DNA results, which we found out today that the results have been sent to the EMbassy. So we wait. We wait for the phone call or email from the Embassy, which we hope will be each day. This afternoon I packed one suitcase, which felt good. We're so hoping and praying to be home by the weekend and are crushed to miss a good friend's wedding tomorrow night.
Maya's hanging in there. Learning tons of English and making friends with everyone. We feel very blessed to have this time with her without the distractions of home. We just dream of the comforts of home and of the time we get to introduce her to you in person.
Please continue to pray that the visa will be in our hands this week and that we'll be on our way home to MN soon!!!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
And Her Name Is...
To cheer us up since we think we're probably stuck here for many more days, we thought we'd let our daughter reveal her new name to you. In the video at the top left of this blog page, you'll hear me say, "Hello! Como relle?" (meaning, "What is your name?") And you'll hear her reply, "Baby. Baby ______" Just in case you can't understand her with our dazzling technology, I'll post her written name in the comments section of this posting. Enjoy!
prayers for a visa please!
Hey friends!
We're down to the wire with this visa thing. We're praying non stop that we get a call to come get it today. If we don't hear today we're stuck here for the long weekend and our next chance to get it would be Monday. We're running out of patience and it's getting harder and harder to entertain a toddler in a hotel room. Please pray that we'll be home sooner rather than later!
On the bright side, we're still having a blast with our sweet girl. She shows no fear in the swimming pool, eats non stop, and is acquiring more English every moment.
See you soon, we hope!
We're down to the wire with this visa thing. We're praying non stop that we get a call to come get it today. If we don't hear today we're stuck here for the long weekend and our next chance to get it would be Monday. We're running out of patience and it's getting harder and harder to entertain a toddler in a hotel room. Please pray that we'll be home sooner rather than later!
On the bright side, we're still having a blast with our sweet girl. She shows no fear in the swimming pool, eats non stop, and is acquiring more English every moment.
See you soon, we hope!
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