One big welcome

Best Thanksgiving ever!

Yep...today was the best Thanksgiving ever! We all enjoyed just having a fun play day as a family. We all find ourselves just staring at Mallie Grace at times in complete awe and wonder. It's still so hard to believe she is here and here for good. She was looking at her baby pictures on the fridge today and asking me about them. Oh, sweet girl....if only you knew how long we gazed at those pictures and dreamed of this day.

We are very thankful that she's such a good sleeper. Once she's asleep, she's out. When you sleep in a room with 10 other kids, you learn to be a good sleeper, I guess. I heard her rustling around about 5:00am, but she eventually went back to sleep, I guess, and when I woke back up at 7:30, she was awake. The kids at the orphanage were taught not to get out of bed until they're told. So, even when she wakes up, she just lays there until I get her up. We'll see how long this lasts, but it sure is convenient for now. She has a toddler bed in our room and we'll keep her with us for a while. She needs to know that we're right there, always with her and ready to meet her needs.

The word of the day was definitely "Noah". She quickly learned his name and began bossing him around---"Vine, Noah!" which means "Come here, Noah!" It's pretty cute! Mostly, we played and ate today. This girl can EAT! Her Thanksgiving supper was turkey, sweet potatoes, pinto beans, and corn bread---and she cleaned her plate! It was pretty amazing! Now I know why kids from GLA grow so much and gain weight so quickly when they come home.

All in all, it was a wonderful day. We are still struggling with naptime, but I know it will get better each day. She really puts up a fight, but doesn't fight bedtime at all. Strange. I got lots of kisses and "I yuv yous" today. We are so very thankful our daughter is home.

First breakfast at home....corn flakes. She ate half the bowl, got down to play, and came back an hour later to finish the soggy ones. Yum!

Mallie Grace loves playing in her new room.

She was very clingy when we took her outside for the first time, but she did like the wagon ride from Noah.

Coming home--Miami to DFW to Mt Vernon!

This girl seemed to be a pro at traveling.  You never would've guessed it was her first time to be on a plane, in a hotel room, on an airport shuttle, on a people mover, and more! She was awesome in every way!

It was great to not have to get up early and rush to the airport on Wednesday morning. We played a little in the hotel room and she started to really relax with us. She is just so goofy and giggly. I love watching her little personality coming out. Again, she did great on the flight. Thankfully, it was naptime, so she slept a good 2 hours in my arms. Then, she wanted to sit in her own seat. Such a big girl! She even was leaning out into the aisle to get people's attention. Such a little charmer!

We had quite a group waiting for us at the airport. It was a sweet sweet time. Pictures to come! Robby and I are just overwhelmed at the love and support we have had through this whole process. Miss Grace is so loved and one day she'll understand that.

Before we left the hotel room, I made a little video (can't figure out how to upload that yet) as I was trying to teach her "Mallie Grace". She was so cute saying her name. She is really responding well to that. We'll drop the Mallie eventually. Small steps.

I was very concerned about putting her in the carseat after the airplane/seatbelt experience. Every time we rode in a car in Haiti, she was in my lap. But, again, she was great! I know it helped to have her brothers in the backseat with her. She just watched out the window so intently. Again, I'd love to know what was going through her little mind as she whizzed through the metroplex for the first time. We stopped at Culver's for supper. None of us had eaten much at all during the flight. She INHALED a corn dog and all of her french fries and then stole Jonah's chicken. Missy can EAT! Then, she climbed up in the window (so as to have the attention of everyone in the restaurant) and began singing "Happy Birthday" in Kreyole. Yep. Big personality, this girl!

It was way past her bedtime when we got home, but she was great as we showed her around her new bedroom and the rest of our home. After a quick bath, she immediately fell asleep. One thing you should know about me: I love taking pictures of sleeping children. Home sweet home! 

America's Newest Citizen!

When we landed in Miami last night, Grace became America's newest citizen! We couldn't have asked for a better flight experience. She did SO great. When we had to put her in her own seat to buckle, she got upset, but a sweet flight attendant told me I could hold her (as long as nobody else saw us!). So she chilled in my lap, ate a few snacks, and sucked her fingers for the entire flight. She fell asleep right before landing so we waited while everyone else got off. Then, we had to wait for an hour and a half in customs! Again, she couldn't have been better. One sweet memory was when she took her little finger and rubbed some of my lipstick off, then rubbed it on her lips. I asked her if she wanted some and of course, she did. So, I got my lipstick out and put a little on her lips. She smiled the biggest smile. She copies everything I do. No pressure! She is just so chilled and laid back. She is very aware of her surroundings and always interested in the other people around us. But she never had a meltdown or got upset for any reason. The LORDs peace was definitely comforting her.

We finally got to the hotel room around 9:00. She ate a few crackers and had a bath. I filled the tub with about an inch of water and she even sat down. She held tightly to the sides of the tub the whole time. So many new experiences in one day. She climbed up onto her queen size bed and gave me the biggest grin. Then, she was out. It was a wonderful day and when the customs agent handed us her passport and said, "Welcome home!" It was finally finished. To God be the glory!

Leaving GLA

I took this selfie of us as we left GLA. She was singing "This is the Day" in Kreyole. It was so so precious. I just love listening to her little voice. She is a singer!

These two pictures are from GLA. I'm so thankful we were there with the Penners. We've been Facebook friends for over two years now and the came to pick up their daughter, Jenilia. Grace loves her and it was great to have a translator, too. 

Good day

Today was the Lord's day for sure.  We even got to go to church twice! Grace slept a good 12 hours last night which did her good. Baby was so tired. We started the day at the local Haitian church. I loved listening to the music. I even made a voice memo of it. I actually recognized 2 of the songs because they were singing in Creole but the tune was the same. The two I recognized were "Love Lifted Me" and "He Leadeth Me". We even had to stand up and introduce ourselves. After that, we went up to GLA's main house for English church. GLA has an intern pastor that preaches. I think it was hard for Grace to go back. She saw the nannies who cared for her since she was a baby and just being back at that house seemed very difficult for her. After we ate lunch, though, she was happy to say goodbye and get back in the van. Then it was nap time. She fought and cried but it was only about 30 minutes this time. We only let her sleep about an hour so she'd sleep well tonight. 

After nap, we went down to the toddler house for Rosegaelle's goodbye song. Each time a child goes home to be with their forever family, the kids sing a sweet song to them. She did much better today being around the kids there. She was so observant, but mostly stayed in my lap. She said goodbye easily but had a pretty good meltdown when we got back. It's been very comforting to her, though, to have the other families here with us. She has the other 2 girls to play with and hang out with. There's so much going through her little mind right now. I can't even imagine the emotions she's feeling. She loves for us to hold her, but then sometimes tries to go off on her own too. This is a big transition and I think she's handling it as wonderfully as her 2 year old little self can. 

The biggest blessing of the day was definitely tonight. After dinner, I asked her if she was ready for bath and she said yes. Bath last night was a screaming mess and tonight she smiled and loved it. Mind you, this isn't a bath like I take. Basically, they stand the kids in an empty tub, dump the water on them and call it done. That's what we've done. The tub here isn't conducive to sit-down, long baths and at this point, I wouldn't rock the boat on that one. Anyway, after a great bath, she was excited to put on her sparkly pink pjs and climbed right into the bed. NO TEARS! I even got a smile and a kiss. It was just wonderful. Every day will get easier. Just like our first visit, she grows more used to the idea of parents. 

We are so thankful the LORD is giving her peace and comfort. Tomorrow will be even better than today. Robby goes to the embassy to get her visa and she and I will hang out here. Then, we'll get to pack. Only 2 more sleeps til our family of 6 is under the same roof. 

***Sorry...not many pictures today because the phone was here and we were gone a lot. The first pic is when we went to visit her friends. They swarmed her! It's so sad to think they're just so curious about life on the "other side". They love to see her clothes, shoes, and cup. The other 2 pics are her first Goldfish snack. She loves them! 

Gotcha Day

Today's the day we've waited for....Grace's Gotcha Day! We will celebrate November 22 for the rest of her life. Even though she's been a McCraw for a few months now, today was the day we "got her" forever. It still seems very very surreal. We've been here before. We've visited her. But tonight she's sleeping In our room. She's ours. We don't have to take her back to her nursery. 

When we got here, she was sitting on the sofa looking at our family picture. She got so excited! She pointed to me in the picture and said, "Mama!" Then, touched me and said, "Mama!" It's like she was thinking the picture has come to life. Then she did the same for Daddy. It was so so precious. They've braided her hair with beads and it's adorable. This is a special "going home 'do" the girls get and she loves it. I tried to get a good pic of her shirt. It says, "best day ever". Yep. It sure is. 

We played in our room with her for a while and then went to the Baptist mission for lunch. The baptist mission started here in 1946 and it's where John and Dixie began their ministry. There's a little restaurant inside as well as a place to shop for items made by Haitians. She nibbled on some chicken nuggets but wasn't into them nearly as much as our boys. After that, they took us up to Ft. Jacques. That's where they're building the new orphanage. It's so beautiful! Someone from the states even donated AstroTurf so they have a beautiful playground. It was neat to tour it and watch her play. 

By the time we got back, it was close to 5pm. Grace is still a big napper and she tried to sleep every time we got back in the car but it only resulted in 3 tiny cat naps. She was completely exhausted. Besides it being a tiring day physically, it was also a big day for her emotionally. She had a very hard time calming down tonight. Robby and I just traded off with her and she passed out about 7:00. This is just the beginning of her grieving process. Even though we're giving her a family and a wonderful new life, we're taking her from all she's ever known. She will have times of great sadness. Sadness combined with exhaustion ain't pretty though. I am fully confident she will be just fine and back to her cheerful self in the morning. 

This morning on the plane, the LORD lead me to Isaiah 25:1 and it blessed me so much. Such a perfect way to sum up our day:

O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them. 

Our World is Getting Smaller

When Grace comes home (in 7 days!), our world is going to get much smaller. From all of the adoption education we have received, we have learned much about attachment. She must learn that we are the ones who will meet her needs and care for her forever. For the first 3 years of her life, she has been cared for by the same nannies. Most of her days were spent in one room. She has eaten the same meals day in and day out. There are so many "firsts" she will experience when she becomes a part of our family. Most likely, she has never been cold. Even though we live in Texas where winters are mild, she's coming home in the middle of winter. She's definitely never seen a fire inside the house before!

Attachment is so very important for children. When babies are born, they are typically cuddled, held, and loved by their parents. They learn that when they cry, their needs will instantly be met. This forms the bond between parent/child. When we first bring Grace home, this is the process we will walk through as well. No, she's not a newborn. But, she must learn that we are here and we aren't going anywhere. We will meet all of her needs as immediately as we can. Robby and I will be the only ones to feed her, bathe her, and hold her. We're not sure how long this "cocooning" process will last, but most likely for 4-6 weeks. We won't go anywhere or have any visitors. In God's perfect timing, we will be on a break from all of our activities so staying home won't be as difficult.

I know this may be hard for you to understand, but we ask you to please respect our wishes. So many of you have walked through this journey with us and you are so anxious to meet Grace and love on her. There's nothing we want more than for her to meet the friends and family that so fervently prayed her home. All of that will come in time.

Attachment is so very important for children. If bonds are not formed early in life, attachment later in life (friends, spouse) can be very difficult or impossible. It's a fascinating topic and I encourage you to Google it and learn more about it.

So, please feel free to call, text, or email. We will do our best to post pictures and updates here as she gets use to life in our home. When we do venture out and you get to meet our sweet girl, we ask that you not pick her up, feed her, or hug/kiss her. We are doing our best to parent our sweet Grace in the best way we know how and we appreciate your prayers and encouragement very much.
Robby and Amy

Another great blog about cocooning: http://www.pureandlasting.com/then-what-our-attachment-plan/

And if you're a Jen Hatmaker fan, her blog about life "After the Airport" is great: http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2011/09/06/after-the-airport#.UYRvodnqSog.facebook

Our Last Update

This is our LAST update from GLA. For the past 2 1/2 years, we have received monthly updates from GLA and for that, we're so grateful. We have watched our Grace grow from a chubby, cuddly 7 month old sweet pea into her beautiful 2 year old (almost 3!) self. In one more week, she'll be in our arms and we'll never let her go. Look at this sweet smile! She knows her Mama and Daddy are coming for her. Yes, every good and perfect gift IS from above.

The wait

"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Genesis 18:14

NO! I'm here to say NOTHING is too hard for the Lord. This verse was spoken by the Lord to Abraham after He told he and Sarah that they would have a son. Sarah laughed when she heard this. In her human eyes, with her human (limited) thinking, it seemed impossible. In her old age? With her old body? The Lord gently reminded the couple that nothing is too hard for Him.

This journey to bring our daughter home has not been what we expected. When God lead us to GLA and Haiti 7 years ago, this was not what we had planned. In fact, if we would've known the time and wait it would've taken, we might not have chosen this path. We had other plans anyway. But, I know in my heart---without a doubt---that Grace is the daughter God had planned for our family. This is His plan. Nothing is too hard for him. I will admit...there were times during the past 3 years when I began to question. Maybe this was too hard? Maybe we should go a different route? I am so thankful for the Lord's sustaining grace. He carried us so many times when we were too weary to walk one step further.

I want to encourage you to not give up. That "thing" that you've been hoping for and praying for for so long....don't let go. NOTHING is too hard for God. His timeline isn't our timeline. Don't stop praying. Don't stop planning. And don't give up hope. God always keeps His promises and His plan is always right on time.

I will never stop thanking God that when we wanted to give up, He never gave up on us. I am so thankful that I serve a God who can do anything!

11-4-14

Today was soooo good on many levels! First, my sweet niece Hailey Elaine was born---7 lbs 9 oz and 18 inches of cuddly goodness. I can't wait to get my hands on her! Also, we got Grace's visa appointment. She will be going November 17 at 8 AM. A representative from GLA will take her to the Embassy that day. Please pray for her. I can't imagine the experience for her of leaving the orphanage (only the 2nd time in her life) and riding an hour in a car to go to a strange place.

We will travel to Haiti to pick her up after that appointment. So, it's looking like we'll go the week of Thanksgiving or maybe the week after. Happy Thanksgiving to us! We have so much to be thankful for.

Hailey Elaine Brittain, born 11-4-14

GLA has sent us a list of needed items at the Toddler House (the house where Grace lives). If you would like to donate any of these items, we'll take them with us when we go. Thank you!

Kool Aid drink mix
Tea towels
Christmas wrapping paper
Scotch tape
Picture Day clothes-size 4-10
Children’s socks (not toddler size)
Candy (non chokable)
Pencils
Markers
Sharpeners
Erasers
Lined paper
Scented wax melts
Glade Plug Ins with inserts (for stinky boys bathrooms!)
Standard size staples Hair beads
Hair beadsPacking tape

Pure sweetness

This face.....ohhhh, this face! I can't tell you how badly I just want to squeeze those sweet cheeks and kiss her all over! Just a few more weeks. We have visa approval and should be getting an email with her visa appointment any day now. After that appointment, GLA will tell us when to book our flights. She should definitely be home by Thanksgiving. God continues to remind me to trust Him and His perfect timing. We are still knee-deep in sawdust, painting, and rearranging at home, but we'll get it done. It probably won't be completely done and perfect like I'd like, but more than anything, I want our family under one roof.
Thank you for your constant prayers and support.

GLA asks adoptive families to bring donations when we come (from a needs list they keep). We are taking cans of powdered baby formula. If you'd like to send a can or two, you can get them to me anytime before we leave. If you don't live nearby, you can send money and I'll buy them. This is an easy way to bless GLA after all of the wonderful care they have given our sweet Grace.

Growing so fast!

I just love the GLA Facebook group! I love that we care for and support each other in so many ways. When one of us goes down to Haiti, we all take pictures of all of the kids. These are two pictures from a friend who was there this week. Man....Grace looks SO big! I've bought some 3T clothes, but now I'm wondering how long she'll actually be able to wear them. Those legs are looking long! And that hair.....wow! It's going to make the BEST natural, curly afro, too. Can't wait! That girl and her fingers....she loves them so much! We have quite a few pictures (some of her sleeping) with the fingers in her mouth. I sucked my thumb til I was 6, so I'm not worried. :)

September Update

What a difference a month makes! When I opened these pictures I said to myself, "oops! She got the wrong child!" I really did. That's how much she's changed. She has morphed overnight from a pudgy little toddler to a little girl. If I'm honest, yes, it makes me a bit sad. We thought we were bringing home a baby. We've missed so much of her short little life. BUT, I have no doubt God will redeem that time.

I am so impressed that at 2 years old she's in school for hours every day and even tracing letters and trying to write her name. Having second thoughts on the name. Must talk to hubby before I write anything else.

It's still soooo surreal that we're on the LAST step! As soon as her visa is ready, we'll leave for Haiti to bring her HOME!!!! The house is under construction. My sweet friends are planning a shower. I've bought some really cute nightgowns and tutus. It's REAL and it's happening!

Sooooo close!

Today we received the news that we're out of MOI! This is GREAT! We were expecting 1-2 months, so it was quicker than we expected. Now, her passport is being printed. After that, she'll get her Visa and then we'll be on our way to pick her up. :)
So many thoughts are swirling through my head. We've waited YEARS to bring our girl home and now that it's actually about to happen, it's just unbelievable...and overwhelming at times!
I would like to share a few prayer requests. We covet your prayers so very much and we know they've given us that "peace that passes all human understanding".

*that God would prepare Grace's heart to become part of our family
*that she would remember our time together and the "re-bonding" would occur quickly
*that God would prepare our boys' hearts for her homecoming
*wisdom to parent a 2 year old adopted baby girl....we've read all the books there are to read and trust that He will do the rest
*construction on our home: we're remodeling and need it to be finished quickly so we're not living in chaos for long
*our business: we are entering our busiest season of the year and need God's grace and mercy as we (more Robby than me) divide time between family and work
*My prayer from the start: that God would be glorified in it all!

Thank you so much and I'll keep you posted! :)

Update: We received an email from GLA this afternoon with details regarding the timeline of Grace's homecoming. The passport will only take 7-10 days to print, but Visas are much slower right now. Might take up to 2 months for that. So we're still looking at a Nov-Dec trip to Haiti!