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! 

Step 10!

I heard from our agency today and I had been confused about where we are in the process. The original process we received had the major steps, but I got a copy today of the mini-steps within the major steps. So, we're on Step 10 and you can see what we have left. Timeline prediction is still that she'll be home before Christmas, but no one can predict....
(well, ignore the numbers...copy and paste didn't cooperate...#1 is actually the step we're on now)
 

1. Legalization at the Minister of Justice. Each of your child’s adoption documents needs to be legalized in order to apply for his/her passport. This takes 2 to 4 weeks.

2. Legalization at the Minister of Foreign Affairs (MAE). Each of your child’s adoption documents must also be legalized at the Minister of Foreign Affairs before applying for his/her passport. This takes 2 to 4 weeks.

3. MOI (Ministry of the Interior). Once all documents have been legalized, the Crèche can apply for your child’s Haitian passport. This is a 2 step process  
   1. Studying the application at the office of the Minister of Interior and finalization and printing the passport at the Immigration department. This stage can be unpredictable; however expect 3 to 6 months.
   
   
4. Paperwork review. Once your child’s passport has been printed, and all original documents have been returned, the Crèche will review the paperwork and have any errors corrected (spelling errors are very common).

3. US medical. A medical on your child is completed by a US approved physician in Haiti and the results are submitted together with the visa application. It can take up to a week until the Crèche is able to pick up the completed medical report.

4. USCIS and US visa. The Crèche will submit your child’s complete visa packet (adoption documents, passport, US medical, passport photos, DS-260) to USCIS for your I-600 approval. Once your I-600 has been approved, USCIS will forward your adoption file to the Adoptions Officer, who will then schedule your child’s visa interview. Your child’s visa interview is usually held 1-2 weeks from when the Officer received your child’s adoption file. At the same time, the Crèche must obtain a travel document, permitting the child to travel, from IBESR. Expect four to twelve weeks for this entire process.

5. Travel. Once your child’s visa has been approved, the Crèche will contact BCSG with possible travel dates for your final trip to Haiti to pick up your child. The Crèche will pick up your child’s visa before you arrive in Haiti. Expect to stay in Haiti for 4-7 days.

3. 
   

Malozie McCraw

Today our sweet girl is officially a McCraw! Her name won't be legally changed to Grace until she's here in the U.S., but the adoption is official and legalized in Haiti. This brings us so much peace. She's OURS! If something happened in Haiti (like the earthquake that happened in 2010), she would be sent home to us. They actually gave humanitarian parole to many kids in the middle of the process after the earthquake. Don't get me wrong...I'm not wishing for anything bad. BUT, if.....she's ours!

We need 2 more signatures and then they'll apply for her passport. From all of the timelines I've been researching (my other GLA moms in our Facebook group), many went from exiting courts (where we are today) to coming home in 3-5 months. She'll probably be home by Christmas!!!! God is so good. He has heard our prayers and He is working on her behalf!

These pictures were taken by my sweet friend Kristen, another mom in my FB group. She's at GLA this week to meet her son. This girl has got some personality! :)

June Update

June has been a big month for our little Sweet Pea. She was moved to the Toddler House this month, which was a BIG transition for her. The Toddler House is a separate house from the "Main House" at GLA. She's been at the Main House since she came to GLA at 6 weeks old. Now she has new nannies and new friends. They're also potty training her. So, lots of changes. This made me very sad when I found out. Plus, I found out from a Facebook picture, which was salt in the wound. I know this was a hard change for her and I SO wish she was coming home instead of transitioning to a new place. Some of her friends were already there, so she's having fun, I'm sure.

This month's update profiled the nannies from the Main House who have taken care of her since she came. They all have a special place in her heart and in ours. We appreciate the love and care they have given her for the first 2 1/2 years of her life.

Where are we now?
Right now, we're in the courts step of the process. When we exit courts, the adoption will be finalized in Haiti. Then, we have a few more Haiti signatures to get before applying for her passport and visa. Estimated timeframe is 2-3 months for courts and we're already one month in. Keep praying!

I just love this picture. This was taken at "Cinema Night". The kids get to watch a movie on the big screen and have a snack in their jammies. This was her first Cinema Night since being moved to the Toddler House and she was very apprehensive about joining the big kids. The older girl in pink is Marie-Laure, my friend Michelle's daughter. Marie scooped our little girl up and put her on her lap like a Little Mama. We were told she sat there for the whole movie. I'm so thankful for my Facebook group of Mamas and some day we'll have a BIG reunion with all of our babies. What a day that will be! (Notice how her new nannies have already given her a big girl hairstyle...sigh.)

That sweet little hand. This captures her personality so well. She is so fun and loves cuddles and tickles so much!

Some of my favorite pictures

I"m painting her fingernails and toenails here. This girl is ALL girl! We are going to have so much fun together!