Haitian Adoption News & Father's Day

Since we took our dossier to Haiti, I haven't been nearly as good about keeping up with Haitian news as I should be!  Last week Haiti announced that the Haitian Parliament approved the Decree for ratification of the Hague Convention.  This Decree still needs to be deposited in the Netherlands for it to take effect, and even after it's deposited, it is another 3 months before that happens.  This decree affects ALL International adoptions.  However, we just don't really know how just yet.  Hopefully it's all good changes, but one never knows.  Please be in prayer that this IS a positive change, that we get through IBESR quickly and with all the proper dispensations, and that Catrina's birth father will make the trek to PAP.

So I should have mentioned Father's Day in my last post, but I think it was pretty hard for Eddie.  Don't get me wrong, he had a great day (as great a day as I could give him), but he seemed about as happy as I would have been "celebrating" Mother's Day here.  It was just extra clear that day that someone was missing.  He's strong and he will be fine, but please do say an extra little prayer for him for peace if you think about it.

"Bring Catrina Home" Benefit - JUNE 30

Just before I left for Haiti in May, my Mom and my sister informed us that they were in the process of planning a benefit to help us raise money for our adoption!  How incredibly thoughtful! When going through the many steps of this adoption, it is such a blessing to know we have the support and prayers of loved ones!

For all of you in the upstate, please do come out!  It's a fundraiser, but also a celebration!  There will be plenty of food and live entertainment.  Last I heard there are two music sets:  an amazing concert pianist (I'm not at all partial...thank you John!!!) and a bluegrass band (I don't know any of these guys yet, but many thanks to them as well!).

It's scheduled for Saturday, June 30 at 6:00 pm at Pickens View Wesleyan Church in Pickens, SC.  Tickets are by donation and will be available at the door.  We'll also be having a silent auction to sell some pieces of original Haitian artwork and we'll be selling t-shirts that Eddie and I designed.  We'll also have the puzzle there (we still have many pieces available for sponsorship) so you can see the progress we've made on that and sponsor pieces if you wish.  There are lots of ways to contribute (and all donations made at the benefit will be tax deductible...thank you Pickens View Wesleyan Church!), but most important we are going to have so much fun celebrating this exciting time in our lives and the sweet girl God is bringing to our family! 

Flyer for Adoption Benefit

No news on the actual process.  We've officially be in IBESR 6 weeks now, but no news yet.  This isn't really uncommon...the IBESR is like a giant black box...you put your dossier in and just wait and pray until it comes back out.  We are also still praying that God will change Catrina's birth father's heart and that he will willfully go to PAP to sign off on our adoption.  Please continue to pray with us and if you can make it out to the benefit, we certainly look forward to seeing you there!

Many thanks & much love!

Update on Catrina's Room

So sorry I haven't had the chance to post lately!  We've both been working like crazy people! 

No news from Haiti concerning the IBESR or Catrina's birth father, so please continue praying!  No doubt God already has this worked out and will bring it to fruition in his time.

While we wait...Eddie and I got a good bit of progress made in Catrina's room over the past few weeks, so thought you all might enjoy seeing some photos:

Chalkboard Butterfly on the door :-)



Bed in the corner by the window



Stacked hatboxes for storage

Those paintings are from Haiti

I love those monkeys!!!  :-)

Does the whiteboard/photo holder look familiar?

Still a work in progress no doubt, but it's definitely coming along!  We're ready for our girl whenever God's ready to bring her!  :-)