Change of Pace

I've decided instead of talk about our lack of progress in the adoption to change the focus for awhile and talk about the three I have at home. It has come across my mind several times to document some of the funny things kids say, so I think I will post little stories that I find particularly funny on this blog. To start with I have two such instances....

One day last week, Payton and Paris were out in the front yard before school waiting for the bus to come. They found a dead bird in the front yard, hurried inside and told their mother and Presley about it. Presley, of course, had to go see it as well. Once Payton and Paris went to school Kristen took care of the birds remains via a shovel and the garbage. Once time came for Presley to go to preschool she ran out the garage when Kristen opened it to back the car out. She promptly went over to the spot where the bird met its fate, found it gone and told Kristen, " I knew that bird was going to make it to heaven! I just knew it!" Obviously in her 4 year old sweet little mind the bird went to heaven not only in spirit, but body as well. Bless her little heart.

Now, the second story... Paris was at school, she is now in first grade, and was in music class with Mrs. Schenk. Mrs. Schenk evidently looked real good that day because Paris said to Mrs. Schenk ," You look beauuutifullll Mrs Schenk!...Kind of like an Elephant Trainer!" I think that was a compliment, but not sure where the Elephant Trainer comparison came from? I would think it came from going to a circus, but since Presley is DEATHLY afraid of clowns and such we haven't taken the kids to a circus in quite sometime. Evidently Paris, at one point in her life, remembers going to the circus and seeing an attractive Elephant Trainer.

I'm sure there will be more to come....

Take Care

What is the Purpose?

That is what I am pondering right now. Why are we having this struggle. I know there is some reason, but for an impatient high strung personality like I have, it is really hard to deal with. I spoke with ANA's attorney of Friday and after three meetings in three days with IBESR officials, they are still reluctant to sign us out. They are playing the " We don't understand why couples as young as you with three biological children want to adopt." Apparently there are still issues with Parquet as they claim they still are afraid of what will happen if our case gets signed out and passed along to that step. They told the attorney maybe when the new law gets passed we will be closer to the guidelines and it will be time to sign. How can they say they care about the children when willing parents are waiting. Their age requirement is 35 or over and they sign other cases that are over 30 but under 35. If they fudge that far why is 28 so much different? Why is 30 such a magic number? Now the attorney doesn't even know what to do, so we get to try and find contacts on our own. I swear this process is going to take 10 years off my life. This is the single most frustrating thing I have ever done and it feels like we are no closer to the end that when we begun. What a day!

NEW FAMILY MEMBER

So we have a new family member, and no, it is not our children from Haiti. We have a two week old Bulldog puppy. A couple of years ago, my wife bought a Bulldog while I was gone. This Bulldog, Lucy, became her little shadow and follows her everywhere. Well, we decided to get her bred to a great male named Edgar back in February. So come a couple of weeks ago we became the proud owners of two little Bulldog pups. We did this with the intention of selling them, of course my wife wanted to keep one, but since there was only two I said, "No Way, this is way to expensive of an endeavor to keep one". If you don't know, Bulldog pups sell for 1500 and up and normally the Bitches need C-Sections, which held true in our case. Unfortunately, Lucy didn't have enough milk and before we could figure it out, we lost one of the pups :( Since then, we have been bottle feeding this little pup every 3 hours. It has become our little baby, it really is ridiculous. Kristen has had baby fever, so I think this is helping that a little. Needless to say, after taking such care on this one little pup there is no way we are going to part with it. Not only do I think it is pretty cool, but my children would sacrifice me if I were to sell it and I don't even want to think of what Kristen would do. Hence, we have our third dog, a Bulldog named Lily. I will post some pictures of the little thing when I remember to bring my camera to work.

13 Months.....and STILL counting :(

I remember January 16, 2007 very fondly. We were so excited because 1. It was Payton's sixth birthday and 2. We finally got into IBESR....YEAH!!!! Now the problem is getting out of the place. How can we go from being so excited to be in a place to so sick of it? I'll tell you, from spending thirteen months in what feels like solitary confinement. Anybody out there watched The Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End? I personally feel like Capt. Jack Sparrow in the scene where he is all by his lonesome in Davey Jones Locker. He and the Black Pearl are surrounded by sand and he is going CRAZY. I just want out of here!!!!! I know however if we get out we face the Great Gassant! I know deep in my heart that in order to get this thing done, Gassants heart or his employment has to be changed, but at the same time I would really like to have IBESR say, " Hey, you're a great family, you have our permission to adopt these kids". Until that day however I just ride the frustration rollercoaster, problem is it just keeps going up and up and up. There hasn't been the thrill of heading downhill towards the finish yet, but when it does there is going to be one heckuva ride and I am going to enjoy every minute of bringing those kids home...

Take care

Chad

Happy Birthday!

Today is Payton's 7th birthday. He is really excited and is having a birthday party in about 2 hours after school. Kristen, Uncle Josh (Kristen's older brother) and myself are taking 10 of his friends from school to bowl. God be with us! Then we will have pizza and cake afterward. As has been his obsession since October, the theme for his birthday party is.....HUNTING. He is really into it. His Uncle Josh, who is a former Army Sniper and gun freak, absolutely loves it too! He volunteered to get by the cake as his birthday present. We are a little scared as to what it might have on it. Kristen gets the feeling it will be deer with arrows in them or something like that. Payton also received a hunting blind and a coyote call for Christmas from his Uncle Josh. Needless to say, I spent some time over the Christmas break taking Payton out to hunt coyotes. I'm sorry for anyone reading this who might be anti-hunting.... OK I guess that would be false! It is a part of life here in the hillbilly state of Montana, but we really love it here and wouldn't live in another state. So here is to Payton, Happy Birthday! I love you lots!

I Have Hair Now

After nearly five years of shaving my head, I have grown my hair out. It is quite funny because my kids tell me, particularly Payton, that they like me better with hair. When I first started to grow it out, Kristen and the Kids and I went down to Bozeman to watch MSU play football. I went to the concession stand and when I came back I handed Kristen some soda and hot dogs and she didn't recognize me. She told me after realizing who I was that she was wondering who this weird guy was that was handing her food. Kristen talked me into too. She had mentioned to me a couple times that I should grow my hair back and since I am such a loving husband :), I decided to do what I though would make her happy. Everybody tells me I look 10 years younger, so I am not sure if I look 18... or if before I looked 38 and now I look 28.... You be the judge. I am not posting any pictures if it yet, because I have none. I will post some for your enjoyment, or to scare you (your choice), when we get pictures from Haiti. That way you can divert your focus from my ugly face to my beautiful wife and children. I realize this is a stupid post, but I felt the need to write something humorous or different to take the edge off. Till next time...


Chad

21 days and counting

Man, it has been awhile since I've posted. Since we are due to leave for another trip to Haiti on January 23, I figured another post is in order. Unfortunately we have not gone any further in the process since the last time I posted. We are still in IBESR and trying to PATIENTLY wait. Although that is difficult to do. I think we are going to try and contact some people, including the attorney and see if we can't have him take us into IBESR's office when we are down there. Aside from that and calling that office we have done everything we can to get things to the next wait. A senators letter has been written, a letter from Kristen's doctor documenting her inability to have more children and an letter from us regarding our young age (28 and 26). I don't know what else to do? We just don't want to endure a third Christmas without our children. We never thought they wouldn't be home for this past Christmas. The thought of having to leave them again when we are down there in January already weighs heavily on my heart, but I know we will get through it. We just have to keep our faith and know it will come in the Lord's time, not ours. Until then we just do what we can, which isn't much :)

Till the next time


Chad