surgery update

As some of you know I had surgery last week. I just wanted everyone to know that I am doing fine. Resting up and saving my energy for the Disney trip and to go get Lilly.
We are waiting to hear a more comcrete date of when we can go pick her up. Hopefully by the end of December.

update

I heard from the agency today. There has been a step added to the hHaiti process. We are still hoping to go for Christmas but it may be January. One of the mom's went to visit her babies last week. She said Princess Lilly is being spoiled as usual.

1 Year since LID

I never thought I would be sitting here without Rory tonight. Funny how the last year has changed so much. It will probably be another 6 months until I see her precious face. A year ago we were so excited. Going thru what we thought was our last Holidays without her.
Now a year later we know that there is nothing certain. Nothing except that God will make things turn out just perfect.
In May of this year, when we thought we would see Rory for the first time, I was looking online just playing around on adoption sites. And then I saw her. The most gorgeous child I had ever layed Eyes on. I knew right then why the timing wasn't right for China yet. If we were at the place we thougt we would be I would not have found my Lilly. The bright spot in these past few months. Someone I cannot picture my life without.
Even though this wait is hard and we want Rory home as soon as possible. I know that God intended for us to have both these beautiful angels. Just in his own time. We look forward to this next year with excitement and curiosity. I no longer think constantly of only what my experience in it will be but the experiences of my daughters. How they will have their lives changed this year in ways they could never have imagined. Sisters from around the world.

New Pics

These pictures were taken last week by Lisa who was visiting Lilly's Orphanage. Thank you Lisa! I can't wait to see Lilly soon!

Lillian Chrystelle is 1 year old!!!

Happy birthday princess Lilly. We miss you.

Our little peanut

Hi everyone. We are still waiting on Lilly's visa it will be another 3 to 7 weeks. Let's just hope the first week in Dec. We got her height and weight today. She is 23 inches long and 11.5 pounds. Great for a small 6 month old. She turn 1 in 5 days!!! We will talk to the doctor about it but I am sure she will grow once she is home. A friend of mine is picking up her daughter this week. The beautiful Valencia Jade is finally going home to Maine. We are so happy for her. Also we are eagerly awaiting new pictures of Lilly. We have not recieved any since the begining of September.
No news on China. I think it will be at least another 6-8 months if not longer.

WE ARE OUT OF IBESR!!!!

Ok our biggest hudle is over. The Hatian office that decides if you can adopt a speciific child (Lilly) has said that we can. We now apply for the Visa. They have decided that we should apply for a regular visa. This means she must be doing ok physically. This is a prayer answered. She should be home in about 4 to 6 weeks. Pray that it is home as soon as possible. It is a good day!

Poll results so far

ok Here goes,


Refferal // Rory's age at refferal

Me April // 7 mos.
Brandon Feb // 8 mos.
Randy April // 9.5 mos.
Aunt Barb March // 8 mos.
Aunt Katie May // 9.5 mos
Raquelle June //
Jenny Krebs Feb. // 8.5 mos.
Jennifer (new) Feb. // 11.5 mos.
Janet // 9.5 mos.
Kodak // 13 mos.
Salem // 12 mos
Conner (Michelle) Jan // 9 mos.
Emily (Michelle) March // 7 mos
Steph April // 11 mos.
Dianne April // 9 mos

Still Waiting

Audrey called today and we are still waiting for 1 more signature. Then we wait for the Visa. It is looking like we will miss her first birthday. This makes me very sad. I know she will not know the difference but I know. She will not get to look at herself smashing a cake on her 1st birthday. We will of course celebrate later. Just wait until next years birthday. Hopefully she will be home by Thanksgiving. They keep saying it won't be long but it feels very long. She is back at the orphanage. Marie (the director) says she seems to have put on a few pounds.
In other news we know nothing about China. We are now taking random guesses. I think we will go to China in July of next year. Maybe I will start a poll.


POLL

Ok Rory will be 7 months old at her refferal and we will go get her in July. When she is 9 months old.

Anyone else care to guess? You can just post in comments or I can post them here if you email me your guess. i need to pass time.
Heidi

Closer to getting Lilly!!

Hi everyone. Well I had a very busy but fun weekend. My cousin is now married and on her Honeymoon. My family threw me the most beautiful shower. I will post pics soon. I got so many presents. I had to leave 3 suitcases full for my parents to bring out at thanksgiving. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!!! It was such a wonderful shower. It had a book theme. The girls are definitly going to be spoiled.
This morning Audrey from TFN called. The woman that is in IBESR temporarily has been told she can sign out 7 files. Lilly is one of them!!! Yeah!!! We also heard from Marie that we should be out on Friday, Monday or Tuesday!!!! I am so happy. Then we can apply for the medical visa. We are told that should take a week possibly two!!! Then our baby can come home!!! They think she may need surgery on her intestins. We have a doctor here for her and when she comes home he will be giving us a refferal to a specialist who has delt with Haitian adopted children with intestinal problems before. I really feel she will recover from whatever she has.
Anyway my husband is off from work next Friday the 20th till at least the 25th but can get more time if he needs it. My last day at work is next monday so we are thinking that we will fly tp Haiti sometime between the 20th and the 25th and just wait it out. We are waiting to hear more from Audrey tomorrow but it may finally be getting close.

Lilly Update

We are officially in IBESR!!! Our # is 15041!!!! IBESR is the haitian government office that signs off on the papperwork. Once thru this Lilly Will get her new birth certificate!1 It will list Brandon and I as her parents!! It will also say Lillian Chrystelle Rain Smith. Yeah!!! Audrey said that Marie expects her file to be out in 10-15 days. The doctor wrote letters, as did we to expedite her file so we just are praying it works. Then we will either get a medical visa or a regular visa whichever comes first. I am hoping we can pick her up in 3 to 4 weeks at the most. She is still in the hospital and will remain there until we can get her home. But Marie said she is doing better. Keep praying everyone.
Heidi

updates

Not much news here. We are waiting to hear if Lilly will be expedited or not. There are a couple children going home to there forever families this week at Lilly's Orphanage. Congratulations everyone!! It is so nice to see them finally going home. We did get some new pictures of her. I will try to post them soon. She looks good in them. This has made the director quite busy though so we have not gotten anywhere this week. Audrey from the agency we are adopting Lilly thru is going to Haiti next wednesday so I hope to hear more then.
Nothing new in China. We are still not expecting to travel at this rate until next summer. It is all this way for a reason though. I have a feeling Lilly may require some spoiling upon her arrival.

We are out of REVIEW!!!!

We just heard that we are out of the review room in China!!!! This is a huge relief. One step closer to Rory. Basically it means that China has reviewed our Dossier and sees us fit to be parents. Yahoo!!!! This actually makes me feel a little better.

Also in other news Princess Lilly has a chariot!! My mom and sister surprised me with a new stroller. It is pink and grey and only weight 12 pounds, just like Lilly!! It is perfect for travel. I can't wait until it arrives. I love it. Thanks Mom and Katie!!

And finally yesterday we got a new family member. A new baby kitten. Brandon says she is a worker. She will take care of our fall mouse problem...it has not started this year yet. She is a caloco tabby mix. We are trying to decide on a name. We are probably going to go with Minnie. She is very fiesty and is quite funny to watch. She definatly keeps me occupied.
Wishing everyone ahappy labor day.
Heidi

Fever is gone!!

We just heard thday that Lilly is out of the hospital...and has no fever right now. (Thanks Steph!!!) Hopefully the paperwork is speeding along. But as you know...its tough to get information out of Haiti.


Brandon

Update

Well China did a whole 9 days of refferals this month at this rate Lilly will be three when she meets her sister. I am sure God has a plan here but I cannot help but be frustrated with China. Don't they care about those babies???
Lilly is still at the Orphanage. She has had a fever off and on and so they are doing more tests. We need them to help with expediting her paperwork. She really just needs to be home. How much more testing can that little body handle? We were told that the director would have more information on Monday.
Meanwhile Brandon and I have cashed in some Frequent flier miles and some DVC points and booked a trip to WDW with my family for christmas. I am obsesively planning trying to ocupy my time. We heard yesterday that Alexei will be able to join us for part of it. We are hoping that she will be able to meet Lilly for the first time on the trip. Please please please let that baby be home by then. I really feel that once she is home she will get better quick. So if she can be home by November then she should be fine. Anyway this is what I keep telling myself.

Lilly update

We got news today that they are expediting our file in Haiti. This is great news however it is Haiti. So the director of the orphanage thinks that she will be home sometime in November or December. We just need to pray that Lilly can hold on that long. She is having a sonogram of her stomach tomorrow. I will let everyone know when we hear something.

Getting our girls

Hi everyone...

We learned today that Lilly has Botulism...which is contracted from the Clostriedium bacteria. Does anyone have experience with infant botulism?? If so...please let us know...or email me privately at brandon.smith@noaa.gov

Thank you!!!

News

I got a message from the family network today. Audrey there told me good and bad news. First Lilly has a bacterial infection in her stomach.could be anywhere from a week to 6 months in Haiti time. Audrey wanted to make sure we were prepared. HAHAHA Obviously we want her home tomorrow. We need to get her to her pediatrician and get her on some good medicine. I will be sure to keep everyone updated. This caused her to have a fever again. She went to the doctor yesterday. They said that she does not need to go back today. The good news is that because of this they are trying to get her paperwork expedited so she can come home as soon as possible. That Please pray that she can come home soon.
Heidi

Dossier in Haiti

We got confermation last Friday that our Dossier made in safely to Haiti. Now we wait to get into IBESR. that then takes about 4 to 10 months. Yes I know that is a long time. At that point Lilly will legally be ours!!! After that we wait for her visa. usually a month or so. As we know Haiti is not the fastest place on the planet. We could use alot of prayer that the process goes smoothly and is on the shorter end. Basically we could have Lilly home anywhere from 6 months to a year. I hate the thought of it taking a year.
China still has nothing to report. We are waiting to see the next batch or 2 of refferals to decide if we are going to join my sister and my parents at Disneyworld in Dec. I am about ready to just book it. I really don't feel that we will have Rory by the end of the year. There are always those rumors that they are speeding up though. I'll believe it when I see it.
Heidi

Dossier

We have turned in our complete Dossier for Lilly today!!! Now we have to wait. Hopefully it will be on the short side.