Still in Haiti

Hello, we are still in Haiti! I think some people were confused about this. Brandon will be going home on Monday. He has to go to Texas for an interview with NASA! How cool is that. He is very excited about hes private tour of Mission Control. Sorry Katie. If he gets the job we can go too! Lilly and I will stay in Haiti. We have gotten everything wrapped up, Even have a Visa apt for Wednesday. However we still have NO PASSPORT!!! The lady at the US embassy is so nice she said that if Wednesday comes and we are still waiting for the passport to call her and we can go the next day or whenever we recieve it. How frustrating! Everything in Haiti has been good. We are really bored though. Last weekend we went to the market on Saturday and then on Sunday we went to the beach! It was alot like going to Labadee, beautiful. We even had lobster, FREE, this lovely family was there and we were slightly drooling over it, ok maybe more that slightly. Anyway I asked where they bought it and they said on the beach. Then they filled up 2 plate fulls and gave us some. Unbelievable! I would love to go back but it is pretty rare that we even went once. That ios all for not. Hopefully I will be in Tampa on Wednesday or Thursday. Grandma make sure the washing machine is empty. Miss everyone.
Heidi

Hello from Haiti

We just want to let everyone know we are here and with Lilly. We are doing fine, though Brandon is a bit sick of playing cards. Lilly is great, she can roll over and she laughs all the time. We have had her with us since we got here. We are hoping to be home on the 23rd. We cannot post pictures because we forgot the cord. We will put some up as soon as we can. We miss everyone. Heidi

Last post before we leave

Well next time I post we will be in Haiti with Lilly. Hopefully moving along on the final papers (VISA). I cannot express my emotions today. In a few hours the long wait to have my family together will be 1 step closer. To top things off today China did refferals thru Sept. 27, 2005. There is only a month of refferaly until it is our turn. It will probably be 2 or 3 months until we see Rory but soon we will all be together. In 6 months we can bring Alexei out and all of us will finally be together.

Happy New Year!

I just wanted to say Happy New Year to everyone. I will be leaving for Florida in 3 days and 4 hours! Then on to Haiti to get Lilly. This will be Brandons first time seeing his baby girl. I will try to update the blog as often as possible. I do not know when we will be home to Utah. We are hoping in two weeks. This is my favorite picture of Lilly so I thought I would share it. I hope everyone has a safe and blessed 2007.

Heidi

9 more days!

Only 9 more days until we get our little Princess! I am getting very excited. Look at how her hair is growing! Soon I will need to know how to braid it. She does look a bit healthier too.

Going to get Lilly!!

The time has finally come. We will be traveling on January 4, 2007 to Haiti to pick up Princess Lilly. We should be there for 2-3 weeks and then she will come home with us. I am very excited to finally be reunited with my daughter. Finally, we will be together.

1 more

New pictures of Lilly

These pictures were taken by another mom who was in Haiti last week. Soon we will be with her. They are saying the end of this month!

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.