Thank you Melissa!!

Melissa was in Haiti picking up her kids - (check out her blog it's pretty awesome) and was awesome enough to take the time to get these photos for us of Kobe - he is so handsome and is with his favorite auntie Elta - She really really loves him - and I'm pretty sure he loves her too. She's great and I'm so glad someone in Haiti loves on him while I'm not there. Isn't Elta beautiful?

Enjoy these great photos - Thanks SO much Melissa!

News from Haiti!!

Just as I suspected Lou likes M&M's now! Here is what I heard today - Thank you BETH!!

He eats the M&Ms!!! SO CUTE! Asa went to sleep so I had some time to sit with him alone so he could have his treat. He did NOT want to come with me at all until he saw the trail mix.

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!

Live from Haiti (THANKS APRIL)...

Kristi: Baby Lou is still the fattest kid here! He is so
cute and we captured some cute photos of him! His head is shaved pretty clean and he looks very cute!

It's funny how the smallest things make you so happy when your baby is so far away.

On it's way to Haiti...

...is this great poster to hang above Little Lou's bed!

How Sweet It Is....

I forgot that I recorded a giggling baby boy on my cell phone in Haiti. At the time I didn't think it worked because it was so quiet and I couldn't really hear it. Well today I was messing around seeing if I could email a picture from my cell phone and decided to include the little giggle clip and IT WORKED!!! I won't include it because it's only something that a mom and grandma and of course an Auntie Kerry could truly enjoy but I have had about 4 seconds of pure bliss tonight over and over. It reminded me that somebody in Haiti loves me. Every once in awhile it hits me like a ton of bricks that files are flying out of IBESR and mine is still sitting on that big heavy desk being reviewed and checked for any little un-dotted "i" or un-crossed "t" and so when that happens I'm just going to pull out my handy little giggle clip and remember to smile.

Thank you!!!! Thank You!!!!!

Thank you very much!!

The Box donation drive was a HUGE success! Thank you so much for those of you who generously participated -- the deadline to ship is tomorrow and as of right this very moment 288 boxes have been committed. WOW!! Doing a little bit of quick math that is at a bare minimum - 576 cans of formula, several months supply for our creche. Not only formula but tons of fruits, veggies, peanut butter, beans, tuna fish, rice....the stuff we all take for granted every single day. In Haiti it's not as simple as popping into the grocery store on the way home and picking up some fried chicken.

Just in case more boxes roll in check out the live count HERE!!!!

Finally the end of Thursday

I know you have all been on pins and needles waiting for this post. Haha! To be totally honest I never actually intended on finishing Thursday. But here it is:

So like I said Kobe learned out to kiss me. It's obvious he hadn't been smooched on a whole lot because he really didn't get what I was wanting from him but once he figured it out all I had to say was "Bezou Bezou" and he would open his mouth wide and give me the most adorably disgusting slobber kiss right on the lips. I can honestly say I really felt like a mommy at that moment - it brings tears to my eyes thinking about it. I enjoyed his sweet kisses so much.

After Mommy Duncan's yummy lunch we just hung out and enjoyed playing at the creche. We played a little soccer, tossed Kobe around, and chased him.

Then it came time for sweet Little Lou to say goodnight - we decided since we were leaving so early in the morning to let him sleep in the toddler room with his friends.

Then with a lot of tears from both us and him we had to say good bye - or goodnight - I don't think I ever managed good bye. The auntie in his room was crying with us. He attached to us so well and it was so hard to say goodnight knowing we wouldn't see him in the morning.

So anyway that's the end - we said good night. And we told him we would be back - the hardest part is I don't know how much a one year old can understand and I don't want him to be confused by us visiting and leaving him.

We left early Friday morning and I considered going to say good bye but I knew I couldn't handle it and I didn't want him to be confused all over again, the night before was hard enough on all of us.

We arrived in Miami and stayed for a couple of days and enjoyed some time alone to relax and unwind. It was wonderful and helped ease our minds.

No news is good news, right???

Sometimes. In our case no news is annoying. We received our June update today but it was done before our visit was over so it said his adoptive parents havn't visited yet - well we were just there. So I guess we'll have to wait until our July report to see what they say about our visit. In the mean time I'll leave his cute mug for you to stare at...

Your help is needed.....

Our orphanage Crèche de l'Enfant Jèsus has teamed up with "Soles United" (www.solesunited.com) and YéleHaiti, Wyclef's foundation (www.yele.org) to deliver 10,000 pairs of Crocs to Haiti. The exciting part is that they have space on the plane to take 2500 pounds of food to OUR children - MY CHILD will benefit from this. All this food is going to our creche. So that's why I need your help!

We want to fill 200 flat rate postage boxes and get them to the creche. We have short notice on this project so please please take the time to get just one box from the post office and fill it with the supplies listed on the flyer. (Click to make it larger) If you are unable to get Kirkland brand formula from Costco you may substitute Enfamil Lipil with Iron. It will cost around $50 total for the items in the box and shipping. Please if you are able to help in this way it would be so appreciated.

As you may have read in the news there is a major food shortage in Haiti so we (the families of the children at our creche) are trying to stockpile the food for our kid so that if something should happen and we cannot get food to them for a month or two there will be a reserve.
Click on the flyer to get a list of food items for the box and the address to send it to. If you would like to see how we are doing with our 200 box count check out: http://chances4childrendonations.blogspot.com/ where our favorite C4C Mom/Volunteer is keeping a countdown of boxes needed. If you do decided to participate in our box drive please email her at the address on the flyer.

Kobe Loudince 101

Since I still can’t bring myself to finish my Thursday post I want to tell you a little about Kobe. Mostly things I don't ever want to forget.

1) He loves peanuts and raisins from Kirkland Trail Mix
2) He HATES M&M's from Kirkland Trail Mix
3) He loves fruit leather
4) He was so scared and confused at first but I kept telling him it was ok. I was overwhelmed too.
5) He would stifle his giggle so it came out all throaty and deep then all the sudden the most adorable rolling belly giggle would burst out of him.
6) He has sass and attitude and I love it. (Note to self: remember to love it when he's a teenager.)
7) He had a look of sheer delight when I would "find" him hiding behind the chair.
8) His squeaky "HI" whenever he would catch me watching him.
9) He decided he needed a nap and so he put his head down on the tile floor and went to sleep. While we were playing.
10) He thought his mom was a complete nut covering his hands and feet in paint. But mostly he just really wanted to lick it off.
11) He licked everything.
12) When he still wasn't too sure about me he would roll his eyes and put his chin to his chest and look up at me with only his eyeballs.
13) He loved playing with the older kids, does not enjoy being told what to do, and really is a "big chief" around the creche.