The wait continues...

     While I can completely understand the frustration and despair that many international adoptive families face as they await their prospective match. There are many loving and caring families anticipating children who are living in orphanages and due to the challenges with the governmental agencies and political unrest, the process is painfully slow. We have been relatively lucky in our process as we are what the agencies deem to be ‘youthfully challenged’. Many international adoptions have strict limits as to the upper age range at which parents are able to adopt children. It is completely reasonable for the agencies and the home country’s ministries to ensure that the age gap between parents and adoptive children is not extremely significant, however, many families are energetic and active and able to care for children of a younger age. Due to our ‘increased age,’ we have had the huge opportunity to have our agency advocate for us to receive a referral in an accelerated timeline. I suppose that if we are going to be seen as ‘old’, I’ll take the few perks that come along with it.

     As a result, we have been in contact with TDH’s Executive Director on a monthly basis to keep up to date on the process of our dossier. Kenn’s email on June 1st was not responded to which left us feeling discouraged and disappointed. When he messaged her again on the 12th of June she immediately answered back with a phone call. It appears that Kaleb, the staff person representing us in Haiti, has been notified that he will be presenting IBESR with a proposal for us on Friday,   This implies that we should be receiving the name, ages, and gender of our two children by Wednesday, June 20th. This is by no means an end to our process, simply a path forward on our very long journey.  Hoping for good news to share soon...
June 15th!

Our Story Begins...

     Somewhere in the back of my mind I always knew that we would adopt.  We didn't focus on this in our life, nor did we discuss it at length, but when the thought is continually placed in your mind, you begin to take notice.     
     Kenn has always known that he was adopted and that it was a successful experience in his life.  He had a loving and caring family growing up and several years ago we searched for, and located his birth family (another amazing and loving family) which only added to his amazing life story. 
     Over the Christmas holidays, Kenn began a contract working with Craig and Mark Kielberger.  Their Me to We organization made it a practice to send their employees to visit the countries they assist to see their aid in action.  Kenn and I joked that I would not be able to participate in one of these trips as I would return with little people in my back pack.  I could not see myself visiting a country and seeing so many people in need and not being able to help them achieve a better life.  Sadly, this trip for our family was not meant to be, however it placed a bigger thought in my mind - how to help those in the world who are unable to help themselves.   

      As parents, we have always tried to instil in our children a few key values - family, on-going learning, and giving back.  We have shown them that family is forever and that learning is a life long activity, whether it is in school or through daily life experiences.  Additionally, we have taught and modelled for them to help others not only through financial donations but through giving of your time and service.  We have volunteered with various organizations, helped with environmental activities and raised service dogs for children with Autism.  So, when we were faced with the idea of adopting a child from a poverty stricken country, we felt that this was another opportunity we could help others.
       We did struggle with the notion of being able to successfully raise a child with a different cultural and ethnic background, yet again however life stepped in and showed us many relationships which were flourishing and offered us the confidence that we could do so effectively.  Further, we decided to adopt a sibling group (two brothers, two sisters or one boy and one girl) which we felt would make the transition to a new country and family easier and allow them to remain together. 
      So...why Haiti? Well, we know we wanted to be able to help those in greatest need and the initial areas which we researched were Kenya, Haiti and India.  Sadly however the requirements each country had set in place were often out of reach.  Kenya required one of the parents to live in the country for 6 months before the adoption could be completed and India was placing a preference for people of Indian descent or overseas Indian citizens.  Our next option was Haiti - the poorest country in the western hemisphere and we fit all of their requirements (age, married status, and two less lengthy trips to Haiti to facilitate the adoption).  Finally, once we saw the little faces of the children awaiting adoption, we were sold.  We made the decision and haven't second guessed it since. 
      We have begun to assemble the many, many pieces of our dossier and have completed our Home Study and PRIDE training.  We are currently awaiting our final family photos so that we can assemble all of the pieces which we were to complete and send them off to TDH.  Our Home Study should be in the hands of the Ministry of Child and Youth Services by July 1st where we hope to be deemed an 'adoption ready family' who is seeking the adoption of 2 sibling children ages 2-12 of any gender (possibly twins).  Hopefully this approval will be received in the next 4 to 6 weeks and then we send our dossier to Haiti to be matched with our children.
      Fingers crossed that we work quickly through the system and have our new children on their way home soon.