I made my first trip to Haiti in 1998. Fell in love with my first orphan in 2000. Started a non-profit to help Haiti in 2003 and started taking teams down on short-term mission trips soon after. I fell in love with Wanna and Fritzon (and a lot of others in the same orphanage) in March of 2010 and had to wait over 2 years to start the adoption process due to the laws of Haiti and a process that is always changing. Our documents were finally submitted and accepted in the fall of 2012 and are currently moving through the court system. We are quickly (hopefully) approaching the end of our adoption. This is my blog to talk about all things related to our adoption and any thing else I think is relevant to it. Enjoy!

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Friday, April 5, 2013

Wanna and Fritzon Grimes

Adoption Decree = Wanna and Fritzon Grimes.....

Yes, they are legally ours, in Haiti. Now to get them through Immigration so they can come home. It's not an overnight thing... and what should take 6-8 weeks could (and has for some) taken 6-8 months. 

A friend of mine at the end of her adoption journey posted this on my FB wall and I'm pasting it here to help you understand what I mean above:  
    "We received our adoption decree in September of last year ... Was always told everything is fine/great with our and his dossier ... never had any red flags that I'm aware. Things looked so good that we were told he should be home by Christmas ... now i "know" Haiti, and knew better than to count on that and even told myself and others, who were always asking me "when will he be here?"..."don't count on it, but it's a possibility, only a possibility he will be home for Christmas." My head knew this but my heart (which I have no control over evidently WAS counting on it and it was crushed ... his Christmas gifts that were under the tree, are now on his bed, waiting for him ... he just turned 13 April 1st ... I've loved him for over 2 years now.
We just received his passport (after it went back to be "corrected". which took 4 weeks just for that) last week. I am confident our crèche and agency has worked diligently and has done everything they know how to, to get our son home ASAP ... not to mention they've been like Jesus to him :0)
I hear your "head" knowing to be truth that when you say "what should take 6-8 weeks has taken some 6-8 months" ... prepare your heart, sweet friend ... If that is at all possible :0"


I honestly don't want to prepare my heart.  I want to just believe we are the exception and that there will be no hold-ups and that we will be one of those miracle cases that flies right though.  I think that and know it's probably not a reality.  I also know that it would be devastating for so many families who are STUCK to see that happen, to watch another family unite, while they continue to wait.  I am continuously reminded that adopting from Haiti isn't a fair race and it doesn't matter how fast or hard you can run, it's a team race and you are partnered with a "handicapped" player.  I'm talking about a player that probably doesn't want to run.  One who forgets they are running a race or forgets that you're their partner and walks away to team up with someone else.  There are also partners who will stop and start walking the other way demanding money to get them to turn around and do what they signed up to do. No, definitely not fair.  

So those are the thoughts that go through my head as I try to focus on the reality of having the adoption decree.  I think I'm still in shock as I realize that our kids are really ours. I've been too worried about the process, the issues that could come up, the bill and other behind the scenes things to really just sit and celebrate but that's what I'm going to do now.  I want to feel the excitement of knowing that this 3 year journey is almost over and that the kids God put in our lives are actually a part of our family. Please pray for us, this process and our documents. I have watched them grow up so much. I'm ready to have them home...we all are.

Sooooo.......Wanna and Fritzon are my kids!!!!! I am their mom!!!! AAAAHHHHH... Been waiting for this day for so long.... Okay... going to cry now!



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