The Story Of Our Family

Memories...

2012-01-30T22:20:00.002-07:00

Dear Collin,

As I look back over the past two an a half years that we've known each other, there are a few days I can remember exactly what I was doing at any point in the day. This is one of those days. Two years ago today was a Saturday. Aunt Lolo and two of our other friends picked me up at 5:30 in the morning and we drove as fast as we could to the airport. We spent the whole day flying across the United States trying as hard as we could to get to Miami as fast as was humanly possible. Aunt Lolo slept, she'd earned it, she'd been awake pretty much 24/7 since the earthquake and after having done everything she possibly could to get you and Nate and all of your friends home to us, she'd finally given in to exhaustion. I was tired, but too nervous and too excited to sleep, so instead, I chatted with Natalie's daddy Matt while he prepared the English lesson he would have to teach in a few days.

I remember that my mind was moving faster than the airplane. I worried that you were scared or confused or that you'd sustained some sort of injury in the earthquake that no one was telling me about. Mostly I worried about what kind of mommy I would make for you. I knew from the moment I first held you in my arms that you were an amazing little boy and deserved the very best. I worried whether or not I'd be able to deliver on everything you deserved.

I remember thinking about the people that Heavenly Father put in our lives to make the miracle of you coming home possible. Aunt Lolo, who at the time, should seriously have run for public office. She had THOSE kinds of connections. (Who else has a Senator's office on speed dial?) Auntie Chareyl, who is quite literally an angel walking among us. I'll never know how she had the strength and the courage to do what she did. Uncle Brent and Scott who gave up two weeks of their lives and their health to go to Haiti and bring you home. And Harry. I don't know Harry very well, but I know what he lost that awful day of the earthquake, and even in the face of all that tragedy, he went looking for you. The people who'd never met you, but were willing to donate enough money to fuel a plane in one day. All of mommy's friends who called, emailed and showed up at our door, just to be there for me. I was in awe that I was a part of such a miracle. I still am.

Most of all I remember being humbled by the tender mercies of a Heavenly Father, who loved both of us enough to make sure that we found each other. Even in Haiti. I love you so much my little boy. I'm so proud of you. Of the person you already are, of the person you will become. Thank you for making my dream come true.

Love,
Mommy

Merry Christmas!

2012-01-28T21:26:00.003-07:00

Did you know that if you leave your camera sitting on a nearby table on Christmas Eve, Santa will take a picture before he leaves? True story.

This was our second Christmas together, and this year, Collin had a much better idea of what was about to happen. Or so he thought...

I call this Collin's "Wow that Santa knows me inside and out!" look... :)

Collin LOVES anything that allows him to jump in the air and throw a ball. Of course, Santa knew that. (And how to assemble it all alone, at midnight, on Christmas Eve. Just sayin'...)

And of course, it couldn't be any sort of a celebration with out our new friend Thomas adding a couple of more "friends" to his station. (Seriously, how many friends does a talking train have to have?)

And after all of the "projects" that went on at our house over the past year, Santa knew Collin had to have his own little workbench. Otherwise, he might fall behind in the home repairs.

And what is Christmas without a crazy snow hat and mittens? Especially if our favorite Grandma has stuffed money inside?

So far, I've only been reminded about 67 times since, that we have to be good so Santa will come down our chimney after we're asleep. (And after he builds us a chimney, cuz we don't actually HAVE one...) We hope your Christmas was filled with just as much joy and laughter!

Happy Birthday Collin!

2012-01-27T20:56:00.001-07:00

This year's birthday party started out as a Frosty the Snowman party, but somewhere around the second gift morphed into somewhat of a Thomas party. Should have seen that one coming. For those of you following along, I have 8 siblings. There are 5 girls and 4 boys in my family. All but two of them already have children. Which means, somewhere along the line I have purchased a toy that either lights up, plays music, talks, moves or in some other way annoys at a decibel far exceeding safe levels, that has wound up in each of their homes. This was apparently their year to get even.

Lights up and talks...

Moves and talks (mockingly I might add...)

Moves and WHISTLES.

Didn't say a word, but sure tasted good. For a blue dinosaur that had nothing to do with Frosty or Thomas, but Collin wanted it.

One very happy 4 year old who loves to play with all of them at once. Thank you family for making my house seem like a house full of children! Happy Birthday to my sweet baby boy! I know I lived my life before you, but I sure don't know how. I love you!

It Wasn't Thomas, But It Would Do

2012-01-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up, one of my favorite Christmas traditions was bundling up with my family (all 11 of us) and driving up to see the lights at Temple Square. A couple of months ago, Collin discovered Thomas the Tank Engine, and a love for all things "train" was born. Stay with me, I promise I'll bring the stories together and wrap them up with a cute little Christmas bow. One thing I learned growing up, was that I HATED downtown traffic. It seemed like the buildings were too tall, too close together and there were too many people trying to get to or away from them. This year, I found a way to bring my love of Christmas lights and Collin's love of trains together into a brand new family tradition. But first a nap was required for all prospective travelers...

Except for mommy, who spent nap time trying to figure out how to work the new camera. Then we picked up best friends, Aunt Lolo and Nate and went to dinner. I told Collin he could order whatever he wanted from the kids menu...

He chose pancakes and french fries. Looks fabulous doesn't it? Then it was off to the train station to catch a ride on our very first train. (Okay, really, it's light rail, but looks like a train, it runs on a track, it's a train to us!)

They were so excited!

I don't know what this face is, but I promise he was having fun!

When we got to Temple Square, Collin was more excited that he got to ride the train again to get home than he was to see the lights, but he did indulge me a few pictures. Aside from the train breaking down three times on our return trip, causing one near potty disaster, (Yay! for mommy carrying a pull-up in her bag!) I think I like this new tradition. We may give it a whirl again next year.

Shiver Me Timbers!

2012-01-04T21:58:00.000-07:00

Well, we're a little behind in posting, but I didn't want to skip Halloween. As soon as you see his costume, you'll understand why. This was Collin's first Trunk or Treat experience. I'm not sure who came up with this idea, but I've decided they are BRILLIANT!

Wandering up on side of a parking lot and down the other and ending up with a bag of candy? Sheer genius!

Doing it with your best friend? Priceless!

Pretending to take off your best friend's head with your fake plastic sword? Well, it was Halloween after all...

Bob the Builder? Amateur!

2012-01-03T12:12:00.000-07:00

I apparently forgot to post this one...

This is how Collin builds a cabinet.

Step #1 - Line all of the screws end to end

(Uncle Jed apparently still needs directions...)

Step #2 - Smile patiently while Mommy takes yet another picture

Step #3 - Instruct Uncle Jed on the "proper" way to hold a hammer

Step #4 - Repeat until they get it right

And wouldn't you know it, all of Mommy's picture taking DIDN'T include one of the finished product. Oh well, it's standing up in our garage.

The Fanny Dunker

2011-10-15T12:00:00.000-06:00

Water adventure number two at Bear Lake, came courtesy of this little beauty. This little two man sailboat belongs to a friend of Grandma Great's. It's called The Peanut, but while I was growing up, we knew it as the Fanny Dunker. It's a name well earned. At one point or another, this boat was responsible (okay it could have been the owner) for "dunking" me and each of my siblings into the chilly waters of Bear Lake.

Uncle Matt was more than happy to take a very eager Collin for a ride and I agreed, after making him promise me that Collin would go dunk-free.

Leaving him alone in the boat? Yeah, that's off to a great start...

But in the end, Collin's fanny remained relatively dry and I now have a budding sailor on my hands.

Kyaking - Who Knew?

2011-10-10T11:55:00.000-06:00

On our second day in Bear Lake, we were up bright and early (and I do mean early) Saturday morning, ready to hit the beach. Well, in this case, rocks. The water level was up so high this year, the beach disappeared. At first I was a little worried that Collin wouldn't have anything to do all day with all the sand gone, (yeah, I don't know why I worried about it either...) when in swooped Uncle's Nate and Matt with various water toys.

First up was Uncle Matt's kayak. Matt was a little busy setting up a sailboat, so of course, Collin turned his big pleading brown eyes to Uncle Jed who talks a big game, really never says no. Collin was so excited to go, and so afraid he'd miss his turn, that he promptly ran over to it, jumped in and waited "patiently" while Uncle Jed put the oar together.

Once that pesky little task was out of the way, they were off to the water. It took a little talking to convince Collin that Jed actually had to be in the kayak WITH him. He was convinced he could do it himself.

Okay, it took a LOT of talking, and finally, mommy picking him up and moving him.

But then, they were off! I lost count officially, but I'm pretty sure Collin rode in that kayak at least 11 times. Who needs sand??

Let Me Do That For You

2011-10-05T20:42:00.000-06:00

This summer found us at Grandma Great's cabin in Bear Lake for a weekend. This time we were there with a BUNCH of family. The first, night, I was having trouble convincing a very sleepy, but very STUBBORN Collin that it was time to brush his teeth and get ready for bed. Enter the ever so patient (and apparently not afraid of a little pain) Melyssa, who volunteered to let Collin brush her teeth first.

Now THAT friends, is true devotion! (And she's pretty darn cute too, isn't she?)

Thanks Missy! I'm not sure even I would have let him put me through that!

Sleep Well Old Friend

2011-09-18T13:07:00.003-06:00

This last week, we lost our friend Tucker.

We didn't know he was sick, but apparently he was REALLY sick. Although there were times he made me absolutely CRAZY, I'll miss him. He's been one constant in an ever changing world for me for the last six years. He and Collin got off to a pretty rocky start but, before long, became the typical "boy and his dog" with all it entails.

So long old friend, I'm glad you're not hurting anymore. Thanks for being our friend, companion and pseudo-guard dog. Oh, and if there's a garbage can in Heaven that someone thinks they've locked up tight, I'm sure you're enjoying the opportunity to prove them wrong. We love you Tucker and we'll miss you!

I Thought We Went To The Same Place...

2011-08-31T11:31:00.000-06:00

I know I drove the car. He was holding my hand when we walked through the door. So how is it we managed to have two TOTALLY different visits in the same office? Let's review shall we? Collin rode on a magic space ship. I sat in the dentist's chair.

Collin got his teeth counted. I got the "scraper of DEATH" (okay, I might be whining just a little bit, but have I mentioned I'm not good with pain in my mouth?)

Collin got to teach the sweet hygienist how to brush her teeth. I got told I had a cavity. (I haven't been to the dentist in about 12 years, so I don't know why that news surprised me...)

Collin got to play with water pick and hear how the drill worked. Me? Yeah, I got the practical application.

Collin got handed a toy when we left. I got handed the bill. Collin said "that was fun, can we go back tomorrow?" I just bit my the inside of my still numb cheek and smiled.

Look Out World, He's On Two Wheels!

2011-08-05T21:01:00.000-06:00

A while back Collin's friend Zaden learned to ride his bike without training wheels. He was so excited, he came across the street to show Collin. Collin, being the ever adventurous soul that he is, asked if he could try. I tried to explain that it only had two wheels and he would fall down, but he insisted he could do it. I finally gave in, thinking he would fall over once, decide that it hurt and go back to the relative (and I do mean relative) safety of his scooter. He hopped on, and in true jaw dropping Collin form, proceeded to ride the bike up the street. Oh boy. The two things he couldn't do? Turn and stop. Kind of important skills to have in the bike riding department, so while he practiced on Zaden's bike, he got the opportunity to "earn" a bike of his own.

The challenge was to listen to mommy and to sleep in his own bed for two weeks straight. It seemed like a good idea at the time... :) He got a sticker to put on his calendar for every day he made it through. Two very long weeks and 37,492 "mommy, can I ride my bike now"'s later, and no I am not rounding up, we finally made it!

I'm not sure which one of us was more excited to see that last sticker go on, but the blessed day finally arrived! Unfortunately, mommy didn't have the right tools to take off the training wheels. Okay, let's be honest, mommy didn't have the slightest idea what the right tools WERE to take off the training wheels, let alone whether or not she had them.

So we had to make do for a little while until Zaden's daddy could come save the day and turn it into a Big Boy Bike.

Then off he went! Word of warning, he still can't stop, so if you happen to find yourself on the same sidewalk, you might want to dive for cover. No really.

Can't Help But Smile At This Crocodile

2011-07-27T20:11:00.005-06:00

This summer we started swimming lessons. The beginning class is called Guppies and is designed to help new swimmers get comfortable with the water. Collin LOVES being wet so I didn't think we would have any issues. You'd think by now I'd learn... Day one, three kids in the class, the teacher is taking each one for a "swim", the other two are supposed to sit on the first step in the pool and wait their turn. Easy enough right? Collin went first...

And I'm pretty sure that's where we lost control...

While it was Easton's turn, Collin decided it was too cold to wait on the top step and spent the rest of the class like this:

On the upside, he did learn some new skills, like crawling along the side of the pool,

and holding his breath under water, which he is disturbingly good at,

DISTURBINGLY good at...

But his all time fav? Doing the back float with his teacher Spencer.

Thirty more seconds and I'm pretty sure he would have been asleep!

If You Chance To Meet A Frown

2011-07-12T13:59:00.002-06:00

The other day, Collin had a play date with Nate, and of course, as cute as they both are, Lori couldn't resist staging an impromptu photo shoot. The next day, I was having really tough day at work. That afternoon I got an email from her, the subject line said "You're Welcome". When I opened it, I found this:

Little boy, you can make me giggle through just about anything! (Thanks Lolo!)

Now Why Didn't I Think Of That?

2011-07-07T08:39:00.000-06:00

The other night, we were treated to a pretty impressive thunder and lightening storm. I'd put Collin to bed already and was watching the storm from the front window of my house. I noticed a several of the neighbors outside watching from the relative "dryness" of their covered porches, which, incidentally, I don't have. But porch or no porch, it looked like fun. So I grabbed a still wide awake Collin, blanket and all, and headed to...the garage (I'm not completely insane, it was lightening for crying out loud). We cuddled together in a camp chair and watched the rain come down.

I was trying not to get all teary eyed with visions of all the flowers I'd just planted floating down the street, when a very bright, very close bolt of lightening got my immediate attention. Collin is still not a big fan of loud noises, and figuring lightening that close was going to be accompanied by a VERY LOUD clap of thunder, I was already gathering up my sleepy baby, and the Mickey Mouse blankie in an effort to get inside before "it" hit. That is, until Collin looked up at me with a big grin on his face and said "Yook mommy, the 'under is taking our picture, say cheese!".

Now I've heard thunder and lightening described to little ones in several ways, angels bowling, angels having a square dance (yeah, I don't really get it either...), the lightening asking a question and the thunder answering, but a Celestial photo-shoot? Only in the eyes of one hilarious baby boy.

And for the record? We did spend the next few minutes "posing" for the camera, and I'll bet the next time you see lightening, somewhere in the back of your mind, you will too! :)

They're Gonna Sell Me To The Gypsies...

2011-06-29T15:53:00.000-06:00

I used to think that no one wanted me to be married and Collin to have a father more than me. After this weekend, I think I come in a VERY distant third. This is the weekend that I became the most hated woman in my family (well, at least for about 7 hours of it anyway). I had innocently asked Grandpa and Uncle Jed if they would be willing to put the swing set, that I had been saving all winter for, together for Collin. When I told them it just had 3 swings, a slide and monkey bars, they quickly agreed. I might have forgotten to mention the playhouse they all attached to. And the fact that there was "some assembly required".

And the fact that it all came stuffed into two very LARGE and heavy boxes.

Did I mention there was a lot of lumber involved?
They called in for some "reinforcements". The bigger ones were on their way, but Collin was willing to step in until they got there.

Once they arrived, Grandpa and Collin decided to "take a break" and mow the lawn. Between you and me, I think it was to stay out of range of the tools Jed was about to start throwing.

But eventually, they all got back to work.

Isn't he cute?

And soon, there was a playhouse.

And a slide, well sort of.

And then swings.

Collin was so excited to try out the slide that he wouldn't wait for it to actually be ATTACHED to the playhouse. Some people use bolts to secure the slide in place. Collin uses Uncle Matt. All in all, it took 7 hours, 2 very large buckets of chicken, 3 Mountain Dew's, and 1 and 1/2 Pepsi's, but finally it was finished. And I forgot to take a picture... Oh well. Thanks family for all the time and the laughs. And I promise to wait a few weeks before I tell you that it's blocking a sprinkler and we have to move it a little to the left. Yes, Jed, I know you told me that to begin with...

Does It Get Any Better Than This?

2011-06-24T15:26:00.004-06:00

Dear Collin,

Sometimes I think of the little boy I first met in Haiti two years and I think of how precarious your situation was at the time. Then I look at pictures like this and it takes my breath away.

I stand all amazed at how Heavenly Father brought us together.

And I'm humbled that He trusted me enough to be your mom.

See that light in mommy's eyes? You're the one who put it there.
I love you my sweet son!

A Hunting We Will Go

2011-06-21T14:59:00.000-06:00

This was our second Easter together. This year, the Easter Bunny decided to branch out a littele and try an Easter Egg hunt.

Clearly should have thought that through a little better, since all Collin noticed was the scooter...

But I never get tired of this face.

When we finally got around to hunting for eggs, I tried to tell Collin that the Easter Bunny left some eggs behind and that we had to find them and clean them up. He looked at me and with his best "exasperated parent" voice, shook his head and said "Why he do that?" At first he wasn't too excited about cleaning up somebody elses mess...(Naughty Easter Bunny)

But eventually, he got the hang of it.

Happy Easter Baby Boy! Next year I'll be sure to have a talk with that messy Easter Bunny.

Round Two...We're Getting Good At This

2011-06-18T13:30:00.005-06:00

After we colored eggs at our house, we headed over to Grandma's house. This time, we had friends. (Aren't they cute?)

This was Collin's first taste of hard boiled eggs. I wasn't sure what would happen when he tried it, but I had to watch... Here's how Collin eats an Easter egg. First we lick it...

Then the tentative first bite. Hey that's not too bad!

Until you get to the yolk anyway.. "Hey mom, sumtin's in there..."
I tried to tell him it was yummy. I was, apparently, not too convincing...

I'm pretty sure that was the end of the taste testing. On a side note, we usually go through at least a roll of paper towels when we do this as a family. 19 grandchildren can get a little messy. This year, Aunt Jess had a stroke of genius and instead, put each of the kids in a white t-shirt and told them to wipe their messes on their shirts and see who's would be most colorful at the end. They didn't quite believe they were ALLOWED to make a mess on themselves so we had to give them a little hand...

That's grandma, mommy and a pregnant Aunt Jess "coloring" a shirt rather than the eggs. We might possibly have gotten a little carried away...

Oh well, the shirts turned out darling, and so did the eggs, later, when we got back around to coloring them.

Easter Time!

2011-06-04T22:10:00.000-06:00

We've been quiet for awhile. Mom's had to work. A lot. But always in the back of my mind is that little voice reminding me that I have many a blog post awaiting publication. Time to quiet at least one of the voices in my head.

This year was Collin's second Easter at home. Time to start some family traditions don't you think? First up was the coloring the eggs. Collin was anxious to help. And I mean REALLY anxious to help.

I don't think I've ever been more grateful for dark colored counter tops!

Anybody else think he's about to launch this puppy?
The finished product:

I know, there's only nine. One rolled to an untimely demise off the counter (not the one Collin tried to launch) Not sure what happened to the other two. Hmm...

Sleep Walking?

2011-05-31T22:01:00.002-06:00

One night, I asked Collin to hang the phone up right before I put him to bed. This is what happened...

Maybe he was confused? Or maybe he was completely exhausted. Either way, it made me laugh. Quietly. I did manage to stop him just before he tried to drink the phone. Sweet dreams little one!

Hey, Look What We Got!

2011-04-27T22:13:00.000-06:00

Okay, really it came addressed to Collin, but I'm taking the credit, since I did all the work. All he did was stand that and make that adorable face. :)

You know, for something that has totally consumed the last two and a half months of my life, I expected it to be a little, I don't know...greener. Ah well, one more step down. On to a social security number!

What Goes Up

2011-04-20T08:03:00.000-06:00

After a VERY long day of weekend errand running, I remembered that I had to stop by our local party supply store to pick up a few things. Collin usually loves it when we go to this particular store. Why you ask? Because the always give him a balloon.

This time, our cashier extraordinaire, didn't just stop at the typical "what's your favorite color?" that we're used to. This girl was determined to put a smile on the face of my, now completely exhausted and dangerously close to a public meltdown, little boy. Collin's entire face lit up when she asked "which do you like more, cowboys or pirates?" Game, set and match to you my new friend. If you've talked to Collin in the past few months, he's no doubt told you about his new favorite Disney Cartoon, Jake and the Never Land Pirates. Meltdown avoided.

When we got home, Collin played with his balloon for a little while, then let it go. It, of course, floated to the highest point of our vaulted ceiling.

Where it remains. To this day. Day 26, to be exact. But as they say, "what goes up, must come down" ...at some point, right? Right?

Round and Round We Go

2011-04-13T21:06:00.009-06:00

It all started with a conference call. A conference call with instructions on how to obtain a green card for my son (and the other 1000+ children who were evacuated out of Haiti on Humanitarian Parole after the earthquake). Here's what I learned: #1, If I wrote "Help Haiti Act" on one particular line of his application, we would be spared the hassle of having to obtain evidence of Collin's original citizenship and #2, A WHOLE lot of parents are planning vacations abroad in the near future (I'm not one them...*sigh*)

I filled out all the appropriate paperwork on Collin's behalf, including the questions that made me laugh out loud like, "Do you plan to commit espionage while in the United States?" or "Did you sympathize with the Nazi party in the 1930's?" When I came to the "applicant's signature" section of the form, I left it blank because, well, he's three. Thinking logically, or so I thought, I signed instead on the line that said "signature of person preparing form, if different from applicant". I thought that was me. I mailed the form and other required documents to our semi-local Citizenship and Immigration Department. And waited. But not for long. Ten days later, the whole kit-n-kaboodle was returned to me with a rejection notice that read "applicant has not signed form". And another *sigh*. To make a very long story short, we cleared up the application fiasco and a month later got a notice that Collin was due at another USCIS office for fingerprinting. Yep, fingerprinting. For my three-year old.

He was a little apprehensive at first, unti I assured him for the 47th time that no one was going to "poke" him. After that, he thought the big biometric scanning machine was cool. Until the agent showed him his biometric fingerprint and tried to tell him it was a picture of his finger. Then he looked at us both like we were completely crazy and asked if it was time to go home yet. Are you feeling my pain yet? No? Well then let me tell you about round three of the green card marathon. Last week, I got a letter that his application was no longer being processed because I needed to provide proof of his Haitian Citizenship. Say it with me now... *SIGH*

I admit, by this point I was getting a little snarky... My response, which of course had to be in writing, went something like this: "Dear Sirs, My son was a victim of the CATASTROPHIC earthquake that decimated an ENTIRE country. The building that housed Collin's birth certificate, if it existed to begin with, which I doubt, literally crumbled to the ground. Ergo, no bith certificate. Nada. Zilch. Zip." Okay, I may have edited it to sound less like a whiny teenager and more like a grown up before I sent it. But that's what I wanted to say. Stay tuned, I don't think our merry-go-round ride is quite over yet...

Handyman In Training

2011-03-22T09:07:00.000-06:00

Here's a helpful hint, in case you need it. If you can fill up the sink, release the drain, go to the kitchen, empty the dishwasher and make it back to the bathroom before it's completely drained...it's time to call a plumber. I don't have a plumber, but I do have Collin's uncle Jed.

And uncle Jed has a hanger. Uncle Jed knows everything about all sorts of stuff. Plumbing included. Collin wanted to help.

Did I mention that uncle Jed is incredibly patient?

I mean INCREDIBLY patient?

To be completely honest, I totally know how to clear out the drain myself, don't tell Jed. But seriously? Even I have to draw the line at pulling something that looks like a drowned mouse out of the drain. ICKY!!

It didn't seem to hold Collin's attention for long either. Go figure. Thanks for rescuing us yet again uncle Jed! We love you!

Happy Holidays...Or Something Like That

2011-02-15T09:12:00.004-07:00

This past weekend, Collin and I went to Grandma Great's to delivery a Valentine prize. The entire drive from our house to hers (about 40 minutes) we practiced saying "Happy Valentine's Day Grandma!" By the time we got there, he was getting pretty good at it. Or so I thought...

Until we walked through the front door of Grandma's house. She was so excited to see Collin and believe me, the feeling was mutual. I think it threw him off his game a little. Grandma and I both had to suppress a laugh when Collin jumped up and down and yelled excitedly "Happy Holiday's Grandma!!" Huh? I don't believe we were even saying Happy Holiday's at Christmas time.

If you happen to see Collin around Easter and he tells you "Happy Valentine's Day!", don't be too concerned, we're just catching up... Oh and by the way, this cookie is probably the reason he was literally bouncing off the walls for most of the night and didn't go to sleep until about 2 hours past his bedtime. Thanks for the Valentine fun Aunt Jessie!

Grandma Great

2011-02-11T20:35:00.002-07:00

This is Collin's Grandma Great (and Grandpa Great whom we miss terribly).

We love grandma. She's awfully spunky. Last year for Memorial Day, Grandma asked my sister and I to take some beautiful floral sprays to the graves of Grandpa Great, his mother and her parents. Grandma lost half of her foot a few years ago and it's hard for her to get around. We told her we'd be happy to, but I didn't know where Grandpa's mom was buried. She's been gone for a long time now and although I did go to her funeral, I've only been able to find the cemetery again once, and that was completely by accident and I had no idea where inside the cemetery Great Great Grandma was buried. Grandma said "No, problem, I'll draw you a map". Sounds like a great idea right?

Grandma wasn't home at the time we went to pick up the map, so she didn't get to hear Toria and I both laughing hysterically when we picked it up. If you look closely, the map has three little circles that are meant to represent pine trees. It says "pine, pine, pine...Grandma". Told you she was spunky! What we didn't know was that Grandma hadn't been to the cemetery in years either and three pines she thought were the "only" pines on the property, had now been joined by about 250 of their closest tree friends. I could be rounding up, but only slightly. It took just over an hour of walking up and down rows, flower spray and two year old, in arms, to find the right headstone. There may have been a happy dance or two when we finally found it. Now we'll never forget.

What Grandma didn't know was that Toria and I should never be trusted to deliver flowers unsupervised. The sprays were absolutely gorgeous when we picked them up. Then they were released into our care. On a hot Saturday. With a 2 year old in the back seat. And nothing to tie them down with. Oh the horror those flowers were forced to endure... (and me too, since I was the one cleaning it all out of the car for the next 2 weeks).

It might actually be a good thing Grandma couldn't get around well that year. And that she doesn't own a computer, so she can't read this blog...

Laundry Tales

2011-02-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

Wanna know what happens when you turn your back on a pile of clean laundry for 2 minutes?
Well, in our house, apparently there is an all consuming need to put on all of the clean socks...
And I do mean ALL of them...

Yeah, I think you're pretty funny too!

A Tale Of Three Meltdowns

2011-02-02T12:57:00.007-07:00

And boy were they doozie's! It all started when we found out that the Help Haiti Act the president signed required Collin to have a green card. In order to obtain a green card, we had to fill out a BUNCH of paperwork (with questions like Do you intend to commit espionage while in the United States?) be examined by a civil surgeon (not our regular MD which could have avoided meltdown #2) and of course, the dreaded TB test. So off to the Health Department we went. While Lori and I were busy doing this:

And trying to get SOMEONE at Immigration to decide whether or not the forms had to be filled out with French names or American names, the boys found ways to entertain themselves...

Yes, that's a tongue depressor Collin has in his mouth. I tried not to think about whether or not it was used as I was trying to wrestle it from his grasp.

Apparently, we left them to their own devices a little too long... Finally our name was called and Collin marched bravely back to the exam room for his TB test. The fact that he had no idea what was coming helped a bit. He was a brave little soldier and it only required mommy to hold him down while he got the shot. Unfortunately, Nate was outside the door and could hear the screams. Of course, I'm pretty sure people on the top floor of the building heard the screams too.

When he got done, the nurses gave him a Junior Flu Fighter sticker (which mommy forgot to take off the sweater when I washed it 5 days later... oops) that seemed to help diffuse meltdown #1. By the time Nate was done with his test, Collin's breathing had returned to normal and we were once again in the waiting room, patiently awaiting our turn with the Civil Surgeon.

The doctor came out (sweet, sweet man) and asked Collin if he'd like to go for a walk with him. Collin was excited (I think at the prospect of leaving the waiting room with ANYONE) and said "yeah!". I followed behind congratulating myself on surviving the "hard part". If only I'd known. I'd no sooner turned the corner to see Collin, who had realized the doctor was going into an exam room and SURELY that meant more "pokies", stop short, scream and try to run the other way. Unfortunately, this time, mommy wasn't strong enough to handle meltdown #2, all of our paperwork, our coats and my purse by myself. Meltdown #2 required Aunt Lori, the doctor, mommy and Nate trying, unsuccessfully to calm a completely hysterical Collin. In the end, the poor doctor had to examine him laid across my shoulder and screaming at the top of his lungs. There were no pictures because, well, I was a tad frazzled by the end.

Meltdown #3 occurred after we found out that Collin was 3 short of the required vaccinations for a green card. Emphasis on the word REQUIRED, otherwise, I would have bid them all a good day and run for the hills! Rather than pay the Health Department, that doesn't take my insurance, we opted to get those done by our family MD. Well it seemed like a good idea at the time... My little Collin can now smell a shot at 100 paces. As soon as the nurse called his name through the window, the theatrics started. And boy were they loud. Five minutes later (I know, it was record time) I was cradling a still flailing Collin, who insistently carried on meltdown #3 WITH a sucker in his mouth, and hurrying as fast as I could for daylight; sending heartfelt apologies to the parents of the now traumatized children still waiting in the lobby. Seriously, shouldn't they have a back door for that kind of thing? Afterwards, he offered his second sucker (the nurses felt a little guilty for all the needles and the meltdown; I told you it was LOUD) to Nate for waiting so patiently in the car for him.

In the end, my brave, and now exhausted, little trooper went to Aunt Jessie's for some well deserved cuddling and mommy went to work for some peace and quiet; both heavily dosed with Tylenol. :)

Twenty something pages of paperwork, shots caught up until Kindergarten (in theory) and WAY too much knowledge of the inner workings of the Immigration Department later, the application is in the mail. And now we wait. But at least we're getting good at it...

Dear Collin,

2011-01-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

Remember this day? I will never forget it.

It was one year ago today. I will never forget the feeling I had when the van pulled up to the children's center and, as sleepy as you were, you still saw me and reached for me. It was the best day of my life. Thanks for letting me be your mommy! I love you!!

Game Night

2011-01-25T14:46:00.000-07:00

There are a few things I'm still learning about Collin. One of those things is that he can be rather competitive. Santa brought him Candy Land for Christmas. One night, I thought we'd have a game night. We had a pizza picnic party in the family room (note to self, in the future when you have such brilliant ideas, please remember that one child does NOT really minimize the mess) and then broke out the game.

See that triumphant grin on his face? It's because he's pointing to his little blue gingerbread man who has just won the game. Me? I'm the red gingerbread man WAAAY at the beginning of the trail. Stupid gingerbread card. The current standings? Collin 3 Mommy 1.

In order to stave off further humiliation, I let him break out the camera...

And this is what happens when you let the 3 year old "push the button"

Alright little man, we're scheduled for a rematch. And mommy's bringing her A-game. Yeah, that doesn't really scare anyone else either...

I'm A Ventriloquist?

2011-01-19T15:18:00.001-07:00

The night before Collin's surgery, I took him to Build-A-Bear to make a special hospital buddy. It was the first time there, for both of us. Overall it was a ton of fun, but we didn't like any of the pre-recorded sound options. So instead, we opted for the do-it-yourself option and recorded me singing a song to Collin. It seemed like a good idea at the time... I mean look at that face! (Collin's, not Rocket's, although his is pretty cute too...)

Fast forward two and a half months, to the wee morning hours (and by wee, I'm talkin' 1:45am) when I wake up groggily to hear my disembodied voice singing throughout the house. Collin had rolled over on Rockets arm. Still... CREEPY!!!! Like I said, it seemed like a good idea at the time...

Once There Was A Snowman

2011-01-17T12:55:00.004-07:00

Collin has been asking to go play in the snow all winter, but I'd been putting him off. Until this day... It happened to be a Saturday, and we had nothing else to do, so why not bundle up and head out into subfreezing temperatures and play in the frozen water?

I can hardly contain my excitement!

And with that, we ventured outside to build our first snowman. Collin was so excited to actually be in the snow. Unfortunately the snow had melted enough to show us a "gift" Tucker left for us in the backyard, but let's not dwell on that, shall we?

It was a pretty wet, pretty heavy snow, so rolling was easy,

stacking, not so much... apparently our "Frosty" needed some implants...

What a proud little boy!!

Soon after, he discovered yet another way to torture the dog.

Sorry, Tucker... I tried to stop him, but it was just so cute!

It's all fun and games, until somebody falls face first in the snow...

Then it's time to head inside for the best part about playing in the snow... HOT CHOCOLATE!!

The whole next week, Collin looked outside to make sure Frosty was still there. When he finally melted, so did Collin. We had to have a little talk about what the sun does to snow and that we could build him again the next time it snowed.

Dear Collin,

2011-01-12T15:00:00.006-07:00

I've been thinking about this post for awhile now. Today marks the one year anniversary of the day that changed both of our lives forever. Last week, Auntie Chareyl needed some paperwork to finish your file with the adoption agency. As I was looking for it, I came across some of the emails that were sent the night of the earthquake and early the next morning. I remember the day of the earthquake pretty clearly. It was just like any other day at the office really. Until a little after 4:00 when I listened to a voice mail message that I didn't understand from my friend Tara. She was asking if I knew whether or not you were okay, I had no idea what she was talking about. Then I went to MSN to check out the news. At first, I thought it was just a little tremor, no big deal. I called Lolo and we both decided it was probably nothing out of the ordinary. Then I got home from work and turned on CNN. That's when I saw the first picture of the Presidential Palace. That's when my heart stopped.

Truthfully, that's about all I've been able to handle in the reminiscing department. Last night, I tried to look at this blog from January of last year, but as soon as I start reading, I felt that anxiety, fear and overwhelming sadness I felt those first few day when I didn't know if you were okay, or if you were scared, or if you were fed or...I had to stop. I don't know what you went through those first days, from the accounts I've heard from some of the older kids, it was pretty horrific. Even knowing you were just down the hall, tucked safely in your bed wasn't enough to stop the heartbreak. Apparently, I'm not quite ready to deal with that. Maybe I never will be. I don't do well with human suffering, and I know that your countrymen are still hurting. A lot.

I think about how you are still afraid of loud noises and how you run, not away, but to me when you hear them. I can't imagine how scared you were that day. I think of those big brown eyes and how you question EVERYTHING. I wonder what you were thinking when the world started shaking and people started panicking.

I looked at the book Aunt Lolo is making to commemorate the one year anniversary of the earthquake. I hope you will look at it often. I hope you will truly understand how many MIRACLES were granted in the two weeks between the quake and the night I held you in my arms for good. I hope you know how many people gave up eating, sleeping and essentially living to get you and your friends home. I hope you know and never doubt how much you are loved. You and your friends were the catalyst for a lot of faith and a lot of prayers being sent to a loving Heavenly Father. Uncle Brent, Auntie Chareyl, Scott and the rest of the people we called Team Hope, literally risked their lives to go find you and bring you home to me.

I also hope you will never forget those who are still there. Harry and his family, Nadia, Ralph and his family and of course sweet Jess. The Auntie's, that mommy never really met, who apparently just started grabbing children and throwing them out the door when the walls started falling down, and thereby probably saving your life. Then taking those they could and just running, not knowing if their own children and families were okay. Harry, who already had so many people to look after and take care of, and who had already lost so much himself, still made sure that you were okay. I don't know if it's possible to inherit something from someone you're not related to, but if it is, I hope you will be strong and compassionate like Harry. I hope you will always keep them in your heart. I hope you will always be as grateful to them as I am. They are such strong, amazing people and I'm so glad that they were part of your life, I hope we will be able to see them all again. I heard someone talk recently about how difficult it can be to "inherit" someone else's goal. I think in a way, you've done that. So many, gave so much to get you home. You have a lot to live up to. So do I. I have no doubt you will. I still have a hard time reconciling the suffering that the earthquake caused with the joy I feel at having you home with me. It seems wrong to be so happy, when so many innocent people are still struggling. But then I look into your big brown eyes and that confusion is replaced by love and gratitude. You are the most incredible little boy and I still can't believe that I am the one that gets to be your mommy. I love you my sweet son!

Collin's First Christmas!

2011-01-11T19:45:00.000-07:00

In our family, a little marathon training comes in handy when celebrating the holidays. Don't believe me? Keep reading... It started Christmas Eve when Collin got new Christmas PJ's. Then we re-enacted the Christmas Story with mommy's nativity set. The angel, who apparently dive bombed from the heavens, is recovering nicely from her concussion. Thanks for asking. Then it was The Night Before Christmas and Collin was tucked snugly into his bed.

Then it was time for Santa's helper to lay a little groundwork (seriously, are THAT many twisty things required for ANY toy) and leave a little snack for his impending arrival.

Christmas morning, Collin heard a strange noise coming from the family room. We were on our way to investigate, when he noticed that Santa didn't finish his milk and cookies.

Collin, being the big helper that he is, jumped in to help him out... (that's a cookie in his hand and pure delight on his face at the realization that he gets to eat it before breakfast) Then back to that noise...

Santa had left him a Mickey Mouse Choo-Choo. Note to Santa, you could have stopped there...

Note the complete disregard for all of the other gifts under the tree.

I finally managed to tear him away from Mickey and tried to draw his attention to the other toys Santa had left. We had celebrated his birthday earlier in the month which was the first time Collin had ever received gifts. Apparently Christmas concept is a little confusing still. I handed him a gift and he got a confused look on his face and said "It my birthday?" We'll work out the details later... :)

When the gifts had been opened, Collin felt the need to go shopping. And Rocket got to go with him.

After breakfast with mommy, we loaded up the car and went to Grandma Great's house. You can tell the merriment of the day is already catching up with him.

At Grandma Great's house, you sit patiently and wait for everyone to get their gift. I don't think Collie had any idea why he was waiting so patiently, but he did it anyway.

And it was well worth it. We love our new dinosaur book. Thanks Grandma!!

After Grandma Great's we headed to Grandma's house for a little more Christmas cheer. About 40 minutes away. I figured Collin would fall asleep in the car and take a little nap. Wishful thinking. He fell asleep as I turned the corner right BEFORE Grandma's house. We did manage to get a few cute pictures before suffering a complete meltdown. Total celebration time, 11 hours and 27 minutes, give or take. Told you, training comes in handy. We had fabulous Christmas, made all the merrier because Collin was here to celebrate. Merry Christmas my sweet boy!

Can We Build It?

2011-01-10T10:12:00.001-07:00

I was a little nervous to tackle a new build it yourself project after our temple/swamp thing experience, but it's a gingerbread house. How hard can it be right? Yeah, right. Even the fact that it had a tray with pre-made slots for the pieces to go in didn't save it from the architectural genius that is...well, me. First we laid out all of the pieces. Look at Collin's eyes, so bright with anticipation. Until...

Mommy put the sides of the house in backwards and broke the top of the house... Oh well, that part was gonna go in the back anyway.

Finally, after reading the directions, again, we had this:

Not bad right? Just don't look to closely at the sleigh... I'd learned a thing or two after the swamp thing incident, so the candy for our house is outside the camera shot and WELL outside Collin's reach.

This was his favorite part. Of course. We did manage to get more candy on the house than in his tummy, but it was touch and go there for awhile.

Take that Handy Manny AND Bob the Builder! Unfortunately, the candy was a little too heavy for the icing. The next morning, the whole front of house had slid down. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted!

Look Who's Three!!

2011-01-09T10:13:00.001-07:00

The judge we had wouldn't let us change the date of Collin's birthday (something about not having any definitive proof he wasn't born on Christmas day) so it's officially the 25th of December. But, hey, we're party people, so we thought we'd do our family celebration at the beginning of the month instead. We had lots of family and friends come. And LOTS of food (note the 2 family sized crock pots on the counter)

Collin was thrilled that everyone was there to play with him.

Especially grandpa and uncle Jed (the handsome bearded guy in the top left of the picture above this one; in case you were wondering...)

Then it was time for presents. This was the first time in his life that Collin had ever received gifts, so he was a little confused at what to do.

Good thing there were lots of cousins there to help!

After a while, he figured it out...

Collin got lots of fun, and loud (a train whistle uncle Nate? Really??) Then it was on to the food!

One of Collin's FAVORITE dinners is ham spaghetti. Can you tell?

And then the cake. This one was Collin's. Thanks for the assist in blowing out the candles Kaycie!

Eventually he did dive in... (please note the train whistle in Tara's hand; like I said, a very LOUD night)

This is the cake the rest of us ate. And in honor of the big day, here are the 3 things I absolutely love most about Collin:

1 - Collin is ALWAYS active and has fun doing just about anything. (except doctor's appointments, but really, who likes those?)

2 - Collin has a smile and laugh that lights up an entire room and everyone that's in it. It's so fun to watch his little personality develop. (amazing what can happen when you actually feel good)

3 - We're celebrating THIS birthday at OUR home with OUR family and not in an orphanage in Haiti!

I love you so much Collin! Thanks for letting me be your mommy!

So, You're The Guy I've Been Hearing So Much About..

2011-01-08T12:42:00.000-07:00

It was that time of year again, the annual family Christmas party, complete with a visit from the jolly 'ole elf himself. Our Santa does a great job. All of the little ones get corralled in grandma's family room and when Santa gets there, he shakes his bells at the top of the stairs to get their attention. This generally results in mass hysteria. For some, it's delight, but for others, it's pure terror. Since this was Collin's first experience with the big guy, I wasn't sure which would apply. For a week or two beforehand, I'd talked Santa up quite a bit, but still, the only Santa he'd seen was the cartoon version on TV. When we heard the bells shake that night, I was all set to calm and comfort my terrified two year old. (Creepy red eyes and all...)
Turns out I needn't have worried. As soon as Collin realized who was responsible for the bell ringing, he screamed "Santa!" and ran straight for him.

Santa needed a little help with the jingle bells, so he asked for volunteers. Something loud that involved dancing? Collie was all over it!

When it was Collin's turn to sit on Santa's knee, Santa told him that he'd read about Collin in the newspaper. Bet you didn't know the Daily Herald made it all the way to the North Pole, did 'ya? He then went on to explain why he was at our party and why Collin got to sit on his knee. (Thanks Santa!) When he asked him what he wanted for Christmas, Collin looked a little confused and said "Christmas lights?" That was easy, since they'd been up at our house since Thanksgiving... :)

Afterward, Collin wanted to give him five and "knuckles". Yeah, they're tight like that... Not a bad first experience with Santa!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

2011-01-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

Collin was completely confused by the Christmas tree. While I was putting it up, he kept asking why there was a tree in the house. He's a good sport though, so when I pulled out the decorations, he was willing to help, there were trains after all...

After a brief lesson on how you hang ornaments (mostly involving me talking and Collin looking at me like I was crazy) he was all set to hang his first ornament.

Looks like a pretty good spot to me!

"Look mom I did it!!!"

After that, there was no stopping him...

Apparently mommy didn't quite explain that the ornaments are supposed to be spread throughout the tree...

And the finished product...

When we got done decorating, I went out of the room for a minute. When I came back, Collin had taken down a toy soldier, a train and a sled. I asked him what he was doing and he told me the soldier was going for a ride on the train and the train was going for a ride on the sled. Hmm, hope Santa sees a choo-choo train in his future...

Turkey Day!

2011-01-06T09:56:00.001-07:00

I have to admit, aside from Christmas, Thanksgiving was the holiday I was looking forward to celebrating with Collin the most. I knew he would be excited to see all of that food! He didn't disappoint. He wanted to try a little of everything. In the end, we discovered some new favorites.

Turkey - He's a white meat kinda guy, but I won't hold it against him
Old Fashioned Stuffing - Good thing too, mommy made that one
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy - Was there ever any doubt?
Yams - That one surprised me
Cornbread Stuffing- Grandma's specialty
Green Bean Casserole - Better enjoy that while you can Sweet Pea (mommy's not a fan)
And of course... PUMPKIN PIE:

Okay, maybe more like whipped cream...

I was gonna blame this on Uncle Nate, until I realized, that's mommy's hand in the picture...

And that is one stuffed little boy. Words don't even begin to express how grateful I was to have Collin home with me this Thanksgiving. My heart is overflowing with gratitude. So, incidentally, were my tear ducts... Big surprise.

How DO You Train Your Dragon?

2011-01-03T06:59:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I was trying to get Collin to clean up his toys so we could leave the house. The conversation went something like this:

Mommy: Collin, lets put the toys away so we can go bye-bye (I missed the first 2 years of his life, baby-talk is still allowed)
Collin: I not Collin
Mommy: Umm, who are you?
Collin: I'na dragon (I'm a dragon)
Mommy: Oh, well then, come on baby dragon, let's clean up your toys
Collin: (blows on mommy with a very irritated look on his face)
Mommy: Did you just breath fire on me?
Collin: Yep

And from that little exchange, a Halloween costume was born, or hatched (or ordered from a catalog... Isn't he cute?

Halloween happened to fall 2 days after his tummy surgery, but you'd never know it. We started with a visit to Grandma Great's house with the rest of the cousins.

Where we attempted, with marginal success, to get all of the children to stand still for a picture. This was the best we could do (Notice Grandma's face, PRICELESS!):

We had better success at Uncle Ty and Aunt Lisa's house. As long as Aunt Jessie kept a firm hold on our dragon's tail (dragon's can fly you know)...

After this little field trip, the mommies were exhausted and it was pouring rain outside. We decided to go trick-or-treat and Grandma's house and then head home to hand out candy to anyone crazy enough, I mean dedicated enough, to brave the elements.

Collin was thrilled to see all of the kids come to our door. Tucker? Not so much. He spent the majority of the evening in the bathroom. All in all, I think I would rate our first Halloween a success, wouldn't you? (You'd better say yes, or I'm sending the dragon after you!)

Button, Button, Who Has My Button?

2010-12-30T22:01:00.002-07:00

Collin had been having quite a bit of tummy trouble since he came home. It involved quite a bit of pain for him and sleepless nights for both of us. After SEVERAL "shock and awe" sessions with antibiotics, we decided that the problem might be coming from an umbilical hernia. So, in late October we headed to Primary Children's for a little surgery. The night before, we went to Build-A-Bear to make him a special "hospital buddy" he named Rocket. We had to be there pretty early in the morning, and since he couldn't eat or drink after midnight, I decided the "scoop and go" approach would be best. He was still sleeping when we got to the hospital, but was fully awake when he saw this:

The hospital, however, decided to go with the hurry up and wait approach, so we had time to have a little fun with the camera. This is Collin still thinking we're gonna have fun today:

I think he's starting to get suspicious...

After about 6 hours at the hospital and a totally successful surgery, we were home. Although not entirely thrilled with our new state of discomfort.

Luckily, with the help of some calming medicine, Tylenol and our new friend Rocket, it didn't take long to get back to this:

Apparently mommy, didn't fully explain that the "outtie" was going to become an "innie" part of the plan because when I took the bandages off a week later, Collin instantly reached for his belly button, got a VERY concerned look on his face and whimpered "Mommy, where my button?" After grabbing a mirror and showing him that all was still right with his anatomy, all was well. We haven't had tummy trouble since. Sure wish we'd thought of this solution 6 months ago!

Ready To Rock!

2010-12-23T21:19:00.001-07:00

This is Collin's (and Mommy's) friend Gabe. Gabe studies music at School of Rock in Sandy with all of these guys (and girls):

There's something you should know about Gabe... for a 13 year old, he is completely AMAZING! He comes by it honestly, his mom is completely amazing too. He has such a big heart and is so concerned for everyone else. This year, School of Rock did a Live Aid - Remade show. If you were around in the 80's, you might remember the original. Nationally, the proceeds went to help Haiti, locally, Gabe and his friends wanted to make a difference for people they knew. They asked if the money could be donated to Bel Haiti (the organization that is building a children's village for Collin's friends who are still in Haiti). We were thrilled. But they didn't stop there. They invited all of the kids that came home from Haiti this year to come to school to learn to play the instruments. Collin of course went straight for the drums:

The headphones had me laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes, but he didn't want to take them off

The kids had a chance to play any instrument they wanted and the students were THRILLED to teach/help/dodge way-ward drumsticks! When he got tired of the drums, Collin decided to play the...fan? I have no idea, but it was pretty cute. Especially with the ear plugs hanging out of his ears.

And of course, there is always time for some cool shades. Thanks Lydon!

At the end of the week, the school put on their Live Aid concert for the public, and the kids got to be a part of it. Twice. Gabe (and fellow School of Rocker's), thanks for all of your hard work and huge hearts and thanks for taking care of people so far away that you will probably never meet. It's an experience we will never forget! I'm so grateful that Collin has so many examples of selflessness, generosity and service around him.

Fun At The Zoo!

2010-12-20T22:22:00.000-07:00

At the end of the summer we decided to go visit the zoo. Collin was so excited to see the new baby elephant Zuri. He did get a little jealous when Zuri and her mom started to play with the ball and Collin couldn't join in.

Mommy made the mistake of pointing out the carousel at the beginning of our visit, (oops, but in my defense, I didn't think he'd know what it was or have ANY interest in riding it) so after the 237th, (I might be rounding up, but not by much), time of telling him "we'll ride it in a minute", I gave in and bought the ticket. He picked the walrus. Yeah, I have no idea why...

Believe it or not, he's not completely terrified, this is actually his "happy Collin" face. I know, we're working on it...

After a little more walking, we opted for a train ride through the rest of the zoo. And by the rest of the zoo, I mean the last itty bitty corner that we handed already covered on foot, pushing a stroller. That might have been Collin's favorite part. He LOVES trains.

I can't decide which was having more fun, Collin seeing the animals up close for the first time, or Mommy watching his reaction. Seriously, how DO you explain a rhinoceros to a 2 year old Haitian?

Family Time

2010-11-15T21:51:00.000-07:00

This summer, Collin and I went to an awesome church activity. We learned about temples and then got to build our own out of marshmallows. Here is our finished product:

Yes, I know it bears a striking resemblance to the Swamp Thing. I would have done better, but my construction manager kept eating our supplies. We also got to take some fun family photos.

Collin will climb ANYTHING, including people, as long as they standing still for a few seconds.

He also figured out, rather quickly, what happened when he looked at the camera and he wanted no part of it.

Finally we got a cute one. Special thanks to Kristin's boys for pretending to wrestle in front of him to make him laugh. What a fun day!

All Decked Out

2010-10-13T21:03:00.002-06:00

Collin had a special day a few months ago. It was blessing day. Grandma-Great wanted to give him a blessing outfit. No big deal for an infant, but a little harder to find for a two year old, especially the day before a holiday. In the end, we found this:

Yeah, that cheesy little grin made makes me giggle too.

The next day, Grandpa gave him a special blessing (A free spirit Grandpa? Really??) Then all of our family came over for a special lunch. Yet another moment that I was reminded of what a blessing it is to be this little boys mommy! I love you so much baby boy!

Happy Fourth of July!

2010-09-09T08:36:00.001-06:00

We've been busy this summer. Over the July 4th, weekend, we joined Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Jed and Grandma-Great at the cabin in Bear Lake. Right before we left, mommy's friend Jenn gave Collin a Lightning McQueen bike, so we thought we'd bring it along. His feet don't reach the pedals quite yet, but he doesn't let that stop him.

Of course, it wasn't all fun and games. There was also work to be done. Collin was all set to lend a hand.

Yeah, they probably fit Grandpa a little better.

Grandma got Collin his very own wheelbarrow so he could help the big boys.

But when the work was done, there was always time for fun. Collin loves the swing. And if you look really close, there's a smile on Uncle Jed's face too!

Thanks for all the fun Grandma's, Grandpa and Uncle Jed!

My Little Hero

2010-08-28T14:43:00.006-06:00

A couple of months ago, we went to the doctor because Collin's tummy was hurting him. Two months later, we've been to Primary Children's three times, 4 different doctors and been diagnosed with the following: Giardia, parasites (there's a surprise...), H-pylori (a stomach bug that causes stomach pain, cramping, bleeding and ulcers), a heart murmur, a domed aortic something or other (it has a name, but I can't remember it and the cardiologist told me it was nothing to be too concerned about) a hernia that needs surgery, a possible aversion to all dairy products, and a cold. And yet, this is the side of Collin we generally see.

He doesn't let anything get him down. Collin, you are such an inspiration to me. I am so proud of you and so grateful to be your mommy. Thank you for reminding me every day of the kind of person I want to be. I promise, we will get you all better soon. I can't wait to see how much more fun you have in your new little world when you finally feel good! I think I'd better start resting up now...

A Little Bonding...

2010-07-22T11:53:00.011-06:00

It's no secret that at the moment, there isn't a daddy in our home. Sometimes, (okay, most times) I feel a little bad that Collin doesn't get to experience father son bonding moments yet so, on occasion, I try to make it up to him a little. Admittedly, I'm a poor excuse for the ruggedly outdoorsy, manly type, but at least we both have fun! Along that line, I give you... Our first (yep, mine too) trip to Cabella's. What? It seemed like a "manly" thing to do...

First we started with lunch. Okay, that part might be girly, but if you know what happens when you drag a hungry 2-year old through a VERY large department store, you'll agree that I had no choice.

After our bellies were full, and Collin had patiently given "5" and "stones" to every one passing by that thought he was darling (it happens a lot cuz, well, he is), we started to wander around. I kinda wish someone had told me about THIS little guy before we got there:

As it was, Collin, who was running full throttle in front of me, turned the corner, stopped dead in his tracks, screamed and jumped into my arms. :) Apparently, polar bears on TV and in books are cute and cuddly, but angry polar bears? Not a fan.

After a little more wandering, we came upon this little fellow:

Collin was more than happy to sit in his lap and pose for mommy. Also a girlie thing to do, but give me a break, I'm trying!

Next up? I think we'll try fishing. Or, maybe I'll just leave that to grandpa and the uncles...

Cowboy Collin

2010-06-30T21:34:00.004-06:00

Mommy forgot to put away the cowboy boots after the rodeo over the weekend. As a result, this is what Collin insisted (and I mean INSISTED) on wearing to daycare today.

Sure is a cute little buckaroo!

For Now And Forever

2010-06-22T21:31:00.005-06:00

Our adoption was made final today!!! I'm still amazed at the changes in my life in the last year. Start to finish, our process took one year and one week. Amazing! I don't know why it was so much easier for us than for all of our friends who waited so much longer but I am so grateful! I still can't believe this little angel is mine. I am so incredibly blessed! Special thanks to Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Toe-Toe, Lori, Brent, Nathan and Jenn for coming to celebrate with us!

Collin you have completely changed my life and I can't imagine how I managed to live for 33 years (ouch) without you. Thanks for calling me Mama, it melts my heart every time! (Which, incidently, is the ONLY reason you cuddled with mom tonight instead of going to bed when you were supposed to...) I love you!!

Dear Collin,

2010-06-14T01:00:00.001-06:00

Today is a very special day for us. It's one I'm sure you won't remember, but equally certain I will never forget. One year ago today, you changed my life forever. One year ago today, I held you in my arms for the first time. I've been thinking a lot about that day lately. And the 365 days since then. I've thought about how determined I was that first day. Determined to get you well, but not to fall in love. My resolve lasted almost as long as it took you nuzzle your cute little face into my neck and fall asleep. I should have known then that I was a goner, but I'm a little stubborn. I've thought about the first time the thought crossed my mind that maybe, just maybe, I could be your mom. You still weren't feeling very good and had fallen asleep on the bed in the hotel room. I watched you sleep for a few minutes with a lump in my throat and a swelling in my heart. You've done that several times since then. You're actually pretty good at it. I've thought about the day I went to visit your orphanage and how I knew that, although it was obvious you were loved there, it seemed completely wrong that you should have to grow up there.

I think about when I left you for the first time. You and I stayed back a bit from all the other mommies and daddies and children. I wasn't sure what to say to you, so I just told you that I loved you and hoped I'd see you again someday. What I didn't realize at the time, was that my heart wouldn't be going home with me. It preferred to stay with you in a little village in Haiti. When I think about the next two weeks, how I agonized about whether or not bringing you home to live with me was the best thing for you, I remembered how the memory of your big brown eyes and that smile that, although rare at the time, managed to melt the area where my heart used to be. Even a thousand miles away, we were still connected. The next two months were a flurry of activity, trying desperately to gather all the necessary paperwork to "get the process started" for us. All the while, feeling a sense of urgency, a feeling that I needed to move faster. At the time, I didn't know why. Fast forward a few months to January 12th. Another day that I will never forget. I think about having to go on with day to day living, not knowing for sure if you were still alive. For six agonizing days, I wondered, I prayed, I cried, until finally, I knew for sure.

And then, I can't help but think about the literal miracles that took place in the next two weeks that brought you and your friends home. I think about the people that risked their lives to save you. Those who risked their safety to go find you. The hearts that were softened and laws that were changed, just to enable you to come home to me.

Mostly though, I think about how blessed I am to be the one you call mom. How grateful I am to a Heavenly Father who saw two people who needed each other and literally moved heaven and earth to bring us together. Every time I see your big brown eyes looking up at me, or hear your infectious giggle, I'm reminded of just what a miracle you are. With every kiss and cuddle you give me, I'm awestruck all over again, that I was the one chosen to be your mother. Thank you my sweet boy, for changing my world in ways I never dreamed of and for allowing me to love more deeply than I ever thought possible. I love you so much and can't wait to see what the future will bring to our little family.

All my love,
Mom

Just Thought You Should Know...

2010-06-06T16:10:00.005-06:00

My son is afraid of the microwave.

Yep, the microwave.

Not so much afraid OF it as he is afraid that it's eating his food.

He has a first class melt down every time I put something in it.

Oh, I've tried reasoning with him. Yeah,that went well.

I've tried letting him watch as the food spins round and round (on the rotating table) inside of it.

That went equally well.

Side note: He's also taken to sitting on, running over, or jumping on the dog whenever he's not looking. The two stories relate, I promise.

We've been working on "be nice Collin" to spare the dog any additional surprise attacks.

One day last week, I put Collin's easy mac (eat your heart out Betty Crocker!) in the microwave for lunch.

Que the melt down and my initial attempts to stave it off with no success.

Finally, I tried in my most patient voice (it's about an octave below my most exasperated voice) to tell him that the microwave was just warming it up and he could eat it in a minute.

That seemed to work, until I over cooked it and then had to put it in the freezer for a few minutes to cool so that he could eat it.

His response? "Mama, ou be nice ah Collin" translation: Mama, you be nice to Collin.

Then I caught him giving the freezer the stink-eye.

Should Have Seen That One Comin'!

2010-05-18T19:16:00.001-06:00

Ever since Collin and Tucker became BFF's, Collin follows the poor dog everywhere. Mostly to torment him. For the most part, Tucker takes it pretty well. When he gets tired of being mistaken for a horse, car, trampoline and/or pillow, he sneaks out his doggie door to the relative comfort of the backyard. A technique that, apparently, did not go unnoticed by his tormentor. A few weeks ago, I was in the backyard mowing the lawn, while Collin was riding his bike on the deck and Tucker had taken refuge in the house for a change (he's not a fan of lawnmowers. I might possibly have gotten a little too close to him with one once. Or twice...). Anyway, after a few minutes, I looked up to check on Collin, but he was gone. Our backyard is fully fenced, so I knew he couldn't have gone far. I walked around the corner of the house, no Collin. I walked to the other side of the house, still no Collin. I wasn't exactly concerned, but I was definitely confused. Until I looked at the back door and saw this...

And apparently, practice makes perfect...

Isolated incident right? Yeah, that's what I thought too. Fast forward two weeks. It was about 8:30 at night, Collin was in his PJ's, almost ready for bed. I was sitting in a chair doing some work I'd brought home from the office. Collin and Tucker were playing on the floor next to me. Evidently I was concentrating pretty hard on my work, because when I finally heard "hi Mama!" and looked up to respond, Collin had disappeared again. There are a lot more places to hide inside than outside, so I got up to peek in a few of his favorites. As I was walking through the kitchen, I happened to glance outside. There was my baby Houdini giggling and waving proudly from the back deck. Still pretty cute, but I am being extra careful to make sure Collin doesn't notice any of Tucker's other little tricks. Like where he goes to the bathroom....

How Do You Give A Great Haircut?

2010-05-03T21:18:00.009-06:00

I have absolutely no idea, but here are a few things I learned while giving Collin his first haircut on American soil. Step 1: Call in reinforcements. Step 2: Know someone with a good buzzer. It helps when steps one and two can be filled by the same person (And her two adorable kids. Thanks Toria, Jaxson and Logan!)

Step 3: Get a few locks for his baby book (no, they're not actually the first, but they're the first for me!)

Step 4: Take a deep breath and relax!

Step 5: Get Collin used to the sound of the buzzer

Step 6: When step 5 doesn't work, provide a distraction...

and a target... Thanks for being such good sport Jaxson and Logan!!!

And after a few mis-fires with the water bottle (self-inflicted I promise)...

Step 7: Snuggle with your mommy and tell her she did a good job!!

Man's Best Friend... FINALLY!

2010-04-20T18:25:00.000-06:00

Collin and Tucker got off to a pretty rocky start. Okay, it was totally my fault. When we finally made it home from the airport the day Collin came home, it was after 1:00 in the morning. We'd been traveling most of the day and we were both exhausted. I put Collin down on the family room floor without checking to see where Tucker was. Did I mention that dogs in Haiti are not the cleanliest animals and therefore the children are taught to stay as far away from them as possible? Did I also mention that it's been just Tucker and I in my house for the last four years and he was therefore REALLY excited to see me after I'd been gone for 3 days? You can guess what happened next. Yep, Tucker leaped for me, landed right in front of Collin's face and scared the daylights out of him. (On the slightly humorous side, 'cuz it was pretty funny, I've never seen Collin jump and run that fast before or since!) For the next 17 (okay I might be rounding up, but it was pretty close to that) days, Collin would start to cry if Tucker was in the same room. Slowly, things started to improve. First, Tucker was allowed in the room as long as he didn't make eye contact or any sudden movement and didn't come within 10 feet of Collin. Then, it was 5 feet and he was allowed on Collin's couch, but still no eye contact and no sudden movements. Our first break through followed a whole lot of encouragement by me, when Collin would touch Tucker for half a second and then run squealing (not crying, just excited) from the room. Of course, Tucker had to be asleep on the floor before he would do it. And then FINALLY...

Not only is Tucker allowed to roam freely, but Collin is even allowing him to give "kisses".

Of course, now that he knows there is nothing to be afraid of, he's taken to running over him with his new Diego bike and pinning him in the corner as a target for his big bouncy ball. I think Tucker liked it better when he was afraid of him. Sorry boy...but thanks for being a good sport!

Easter Morning

2010-04-18T19:08:00.000-06:00

Okay, maybe the Easter Bunny got a little carried away...

But this smile makes it TOTALLY worth it!

The boy likes Peeps! Who knew? His uncles will be so proud...

And of course, he loves all things cars...

Let The Hunt Begin!

2010-04-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

Every year, Grandma and Grandpa host a big Easter egg hunt for the grand kids. And by big, I mean 500 plastic Easter eggs and 3 dozen banana's (it's a family tradition, they go well with the hard boiled eggs for breakfast) for 17 grand kids; and one honorary grand kid to find. That's one ambitious Easter Bunny! There are rules to this annual event: each child is allowed 33 eggs (we never do seem to make the numbers add up); the older you are, the higher you have to look (no easy scooping for the bigger kids); and finally, the little ones get help from a parent.

It took Collin and Nathan a few minutes to catch on,

but once they did, they had a ball.

There were eggs EVERYWHERE

The "bigger" little kids were so excited to help Collin and Nathan.

Then it was off to the garage (it's been semi-finished to be a dining room for 30 something people for all major holidays) for a fabulous Easter dinner.

What a great day! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

You Oughta Be In Easter Pictures

2010-04-13T21:07:00.007-06:00

Okay, really, you just oughta sit still long enough to TAKE an Easter picture.... I was all excited to put Collin in his first Easter outfit. I had grand illusions of a sweet little angel sitting on the couch, ready to capture our first official "big" holiday together on film. My plan was simple. Dress Collin in his Easter outfit. Sit him on the couch. Ask him to smile. Take the picture. It should have taken all of about 3 minutes. Stop laughing, I'm still learning. After getting his pants and shirt on, I turned around to grab the sweater vest and Collin, seeing the perfect opportunity for escape, scampered away. I spent the next 5 minutes chasing him around the house, pinning him down and FINALLY getting the sweater on over his head. It didn't taken me much longer than that to realize that Collin had plans of his own about this whole picture taking thing, so I tried to distract him by singing songs while he was on the couch, he's a VERY animated singer when it's just the two of us, and snapping the picture when he got the most animated.

Attempt #1

Attempt #2

Attempt #3

That's as good as it's gonna get. Good thing too. Two minutes later, he fell off the chair and put his bottom teeth through his lip... Poor baby.

How To Color An Easter Egg

2010-04-05T21:34:00.015-06:00

There are many things about raising Collin that I haven't really had time to think about. One of them? Easter traditions. Now I'm not talking about the resurrection of the Savior, that part I have covered. I'm talking about the non-spiritual stuff, like coloring Easter eggs. Ever tried to explain the concept to a two year old? How 'bout a two year old who is just learning English? I have...for about 30 seconds... Then we (and by "we" I mean me and my sister's who were laughing at me) decided the best way to learn is to "do".

Step 1: Put the egg in the dye.

Trust me...

Step 2: Leave it in there for awhile...

Step 3: Carefully take it out and give it to Mommy

Step 4: Really?? (Don't look at me, step 4 he came up with on his own, and no, it did not taste good)

Step 5: Turn him loose (Well, sort of...)

Mission accomplished!

Fish Tales

2010-03-25T19:29:00.000-06:00

Collin has a darling fishing game. The fish "swim" around in a circle and their mouths open when they go over the "waves". The game comes complete with fishing poles. At first, I thought the poles had magnets in the end to make catching the fish a little easier. Not so much.

Collin had a little trouble working the fishing pole, so he came up with his own method.

Not bad little one, not bad at all!

First Official Family Photos

2010-03-16T08:26:00.012-06:00

Special thanks to our new friend Scott for volunteering to try to keep Collin's attention long enough to take such awesome pictures! Here are a few of my favorites!

Thanks again Scott! They turned out great!! If you are looking for a fabulous photographer, Scott comes highly recommended. You can view his work here.

From Haiti With Love

2010-03-08T08:31:00.017-07:00

By Heidi Toth
Pictures by Patrick Smith
Published in the Daily Herald, March 7th, 2010

When Brent Rosenlof comes home at night, Nathan's face lights up. The toddler greets Papa with a hug and a "bijou," then gets thrown up and down and around until his giggling is the loudest noise in the house.

Brent Rosenlof shows affection for their newly adopted Haitian son, Nathan, at their home in Lehi

"Watch his head," Lori Rosenlof tells her husband. "I say that all the time. Watch his head. Watch his head."
Brent did watch Nathan's head. In fact, watching Nathan is fast becoming an Olympic sport at the Rosenlofs' Lehi house, as the couple who have been trying to adopt for nine years finally brought home this Haitian toddler. Getting him here required mountains moving and a pilot refusing to move until his plane was filled with children.
Shortly after the Jan. 12 earthquake, Brent and Lori, along with their friends Tia Simpson and David and Candice Aitken, had not known if their adoptive children were alive and where they were. The good news that all of their children were found safely launched Team Hope, an effort to get 68 children waiting to be adopted out of Haiti and to their families. Lori and Brent paused their normal lives so Brent could go to Haiti and Lori could collect, copy and send hundreds of forms to the U.S. and Haitian governments so dozens of children could leave the country, then take a red-eye flight with other parents from Salt Lake City to Miami.
Tia has gone from bachelorette to mother of 2-year-old Collin, whose French name was Olivier, and Lori and Brent are celebrating Nathan's homecoming while still working and praying for 3-year-old Jessica, whose birth father came to the Haitian orphanage in December and took her away. The Aitkens, who adopted three children, declined to be interviewed for this article.
It has been, for all parties, quite a transition.
"The guys at work are giving me a hard time that I won't think the car seat's so cool in a little while," Lori said.

Surprise! You're a mom

"You fit pretty good right there," Tia tells Collin as he settles into her lap.

Tia Simpson shares affection with Collin, her newly adopted 22-month-old son from Haiti, at her Lehi home, Wednesday, Feb.17, 2010. Simpson is one of small number of families in Utah County that have recently adopted children from Haiti following the tragic earthquake

He's managed to fit pretty good into every aspect of her life, which, even a year ago, she would never have expected. Tia is 33 and single; she works full time, and she never imagined having a Haitian toddler in her life.
In fact, she had her guard up in June when she went to Haiti with Brent and Lori to meet their children and see the country. Little Collin came to the hotel with the orphanage director, and he was not feeling well. The director asked Tia to watch him for a little while. Collin nestled into her arms, laid his head on her chest and fell asleep.
Tia reckons she was set up; Lori said her friend had checked Collin out online before going and willingly walked into any trap she may have laid.

TIA'S BLOG: "I got to spend the next four days playing Ollie's 'mom.' It's an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. I had no idea I could fall in love so completely, so quickly. I miss his big brown eyes. They seemed to look right through me. ... I miss you Ollie."

A few weeks later she decided to adopt him. She second-guessed herself, especially since the LDS Church, of which she is an active member, focuses heavily on two-parent households. She visited with a local stake president about her concerns.
He told her it was a great idea, since life with one parent was far better than life with no parents. Still uncertain, she spent time in prayer and at an LDS temple and debated, sure a mother and a father would see just how adorable Collin was and want to adopt him.
That debate lasted a couple of weeks, and she started the paperwork in July. The process normally takes years, but was sped up because of the earthquake.
She was surprisingly grateful to not be married; the paperwork is more complicated when two people have to undergo medical and psychological evaluations, and the Haitian government requires that a couple be married 10 years before adopting.
A monthly parent update banished all doubts. In October, Tia found herself with a picture of a swollen, shaven, miserable little boy; Collin had an allergic reaction to some medicine just before the update. He was fine now, the director assured Tia.
"I'll tell you if he's OK," Collin's mother wanted to say, impatient that she couldn't see him for another two weeks. "He needs his mom, and I'm not there."
There followed two months of frustration with the Haitian government and the long-distance celebration of Collin's official 2-year birthday -- also Christmas Day -- then a terrifying two weeks after the earthquake. First, Tia heard that Collin was safe. Then she heard the orphanage staff weren't sure where he was. Then, he was found again, at an LDS chapel in Petionville, but they were running out of food and water.

TIA'S BLOG: "I don't know if Collin is OK."

Lori's assignment on the ground included getting money and supplies to Haiti. She coordinated through their charity, Hope for the Little Angels of Haiti, to send money through a Utah doctor going to Haiti, as well as raising money for gasoline and being the point of contact for the adoption agency and dozens of equally anxious parents. She alternated between frenetically running around trying to get all the necessary paperwork, which seemed to change by the hour, updating families on what was happening and worrying about her children. Jessica had left the orphanage and could be anywhere. They were too young to understand what was happening, and the aftershocks just kept coming, and they were scared.
As the days went by, she took comfort in knowing her husband was with Nathan and was looking for Jessica. Jessica's mother had taken the girl to the orphanage years before because she knew her daughter could have a better life with someone else. Miss Jess, as Lori calls her, is part of their family. When she asks for Dad, she's thinking of Brent.

LORI'S BLOG: "I wonder, in all this mess, if Jessica's father will find us again. If he'll bring her back and if we'll be able to have her in our family the way it has always felt like we should. ... I wonder where my Nathan is. ... I wish I was there to hold you, Little Man."

Brent got to Haiti about 10 days after the earthquake. They knew when he went down that
Nathan was safe, but not much else. Besides driving throughout Port-au-Prince looking for Jessica, he also went in search of Nathan. His son, however, unexpectedly came to him in the back of a pickup truck full of other orphans.
"I get around the back side of the truck and ... " Brent's eyes got big and his jaw dropped, imitating the surprise he felt when he unexpectedly came face to face with his son. "'Hey, that's Nathan!' And once that happened, he kind of got all the attention."
Brent and Nathan stayed close until about a day after Lori showed up in Miami. Then she went back to being the favorite parent.
"I'm a second-class citizen," Brent complained after playing with Nathan almost nonstop for several minutes, plus changing his diaper and changing him into pajamas, then immediately getting dropped in favor of Lori.

Lori Rosenlof shares a moment with her newly adopted Haitian son, Nathan, at their home in Lehi

"Daddies are for playing, and mamas are for snuggling," the favorite parent said, holding her son close and kissing his head while he willingly settled into her lap.

Life as an only child -- almost

Collin is all boy. He likes loud toys with moving parts, kicking a soccer ball and jumping on the bed. He resisted cleaning up, even though part of his playing involved pouring toys out and then putting them back. Once he did start cleaning, he was easily distracted by the toys he was supposed to be putting away.

Tia Simpson teaches her son Collin English words at her Lehi home

He was still warming up to the dog. Tucker followed Tia around, sometimes surprising Collin, who did not like that. He would pet Tucker once, then look around for approval before petting him again, just once and quickly. He did not like Tucker to get too close, which Tucker only did when he tried to get close to Tia.
Lori Rosenlof wishes Nathan liked the dogs a little less than he does. He chases Divot, a Jack Russell terrier and Bobby Jones, a whippet, around the house regularly. They share food and toys. That part is OK.
"Oh, that's so gross," Lori said, cringing as Divot licked Nathan's wide-open mouth.

Lori Rosenlof newly adopted Haitian son, Nathan, shares a kiss with the family dog, Divot, at their home in Lehi, Thursday, Feb.18, 2010. Dogs are known to run rampant in Haiti, but Nathan frequently shares his affection with the family dogs

Nathan pouts on the shoulder of his mother, Lori Rosenlof, after she told him he is no longer allowed to kiss the family dogs

Nathan has a little too much female influence in his life to make his father happy; Brent is concerned that since so many of Nathan's cousins are female, family reunions are going to include nail polish and Barbies.
He does have a yellow Tonka truck that he loves pushing around the floor; the problem is in the cargo. He latched onto a necklace of Lori's and alternates between wearing it, much to Brent's chagrin, and towing it around in his truck.
"We've gotta get something more manly," Papa said, shaking his head.
He does like playing ball with Mama, Papa, Grandma and Grandpa, and judging by the laughter, his favorite game is getting tossed around and playfully manhandled by his father. He is a bit of a mama's boy, but that doesn't mean he and his dad haven't had their moments. Brent remembers a trip to Haiti when Nathan was about five months old. They spent an afternoon sitting on the bed watching a Seattle Seahawks game. Nathan sat between Brent's legs, leaning back, arms slung over Brent's legs.

A status update from Brent's Facebook page: "How cool is it that I just got to watch the superbowl with my SON!"

There's camping, Boy Scouts, playing football and going to see the Harlem Globetrotters. Brent has plans for father-son outings and sharing his passions with the toddler who's been in his life for two years and in his home for a few weeks.
Not that Lori isn't looking forward to a few perks.
"Just being a family," she said. "Nothing against my dear spouse, but it just gets kind of boring, just the two of us."
The picture-perfect family dinners Lori imagined have yet to materialize; they have to feed Nathan first because he feels like he has to eat food that's in front of him. He can clean his plate twice before he's done, and he won't say no to a package of fruit snacks before going to bed. He is good at sharing the fruit snacks with Mama and Papa, though.
At dinner, though, they leave him alone and he eats.
"I think that's a little bit much right there, baby," Lori said, watching Nathan shove a huge spoonful of food into his mouth.

Nathan Rosenlof finishes his dinner with a long drink in Lehi, Thursday, Feb.18, 2010.

Nathan is going accustom to eating American food since being adopted from Haiti.
His favorite food is meat, which so far agrees with him. Lori said his color has gotten better and his hair has grown much more quickly since he's been home getting regular meals. Nathan also is changing. His parents see more of his personality now that they're with him constantly and he's used to their home and the family. He's a funny child who can, his mother said ruefully, throw a temper tantrum in two languages.
"He started making faces at me to try to make me laugh, and then he started laughing at how funny he was, and he's never done that before in the two and a half years we've known him," Lori said.
Haitian or American, some parts of being 2 just don't change. Collin played happily and quietly for hours until Tia brought him inside so he could eat and take a nap. He then sat down, leaned against the wall and wailed while Tia took off his coat and heated up spaghetti for lunch. The crying continued unabated until his mother reappeared in his line of vision. His arms reached entreatingly toward her, silent tears still running down his face.

Tia Simpson feeds her newly adopted 22-month-old son, Collin, from at her Lehi home, Wednesday, Feb.17, 2010.

Collin is learning how to take care of himself since being adopted from Haiti.
"Are you all done now?" she asked, collecting him in her arms. The two cuddled for a moment, she said, "I'm sorry, Mommy," and prompted him to repeat it. All was forgiven.
Until naptime, that is, when the tears come back at full volume. Collin didn't try to climb out of his bed, but he didn't succumb to sleep without a fight. At first Tia sat across the room where he can see her, but then she moved over to the bed. Tucker was asleep in the corner of the room.
The sobs slowly quieted into whimpering, and Collin's breathing became slower as Tia kneeled next to his bed, holding his hand, looking down at him.
"It's OK. Mommy's right here," she whispered.

Becoming mom and dad

It's been quite the journey for Tia. Her shopping now revolves around Collin's needs, her house is filled with toys, and her schedule rests entirely on his. Gone is the lead foot. In the place of her simpler life is a toddler who giggles frequently and loves to play.
"I love it when he smiles and when he reaches for me and I know that he's looking for Mom," she said.

Tia Simpson watches every move of her new son Collin at her Lehi home, Wednesday, Feb.17, 2010.

Simpson is single and never had any children of her own, so all her time is now spent feeding, and caring for her newly adopted son
She still, though, describes herself as terrified. She's worried that she lets him cry for too long or should be feeding him more fruits and vegetables. She's afraid that she won't be able to teach him what he needs to know, or that he'll have a hard time growing up as the only black child on the street. Simply put, she believes taking Collin out of Haiti will give him the chance to make something of his life. Tia wants him to use his life to help other people, his people.
"Haiti needs a lot of rebuilding, and I'd like for him to be a part of it, for us to be a part of it," she said.

TIA'S BLOG: "I used to secretly giggle when people would say that they love to watch their children sleep. Now I completely get it. Laundry can wait, and the bathrooms? Well, I wasn't really cleaning those before ... :)"

Meanwhile, she is taking notes, keeping journals, blogging and saving newspaper clippings so one day, when Collin is old enough, she can tell him about his journey.
"I just think I'll tell him that he was part of a miracle -- several miracles," Tia said.
Lori and Brent had been looking forward to having children in their house for years. The Rosenlofs have known Nathan and Jessica for more than two years and have made half a dozen visits in that time. Before Nathan arrived, his room was decorated, and toys filled the bins in the play room. He is named after Brent's best friend. He's called them Mama and Papa for months.
That doesn't change how those words sound in their own home as Mama and Papa change diapers, make dinner, play peek-a-boo and actually get to be full-time parents.
"It probably actually means something now," Lori's father, Art Olson, said.

LORI'S BLOG: "When they make a movie about this, Brent will be played by Angelina Jolie who will adopt all the children herself. Lori will be played by Will Smith, complete with the catchphrase he uses in every movie: 'Aw HELL no!'"

Jessica is a daddy's girl. They have video of Brent and Jessica playing and singing together, and her picture is the wallpaper on his cell phone. They do not know yet if Jessica will ever make it to Utah; right now they're praying that her father is taking care of her, that she knows they love her and that her life is good. They have to have faith that this will work out right, Lori said.
"I don't think the story's over yet," Brent said. "I hope the story's not over yet."
It is what it is
Tia's house is filled with sayings about family, faith and life. Her kitchen has a sign that reads, "A happy home is but an early heaven." The entertainment center has plaques that say, "It will be OK in the end. If it's not OK, it's not the end," and "Family, our most precious gift from God."
The living room walls proclaim, "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away," and "Blessed is the life that enjoys the journey."
Two Haitian masks decorate the living room, as do family pictures, including one of Tia and Tucker, a few of Tia's parents and siblings and many, many pictures of a smiling Collin, some with his proud mother, some playing in Haiti, one with his birth mother, who two years ago left him at the orphanage.
One picture is new.
Tia's mother gave it to her when she found out Collin and the rest of the children had gotten humanitarian parole. The artwork, titled "Worth of a Soul" by Liz Lemon Swindle, is of Jesus Christ holding a little black boy. As the bracelet that Tia wears on her right wrist says, "It is what it is."
The adoptive journey is far from over; technically the parents are their children's sponsors, and they have no idea how to get the needed paperwork to legally adopt him. And there's Jessica.

Still.

"Brent's waited a lot of time to throw around his own kid instead of somebody else's," Lori said."The best non-soap opera-y part of my life?" Lori wrote on her blog on Feb. 5, about a week after Nathan came home. "That every day now, when I wake up ... I'm still a mom. And he's still snuggled in right beside me in bed. And if I roll too far away, even in his sleep he'll reach out his hand to make sure he can find me.

Things I Learned In Church

2010-03-04T14:48:00.002-07:00

All things considered, I think Collin is adjusting really well. He sleeps in his own bed (sort of); eats what I give him (sort of) and finally gets along with the dog (more about that in the next post). The only thing that gives us a little heartburn is the whole language barrier. I still don't speak Kreyol very well and, although he understands a lot, Collin doesn't speak much English. My solution to this little problem was to give him a big cheesy smile and nod my head when he repeated, for the third or fourth time, something in Kreyol that I just didn't understand. That is, until this happened.

We went up north a couple of weeks ago to attend church in our friend Chareyl's ward to hear her and Lori speak about the miracles we'd experienced after the earthquake in Haiti. I was sitting on the end of the row (in a vain attempt to keep Collin within the confines of the bench), Collin was next to me and next to Collin was our friend Gloria who is twelve years old and came back from Haiti with her two sisters to attend school (most of the schools in their area were destroyed). Collin crawled off the bench, pointed to my leg and said something in Kreyol with a big grin on his face. Having absolutely no idea what he was saying, I resorted to the cheesy smile and head nod. He then proceeded to try to get past my leg to, I assume, run with reckless abandon down the aisle. Being the nice mommy I try to be, I leaned down and quietly told him "no, no, no" with the same, slightly less cheesy, smile. He again pointed to my leg, and said the same something in Kreyol he had said before with a bigger grin on his face. You'd think I would have started to catch on, but nope, I again employed the cheesy smile head nod. He tried again to get passed me, I again leaned down and quietly said "no, no, no". About the third time this happened, I noticed Gloria giggling next to me. Now I'm starting to think some thing's up.

Me:"What's so funny?"
Gloria (who speaks English really well) laughs and says: "He keeps asking you if he can pass and you tell him yes (cheesy smile head nod), and then when he tries you tell him no, no, no."
Me: "Oh..."

Oops. It's possible I need to come up with a new plan. Poor kid. He's so patient with me.

Go Mommy Go!

2010-02-28T20:41:00.001-07:00

My fabulous friends and neighbors threw a welcome home open house for Collin last weekend. One sweet family got him a Go Diego Go! tricycle. (Thanks again Jonie and family, he absolutely loves it!) I was totally excited for him. Until I started reading the instructions which started with "adult assembly required". I experienced a few moments of sheer panic when I looked around and realized...that was me. Oh boy. After a few deep breaths, and a little internal pep talk, I grabbed my trusty set of pink tools and went to work.

Bless, his little heart, Collin seemed to have complete confidence in me. He even offered to help keep it steady while I put the wheels on. At least that's what I decided he meant when he plopped down on it out of nowhere and refused to move. Now come on, doesn't that look like complete confidence on his face?

It probably took about three times longer than it would have taken grandpa or uncle Jed to do it, but in the end:

Mommy was still the hero and that face made it totally worth it! Bring on the swing set! Okay, really don't. Pink tools can only go so far... Thanks again Kristin and Mandi for organizing and all of our friends for coming. We had a blast!

First Snow

2010-02-26T20:24:00.000-07:00

It's been a pretty mild winter thus far, so when Collin got home, all of the snow had melted off the lawn. A few days ago, we had a little storm. I was curious about what Collin's reaction would be to the cold white stuff. At first I took him to the window and let him watch the snow fall for a few minutes. Apparently that wasn't enough to satisfy his inquisitive nature as he started smacking the window and yelling/pointing outside. So, we bundled him up and took him out for a closer look.

He was definitely fascinated.

I showed him how to catch a snowflake on his hand, but he couldn't seem to figure out why it was gone by the time he got it to his mouth.

He seemed to be having a great time. Right up until he looked up to see where the snow was coming from and flakes started falling into his eyes and on his throat.

That's when he realized that this stuff is COLD! Hey buddy, just wait for about 10 years when you have to help mommy shovel it!

My Solution To Dusting

2010-02-23T19:56:00.004-07:00

Collin threw his ball through the coffee table. I was sitting on the couch when he came over, patted my knee and pointed to the runaway ball with that pleading look in his eye. Not wanting to be sucked into this no doubt entertaining (for him) game of fetch, I told him to go get it. I figured he'd run around the table, pick it up and bring it back to me. Not so much.

Apparently, the shortest distance between two points is STILL a straight line. Even if it's a little slippery...

Is There A Doctor In The House?

2010-02-21T21:01:00.004-07:00

One of the first things we did when Collin came home was to take him to the doctor to make sure we knew exactly what illnesses and bugs we were dealing with and to start immunizations.
It turns out he's a pretty social kid once he gets comfortable. He started out playing with the nurses, but got a little nervous when mommy started taking his clothes off.

The worried look went away as soon as we put him on the scale. He decided it was fun to bounce in it. Once we settled him down, he weighed in at 20.5 lbs, pre-bounce of course.

Our doctors office exam rooms are decorated with animals. While we were waiting for the doctor, Collin kept pointing to the animals and repeating their names after I said them. He was starting to think this place was pretty fun. And then the nurses walked in with the needles. Game over. That's when the above playful guy turned into this guy...

Having had no personal experience with the fine art of giving a two-year old shots, and not being smart enough to ask someone, I was completely taken by surprise when they asked me to hold him on my lap and "make sure to keep him still" while they tag teamed him with needles. After that, we didn't so much have an opportunity to pull the camera back out. I was rushing to get his clothes back on before his screams actually burst any ones ear drums and trying desperately to keep the tears in my eyes from rolling down my cheeks. I'm still traumatized. Okay, stop laughing at me. And Collin? Well, after they gave him a little toy tricycle, he was all smiles again. That is, until the next day when we had to go back for a TB test. Poor kid is gonna think every time he walks through the door of that office someone is gonna stick him with something. Thankfully, the test came back clean and we don't have to go back for awhile.

Good thing too, I'm gonna need some time to work up to the next one. Seriously, stop laughing at me Toria... :)

Silence Is Golden?

2010-02-17T20:52:00.004-07:00

Probably, but in this case, it called for investigation. Collin had been toddling around the house for about a half an hour babbling in what I assume was a combination of Kreyol and baby talk and making himself laugh. Then, suddenly all was quiet. Mommy radar went up. Upon further investigation, I found this:

Good thing he hasn't figured out how to turn the water on. Yet. :)

Sweet Dreams Little One

2010-02-15T20:47:00.005-07:00

The first night Collin was home, I had grand dreams of him sleeping in his own room, with me in a sleeping bag next to him. It seemed like a good idea at the time, until we didn't get home until nearly one in the morning. Collin saw the bed (which at the time was a mattress on the floor with a darling spread that Grandma made for him) and started freaking out. I was too tired to play that night, so we slept in my bed. That went on for the rest of the first week. Then, last week, thanks to our new friends, The Mason's, Collin got a brand new Captain's bed and mommy pulled out the sleeping bag on his floor.
The first night, he slept great, almost 12 hours, only waking up twice. Both times, all I had to say was "mommy's here" and rub his back for about 30 seconds and he went back to sleep. Fast forward to the end of last week when mommy's still-attempting-to-heal hip reminded her that she is MUCH too old for sleeping on the floor for any extended period of time, and it was time for a new plan: Collin gets to sleep solo. It took him a bit to warm up to mommy's plan, but for the last few nights, Collin has drifted off to dream land in his own little bed, and so has mommy.

I used to secretly giggle when people would say that they love to watch their children sleep. Now I completely get it. Laundry can wait and the bathrooms? Well, I wasn't really cleaning those before... :)

Phone Fun

2010-02-10T16:48:00.004-07:00

This morning, Collin confiscated my cell phone. It was locked, so I wasn't worried about him accidentally dialing anyone. I was cleaning up breakfast and making his bed, so I wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying. That is, until I heard this:

Collin: Hello? Hello Dadda!
Me: Umm, How about hello Mamma?
Collin: Hello Dadda!

For the next 20 minutes, he wandered through the house giggling "hello Dadda". Umm, does he know something I don't??

Welcome Home Collin!!

2010-02-09T10:39:00.002-07:00

(Okay, I know we've been home for a week, but sadly, I have been without a computer for most of that time. Mine crashed in Miami, and I just got a new one.)

When I got home that Friday, to madly pack a bag and catch a flight to Miami the next morning, I found this on my garage door.

Thanks so much to the Bale's and the Brown's (and anyone else who may have been involved). I did have to move it inside so the balloons would still be inflated when Collin actually made it home. He absolutely LOVED them!

The whole trip to Miami is a bit of a blur. Once we landed, and by we I mean the 9 families that traveled from Utah, we rented two SUV's and headed off to His House where the children were being taken care of. By the time we got there, it was a little after 5:00. It took a few hours for all of the children to be processed and reunited with their parents. Collin was the 2nd to last one. By the time they brought him to me, it was close to 8:00pm. He was half asleep, but he still reached out for me, which of course made me cry. It only took a few minutes to turn the sleepy boy into this:

We flew into Miami during Pro-Bowl weekend. It didn't cause too much of a problem until we tried to fly OUT. There was nothing available until late Monday night, which put us home at midnight. That didn't stop Grandma, Grandpa and a few aunts, uncles and cousins from being there to welcome us home. Thanks guys!

We're working on a getting on a schedule so hopefully, I'll be able to update a little more often. Stay tuned!!

We're Home!!!!

2010-02-02T10:29:00.003-07:00

I am guest blogging for Tia today because though she and Collin made it home last night, her luggage decided it likes the warm sunny weather in Miami. She will be back on to share pictures and stories once her luggage finds its safe return home with her laptop.

She asked me to thank everyone for their love, support and prayers.

Together Again!!

2010-01-31T13:48:00.002-07:00

Once we made it to Miami, we had to wait for a bit (okay a little longer than a bit) but they finally brought a very sleepy Collin to me. He has a fabulous case of scabies and a cold (yeah, I wasn't surprised either) but other than that, he seems to be doing great. It took about two minutes to make him smile and only about a half an hour for him to call me mama. He's so sweet!

Many, many thanks to the kind people at His House Children's Center who took such great care of Collin and his friends until we could get there. Especially the cute lady who greeted me and cried with me and waited so patiently for me to be able to tell her our names through my tears.

It looks like we're hanging out in Miami for at least today, and possibly tomorrow. (Stupid Pro-Bowl; normally I like it, but this year it's making it so I can't get home!)

Thank you all so much for your love and support during the last two weeks. I've felt so blessed to have so many wonderful, loving and caring people in my life. I can't wait for you all to meet my new little boy! See you all soon!!

Miami Here We Come...

2010-01-29T17:55:00.002-07:00

Looks like customs has taken custody of the kids in Miami. We knew this was a possibility. Therefore I'm apparently heading to Miami... Collin and the other kids will be put in "comfortable" shelters (Don't worry, they will be bathed and fed... Did that sound a little sarcastic? No? Maybe I should try again...) until their paperwork can be processed. It could take a couple of days. I can be with him from 10-5 during the day, but I can't take him to the hotel with me. That part stinks...

My New Hero

2010-01-29T15:45:00.002-07:00

I thought you would all like to know the name of my new hero. It's Jake Yockers. He is our hero pilot that refused to leave Haiti without our little ones. I believe the phrase "you can put those kids on the plane or a gun to my head, but those are the only two ways I'm leaving this airport" were used.

Thank you Jake for taking a stand. Thank you for making sure my baby boy was on that plane before you left. Thank you for speaking for those who couldn't speak for themselves! Thank you, thank you!

They Are In The Air!!!

2010-01-29T15:12:00.005-07:00

Collin is coming home!!!! I have no idea where they are landing, but at least it will be on American soil!!!

Not all of our little ones were able to get on the plane. Please pray for the families that are hurting again right now. We're not done, WE WILL GET THEM HOME!

Hold Your Breath And Cross Your Fingers!

2010-01-29T14:16:00.003-07:00

Sounds like they are being allowed to board!!!

Gotta Clear Something Up...

2010-01-29T12:04:00.003-07:00

ABC 4 is reporting that the plane is in the air. Unfortunately, that is not correct. We are in contact with Chareyl and Team Hope on the ground. I will let you know when the news changes. The kids are at the airport and near the plane. Our pilot has already told them that he will leave one of two ways. Either the with the kids on the plane, or at gun point. There are SO many people fighting for us. We're SO close!!! :)

This Just In...

2010-01-29T11:19:00.004-07:00

He's certainly not happy, but here he is!! I don't know that I've ever been happier to see a temper tantrum in progress!

Rapid Fire Updates

2010-01-29T10:30:00.003-07:00

Here's what we know so far...

The pilot (my new hero) refused to leave the tarmac without the kids.
Chareyl and Team Hope have loaded all the kids on vans to take them to the airport.
They are now in a tent 100 feet from the plane waiting for final confirmation that the paperwork has been approved.

As my friend Noelle says, "if this were a movie, I would TOTALLY fast forward to the end!"

Stay tuned... And please keep the prayers coming!

I love you Collin and I WILL see you soon!!!

Getting So Close!

2010-01-29T08:27:00.001-07:00

Hang in there little ones! We're almost there!

And THIS Is What Happens When Your Pilot Throws A Fit

2010-01-29T07:47:00.002-07:00

"Through some sort of weird miracle.... our pilot of OUR PLANE told them he wouldn't get off the tarmac without these kids and they didn't shoot him.

I hear we have 2 hours to get Prime Minister signatures. PRAY."

I LOVE stubborn pilots!!! Please Heavenly Father, I know we've been asking all week, but one more miracle? Please?

Another Update

2010-01-28T18:50:00.003-07:00

Okay, I'm blatently plagerizing from Lori's blog, but I just can't think at the moment...

"I just got off the phone with Kristen Lemieux at Congressman Rick Larsen's office. She says that the story about the PM going to Canada isn't true. She said the PM was out of the country today, but that he is meeting with the US Ambassador to Haiti tomorrow and that our children's files are their top priority.

I cried and then I told her that I really appreciated that but that until my children were on this continent I wasn't sure who to believe anymore.

So... this is why I say, "Stay put". If we can get word that they're moving we can figure out where exactly our children have been put or which shelter they are being moved to.

Stay tuned for more details."

And "tuned" I will stay. At least that part is easy; I'm sitting right next to her.

This Just In...

2010-01-28T18:45:00.003-07:00

"All,
I don't even know what to say. We have done everything we could think of to try to make this smooth and efficient and easy on our families and, especially the children. We've found out in the last few hours that it isn't enough.

Here's the latest.

1. We all have Humanitarian Parole. Now we need the Prime Minister's signature in order for our children to be authorized to leave the country.
2. While Chareyl was at the Embassy this afternoon, they announced that the Prime Minister was leaving - for Canada. What Chareyl told me was that unless you could take someone to wherever he was immediately and stand in front of him until he chose to sign your papers, there was nothing they could do.

3. Additionally, we have been trying to make this transition as painless as possible for the children. We've been working for days with all the different agencies and departments trying to make sure we have every T crossed and I dotted.

I cannot even begin to tell you what we've been through in the last week and a half, trying to wade through the marsh of bureaucracy so that you wouldn't have to. We've tried to prep agencies and groups and make everyone aware of these children and this group and their plight. I have made the comment several times in the last week that I could not see how it was possible that I could be doing this as my volunteer full-time job for so many days and still have gov't departments give me new "requirements" and processes and signatures needed for each department to be happy.

Just a couple of hours ago, we were notified.... well, I won't even go into all the random stuff that we've been notified.

Here's the short list:
If you Child is Category II (which nearly all of us are)

When the Prime Minister or other appropriate Haitian official finally decides to sign the paperwork and our children are finally released to travel, we have no say in what happens to them for the next 2-3 days. The child will be taken to Miami and will be taken into custody of the OOR. They will take your child to a shelter in Miami. They have suggested that we do NOT arrive at the Miami Airport as you won't be able to see them there. The children will be taken via back ways to ensure that they aren't a media spectacle.
When the OOR knows when our children are arriving (because the PM has finally signed the paperwork) we'll be notified of which shelter will have them. They said they will send me out a "Welcome Letter" to tell us which hotels are in the area of the shelters where the children will be. You will be able to go and visit them and play with them during the day, but at night they will be staying at the shelter and you will be returning to your hotel. They said it typically takes 2-3 days for their process to confirm all is well with the child and that you are who you say you are, etc, etc, etc.

I tried. I really did. I am still sending them the packets that they said they could preprocess and I'm hoping that they will actually do that and that it will shorten the time your children will be in a shelter.

At this point, we have esclated to Senators Hatch and Crapo and Congressman Larsen as well as anyone else that would listen to my friend Brian at Utah - DHS. We're demanding that the US government find an alternative to the signature of a Prime Minister who obviously doesn't put the children first.

I would suggest you stay where you are for the moment. If they fix the signature fiasco and get someone else to authorize the files, we'll be on the next plane to Miami and you'll need to know which shelter your child(ren) wil be at. If they don't fix the signature fiasco, you'll need to be able to escalate and rally your local elected officials.

I think I'll start to send you some of the emails that outline what we've been through these last days. I feel like we've tried - all the way along - to do what we were asked to do and be "good citizens" and because our children weren't lucky enough to have the lousy Haitian process get them "far enough along" that our government could consider them Category I orphans. Those kids skip all this OOR shelter crap.

These poor kids have been the victim over and over and over again. They just can't catch a break. And neither can their families.

I'll keep you posted if I get any news. I wish this had worked out. We are still going to send the packets down, as I mentioned and I hope that will make things easier for your families when you do hit a border somewhere.

L"

I really just don't know what to say at this point. He's so close. I miss him so much and I just want him home.

Feelin' A Little Froggy...

2010-01-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I mentioned to my mom that I needed to change my guest bathroom into something cute and "little boy like" for Collin. A few days ago, I got home from a meeting to find this.

No matter what age you are, mom's rock (so do Grandma's)! Thanks mom! I hope to be half the mom to Collin that my mom has been to me.

And Here We Go Again...

2010-01-25T12:48:00.002-07:00

"All,
Because we haven't been on enough of a rollercoaster....

Chareyl arrived at the Embassy today and was notified that the Haitian government has put a freeze on everything. (Anyone else smell UNICEF)

She said they told her that they cannot even give her the paperwork that has been approved until the government gives her direction.

She said that Secretary Clinton and DHS and President Preval, etc, etc are in a meeting right now trying to negotiate things.

The Embassy is turning away all people for appointments and telling them to come back tomorrow.

Chareyl says this is all very political. Haiti had lifted their exit requirements and now they've revoked that and they want to approve every child leaving.

I believe this explains why we stopped getting phone calls yesterday from DHS regarding file approvals.

I also believe there is a reason our miracle flight was arranged for THURSDAY when we wanted TUESDAY.

We need to continue to pray, folks. We need some leaders' hearts softened. We need them to be inspired to find a way for them to process their Haitian Government approval that will make them happy and that our files that are down there will meet.

We have approved I-171Hs, we have pictures of parents and passports and pictures of parents with the children. We have the proof of relationship.

Chareyl says there is NOTHING that anyone in any US government can do. This is a HAITIAN GOVERNMENT decision. It won't matter who is there. You can't fly there and make it any different than what Chareyl is getting. I know you want to DO because that's what PARENTS do.

This time all parents can do is PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. You can get mad. You can cry. Just make sure you move on to PRAY.

We need PRAYERS. WE NEED MIRACLES STILL.

I think we still move forward with faith and book flights (with insurance in case we have to make a change) and move forward trusting that God will DELIVER.

I will keep you posted if I get any more information. Chareyl is going to continue to try to get into the Embassy so that the instant Haiti has a decision we can pick up our paperwork.

I'll keep you posted.

Lori"

Looks like the ride's not quite over yet. :(

We Have A Plane!!!!

2010-01-25T11:23:00.002-07:00

Here's the email we received this morning!!

"All,

We have a plane, we have a plane, we have a plane!!!!! Please stop and say a prayer of thanks.

A group that would prefer we don't mention their names has arranged a flight going into Haiti with humanitarian supplies. They have been given a slot to land on Thursday. They will unload their cargo. They will check off and load the kids. Then they are coming home to SALT LAKE CITY UTAH.

They have some doctors and nurses going down on the plane to return with the children to make sure everyone is getting everything they need as soon as possible. I told them, "They all look really healthy" and he said, 'Then they'll snuggle the children who are scared".
And then I cried a little bit more. (So did I...I think my little Collin is gonna need snuggles...)

Chareyl is at the Embassy now. She will be there all day long picking up Humanitarian Paroles. We will be notified as she gets each child's paperwork.

They're coming home, ladies and gentlemen! They're coming home!!"

I can't believe my little one will be here in just a few days! Thank you all so much for your love and support. I admit I'm a little nervous about the prospect of being a single mom, but I am so excited! There have been so many miracles in this process, I've lost count, so I know this is what Heavenly Father wants for us right now. Again, thank you all for your prayers, I couldn't have made it through this without you. The people of Haiti are still and always will be very close to my heart and they will be hurting for a long time. Please continue to remember them in your prayers!

Phone Call

2010-01-23T20:19:00.003-07:00

What does it mean when your phone rings and the caller id says District of Columbia? It means someone at the Department of Homeland Security is working REALLY late on a Saturday night and is calling to tell you that your son has JUST BEEN GRANTED HUMANITARIAN PAROLE!!! Well, that's what it meant for me anyway... :)

Don't Worry Mommy, I'm Okay!

2010-01-23T10:11:00.005-07:00

What an awesome thing to wake up to!

I got an email last night from Lori, who told me that her husband Brent (the human jungle gym behind Collin) rocked Collin to sleep last night! What a relief and comfort to know that Uncle Brent, Chareyl, Scott and the rest of Team Hope are there to help take care of him now. And thanks so much for the picture! I will be eternally grateful to Harry, Nadia, Abel and the others who made sure Collin was safe and stayed safe after the earthquake. Please continue to pray for them and for the others in Haiti who are still suffering. And please say a special prayer for Team Hope as they go in search of Jessica today. We need you and love you Jess!

And if you're not too tired of saying prayers on my behalf, could you also pray for my friends in France? They are having a difficult time convincing their government that their children NEED to come home. You are in my thoughts and prayers Isabelle!

They're On The Ground In Haiti!

2010-01-22T08:33:00.002-07:00

Team "Hope" is on the ground in Haiti. It sounds like they spent the night collecting children and getting them to one central location. Chareyl is spending the day at the embassy while the rest finish getting all the kids in one place. Please keep praying specifically for the people at the embassy and that they will be able to find Jess!

Warning, Tear Jerker Ahead

2010-01-21T11:03:00.004-07:00

Thank you for putting this together Brent and Lori!
Hope For Little Angels of Haiti/Requiem

Haiti will forever be in my thoughts and prayers!

Prayers Needed One More Time

2010-01-20T21:59:00.004-07:00

I know I've been begging for your prayers in the last week, but do you mind if I ask one more time? I received this email a few minutes ago.

"Dear families,

I am getting ready to go and will be leaving basically in the middle of the night. I want to give you a heads up! We do not know for sure when we will get the kids out of the country. I need you to be prepared for a phone call that says something like this…get on a plane and meet us ________
It will be somewhere in the US, it won’t necessarily be Florida. I will try to give you a days notice but no guarantee. I have paperwork for all of you and hopefully they will let the children remain with me until you get there. But God willing it will work out that you can be there the minute the plane rolls in. I am asking you all to pray like you never have before, ask your friends and your families to pray, post away! Pray that we will find ALL of the children, that they will be OK, I know they will not be perfect, but we want them safe and together! Pray that we can get all the children to the Embassy, that all of will find safe travel there, pray that we can get into the embassy and that they will process ALL of the children that they will accept ALL the paperwork that we are bringing, and most especially pray for peace that in the end we all know that this is in God’s hands. I know without a doubt that HE can move mountains and we are asking for HIM to move mountains for us.

I love you all and consider you all my friends. I will be in touch!
Your friend,
Chareyl"

Chareyl is an amazing woman. She is risking her health and safety to bring our children out of Haiti and into their forever families. It's been eight days since the earthquake, and the situation there is incredibly tense at best. Please Heavenly Father, watch over this little group of angels. Guide their footsteps, strengthen their bodies, remove their barriers and lighten their hearts. And PLEASE let them ALL return home soon and safely! And to the 50 littlest angels currently taking refuge in the LDS chapel in Petionville, hold on just a little bit longer. The cavalry's on its way!

Which Brought About This...

2010-01-20T15:33:00.000-07:00

"Dear Wasatch Families,
It appears that the US government will not help with the evacuation of our children in Haiti. They have told us basically to send out orphanage directors in Haiti to the embassy and take what paperwork they can and try and get the kids a visa or Humanitarian parole. So we sent Guesno Mardy (director of Foyer) to the embassy today, he went twice with children in tow, they would not let him in, they would not help him. It has come to my attention that those orphanages that have us coordinators on the ground in Haiti are
getting Visa’s and getting Humanitarian Parole. I have confirmed that all the children that have come home so far have had US citizen’s on the ground in Haiti with experience helping them. My opinion is that when they see Haitian’s coming they think they are just trying to get out of the country themselves, I don’t know for sure this is just my opinion.
So I have decided to go to Haiti and get our children, I am going with a special group of people who are dedicated to helping me, I have a representative from Foyer going (Lindsay Crapo) and I have my special humanitarian task force going, which includes a member of the military. I have experience with the embassy I know some of the personnel, I have been there to process paperwork and feel like I will be able to get our kids out. I am currently working on how to fly the kids out of Haiti once I have them. I am pretty sure we have a plane that will fly us out, but will let you know when it is Set. We will be bringing a total of 50 kids out of Haiti. I do have a seat on a missionary plane going into Haiti on Thursday.
So what I need from each of you right now is a copy of all the paperwork you sent to USCIS Haiti, I am going to take it with me to ensure we have everything we need to get Visa’s or Humanitarian Parole, I am going to try to get as many of the kids out on a Visa as I can. If you already cc’d me when you sent it in then I have it, but many of you did not so please send it now so that we can get it printed. I am taking a lap top and when I can I will keep you posted.

Your friend,
Chareyl "

Chareyl, you are my hero. I can't begin to thank you enough for what you are doing. Please be safe and hurry home!!!

On a side note, the donations made to Collin's orphanage were able to be delivered to Harry yesterday. That means they now have the money to buy food and gas to survive. Thank you all for your generosity!

So First There Was This...

2010-01-20T15:27:00.001-07:00

"It is once again my job to be the barrier of bad news. Another day come and gone and no change. Despite extensive Congressional support and all of your calls to your Members of Congress we have hit roadblock after roadblock. At this point we respectfully ask that you stop contacting your Members of Congress requesting their assistance with obtaining security, transportation, and water for the location. The Department of State has not and apparently will not provide the small assistance that we have requested.

Given the current circumstances, at this point we are recommending that someone from each orphanage escort the children who qualify for humanitarian parole or adoption visas to the U.S. Embassy in Port-A-Prince. We recommend that the orphanage staff arrive with the children and any adoption paperwork that has not been destroyed as early as possible in the morning in order to attempt to obtain visas or parole for the children. Please understand that this option may not be considered safe and that the U.S. Embassy did not allow some orphanages onto the premises today. Additionally, please note that it has been reported that there is no food, water or facilities for the children to use while at the Embassy. As noted during our conference call earlier today, these are our recommendations only and should not be used to replace your or your orphanage director's good judgement.

It is our understanding that any children processed by USCIS in Port-A-Prince are leaving on U.S. cargo jets to locations that are not often know until a hour or so before the flight leaves. At times children have left Haiti without the knowledge of their adoptive parents.

This is currently the worst case scenario for the children's well-being and safety but at the moment there are no other options.

As we receive more information we will continue to share it with you. While the situation at the moment is terrible I can only hope that our collective efforts produce some positive news. Despite the roadblocks Joint Council has not given up on the save haven and we continue to advocate for its creation and a more transparent and safe process in uniting these children with their adoptive families.

Rebecca - JCICS"

Awesome News... Part Two: Collin Is Safe!!!

2010-01-19T17:09:00.002-07:00

Just got this email:

"Thank you Tia and you better be sitting down….Nadia has Collin, yes you heard me right, she has him!! Now we just have
To get your boy home!!
Love you,
Chareyl"

Thank you so much for all of your love and support! I can't wait for you all to meet him! Please keep praying for Jessica, Abie, Joey and Jordan. We need them found before this miracle can be complete!

Awesome News!

2010-01-18T18:13:00.002-07:00

I just received this email from Chareyl. We're almost there! Now PLEASE Heavenly Father, help us find Collin, Nathan, Jessica, Abie, Joey, Jordan, Jean Tony, Vania and Zabrie be found safe and soon!

"WE HAVE HUMANITARIAN PAROLE, IT IS OFFICIAL!!!!
We are bringing the kids home!!
Secretary Napolitano has announced humanitarian parole for orphaned Haitian children.
Please see the attached documents, which detail the announcement and fact sheet.
I will keep you posted as we receive information on how the children will be taken
To the embassy and how we will get them out of the Haiti.
This is the best news ever! I feel so much gratitude for everyone that has made this
Come together!!
Chareyl Moyes"

And The Torture Continues...

2010-01-18T08:16:00.002-07:00

I received this email this morning. Collin's French name is Olivier.

Dear Hope Families,
I just received word from Harry early this morning on the children. Again the messages are incomplete and very
Short. But apparently all the children are not together. Harry has not been able to reach Abel so
We don’t know if some of the children are with him, but he gave me a list of the children that are
Not with Nadia. Again, I am assuming the rest of the children ARE with her. He is going to try and reach Nadia today
And get all the children with her and take them to the church where he can care for them. He will also
try and locate the rest of the children. I know this will be hard to read if your child is on the list below,
but please know that we don’t have all the information Yet. However hard I want to give the information as I receive it.

As I understand it, these are the children not with Nadia:

Zambrie
Nathan
Abigael
Joe
Betul
Jean Tony
Vania
Olivier
Jessica

We need to pray hard to find these children, everyone get your friends and family to pray.
I will continue to be vigilant in getting information.
My heart is with all of you!
Chareyl"

Please continue to pray for all of these little ones.

A Little More News

2010-01-16T19:16:00.002-07:00

Here's a little more news:

"As you know we have confirmation that Harry is in an LDS church in PetionVille, all the children living in the orphanage with him were evacuated safely. The mounting concerns now are that PetionVille is in the mountains and it has been difficult to get aid to them. Harry said that there is food to purchase and even gas for his truck, but he has no money. And because PetionVille is in the mountains it has been difficult for rescue teams to get to them. Harry says that if he could get some gas in his car he could try to find Nadia and the foster kids. He would also be able to buy food and supplies, there is some available to purchase (although the prices are astronomical) but the banks are shut down and there is no way to get money. I am happy to tell you that we have found a way to get money to Harry! We have a friend (via Shannon Cox, haitianroots.com) who will be traveling to Haiti tomorrow with a special medical team put together by the LDS church. Dr. Jeremy Booth has agreed to take the money to Harry. He is an ER doctor, speaks fluent Creole and loves the Haitian people. They have been trying to fly out for several days but because of flight restrictions but hope to fly out tomorrow. The hope for the little angels team is out getting a substantial amount of cash right now to send with Dr. Booth. I know this money will be critical in helping to find and feed our children.
I want to tell each of you thank you, it is because of so many of you and your contributions
That the hope organization has funds to send down.
I will keep you posted, please pray that Dr. Booth is able to reach Harry with the funds!!
Your friend,
Chareyl"

Joint Counsil Email

2010-01-16T19:03:00.002-07:00

This is an excerpt from an email I received from the Joint Council this morning...

"Humanitarian Parole
It is the position of Joint Council that the U.S. government should immediately grant humanitarian parole to all Haitian children being adopted by a U.S. family. At present, Joint Council is appealing with the U.S. government, specifically the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to issue humanitarian paroles for any child that has been referred to an American family. If DHS issues humanitarian paroles, the children would not need a visa to enter the U.S. and be united with you. This would minimize the paperwork and possibly eliminate the need to find documents, which have been destroyed in the earthquake. Given the urgent needs of the children and the fact that they have you, we believe that humanitarian parole is the most humane solution. We will continue to work this weekend and into next week to achieve this goal. Again, please remember that at this time, we do not have confirmation from the Department of Homeland Security regarding humanitarian parole, but we are working towards that goal.

From our many, many meetings with Members of Congress, the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security, we feel that you should know that your government is working very hard to find a solution which will help get your children into the safe, permanent and loving setting of your family."

Please join me in praying for those petitioning for and those making these critical decisions.