Day 5, 6 and 7...

Monday Day 5-
   Today we woke up very early.  We got up at 5:30, picked up at 6:30, we had a 7am appointment with the US Embassy.  We were a little nervous for this.  Not really for the appointment itself but for the where to go, what to expect, etc... it ended up being a piece of cake for us, which was nice.  Most of the other families and our agency said to expect our embassy appointment to take 3 hours but it only took 1 hour 40 minutes.  We were out at 8:40am which was great because that meant a full day at the orphanage. All the other days we were picked up at 9am so 8:40a put us right on schedule. This was our "interview" with the embassy to start the immigration process.    It was very basic questions and not much of an interview, mostly filing paperwork.
   It was the first day of 2 days that a mission group was at Foyer.  Today their only mission really was to play with the kiddos.  It was really nice to have them here because they occupied most the other kiddos. Us three sets of parents, here on our bonding trips, were able to really get some good time with our own kids without being interrupted by 20-25 other kiddos.
   Today was the first day we got little R to laugh!  His little laugh is SO QUIET but so sweet. We discovered today that R loves the game of peek-a-boo when daddy hides behind walls and we run around trying to find him.  The third floor of Foyer is pretty bare.  There are lots of empty spaces for us to hide or for daddy to hide and jump out and "scare" each other.  R could have played this game for hours. He was giggling so much if I put him down he would fall over, he couldn't even stand due to laughter, it was so sweet! I think today was the first time he had ever run.  We were trying to chase him or have him chase us.  At first he didn't really get the whole running thing but once he started it he enjoyed it.  It is so amazing to see all these firsts with him in just a short time.  We aren't 100% sure but we are thinking that he hasn't spent much time away from his room, we don't think he has been outside much expect to go to and from school. We also don't think he has ventured up the stairs much to the second or third floors (not many of the toddlers do, mostly the preschool and older children do).  Everything he sees and does, he looks so interested, he studies things very closely, like he is very interested and as though its all new to him.

Tuesday Day 6-
    The other two moms here and myself where commenting the other day how we needed to lead a team to come in and put color on the walls at Foyer. The walls are all white or a pale yellow color.  The children at Foyer are well cared for but the building itself (although provides for their needs very well) is a little plain.  This morning our dreams came true 😊. Today the mission teams primary purpose was to fix some toilets and faucets in the bathroom, repair some roof damage from Hurricane Matthew, and paint.  Almost the entire inside of the building (at least the most used spots except the bedrooms) all got a fresh coat of paint AND they painted some wonderful, colorful murals on some of the walls.  When we got there this morning the mission team had already started and R had been sent to school so I grabbed a paint roller and spent my time waiting for R to get back painting as well. One of the nannies did however, per our request, go to get R from school not too long after we got there today.  We have decided that, although wonderful he gets out of the orphanage everyday to go to school,  while we are here we would like for him to miss school to be with us instead.  We only get to be at the orphanage from 10a-3p everyday.  The kiddos don't start getting back from school till 1 or 1:30p, that is not much time each day that we can spend with him.  We feel our bonding time is more important since he is only 2.5 years old. So starting now he wont go to school anymore until after we leave.
   I could write for hours each thing we do each day but that would take far to long!  The most important thing for us to share is that we truly feel this little guy is made for our family.  Also, it is so wonderful to see him open up to us and get more comfortable with us each day.  Each day we truly feel a little more bonded to him.
   R seemed to be feeling a little better today too.  Since we have been here all the kiddos have been sick with nasty colds (runny noses, coughs, etc...). Imagine when your family gets sick... first one kiddo, then the next, etc... now imagine 130-150 (still not clear how many are currently at Foyer) all with no hand sanitizer, no tissues, not much medication if any, and not having running water all the time to wash hands... EVERY SINGLE KIDDO gets sick 😞. Not joking, every child here is at home point of nasty head cold, finishing up, in the middle of, or just starting. Breaks my little heart to see how many of them feeling so miserable.


Wednesday Day 7-
   Nothing incredible happened today.  Just another day.  It has been very fun to see R get more and more comfortable with us.  Everyday he reaches out just a little more, wants to be snuggled just a little more and feels just a little more like he is part of us. He also seems more and more like a little boy.  His personality is really starting to shine through the shyness.
   It has been really nice to not have phone service, not have much internet (very spotty, slow and only at the hotel in the evenings), and just focus on playing with our son and bonding.  It has been nice to have alone time, and also go join in on the fun other kids are trying to have.  I have had my hair "done" and petted by 50 little girls and Ethan has "hunted" spiders and played soccer with a countless number of little boys.  Every time we leave the balcony and wonder off down stairs or outside, we have 10+ kids cling to us like glue.  They want to have their hands held and have love and affection.  It is going to be hard to leave this place in a week, going to be hard to leave our son but also all the other kids that need families.  We have grown close to a couple of the older girls who have not been matched with families and all they want is a family!!  There is one or two of them we would bring home in a heartbeat if we could. There is one girl that we have gotten to know well, she saw a picture of Evaleena and Adrianna, this girl who is 12, asked if they could be her sisters.  When we explained that wasn't possible (Haiti no longer allows "pre-identified" matches) the hurt and pain in her eyes broke our hearts.


Thursday Day 8- Thanksgiving
  Today was a hard day in many ways.  I miss the girls greatly!!! This mama has never been away from her cubs this long!  For a stay a home mom, who homeschools part time... this time away is hard... VERY HARD!!  I love being here, I love spending every day with R and wonderful great quality time with my husband but I do miss my girls!!!
  Today Ethan and I both felt that maybe R needed a little break from us. He came right to us this morning and walked us upstairs by the hand like every day but today he just wanted to explore a little more independently.  We still had lots of fun and giggles (ps: some of the cutest little giggles you could ever hear) but he wasn't looking behind him every two seconds to make sure we were right there like he has been the last couple of days.
   Lastly, today was the last day for the other two families here on their bonding trips.  There time has come to leave their daughters here and make the journey back home without them. This is something Ethan and I have been dreading for a couple years, truly.  We have always said, "when we go on our bonding trip, it is going to be so hard to leave him there and come home without him". Watching the other two mamas (and papas) say "good-bye" today tore at my heart strings.  I got a little teary eyed for them... next week when I have to say "good-bye" to R, I am going to be a HOT HOT MESS!!!