Adoption Poems

As I waited almost three years to bring my children home, I spent a lot of time stalking adoption blogs & dreaming of the day I would have my children home. Along the way I collected some poems others had posted that had special meaning to me. I thought I would start sharing some of them here for others to enjoy as you wait for your babies to come home.

Hugs, Laur

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We've added to our family tree
A stronger one to make
A child from another plant
Has become our new namesake

Just as a limb is grafted
From one tree to another
It alters and improves the plant
Making it uniquely like no other

Our family tree has been improved
Adoption made this so
For love much more than bloodlines
Makes us thrive and grow

We chose to share our life and love
And all the joys to come
Our family tree has blossomed
With the arrival of our cherished one (two)...

Author Unknown

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As a girl I had a common dream, to be a mom someday.
My baby would have eyes of blue and hair the hue of hay.

But now my dreams have been transformed.
New visions fill my head.
Now the tresses that I long to stroke are raven black instead.
And in my dreams those eyes are not so big or blue or round.
Now in my dreams they're beautiful and colored cocoa brown.

And in my dreams my arms can stretch across enormous seas.
They reach half-way around the world and hold you close to me.
And in my dreams the moment that your birthmother says good-bye, I'll be right there to comfort you and hold you as you cry.

Our features may not look alike; we're different as can be.
But still I know the Father has created you for me.
And though I've not yet touched your face, or held your tiny hands, and though we're half a world apart in very different lands, I'll be right there to get you, just as soon as God allows.
But ’til He says the time is right I give to you this vow.
I'll pray for your protection every day on bended knee.
For God to hold you in His arms, until you're here with me.

Author Unknown

I'm a Weiner..........

My new wheels.



My sis & her new wheels. I like hers better - maybe next lottery I could win one of those?

I mean winner. :) I have been buying the $100 lottery tickets for years & years & have never won anything. So I told the kids I had to keep buying them now; as it always says you have a 1 in 15 or 1 in 20 chance of winning. I have purchased way more than 15 - 20 of those tickets over the years so I said I was going to win soon.

Not long before we left for Haiti I won a Olympus digital camera in one of the lotteries. I was tickled pink as I did not have a working camera anymore & it was on my list of things to purchase before picking up the kids.

Then a couple of months ago in another lottery I won a Panasonic cordless phone with three handsets. I was happy about that one too as the basement had just been completed & I needed a phone for down there as well as some new ones upstairs. Yippee another bonus.

Then yesterday I got a letter in the mail from the Kinsmen Lotto informing me that I had won a Shimano Townie 21 speed touring bike & helmet. I went & picked it up today & it is awesome. It is very retro - in fact my sis had one just like this in the 70's (only it was a 1 speed & had pedal brakes). She used to get teased riding it as mustangs bikes with banana seats or 10 speeds were the rage at that time. See Cher you were just way ahead of your time. It reminds me of a Mr. Bean bike so you just have to smile when you look at it. I think I will have to buy a bell & basket for it & you can call me Ms. Bean. Then we can pop our puppies into the basket, hook the kid trailer up to the back & take the whole crew out riding.

So it seems the value of the last three prizes has gone up each time - so yippee maybe next time it will be a car, or a house, or money.................. ;) I would be good with any of those - a girl can dream.

So if you see me cruising down the road - honk & wave as you pass me.

Hugs, Laur

Fun at the Amusement Park

Jen & N on our first ride of the day.
They're swingers............
Waiting for the train.
A small train
So much to see................


Yesterday I took the kids to an amusement park for the first time. I didn't know how to explain the concept of rides - so I just said you will see what we are doing when we get there. They have never done rides or anything before so this was a whole new adventure for them. They had a blast. We went with Jen & her little guy N, who is also adopted from Haiti, so the rides & the company were awesome. Thanks Jen.

The kids did really well & weren't scared on any of the rides. Now I just need them to get taller so we can do some of the fun rides. :)

Home 5 Months - August 5

They are both getting so big, they are growing like bad weeds.
Kids with big sis

Wow it is hard to believe 5 months has flown by since the day we brought the kids home. I had forgotten how much work little kids were & had a bunch of jobs lined up that I would do while I was off work. Ha - that hasn't happened; we are too busy & once the kids are in bed I have no energy.

The last five months have probably been some of the most challenging days of my life, but also the most rewarding. It is unbelievable how much my little guys have learned in such a short time. My house is now messy, noisy & full of fun - I wouldn't want it any other way.

Long Boarding Kids

Kids love long boarding with the big kids - A & Paul

I was just talking to Aunty Cher & she said the kids should have helmets on them when skate boarding. DOH I never even thought of that when I was out clicking photos. They do have helmets, so next time they will be wearing them.

Vacation 2008

Bathing camping style.
Splish Splash C is taking her bath

My buddy Dave

I really love camping & even tenting like the kids & I did this time. We tented for two weeks & it was a good time (as long as you have good air mattresses, tarps & enough blankets to stay warm). Dave & Dylan slept in their big motor home & we just squatted at the back of their site.

Camping with two little ones is a ton of work though. Wish I would have had one or both of my big kids with me to help me out & relieve me of some of my parental duties, or just give me a break for a few minutes when I reached my breaking point. It was really dry & dusty there too so the kids always looked so dirty. After the first couple of days the kids slept better as any changes to their routine always take awhile for them to adjust too. The first couple of days the tent & air mattress were like their own private bouncy room so sleep time was not easy. They were outside all day swimming & playing in the heat, so they were exhausted at bed time once the thrill of the air mattress became old hat.

The lake is clean & had large turtles swimming around as well as lots of little fish that nibbled on your feet & toes, crayfish, garter snakes & large toads so the kids were thrilled with all of this new stuff to see. The only thing this lake is missing is a nice sandy beach.

We met up with a lot of folks that Dave met camping there last year as well as some old friends, so there was a very large group of us to hang around with. We had the one whole area of the campground with just our group & our collective 15 dogs. It was lots of fun & they were all such great people. Everyone took the kids under their wings & it felt like a very safe environment to expose them too for a first camping trip like this.

It is amazing how much D's language skills blossomed in these two weeks. Maybe because there were so many people paying attention to him? I don't know but he is now speaking quite clearly.

We had a great time & look forward to many more trips in the future.

More

Me & my babies - D & Zora

C waking from her nap in our tent.
I slept for two weeks in a tent & shared my bed with D. Wow he is brutal to sleep with.
Dylan on his new bike