Typical 2 year old photo sessions!

In all our excitement of planning our trip, we also received our August update from GLA. It is good to see his smiling face. In his update they said he is always quick to smile for the camera --- You gotta love the smiles and expressions he has. It makes me want to squeeze him!!

I'm so thankful he seems to be doing well. I know GLA does a fabulous job with the kids and he's being taken care of but the most assuring thing is to know that God is his comforter, his provider, his Father---and God is always with him.

Plans made to meet Aidan Manuel!!

We're going to Haiti at the end of Sept. !!! It will feel so good to get another step moving, but best of all we get a chance to be with Aidan!!!! We've had our tickets bought for 2 days now and it's finally sinking in that we get to be with Aidan and hold him and meet him!! So in a month we'll get to spend time with our little boy.!! We'll get to know him personally and not just with pictures but we'll be the ones to hug him. I think it will be a very special time. Of course it will make the rest of the time that much harder to wait, but at least we'll have a moment with him to enjoy!!
The purpose of this trip is to get another aspect of the adoption going. Up til this point adoptions have always moved from point A to B to C and so on down the line............but this will allow another aspect to be going on simultaneously so point B to C will be going on with also point E to F--or whatever. So in theory it will cut time at the end of the process because the finishing part of the process will be started already. Since this is a new aspect, there really is no idea of how this really affects the timing. so we really don't have any estimate--we just have to leave that to God---and completely enjoy this new opportunity to meet Aidan!!

Timing

I just had to share some excitement!! Adoptions haven't been going super fast from Haiti--however we knew that since we recieved our referral. Adoptions are taking 9 months all the way up to 18 months to complete (after having a referral)----so realistically speaking Aidan could possibly not come home until this time next year. However there have been a few good things happening. They have been changing some of the process so that if we are interested in doing 2 trips to Haiti, we could take 1 trip relatively soon here and file some paperwork IN Haiti and that could save a couple months off the process. So we said "YES--when can we go?" !!!!!! And now today I was checking out the blog of information for us and this is what it said ..........."I just spoke to Dixie from GLA, and she informed me that the Head of Parquet (District Attorney), has resigned from his position. The Haitian media has been widely broadcasting this news since early this morning. For the past year and a half, he has been making adoptions very difficult in Haiti, causing many delays in the process. We are praying that whoever will replace him will be in favor of adoptions, and will have the children's best interests in mind, resulting in the adoption process moving more quickly." So this is good!!!!.....but we still need prayers that indeed the replacement will benefit adoptions and not further hinder them.

So God continues to open doors and help in this process. I still have no idea, but I do know that God is working it out. Our desire is still to spend Aidan's 3rd birthday with him.

Special Visitors

A group from our church went to Haiti recently, and 2 of the group members were able to spend some time at GLA with the kids. One of our prayers for him is that someone will give him a big hug and show him lots of love each day.......and this particular day he got that!!!!! It sounded like they were able to hold him for a long time and give him some stuff from us......along with our pictures. I just love how he's smiling when he's looking at the pictures. This was sooo cool that we were able to hear about him and it seems like he's really doing well. We got to hear more about his personality and his disposition-----it was just such a special treat. As we were listening to stories about Aidan and seeing his pictures.....Alyssa was saying, "oh, look at him. He just has to come home" She was being so sincere and it just made my heart melt. I know it's still a ways off before he comes home, but I feel like he's part of us and we could have a special moment with him with help of some friends. God keeps us going as we patiently wait.

Summer Time Fun!

He's looking like he's having lots of fun!! It sounds like playing with water is a good play time activity at GLA. But don't most kids like to play with water? Good to hear from them and see his pictures!!! Included in his update was a picture of some of the kids---they had a 4th of July party and had everyone in red, white or blue. Sounds like fun!!! Actually looks like a lot of work to get everyone dressed for a picture. I love that Aidan is getting lots of activities and GLA is continuously doing stuff like that.
Aidan is in the middle---wearing a red hat and sucking his thumb!!