Long over due pics!

Yes Yes Yes, I am a crazy spartan fan that can't get enough pictures of my little Spartans in green and white and I finally got my dream picture of the three of us by Sparty!!! I am so thrilled that my Spartans are in the Final Four! I couldn't ask for a better homecoming gift!!!!!!

We went up to MSU to the high school track meet that my dad was coaching at and I got to see some of the athletic trainers that I used to work with and the kids got to see the campus a bit, play in the athletic training rooms and run on the indoor football practice field! It was tons of fun!



We also went out to pole vault practice with my dad and both kids had fun "learning" how to pole vault. Ecrissa loved it! She did a pretty good job too!!!!

The kids are having a wonderful time playing with all of the toys at grandma and grandpa Sessions house. They are getting lots of attention and they are growing like weeds! They have already grown out of clothes that they were wearing while in Haiti! Unbelievable! We've only been home for 2.5 weeks and they are already growing out of clothes! What do they put in food here???????

These last two pics are from McDonald's. Yes, I had to take my kids to play on the playground at McDonald's. Now, Jaryse thinks that every fast food restaurant is called McDonald's and he thinks that they all should have a slide!

How am I doing??? Well, I have noticed some weird things. Like, things that come out of the refrigerator are really really cold. Have refrigerators in the State always been this cold??? Also, the hot water that comes out of the shower head is really really hot. Has water always been this hot???? I also find myself shutting of lights and leaving them off for a long time. My dad will walk into the house and say "hey, don't ya' want some light???" Interesting, I didn't think that I was that good at keeping lights off in Haiti, apparently, I was better than I thought! I am doing pretty good other than that. We are planning our trip back to LA. I have appointments scheduled for Ecrissa to get her hearing formally tested and an appointment with a surgeon for the Cochlear Implant. We will see what they say and we'll see if she qualifies for the surgery. I am nervous for all that is about to come, but very excited as well!

I am still a bit in shock that we are here. Sometimes I think, well, when we get the adoption done, then I can make that decision......OH Wait, the adoption is done, I can make that decision! Wow! Still a bit surreal!

more later!

Homecoming pics!

March 12th 2009 will have new meaning to me! We did make it out of Haiti and to Michigan with no probems. That trip was sure a gift from God after 4.5 years waiting to bring my Haitian Angels home! It's sorta surreal to think that it's done. I mean, for over 4 years I have "waited". Waiting for this signature or that signature. Waiting for this to be processed or that to be processed. Waiting for the day when I would bring my kids to the States. Now, waiting is over. OH CRAP, now what!!???????????? Now I figure out life in America. Whew, just saying that is exhausting! I mean, I know I'm American. I've lived here in the past, but after being home for 5 days, I still feel a weird disconnect. Like, I don't really get what's going on. I don't really know what to do and how to do it. My kids are adjusting great! Grandparents are awesome for them and they are being spoiled like crazy. They both love all of the attention they are getting and having a blast with all the new people in their lives. They are sleeping well, napping and eating well too. It's just me. Just me missing Haiti. Just me wondering how to put our lives together as we move back to the US. I know, that just as God had huge plans for me in Haiti, He is not done with me. He has huge plans for me and my family here in the States as well. I am going to keep taking it one day at a time and lean NOT on my understanding of our new lives! I am looking forward to all of the amazing forward movement that is coming our way!

This pic is the kids in the Port au Prince airport as we were waiting for our first flight! We were all very excited!

Walking out of the airport to the tarmac.

Look at that big airplane!

This is how we finally arrived in Michigan. Both kids sound asleep! The airline brought a wheelchair for us and had someone help us down to the luggage claim!

By the time we got to the luggage claim, the kids had woken up and they were thrilled to see Grandma and Grandpa Holton! They loved putting on their new warm coats and mittens!

Thanks for your continued love and prayers! We'll keep you posted and share some pics of the family soon!

We are home.

Wow!!!!! What a day!!!!! We (and I mean all three of us!!!! Wow, my kids are in the states!!!! What an amazing thing!) have arrived in MI and made it safely to my dad's house. It was a long day, but the kids did really well. They loved the airplane and Jaryse loved looking at "the city" as we flew over Miami last night. I held it all together until we landed in Miami and I heard the pilot or whoever say "welcome to Miami" at that point I cried. I couldn't believe I had actually made it to the USA with my two little munchkins. I had a smooth time through immigration both in Port au Prince and in Miami, and both flights went smoothly.

I am so thankful to the Lord for protecting us through this whole ordeal and making these last few steps easier than the first few! I am still in a bit of shock, although, it might just be that I am FREEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZING. Maybe after I get used to the cold my brain and body will work a little more efficiently!

I am so thankful for all of the well wishes from everyone and so thankful to all who have helped us through this whole ordeal! I will post some pics of the homecoming after I get a bit more organized and my fingers unthaw!!! LOL

I will be keeping this blog going, as not only are there so many people who are still so supportive, but also half my heart was left in Haiti. I love Haiti (on most days anyway! lol). I will also continue to do work through Ancheri Care and help as many Haitian children as possible. I will be keeping in touch with the children that I work with in Haiti, explaining exercises over the phone, encouraging the families to keep up with their exercises, answer questions that the families might have, etc.

Thanks for you love in support
Love, the half frozen Sessions crew!!! :)

Four more days..........

It seems so weird. We actually got the visa's on Friday. I have been really sick and the kids have not been feeling well either. But, we are holding on to the wonderful new promises of traveling together as a family for the first time. After four and a half years of this trial, we are finally going to be able to leave the country of Haiti and enter the US as a family. Wow, I am a bit astonished still. I am not sure when it will ever really sink in. The next few days are very full here in Haiti. We have two going away parties (which I am so amazed about) and we have work and school to wrap up and packing and giving things away, and selling things and tying up all the loose ends and I don't know, maybe I am making up things because my brain can't think straight. I would like to blame it on Haiti, but this time, it's the cold and the shock of this process finally being done. WOW.

Stay tuned for some last minute Haiti fun and going home pictures of us. Luvs and hugs

Today..........

.......we were at the Embassy at 7am. We were all looking quite nice (if I do say so myself and I was amazed I got us all out of the house looking nice!!) I didn't eat breakfast, my stomach was in knots. I was jittery and excited and nervous, and amazed that this day has actually arrived, and well, I am not sure what else I was feeling.

We got there, spoke with one person and she gave us our paper to take to the cashier to pay for the visa's. Yes, you have to pay the US government for the visa's that you are applying for BEFORE you know if they will be issued or not! Anyway, so we went to the cashier and she was very sweet. She asked Jaryse how he was doing and he said "I'm good, but, a bit of a disaster!!!!" I almost died laughing!!!! I don't remember saying that this morning, but maybe I did. OR, maybe he just looked at me this morning and decided that I was just a "bit of a disaster!" At any rate, it was cute! LOL!

So, after paying for the visa's we waited and spoke with that same person again, and then a second person. They were both very very nice to me. Then, all of a sudden, that second person handed me two little tickets and told me that I could pick up the visa's tomorrow. WHAT????? OK OK OK!!!!!!! I didn't know what to say, but OK and THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!! So, that's what I said. As we walked away with these two small tickets, that are worth the world to me right now, I kept thinking "is there another document needed???" , "isn't there something else they need?", "can this really be the end?" , "Did they really approve this????". I was in a bit of a trance and I am actually amazed that I made it back to the car WITH both of my kids!!!! LOL, just kidding, I just was in such shock!!! By the time we made it to the car I had tears running down my face. I am so relieved, excited, thrilled, happy, amazed, grateful, rejoiceful, and any other positive emotion you can think of!!!!

But.........I have to admit. I'm still nervous! I do not actually have the visa's in my hand. I hate to feel gun shy, but things have been so hard for us in this whole process. I am a bit nervous that something will go wrong! What can go wrong? I DON'T KNOW, but it's Haiti, something ALWAYS happens! But, along with that, I have been feeling God so close to me and so favorful right now, that I do believe tomorrow afternoon I will have 2 of the most amazing visa's in my little hands!!!!!! PRAISE the LORD for HE is GOOD!!!! He is faithful all the time.

Thanks so much to all of you for your prayers, love and support! Stay tuned for homecoming plans and homecoming pics and I'll try not to be "a bit of a disaster!" :)

God is so FAITHFUL

I know, I know, I've been terrible again about updating this blog......."Pa Faut Mwen", I could go on and on about how it's Haiti's fault, but I might as well admit it, I just haven't done it.

Well, the last few days have been busy. I went to Jacmel for a visit with the kids that I do therapy with down there. I went with some friends of mine and they actually posted some great pics of the trip, Check it out on their blog http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/ They also said some nice things about me, and I really appreciate it. A public thank you to Troy and Tara for the pics, friendship and nice words :)

Monday was a big day for us for the adoption. We got our I-600 approval, which allowed me to go into the consulate today and submit the final documents for the visa appointment, which, to my surprise (maybe it's supposed to happen this way, but when something goes smooth for me, I am so thrilled and amazed) they gave me an appointment for Thursday. YES, only 48 hours from the time I dropped of the documents to the time of my appointment. AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, I was all smiles. I walked to my car floating, and by the time I actually reached my car, I was crying. I kept thanking the Lord for His faithfulness and I cried tears of amazement, tears of joy and tears of bottled up frustrations that I am slowly allowing to release as each of these final steps are completed. I am still hesitant to be to excited, maybe I should be excited, but I've had so many set backs that I get nervous. Instead, I focus on what has been accomplished and give the future to the Lord.

Someone asked me today if I felt that my faith has been tested more or my patience. I kinda laughed at first and said both. But, then I said, the truth is, I feel like it's the faith. Here's why. If I didn't have faith, then my patience would not have been tested to this extent because I wouldn't have had to give it to God and trust that He had it all worked out. I would have forced (or tried to anyway) God's hand and His plan. Then, maybe I wouldn't have had to have the same patience that I have had to have. I wouldn't have had the faith so my faith wouldn't have been tested. Am I making sense???? Instead, I trusted. Don't get me wrong. I cried, I pleaded, I sobbed, I worried, I lost sleep, I walked around in a daze and a fog, I suffered, I lost my temper, I had emotional breakdowns and I was a basketcase for days and weeks at a time, but I continued to wait on God. I have learned, that God is faithful, He is proving it to us everyday, it's not easy, but it's best. Yes, my patience was tested, but I think that I learned how to trust in the Lord and to have FAITH that He really does love me, love my children and He really does have plans to prosper and not to harm us. I am so thankful for this current forward movement in our adoption and will be forever grateful to my personal saviour for caring enough to lovingly teach me and mold me into the person HE wants me to be. I have a long way to go but I am glad that I am going.

Please pray for our visa's and our visa appointment Thursday morning, 7 AM EST :)

Thanks
luvs and hugs from Haiti
Momma, Ecrissa, and Jaryse