Still Waiting...

This has been a difficult week.  One of the babies in the orphanage did in fact die this week of meningitis.  I will not soon forget the look on the face of one of the doctors I work with when I told her.  We, as medical professionals in the US could not even fathom a child dying of meningitis.  It is nearly unheard of.  Yes, the diagnosis strikes fear in the hearts of parents and often brings them running to the Emergency Room any time their child has a fever and a headache.  Nonetheless, we treat them with antibiotics and mostly they make a full recovery.  Not in Haiti.  Once again, their limited resources and overwhelming need for even the simplest of things becomes blatently obvious.  It also reminded me once again of how fragile life can be there.  It also made me in an even bigger hurry to get my babies home.

To be honest, I am convinced my coordinator in Haiti feels the same sense of urgency.  We are pressing on with two adoption processes and hoping for the best.  I continue to look for ways to ease the pain of the wait.  This week, I found a great way.  Our church is part of Samaritan's Purse, Operation Christmas Child.  It is a program where people donate shoe boxes full of toys for needy children  The boxes are shipped all over the world.  It dawned on me as I thought through this program that I would not have Christmas with Nate and Alex.  We just will not be done by then.  So, today I went out to get boxes filled in their honor.  You can select what sex you want to buy for, and what age.  I picked male ages 2-4.  They did not have a category for under two, but I figured Alex would not mind.  I picked out Nate's favorite things, a stuffed Elmo and a stuffed Cookie monster and two race cars for each.  The directions said personal items would help and as luck would have it I had toothbrushes and toothpaste for toddlers, so I threw those in too.  I am wanting a couple other things to add, maybe a ball or two.  There was an option to put a note in describing your family with your address.  The thought was the children could write you later.  I am still mulling this over.  I am doing this in honor of two unfortunate children who will one day join our family and set out on a life they could never have dreamed of in the mountains of Haiti.  I am afraid sharing this with children who do not have this opportunity would make it difficult.  I also think that these boxes need to be special.  The children also receive with their boxes the words of Jesus.  They are introduced to Christianity because of my giving.  I think for me, I would like to leave off the note.  Let them open this special box, with shiny toys and hear the words of Jesus without my interference in the message.  I will have to think on that a bit more.

Nonetheless, today was a bright day.  Kiersten, through the grief of losing her baby delivered.  She brought me news of Rachel's hard work on Nate's adoption and the most important thing....PICTURES!!!  Here is the latest, taken just this week of Alex.  Nate was still in the hospital, but is home now and I should get new ones of him next week.  THANK YOU to my fellow mama blanc's!