Sunday's Updates

Things were developing faster today than we could keep up with. We went to church this morning, and kept our 3rd Sunday schedule of helping with the preschool Sunday School, then attended the 2nd service. I can't say that I had it all together, but it was a good morning. Jock actually sang with the worship choir, but I didn't this month because I wasn't sure if I could hold it together. The pastor mentioned our situation, and asked for prayers for us, so I'm glad I wasn't on the risers. Then right after he did the prayer request, was the shaking of hands with others. Somehow I held it together. The elder sitting behind us in church re-introduced himself to us after the service - he didn't realize who I was until I turned around to shake hands with him and he saw my red eyes. Our church has been such a big support to us this week (and really - throughout this whole adoption process), and I'm so thankful!

After church we had a message on our phones from KCCI wanting to do a story. We'd contacted both KCCI and WHO-TV last night, wanting to spread the news to ask for prayers and ask for others to contact congressmen/senators to get the humanitarian visas issued SOON!!! We quick caught a bit and spiffed up the house a bit before the reporter and cameraman were at our house. When they were finishing up we got a call from WHO wanting to come out. The articles are now posted online on both the KCCI website and the WHO-TV website. I imagine the videos will be posted soon as well. It made me very nervous to put our story out there, but we really wanted to advocate for our children. We're very pleased with how both stories turned out. We realized Jock mis-spoke in the KCCI one when he talked about Haiti's statistics. He should have said, "1 in 5 don't make it to age 5," not "1 in 5 do." Nerves will do that to you, I suppose.

After the interviews we made a quick trip to Dairy Queen. We've been so stressed about everything, that we just needed that break. And, I love ice cream! :) So, we had our dessert first, and then stopped by the McDonald's Drive-thru for supper on our way home. :)

Then we got back to the whirlwind of the information & communication coming out of the orphanage. Our orphanage had two updates today they posted on their website today. Wow! Things are happening! God is working! HE is working NOW! It seems that things are going to move quickly - even early this week??? - as far as them coming home. Thank you Jesus!!! Oh my, my head is spinning!

There was LOTS of news coverage of our orphanage today also. Fox News and CBS News had reporters there. There is footage of the little babies they've moved into the box truck and are feeding regular milk instead of formula because that's all they have. There's footage of a reporter talking to Pierre (orphanage director) about the lack of food and water and medicine/IV fluids. There's footage of the children singing praise songs to the LORD. There's footage of the toddlers and older children sleeping on mattresses outside on the ground under tents. We're thankful that one of them brought water for the children - can't remember which - too much information swirling in my brain tonight. We also heard that the UN and the Salvation Army brought supplies to our orphanage.

Tomorrow... Jock and Kaylen are off work/school for the holiday - my office doesn't close for MLK. I'm going to head to work in the morning to get some documents scanned and sent off, speak to my boss and wrap a few things up there, and then likely head back home to prepare a few more things. We now have the kids' beds ready for them. Not that we didn't have them ready before but their bedroom had become sort of a storage room recently, their beds were still made from the last company we had, etc. Now we can walk around. I've got several errands to run, several phone calls to make, etc. We're getting ready in case we get a call to fly somewhere in the US sometime in the next couple days.

Please keep us and ALL the children in Haiti and their families in your prayers. I must go switch laundry, then make a list (I inherited that skill from my mom :), then hopefully sleep will come. I think I'm just about exhausted enough that I'll be able to sleep. Story of my life the last 5 days! LORD give us strength!

One last thing...