Messages in My Lunch Box

They were always the same. They always had one of my nicknames, an "I love you," some word of encouragement and a silly drawing: "Michi- Have a great day at school. I love you!" And they were always written on my napkin and neatly folded into my lunch box. I would show them off as if to say "my daddy loves me more!" or "look at how funny my dad is!" And then the awkward feelings of early adolescence made me sneak my note into my pocket and wait until no one was around to read it. Still, they made me smile and let me know I was loved.


The Lord is often called "father". Some people are turned off by this analogy because many were burned, ignored, or hurt by there fathers. I'm so blessed to be one that does not have a negative image about the father role. Of course, he's not perfect, but he's a pretty great dad. He has made me feel loved countless times. I have never once doubted that my father cared for me, even in our lowest moments. Thank you dad for everything!

For those of you with father wounds, the Lord wants to be your father. Only He can fill those holes and heal those hurts. He created all of us in His image, especially fathers. My dad left me notes in my lunch box, but how often does our Heavenly Father give us little "I love you" notes through out the day? I dare you to look for them this week. I bet he sends them more than you think!


Happy Fathers Day!


"Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'" Galatians 4:6

Wow... posts 2 days in a row. Hard to believe isn't it?

We found out yesterday that our lease for the house we are renting will not be renewed. Which means, we have to find a new place to live, come up with a first, last and security deposit, move a household of 14 and clean this house all by July 21st when our landlord will be in Haiti to turn the keys over to the new owner. And do all of that in a country that does not have moving companies or renters assistance programs. As far as I know there isn’t a property management company to call with multiple listings of housing in the area. Its word of mouth... who knows who... convincing people that just because we are Americans and work for the UN, we are not rich. We have a budget.

Needless to say, it's going to be a stressful few weeks. Please, pray!!!

a VERY LONG post

OK, confession time...

I have not felt like blogging for a really long time. I can't explain it but I just didn't want to do it. I know it is the only way most of our friends and family can keep abreast of what we are doing here in Haiti... I know I promised when we left the US to blog every few days... I KNOW!! So, it's time to get back in the swing of things, it's time to once again share our very ordinary life (that in my opinion should bore all of you to tears) on a more consistent basis. Jody is also going to start sharing about his work here.

We had a great weekend. Jody took some much needed time off. He has not a day off since he arrived (other then during the rioting). He works 7 days a week!! The way time off works for the civilian police is to work 21 days in a row then they can use earned time off. BUT, it doesn't matter if they take 1 day or 14 days, they can NOT take another day for 21 days. Very strange system but what can I say... it's the UN.

Friday night was game night in the Gray house. “Sorry” was the game of the night. Jody was the winner and we all laughed at him as he celebrated his victory. Then it was popcorn and a movie before bed. Jody had to work on Saturday so it was early to bed for all of us.

Our "vacation" started on Saturday afternoon. Jody got off early so the 2 of us went to the Ibolele t0 lay in the sun. While we were there we were invited to a party at a new club in PV. We decided... what the heck, let’s go!!! It was so much fun. We were the only Americans there. It was amazing to see so many people from so many different countries dancing and laughing together. The countries represented were Serbia, Morocco, Israel, Austria, Germany, Bavaria, Canada, Argentina, Chile, Italy, France, Philippines, Haiti, Africa and Brazil. I’m sure there were others as well. Jody and I are the only ones who have kids here so we got teased when we left the party at 10:30 p.m. We heard later that it went until 4 a.m.!!!!

Sunday morning we got up and went to church. Most Sunday’s I go by myself or with just a few of the kids. It was nice to be able to worship with my husband. We took Shane, Dylan, Kynsley and Isaiah. Jean Bernard and Angie (Makela’s daughter, who spent the night with Kynsley) also went. It was a great service and afterwards we got to see Kaitlyn and Sandy as well as Fiona (Alixson and Nancy were there too!). Port au Prince Fellowship is getting so popular that they are praying about what to do. Every Sunday there are people who must sit outside to hear the sermon. What a blessing it has been for us to have a place to worship God in the language we speak.

We brought the kids back to the house and once again headed up to the Ibolele (our home away from home). Jody and I have been blessed with some really great friends here, many that live at the Ibolele. When any of them go on leave, they leave their room keys with us and we are able to use the room. We took advantage of the opportunity and Jody and I planned a night away. We spent the evening with a few of our friends. Sam, the American police officer Jody was deployed with; Jamie, an Aussie who works for the UN; Christian, another UN employee from Bavaria; Dan, an American Coast Guard officer; Jody and I sat around the pool for hours just relaxing. Many stories were told and I realized that it doesn’t matter what country you grew up in, being a kid can be a lot of fun. Several of our favorite people were on leave (Rob, Jessica and Jim just to name a few) so it gave us the opportunity to get to know a few of the “less vocal” of our group. Jamie and I had a great talk about what being a Christian means to me. He is not a believer but I sensed a desire to know more.

On Monday we headed back down the hill for some time with the kids. We hung out for awhile, went shopping and then took everyone to pizza at JetSet, a popular UN “hangout”. We went early enough to avoid the crowds. While we waited for our pizza, the owner of JetSet (a woman from the DR) sat with us to chat. Again, we were blessed with hearing about another country and how much the human race is alike even when from such vastly different places. The kids behaved beautifully and Jody and Shane were even able to play a game of pool. The little kids had a blast rolling the pool balls across the pool table that wasn’t in use. The owner even provided free ice cream for the kids. We got back to the house just in time for the kids to go to bed. They needed to get some rest because we had a big day planned for Tuesday.

Tuesday morning we got up early and packed everyone, and I do mean everyone, into 2 cars and headed to the beach. There were 16 of us, Jody, Me, Shane, Dylan, Kynsley, Landon, Sutton, Isaiah, Jean Bernard, Kaitlyn (from 3A’s), Kesna, Clonise, Angie, Davlo (Clonise’s daughter), Judy (Clonise’s niece) and Ricard (one of the drivers we often use). It was quite an adventure. We had to stop several times on the way… to get ice… to get air in our tires… twice for people to pee… once to put water in the radiator. BUT, we still made it there by 10:30 a.m. The weather was amazing. We have been getting a lot of rain lately but God blessed us with no rain until the ride home. Everyone had a great time. No sunburns (except for Jody… who NEVER burns)… no bickering and no accidents. I do have pictures but Jody has the camera at work with him so they will have to wait until later. The kids got to go in a row boat, build sand castles, have a water gun fight and watch a guy show-off on a jet ski. Plenty of fun was had by all. By the time we got home everyone was exhausted and ready for bed.

Jody went back to work on Wednesday. He has already put in for a few more days off in July. The American military guys are putting on a big 4th of July bash and we can’t wait.

I’m sure the next few days will be exciting for us, several of the kids from 3A’s are heading home to be with their forever families. We of course will be very sad to say good-bye but also thrilled they are finally going home.

Isn’t God good?? I think so. I realize that I used "blessed" several times already but that is the only way to describe how I feel... BLESSED!

If you have made it this far… you are probably really bored or my mom! I can’t imagine anyone but Nana and maybe Sissy being interested in our wacky, crazy, but oh so fun life. Thanks for reading and may the God of everything bless you today!

Quick update...

the internet here is HORRIBLE!!! I have been trying to post for days. I'm lucky if I can even open my e-mail right now... can't access my bank accounts (NOT GOOD!!!)... can't book Shane's ticket to Redding (which I won't do until he finishes school, so Carson if you want him to come visit, you better get on him about it) and CAN NOT post pictures. It's very frustrating.

Enough complaining....

We got great news this week. Jody's leave has been extended. That's right, we do not have to move... we do not have to put Isaiah back in the orphanage... we do not have to make the hard decisions. God did it for us. Thank you, Jesus. I am beyond thankful. I feel humbled by it all. I was spending so much time pleading and begging with God that I forgot to sit back and listen to Him. He had it under control the entire time, I was once again worrying for NOTHING! When I got back from Michigan I made the decision to just trust Him, to let it all go. For the first time in weeks, I felt such a sense of peace... that everything was going to be fine. Not that God was going to do it my way, but that no matter what happen the Creator of us all, was going to take care of things. Whether I liked it or not!! Whether or not it was handled "My way".

So for now, we will remain in Haiti. As long as God wants us to be here. After that... only God knows where we will be, but that's OK because I choose to put my faith in Him!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Phil. 4:6-9

In case you were wondering...

Mom did make it safely back to Haiti. I was very blessed to have her here. I mustered up enough energy to go shopping with her one day for some fun mother/daughter time. By the time we got to Walmart for some last minute supplies I took a nap in the car while she shopped. ;) I got to show her my house, where I work, and my church all for the first time. It was great!



The "Tridge" in Midland, MI.

Ok, here she is....

Right after surgery

A few hours later, drinking a banana milkshake.

Trying to IM with Dad (and drooling in the process)

She is doing great

Yep... no excessive bleeding... no weird reaction to the medication. Carsen is sitting up, watching TV and surfing the net. PRAISE GOD!!!

The oral surgeon did find 2 cysts/tumors on her teeth that he removed and sent for a biopsy. He did not seem overly concerned about them so we aren't either. I do not have the cord to the camera with me so I can't show you the pictures but I will as soon as I can.

Surgery

Carsen's surgery is today at 7:45 a.m. (EST). Please, pray that everything goes smoothly, that she is able to stop bleeding without needing any additional medical intervention (Carsen has a bleeding disorder that causes her blood to clot much slower then normal) and that the recovery is quick.

I'll post some pictures later!

Made it

I'm here!! We finally got to Carsen's house at 3 a.m. I'll post more later.

Stuck...

...in Fort Lauderdale!

I am sitting in the airport where they recently had a lightening strike on the airport property. All flights are suspended at this time.

Weather forecast calls for quarter sized hail and winds up to 60 miles an hour. I'm praying it passes quickly and I can still get to Michigan tonight!!!

So last night we took Shane to Cascade Fusion, a French restaurant in Petionville, for his birthday. I forgot my camera, but a friend of ours who went with us took his so I'll post pictures as soon as he e-mails them to me.

Anyway... while at the restaurant we saw several "UN-looking" guys come in (yes, they do have a look about them) and head upstairs. Soon after we heard what was obviously a "band rehearsal". After dinner Jody had to go investigate (he heard DRUMS!!!). I was paying our bill and then headed upstairs. I come around the corner and there is my husband sitting at a snare drum and 2 cymbals ( I refuse to call it a drum kit... there just wasn't enough there to be considered a "kit"). I asked him what he was doing and he tells me... "playing drums!!". Well... DUH?!?!?!? I meant "WHY?!?!?". I come to find out that it is a small band made up of UN men from several countries. They have been "jamming" together for awhile and have been asked to play at a small club in town. The only problem they have is their drummer isn't really a drummer. He was trying but just wasn't getting "IT"! This guy is getting frustrated and wants to eat so Jody says to them, "if your drummer wants to eat, I'd be happy to sit in for him." They respond with... "he isn't a drummer!!!". Jody replies, "well, I am." You should have seen their faces light up... even the so-called drummer!!! He really did not want to play at all.

So, after an hour of practice, with guys he just met.... Jody is playing drums TONIGHT!!!! At a club!!! In Haiti!!!!

How cool is that?????

I'll post pictures as soon as I can!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHANE!!!

Back in October I started a series of posts introducing you to my children. When we found out Isaiah needed surgery I stopped those posts. I thought I’d get back to them now.

Shane Robert Gray was born May 22, 1994. Today he turns 14!!!

(Shane with Manthania at Three Angel's)

He was legally dead when he was born and had to be given CPR and have a tube inserted in his lungs in order to get him breathing. He also had a dislocated shoulder!! It was a pretty scary time. Despite his rocky start, he was truly one of the easiest going babies ever. As long as he had a full tummy and a clean diaper he was happy. Shane was (and still is) adored by just about everyone he meets!

(Shane "playing" with the big boys!! Thanks, Jordanian Military!)

It’s hard sometimes for me to believe that he is a teenager, it truly doesn’t feel that long ago that he was toddling around the house with his adorable bowl hair cut (sorry, all my pictures are in storage in the states), praying his sweet dinner prayers that lasted so long we often had to re-heat the food.

Shane has always been the first one in our family to reach out to someone or something in need. That hasn’t changed. Living in Haiti is difficult for him at times… we just CAN NOT help everyone who asks. Shane has grown so much and changed in so many ways since moving to Haiti but he is still the sweet, loving boy I’ve always known (even if he won’t kiss his mom anymore!!!).

(Shane, Mom and Dad in the Dominican Republic)

Shane,
You will always be my “little man”. I am very proud of the young man you are growing into. I can not wait to see what God has in store for you. I love you, son!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Love, Mom

Good News!

We have presidential approval and Isaiah's file is out of Parquet. We should be in MOI soon!!! Praise God!!!!!

My Mama

It was hard not being with her on Mother's Day. I'm really looking forward to seeing her soon!



Isn't she beautiful?

Loosing my Wisdom...

Teeth, that is.

The next two weeks are going to be pretty busy for me. I have finals and then I'm getting my wisdom teeth removed. Mom is coming on the 24th and I have surgery on the 27th. My surgery is a little bit complicated because I have a cyst in one cavity and a tumor in the other. Also, the roots of my bottom third molars are very close to the nerve along the jaw bone. The cyst and tumor are normal complications of wisdom teeth. This is how I understand it: when the wisdom tooth becomes impacted under the gums, the sac that surrounds the tooth can burst. This causes the areas to fill with fluid and create a cyst. If left untreated, the cyst can turn into a tumor. My doctor said that they will remove the tumor when they remove my teeth and if it is of concerning size, they will biopsy it.
I'm actually looking forward to my surgery because I've been having a lot of pain in my mouth, jaw, and inner ear. Plus, I get to look like this for a few days: :)

Photo's

Even with milk on his face, Isaiah is still a cutie!!!

At the Hotel Ibolele pool. The kids LOVE to swim!

School time! Dylan and Kynsley are both doing great with home schooling.

Yes, that is Shane doing the dishes, he is going to make a great husband someday.

Jody and I with Sam, another UN officer, at Magdoo's, one of my favorite resturants!

Shane and Dad at Magdoo's!

Jody at his new work station. The sign says "Police Station in Malpasse" or something like that!!!

The kids on our front porch.

Jean Bernard, Andy (Andrise's son) and Isaiah. The boys LOVE Jean Bernard!!!

Test Picture

If this works, I'll post more... one's other then food.

I love this picture. If you look closely in the background you will see 2 pictures of rice and beans I took in 2006 at the Jacmel public market. This picture says "Haiti" to me!

Let me know if you can see it!!!

Friends,

Please.... do not believe everything you read in the news!!!! We are fine... Jody is fine! The violence is in isolated area where we do not go. Not even Jody!! There are places that UN Military officers, unless sent with their entire unit on official business, should not go. Going into a crowded market in downtown PAP minutes after a presidential address... is just not a good idea.

It saddens me to think that the world is only seeing the people who are causing violence and chaos and that is what they assume all Haitian's are like. Which could not be further from the truth. The Haitian people by far are sweet, loving people who are trying to make the most of a bad situation. Most of then do not agree with the violence nor want it!!

We know that this is where God wants us for now. If we have to leave... Isaiah can not go with us. Please, continue to pray.

$2.65

These first few weeks of being on my own have been difficult. As you all know, we are in a recession right now and economically speaking, there are a lot of people struggling. Last week I was very humbled. There was a problem with my bank account in California and I had no money, literally. I’ve never known what that was like. I had no gas to get home from work and no money in the bank. I scrounged around in my car and found $2.65 in change. I dumped my change on the counter of the gas station and felt pretty embarrassed. Well, I got home, but how was I to get to work tomorrow morning? I had to swallow my pride and ask my roommate to borrow some money.
And then my mind drifts off to Haiti as it often does. I am blown away by the fact that I was able to find more money than the average Haitian earns in a days worth of work. And the cost of living is by no means cheaper in Haiti. Gas is $2 more per gallon right now. I felt what it was like to have no money, but I’ve never known poverty. I often open at work. I hate opening. I know a lot of people say it, but if you know me, you know that I’m not a morning person. I feel sick if I get up while it’s still dark. While I was at work, steaming about the fact that I’d been at work for 2 hours, it was still dark out, and we hadn’t had a single customer yet, the Lord spoke to me. Images of the hands of the people who sell charcoal and wash clothes all day flashed in my mind. I was reminded of the people who get up at 3 am, carry loads of goods on their heads down the mountain side, and then ride a crammed tap-tap for hours just to get to the market to sell before sunrise.
And then I thought about what it means to be desperate. Dictionary.com gives these definitions of “desperate:”
1. reckless or dangerous because of despair or urgency
2. having an urgent need, desire, etc.
3. leaving little or no hope; very serious or dangerous
4. extremely bad; intolerable or shocking:
5. extreme or excessive.
6. making a final, ultimate effort; giving all:
7. actuated by a feeling of hopelessness.
8. having no hope; giving in to despair
If I was truly feeling in a state of desperation, I live in a country that has endless government programs. I have family who can support me for a short amount of time while I get back on my feet. I was given enough education (I say given because it was free) that I could find a job that would give me enough to eat. By no means am I saying the US is perfect or that we don’t have people living in poverty. I’m just humbled by the gravity of how much I truly have.

Haiti is desperate. Many who had hope, have lost it. While one young boy was able to buy a chicken for his family last month, he can barely afford rice now. Those who were able to feed their children yesterday, hate today because it cannot provide and beg tomorrow to bring them solace. Desperation leads to extreme acts. In this situation, violence has erupted in Haiti. There are those who have faith in Jesus Christ and therefore have not lost hope, but they are still suffering. Let us all pray for those who are reckless and dangerous because of their despair. Let us pray for the leaders of the beautiful and tumultuous country of Haiti. Let us fervently pray and ask the Lord how we can help. Let us all be humbled.

Jimmy was able to get out today. Things have calmed down somewhat. The Caribbean market was not looted that he could see but remains closed. The only market that was open was a very small one up Route de Frere. They were already out of bread and ice. Several businesses and homes along Delmas Ave showed signs of vandalism. A few businesses were open but not many!

Things are still crazy downtown and in the Canape Vert area as well as in Petionville. Delmas and Route de Frere seem to be calm. If you haven’t already read it go to the Livesay’s blog http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/ Tara posted a short note from a friend that lives in Port au Prince. It really sums up the situation so well.

I talked to Jody a little while ago. He is fine and heading out to the DR border where his duty station is. There was little traffic and all seemed calm. I also spoke to a friend who is with the US Navy stationed here and he said things are still “hot” but overall calmer then yesterday.

Life in the Gray house is proceeding as normal. We were not able to do school today… but nothing to do with the riots. I woke up with a horrible sore throat and can barely talk AND our Nanny caught chicken pox from Isaiah and was unable to come in today. She is running a high fever and all around miserable. It’s a little hard to teach school with a 1 year old, 3 year old and 4 year old under foot AND not being able to talk above a whisper. I’m sure Dylan, Kynsley and Shane didn’t mind!

Jody took the camera with him today. If I can get it to work I’ll post any pictures he may have been able to get. I'll post more later if there are any updates!

day 3 of rioting

We are still safe, as are the children at the orphanage. Jody did not go to work yesterday, he is considered a civilian (non-military) and all civilians were ordered to remain in their homes. However, he did go today.

Things have calmed down considerably but there are areas that are still not safe. I have been told (have not confirmed first hand) that the Caribbean Market was looted yesterday. There were many businesses in the Petionville area there were also looted, burned or vandalized.

Internet is sporadic so these posts will be short. I will try to update my blog when possible.

Please continue to pray!!!!

Pray!!!!!!!

Please be in prayer for the country of Haiti. As some of you may have read in the news there are several protests happening right now. The protests began over the high cost of food here. Unfortunately, they have turned violent. I do not want anyone to panic. WE ARE SAFE!!! The violence is no where near where we live!!! The children at the orphanage are also safe.

The prices have risen drastically in the last few weeks. Rice, beans, cornmeal all have doubled in price. It is affecting items brought into the stores as well. A few weeks ago I was able to buy a carton of yogurt for around $0.50US, today I paid $2.00!! Gas went from $4.80US a gallon to $5.90.

People who could have fed their families a few weeks ago on their minimal salaries no longer can. Life in Haiti; already difficult beyond measure, has become even worse.


Please, pray for peace. Pray for the leaders to make wise decisions. Pray for the UN troops to think clearly. Pray for the Haitian people who are full of anger and do not see that violence is not the answer. Pray for us to remain calm. Pray that the violence ends without injury or death to anyone! Please pray!!!

More good news!

Jody just recieved his orders... he is assigned to Port au Prince!!!! PRAISE GOD!!! We do not have to move... we do not have to live in the region (countryside, no grocery stores, no electricity, no NOTHING!!!)...we do not have to live apart! We are really excited.

He does not know exactly what he will be doing but it sounds like he might be working with the SWAT team. He should know more by the end of the week when training is done.

We really do have an awesome God, don't we!!

He's Here!!!

Jody made it to Haiti. We did not get to see him until the UN was done with him for the day (around 4 p.m.). The kids were so excited to see him. They had to show him EVERYTHING at once!! Jody was so tired (over night flight, no sleep and then all day filling out paperwork etc.) and hungry but he was an amazing father (like always) and looked at everything and listened to every story.

Jody and I and Jody's partner, Sam went to dinner at Fabrizio's (my favorite Italian restaurant). I stayed with Jody at the hotel (he is required to stay there for 4 days in order to be close to the training center). As much as I have missed him, it was not the best idea. The bed was horrible, the pillows hard and my hot-blooded husband had the air-conditioner cranked as high as it would go. I was absolutely freezing!! We did have a nice breakfast this morning and he is back at the training center, doing whatever it is they do there.

The kids are doing great. Isaiah is finally sleeping again and seems to be on the tail end of the chicken pox. I'm praying I get to go to church in the morning but it is unlikely. He still has several pox that have not crusted over. It's been 2 weeks and I'm really missing worshipping with other believers but I can't risk exposing others to him.

My back is doing OK. Still hurts but not enough to force me back in bed. Jody was able to bring me some muscle relaxers so hopefully I won't have any further episodes.I'm hoping to get some pictures posted soon. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong but hopefully Shane and I can get it figured out soon.

Thanks for all the prayers!! They were certainly felt and appreciated.

Quick Update

Some of you may have noticed that the countdown til Jody's arrival has changed. We found out yesterday that he will be arriving Friday instead of Thursday. It's just 1 day so we are doing OK with it!

My back is still sore. But, feeling better. I was able to go to the Ibolele Hotel yesterday and swim and that seemed to help some. I still can't lift the baby but at least I've been able to get out of bed.

Isaiah has chicken pox... BAD! Poor guy is miserable. He is running a fever, itches all over and has not been able to sleep. Me not being able to lift him is hard, he justs wants to be held. We have worked out a system... he climbs onto my bed and then sits on my lap. If I'm laying down he likes to rest his head on my tummy... it's very cute!!

prayer needed

On Friday my back started hurting. By Saturday morning I was in bed barely able to move. I've had problems with my back for years, a couple of trips to the chiroprator and I'm usually back on my feet. There are no chiropractor's that I am aware of in Haiti. So, here I lay... not easy with 6 kids!!!

I'm looking for a miracle!!! I need 100% healing so I can get out of bed and get ready for Jody's arrival.

Please pray!!!!

DADDY'S ON HIS WAY!!!!!!!!!!

YES!!!! Praise God for answered prayers!!!

Jody received an e-mail today that said, "The UN has confirmed your deployment date is officially set for March 27, 2008. You will be receiving your itinerary shortly." This is huge news, we had heard that they were postponing deployment for all the officers until May 12th!!! We have been praying fervently that Jody would deploy before then and God provided. There are only 2 officers coming at this time and both were requested by name. And Jody is one of them!!!! March 27, 2008!!!!!!!

9 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you tell we are just a little excited here (Kathy, we will expect the HWBD). It was quite a celebration when I circled his arrival date on the calendar in permanent RED ink!! The kids are working hard to get ahead on their school work so they can take a few extra days off when he gets here.

God is good… all the time!!!

Isaiah's adoption

No news to report about deployment so I thought I'd explain where we are in the process of getting Isaiah adopted.

Even though Isaiah is living with us, he is still not legally our son. If anything were to happen that forced us to leave Haiti, Isaiah would not be able to go with us. This concerns us greatly. We are blessed to be with him and would not change that for anything. But, we also pray that his adoption gets finished quickly so that if the unimaginable happens, he could remain in our family and leave Haiti with us.

We are currently waiting on Presidential approval in order to be declared his legal parents here in Haiti. Because Jody and I have biological children we do not fit the criteria set up in 1974 for adoptive families. This law has caused more problems with the adoption process then any other... in my opinion!! I would estimate that 90-95% of the family's that adopt from Haiti have bio kids. This law was set up when international adoption was fairly new and there were few children from Haiti available for adoption. It was designed to allow couple's unable to have children of their own to become parents. The process then was much faster and easier to do so parents could still bring home "a baby". Now, the process is so long and difficult, even if an adoption is started on a newborn, it is likely that child will be a toddler before ever joining their forever families in the US. Most "first-time" parents are not willing to wait. The law has not been enforced in the past but once again it is. We waited for Presidential approval for Landon and Sutton for months and never received it. They changed the enforcement in the middle of the process and it was no longer required.

After we receive approval the next step is to apply for a new birth certificate, then passports, then final US approval and finally a visa can be granted. This is several months, possibly even a year away. We know we are blessed to be able to live here in Haiti with Isaiah, however the thought of leaving him behind in order to protect the rest of the family if something were to happen is scary. Three Angel's is an exceptional orphanage, he would be loved and cared for if we needed to place him back there... BUT... it is still an orphanage and not a family. So... we wait... we pray... we pray some more... that his adoption is completed soon. We pray that we are not forced to make the decision that would take us away from him. And we hang on to the fact that God is bigger then any of this and He has the whole situation in the palm of His hands!!

From Carsen:

I've decided to delete my blog. I will post updates here on the Gray family blog. :D

A day in our life...

So... it's Friday March 14th. Tomorrow was the date we had heard over and over again for Jody to be here. However, he still does not have a set day for deployment. It actually is a good thing he wasn't scheduled to deploy tomorrow. He has a subpoena for a murder trial for Monday morning. If deployment had been tomorrow, he would have had to turn it down and wait for the next deployment date. Who knows when that will be!! So, there is a silver lining to all these delays.

Things are going as well as can be expected here. It's Haiti! What can go wrong, will go wrong!

Here's an example...

Here in Haiti there isn't "city water", all water comes from private wells, collecting rain water or water truck deliveries... or a combination of all three. We do not have a well so our source is rain or trucks. The reservoir to store the water in is under the house. It is very hard to get to; the only access is a 3ft X 3ft hole in the wall, 8 feet off the ground. In order to get to it you must get a ladder or stand on the concrete block that holds the water pump.

The water pump is used to pump the water from the reservoir into a 200 gallon tank on the roof. That way gravity takes over and the water can then be accessed through the faucets in the house. If there is no water in the tank... there is no water in the house!The water pump only works when we have electricity. Which in Haiti isn't often... usually in the middle of the night. So, either Shane or I have to get up every hour to check to see if we have electricity in order to turn on the pump. Most night we are lucky and it comes on around 10 p.m. We turn on the pump, fill up buckets in the house (we ALWAYS run out of water half way through the day because 200 gallons of water for 10 people just doesn't last very long!!) and then go to bed. Some nights we are not so lucky... a few nights ago, I got up at 11, 12, 1, 2:30 and finally at 4 we had power. I went out and tried the pump... nothing!! It would not turn on!!! At this point I am beyond tired and have no idea what to do. So... I simply go back to bed.

The next morning, I call Jimmy. I tell him what happened and he tells me there is no way for him to check it unless we have power. So we plan on him spending the night so when we get power he can work on it. That night, his birth mom calls him and she is very sick and needs to go to the hospital. He goes to get her and is gone all night.

So another day with no water. What this means is in order to wash clothes, wash dishes, wash bodies... we have to scoop water through that 3X3 opening with a medium size coffee can, put the water in a larger bucket and then carry it upstairs to the house. One 5 gallon bucket takes about 30 minutes to get. One 5 gallon bucket can usually wash one sink full of dishes or 2 children. Or maybe a half of a load of laundry. We usually have 4-5 sinks full of dishes, 7 children and 6 adults (the staff all bathe here which is customary in Haiti) and dozens of loads of laundry!!! That is not taking into consideration... floors to mop... bathrooms to clean... etc. Not having water is... just not fun!!

So... yesterday Jimmy rents a generator and comes over to fix the pump. He can't figure out what is wrong. Now what??? Our next door "neighbors" happen to be a Calvary Chapel Church ran by an American. Jim is a very nice man and has offered on several occasions to help if we need anything. I sent Shane over to get him. He brings a few guys with him and within a few minutes our water pump is repaired! Praise God!!! We use the generator to power the pump and fill the tank... we have water!!!!

Later that night, we get a water truck delivery. Shane goes down to pay for the water (costs around $50 US for 3000 gallons). The guys are obviously upset about something. Shane comes and gets Jean Bernard to translate. One of the guys slipped while getting the hose out of the reservoir and put his elbow right through the PVC pipe that runs from the reservoir to the water pump!!!! That's right, we get the water pump fixed and still can not use it.

So... for today we have a little water... not much but a little. Once the tank on the roof is empty... we are back to the coffee can!!!!We are the lucky ones really... at least we have access to water. The majority of people in this country do not!! They will walk for miles to a "public" area and fill up bottles, buckets, whatever they can carry. Then walk miles back… to do it all again the next day.

I really do not want people to think I'm complaining... not at all. I actually find it quite amusing. I know I am so blessed to have the ability to access water, it's just so outside of what we are used to in the states that I wanted to share how life in Haiti is. Even for the fortunate, the rich, the privileged.

Keep praying... we want Daddy here SOON!!!!

Still no news

We still have not heard from the UN about a date for deployment. Please, pray we hear soon. It is getting harder and harder to be separated and to maintain 2 households!

I will post as soon as we have news.

fun morning in paradise...

Ok, we have to leave for church in less then an hour. But, I had to share a true "Haiti" story!!

So, I got up with the roosters before the sun. Happens every morning, nothing new there. Kids also woke up, again nothing new. We ran out of water yesterday and could not get a water truck until today. So, no baths. Everyone smells... oh well, life goes on.

So, after getting the kids settled I realize I have to go to the bathroom, ok, so again nothing new, don't we all need to first thing in the morning. I have to be sure to shut both my bedroom door and bathroom door or someone will come in. No big deal except I really prefer to pee in private. I take care of business and realize we need to get moving or we may not make it to church on time. I turn the knob on the door to leave the bathroom and nothing happens. I assume the kids are on the other side playing a trick on mom. So, I ask them to let go... no response... so I ask them in a slightly louder, sterner voice to let go... and again no response. Well, by this time I'm not enjoying this game and raise my voice louder, only to hear Dylan come running from the other room, asking me, "Mom, are you calling me?". Yes, you did just hear an audible sigh!! I am locked in the bathroom!

Great, now what.I have Dylan go get me a knife and he slides it under the door. I try and try to pry the door open, with no luck. Ok, plan B... Dylan turns the knob at the same time I do. Again nothing. On to plan C. By this time all the kids are gathered in my room laughing and yelling, "Mom’s stuck in the bathroom", which at this point is sounding pretty good. Away from the noise!! Ok, plan C... go wake up Shane maybe he can help!?!?!?!?

So the kids run downstairs to wake up Shane... poor Shane... waited up until 1:30 a.m. to let Jean Bernard in. Jean Bernard went to the Dominic Republic to perform with his dance team. Anyway, it is only 6:30 or 7 at this point, Shane has only had a few hours of sleep and now 4 of his 8 siblings are all screaming at the same time at him about mom being stuck!He comes upstairs with 1 shoe on ready to slay the dragon for his mom. He figures he will just kick the door in. Typical male response. I remind him, that if we do that we must buy a new door. Reason prevails and we continue to work on the knob. After another 30 minutes or so, kicking the door in is sounding better and better to me. But, I really do not want to spend the money on a new one.

I finally get Shane to go get a small screw driver and bring it around to the window. I have to remove the knob in order to get out. BUT, whoever installed the door did not think clearly. The locking mechanism to release the knob is on the inside of the door. I can't get to it with the door shut!! So, now Shane sends paper clips flying under the door. I am finally able to get the handle part of the knob off in order to reach the screws. Once those are off, the entire thing falls in my hands EXCEPT the locking bolt which has broke off and is wedged in the door!!!! Great, now what?!?!?!? Well, Shane was able to get his fingers into the hole and push the piece out!!!! I was free at last!!!

My poor son, takes one look at me and says, "I'm going back to bed" and walks away.

Ah, the joys of living in Haiti!!!! Anyone want to come visit?????

GREAT NEWS!!!

Jody got word that deployment has been approved at the earliest possible convenience!!!!

They are currently working on travel arrangements for the group coming to Haiti... we should know soon the exact date!!!!! I told Jody that tomorrow sounds good to me! I could get the tickets for the group in 30 minutes if they would let me. But, alas I do not work for the government so it will probably take days... maybe even weeks... to cut through the red tape on something that can be done on the internet in a few minutes.

We also decided that should be my new ministry here. I will be the "official" travel arranger and greeter for the Police Officer's and Mililtary personal coming from the US. Unfortunately, there is no position with that job title available.

Gotta go get school started. Shane has a lit test and Kynsley and Dylan need to get caught up... we got a little behind last week.

Sleep would also be nice... I was up with babies most of the night... they weren't sick just wanted to play... at 3 AM!!! This Momma does not do 3 AM!! I think we will all be napping today!

Random thoughts

Things are going better here. I almost feel like myself again!! I haven't posted in awhile because I have not been able to get blogger to work.

The kids are doing great. We've had a few adjustment problems but for the most part the move has gone better then I expected. Sutton seems to be having the hardest time but that is normal.

I have pictures etc. to post but I can't seem to get it to work (ahh... internet in Haiti). I also have a cute video of Isaiah WALKING!!! That's right at 14 months old he is FINALLY trying to walk.

Jody is still not sure when he will be deployed. He did get an e-mail from PAE that said they had "heard" that a possible deployment date of March 15 is being considered. I also stopped an American police officer yesterday at the Caribbean Market (yes, I do talk to every cop I see!!!). He knew Jody's name from the deployment list that was sent to him. He had also heard mid-March. So we are hopeful that it will be soon!!!

Thank you all so much for your prayers the past few months. This move has been difficult but possible thanks to God's hand in all of it and your intercession on our behalf.

A post about...nothing

I have been sitting here with the computer in my lap for over an hour. I know I need to blog and update everyone on what is happening in our lives here in Haiti, but the honest truth is... I have nothing to say!

I feel the last few days I have lived in somewhat of a fog. I've gone through the motions, bought and prepared food, bathed children, home schooled, watched a few movies, went out to dinner with some new friends. Nothing exciting. I just feel somewhat numb to things. I'm sure it will pass but for now... no words of wisdom, no funny stories, no great pictures. Matbe tomorrow, maybe next week.... maybe....

Saying Good-bye

I finally have internet. I had hoped my first post would be a happy, fact filled one about our life in Haiti. But, that is not the case.

Last Saturday we recieved horrible news that Jody's father died in his sleep. It was very unexpected. Doug Wooten was the only man besides my own father that I have ever called "dad". He was not Jody's "real" father but the pain is not lessened by that fact.

We met Doug through his son and daughter in law, who happened to be our best friends. I was drawn to the Wooten's by their love for Christ and open hearts. They accepted as one of their own and after Jody made a comment about being an "orphan" since both of his parents had passed away, the Wooten's told him he was no longer an "orphan" because they would be his parents!

Dad's presence always filled a room and when you needed him, he was always there! If you were brave enough to ask him about his opinion about something you better be prepared for the truth, no matter how painful it might be to hear! He loved my children like they were his own flesh and blood and every one of my children loved Papa so very much.

Today, Jody will play drums at a memorial service in Dad's honor. A service that will celebrate his life not mourn his passing. Although, the pain is still there. We know without a doubt that Dad is in heaven, probably golfing with Jesus rgiht now! No pain, no suffering, only rejoicing!! And that we will see him again!

Please pray for the entire Wooten family, Jody's "brother" Aaron, his wife Sarah and children Riley, Aricin and Kael, Jody's "sister" Andrea and her husband, Josh Sanderson and children Ethan and Emma, Jody's "sister" Amy and for Diana, Jody's Mom. Their loss is tremendous and their pain at times unbearable.

Carsen headed to Michigan early today. I miss her already!! She was such a huge help while she was here.

I also find a house today that I like. It is more expensive then the one we are in now but it also has a pool and is on a half acre. And has a stove and 2 refrigerator's!! No more cooler!!!!

I wont be online very often for awhile. When Carsen left she took her power cord with her leaving me without one. Shane's broke right before we moved so I gave mine to Jody to use (he has Shane's laptop). It was only going to be a few days until Jody got here so I figured we could go without until he got here. But now, it will be late March. I'm going to order a cord tomorrow online and hope to have it brought down to me by someone coming to Haiti in the next few weeks! Anyone available????

I need to go deal with grumpy kids now!

Thanks, friends. For praying for us. If you ever find yourself in Port au Prince and need a place to stay please let us know!

Quick update

It’s hard to believe we have only been here for 6 days. Things are a little crazy but it feels so good to be “home”.

The house we are renting does not have a stove or a refrigerator so we are living out of a cooler and were cooking outside with charcoal until Saturday when I bought a two-burner electric stove. A stove and frig were going to be our first purchase but not any more. We found out this week that the owner of the house has a buyer for it and since we do not have a contract (our request, we wanted to do monthly until we knew for sure that Jody would be stationed in PAP) we have to move. I will start looking for a place tomorrow. I’ve already heard of a few places that are available so hopefully we will find something soon.

Jody made it safely to Virginia Friday night. He sounded good on the phone and seemed to be excited about getting this phase of his life started. He was able to work out his leave for most of the year. There is still a 3 month period that isn’t covered (long story) but we are confident that God will provide a way. He always does!! He was told however that his deployment date has been moved to Mar. 31, 2008. He will go back to California after training is complete and work until his deployment date. He is planning on coming here at the end of Feb. to visit.

The kids seem to be adjusting to the move. Isaiah seemed the happiest as soon as we landed; he got in the warm weather and was giddy! It was really cute to see him respond to Jimmy. We could tell he knew who he was and missed him.

Sutton has been her usually self. It was quite an experience when we arrived at the orphanage though. The Nanny’s heard she was there and 3 very excited, screaming, jumping women met me half way up the stairs. They grabbed Sutton out of my arms and nearly knocked me down the stairs in the process. Poor Sutton had no idea what was happening to her, all these women yelling and crying, kissing her and taking her from me. She was a trooper though, and went with it. No tears, just this look on her face like “Mom, what are these crazy women doing to me?”
Landon had it a little easier. He was behind me and they didn’t see him until most of the commotion died down. He was smothered in kisses and hugs but seemed to love it. He is also adjusting to the move.

Dylan and Kynsley both loved meeting up with their friends at the “O”. Steven and Dylan were playing the piano together within a few minutes of our arrival. Kynsley immediately went to Belle and Mia and did not want to leave the “O”. She has asked repeatedly if they can come spend the night. I’ll have to talk to the board of directors and the adoptive families to see if it’s OK. It would be so fun for all of them to have a big slumber party at our house.

Shane is doing great. He has taken on the role of “safety guy”. He makes sure everything is locked up tight at night and always answers the gate. He has colored coded all the major keys (there are at least 30 different keys to this place, does Haiti not re-key locks???). He also has been getting the fire started for dinner every night. He has been such a huge help.

Having Carsen here has defiantly made it easier!! Her Creole is way better then she gives herself credit for. Without her I’m not sure I could have done it! She has been helping me unpack, translating, helping with the kids and doing college through on-line classes!! I know she is more then ready to start the next chapter of her life but I sure do appreciate her being here.

I’ve been able to hire a Nanny for the kids, a housekeeper and someone to do the laundry. I’ve never had a “Staff” before so this will be quite an experience.

Well… kids are having a meltdown and I really need to shower!! I’ll try to post more soon. We still don’t have internet so it may be awhile between posts.

Thanks for all your prayers. God is good…all the time!!!

Nou La

We're here. And yes we're all still alive.
Everyone at the O looks great.
We've started unpacking and are doing pretty well.
I've become the family translator. I have a feeling that Dylan and Kynsley will take on that role very soon.
Well, I've got to go, a pile of homework is calling my name.

Again, thanks for the prayers!

We're in Florida

We sleep here tonight and then fly out tomorrow morning.
No one is dead.

That's about all I can think of.

We're all alive and almost there. Those of you who have ever traveled internationally with loads of children and baggage know that this is an accomplishment.

P.S. I got to speak in three different languages today. That was cool.

It's Official

Carsen here. I'm updating for Mom as she runs around frantically trying to pack the rest of the stuff. Dad is on the computer setting up his UN stuff. Yep, that's right, he got the job! My mom, myself, and all the kids are flying out to Haiti tomorrow. Dad leaves to go to his 10 day training in Virginia on Friday. (Next week, I fly to Michigan.)

It's been crazy around here! However, ear infections are all cleared up, tubs are packed, and all furniture is in storage. We have to leave our house at 3 am tomorrow to make our 7 am flight in Sacramento. We have no beds, so it should be interesting. Pray that the children turn into quiet, attentive, little angels overnight and that all of our patience levels grow exponentially.

I just want to say that none of this would be possible without viewers like you...
oh wait.

None of this would be possible without the Lord! Praise Him for he is good and His love endures forever!

Thank you all for your prayers. :)

Another update...sort of!!

Well...

Jody got the phone call for his interview. He's not sure how it went. The guy asked him a few questions and that was it. He was told he should know something by Monday or Tuesday.

I'm going to be really honest here. I have some real fear in my life that I can not let go of!! Fear that at times seems to want to take control. I feel strongly that Jody will get the call from the State Department on Monday and his leave of absence will be granted. But, there are times my mind (ie. Satan) plays tricks on me and starts to say What if...

What if Jody isn't offered the job??

or if he does get offered the job...

What if he isn't granted his leave of absence?

It scares me....Really, really scares me!! I DO NOT want to spend 6-12 months away from my best friend, my support, my husband. I was asked today at church if I was afraid to be in Haiti and the answer is no, it's not Haiti. It's being without Jody that scares me. I'm a better mother, a better friend and a better person over-all when I'm with him. My stress level is always manageable when I know he will be home soon. I need him. PERIOD!! The kids need him.

BUT, I'm trying to keep my eyes on my Heavenly Father, I know that God has called us to this. I'm not sure what He will teach us being separated but I know without a doubt that He is the one asking us to go. If Jody doesn't go, there has to be a reason. And God will get us through it, no matter what we want or think or do as long as we stay focused on Him! He is in control and not me. I'm trying really hard to stay strong in my faith but it's not easy.

We had a great sermon on faith today and one thing pastor said really stood out to me. He said,
"Faith is the statement your life makes about God." I want my life to speak clearly that I trust God, that I love God and that I follow Him even when it hurts!! Being separated from Jody will hurt, hurt really bad. And during the dark times, during my weak moments, times that Satan loves to get a hold of me, I have real fear! Fear that makes me question, "Is my faith strong enough". I pray the answer is YES!

An update... sort of

The last few days have been quite stressful around the Gray house. As you can see from our countdown there isn't much time left until the kids and I leave for Haiti. As of right now, we still do not know if and when Jody will be deployed.

Jody did receive word today that he will be contacted sometime in the next 48 hours for a phone interview to determine if he is a suitable match for the next training and deployment (training starts Jan 25th). At least we know he is still being considered! BUT, it is going to be an interesting 48 hours as we wait for that call. Please, continue to pray for us. We really need it right now! Thanks!

Scary Early morning wake-up

So the headlines on MSN read, "Winter storm hits California" and boy they weren't kidding!! Friday morning I woke up to the sound of a freight train coming through my house!! Only, it wasn't a freight train but the wind! I have never heard wind like that before, I seriously thought our bedroom window was going to break in on us. The wind, rain and thunder also woke Isaiah, Dylan and Landon up. It was around 5:45 am. I got up with the boys and turned on some cartoons, but unfortunately the power went out about 5 minutes later. As the boys and I sat in the dark I glanced out my back window and noticed a flickering light. At the same time the power came back on so I didn't think anything about it. UNTIL, I went into our bedroom to get a sweatshirt and smelled smoke. I went back out to the family room and looked in the yard again. I did see what looked like a reflection off the back of my neighbors jeep that looked like light flickering. I opened the back door and realized I DID smell smoke. I put some shoes on and went out front. My neighbor was standing in the middle of the street watching a fire that was burning on the side of his house. OH MY GOSH!! I made sure he was OK and that the neighbor on the other side of him was also out of the house and safe. As I headed back into my house to wake Jody I saw embers landing on our roof!

I woke Jody up, then went to get Carsen and Shane up to help get shoes and jackets on the little kids in case we needed to evacuate. Within minutes the fire department arrived and the fire was put out. It appears that a tree between the 2 houses was hit by lightening and caught fire right next to a gas line. When the tree collapsed it caught the gas line on fire as well. Praise God that the fire department was quick to respond and the fire was put out as fast as it was. And that it was raining as hard as it was, which kept our roof from being ignited!! It could have been a horrible situation!

About an hour later, we lost power again and it was out for 3 hours. It was a long, cold morning with not enough sleep! But, we were protected and are now safe and sound!

I truly DO NOT like people who whine, so if you are anything like me you may want to skip this post. I plan on whining quite a bit.

First, a question... who thought it was a good idea to have 2 full weeks off of school in the middle of winter, when it is raining (and even snowing), when it is too cold to spend the day outside??? It could not have been a mother of 7 who is trying to pack 20 years of married "stuff". Especially one who is trying to put everything into 3 categories, 1) storage, 2) Charity and 3) 16- 50 lb. tubs to take to Haiti.

The charity part is pretty easy for me, we have wanted to purge for years. It's the tubs and storage that are causing all the problems. A lot of the stuff I need to take or put in storage we still need to live for the next 3 weeks. Things like our beds, couches, the TV, the dressers which all need to go in storage and sheets, towels, kitchen stuff, which all need to be packed for Haiti. Then I have to decide what do I take?? What can I buy there?? What can I live without?? How do you move a family of 9 to a third world country with only 16 tubs??? When I start whining about it, I feel a little guilty. I know there are missionary's all over the world who would LOVE to have 16 tubs of their own belongings. I know I'm being very "American" in my thinking, people live with way less then we can take with us all the time. I KNOW!!!! But, it doesn't seem to stop the war being waged in my head!

On top of it all, the kids are home from school, several have colds (me included), Isaiah has double ear infections and when we leave Carsen will be heading to live in a state I've never been, going to school somewhere I've never seen and I will only see her when she has the time. The next 3 weeks are probably the last 3 she will ever live with us. I'm profoundly sad about this fact. I mean, I know it's what we are meant to do. Raise them up right so they can go out and do the things God is calling them to do. But, it still stings a bit! She is my firstborn; she is my "baby". It was actually easier for me to send her to Haiti for 7 months. I knew she would be coming home, I knew I would see her regularly. But, this isn't just a new chapter in our lives; this is a whole new book!! Her book, not ours. This is the time in every mother’s life that we work so hard to get to yet dread it when it happens.

And, it doesn’t help that Jody still has not received official word about the job. His stress level is pretty high, making mine even higher!!

OK, I think I’m done whining now. Sorry to inflict that on all of you. I actually feel a little better!! Now, it’s back to packing, UGH!

Exciting News

It is official.... we are moving to HAITI!!

Jody has not received "official" word when the training starts but has been told "not to make any plans after Jan 25, 2008" and "to be ready to go at that time". We feel confident from the conversations Jody has had with the people in charge of hiring and deployment that Jody will be in the next training and subsequent deployment. We took a Leap of Faith and are finalizing our move. Whether or not Jody is deployed immediately, Isaiah has to be back in Haiti by Feb. 13, 2008 when his medical visa expires which means we all have to be back. We agreed when we pursued the medical visa that even if the job fell through the kids and I would move to Haiti when Isaiah went back and stay there until his adoption is done. We feel strongly that it would not be fair to him to put him back in the orphanage after living with his family for 3 months.

Tickets are purchased for the kids and I (we leave on Jan 22, 2008), a house is rented (well, almost, we are working on finalizing it now) and the packing is in full swing.

Things are coming together but we still need prayer! We appreciate the prayer that has been offered for us, it is making a difference and we can feel it! All the prayer warriors in our life are keeping us afloat and we thank you!

Happy Birthday, Dylan

Today Dylan turns 9! It's so hard to believe he is already 9 years old. I remember so clearly the day I went to pick him up from the hospital with the social worker. He was less then 24 hours old and so sick! BUT, I knew the moment he was in my arms that God had placed us together for a reason.

Dylan has been such a blessing to our family!!

Happy Birthday, Dyl-pickle, butter bean, D.J., Dylan James Gray!!

Happy 1st Birthday, Isaiah

Today Isaiah turned 1!! What a big boy he is!!

Last night we took him to Red Robin for dinner and he had his first taste of ice cream!! YUM! YUM!

Christmas Traditions

One of the Gray family Christmas Eve traditions has been to open one gift before bed. Every year the kids tear open their packages to discover new (mostly matching) pajama's!! This year was no different.

We also are trying a new tradition this year. Every year it seems like someone's present gets lost or misplaced. Or worse, thrown away with the wrapping paper. So this year we decided to try giving each child just one present. Well... one box of presents is more like it. We wanted every box to be the same so the size of the box was dictated by the largest gift (a doll stroller for Sutton). The boxes are huge. But, they do like cool under the tree!!

I'm not sure how well it will work in the morning, but I'll let you know!

Merry Christmas from the entire Gray Family!

Jody, Gail, Andrew, Jimmy, Carsen, Shane, Dylan, Kynsley, Landon, Sutton and Isaiah

Leap of Faith

How often I struggle to take a "Leap of Faith"! I hear the call... I feel the call... yet I do not listen! I put out excuse after excuse to justify why I am not following Jesus' call on my life. Most of the time those excuses are very valid in a worldly sense. Lack of money, strength, understanding are all valid worldly reasons to not respond, reasons to doubt! To doubt that "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible". To doubt our God.

Jody and I are at a turning point in our lives. We need to take a "Leap of Faith". We know this is what God has been calling us to do for at least a year now. YET, we still have so many doubts. Some very valid. Quite honestly we do not have enough money to move to Haiti. We have not saved the way we should have, some of which was out of our control (needing to stay in Haiti for 3 weeks because of problems with Isaiah's passport) but most totally within our control (like eating out too much, over spending etc.). We need $3000 more to move and we don't have it! We have no idea where it is going to come from. BUT... God does and we need to have Faith! We also have not found a place to live. A very valid reason to doubt. Being homeless in Haiti really is not an option. We do not know where we will live. BUT... God does and we need to have Faith!

It feels like time is running out. Isaiah must be back in Haiti by Feb 13th. We are waiting on final confirmation but have been told that Jody will start training Jan 25 or 27 and be deployed to Haiti Feb. 5 or 6. That is only a few weeks away, yet we do not have any real plans. We do not know what is going to happen. We have so many doubts and those doubts are starting to take control. We know that God is in control. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Knowing that God is in control and everything will work out for the good is a lot easier then living it!! It's time for us to live it, every day, every minute, every second! That is our prayer! Will you join us in praying??

"Heavenly Father,
We have made so many mistakes and are unworthy of your mercies, yet you give them to us everyday. You have provided all that we have yet we do not remember from where it all came. Lord, we need you to open our hearts and minds to your will. Help us to have faith in your ways and to let go of the doubts that come from doing things our way. Give us the patience to wait on your timing and to not worry needlessly about where the money is coming from or where we will live. For our sakes Lord, please reveal to us soon the plans you have for us. Show us Lord what you want us to do in order to move to Haiti. Thank you for this amazing opportunity to serve you and your children. In your precious and loving sons name, Amen!"

She's home!!!!!

Carsen is home and currently sitting in front of the fireplace playing with her siblings. They are thrilled that she is home. It's nice to have someone else be the human jungle gym!!!

Quote of the day:

Mom, "Hey, buddy how did you sleep?" (speaking to Landon after he woke up from his nap.)
Landon, (after some serious thought), "with my eyes shut."

Prayers needed

Please pray for Carsen and Angela. The next 24 hours are going to be very difficult for both of them as they say good-bye to Angel House, the staff and the children. Also, pray for the staff and children as they must say good-bye to Sissy and You-you on the same day!

Please pray for Sutton and Isaiah's birth mother. She gave birth to a pre-mature baby on Friday. Carsen said the mother reported the little girl is doing OK but Carsen did not see her. I do not know the birth mothers intentions for this child, but I do know her situation has not changed since placing Isaiah for adoption. We are praying if she must place the child for adoption that God reveals a Christian family (that would be willing to have contact with us) to be the child's forever family. We are not in a position nor do we feel called to adopt again but do want the children to know each other. Sutton and Isaiah also have 2 older sister's that are still with the birth mother who need prayer as well.

Out of IBESR

We got word on Thursday that we are out of IBESR!! Now it's on to Parquet. For those of you that do not understand "adoption jargon" this is very good news!!

Isaiah's doctors appointment

Isaiah saw the urologist today. It was a great visit. Dr. Stratte believes that both of Zi's testicles have descended. He DOES NOT NEED SURGERY!!! Praise God!!

One of his testicles is considered "abnormal" and will need to be monitored. It is possible that he may need surgery at a later date but there is nothing that needs to be done right now. Dr. Stratte doesn't need to see him for another year! So he is cleared to travel back to Haiti with us.

We haven't bought tickets yet for the move since we were waiting to see when Zi's surgery would be. We will be moving forward with our plans and will keep everyone posted!

Thanks for your prayers. God is good... all the time!

Not feeling the Christmas Spirit

Today I hung our stockings. It is always one of my favorite things to do at Christmas time. BUT, today it was hard. I have been having a difficult time getting into the Christmas spirit this year. I'm not sure exactly why, my daughter is coming home, Isaiah is already home, Andrew and Ciji are going to be here, so why am I sad?? I finally realized it is because Jimmy wont be here!! We are spending another holiday without him. Not because he doesn't want to be with us, he truly does!! But, because he CAN NOT be here. He is a Haitian citizen not an American. He is bound to the country he was born in. He does not have the freedom to just come for a visit.

In our hearts and in God's eyes Jimmy is our son yet he has never been in our house. He has never seen where we live. For a very long time neither did Landon, Sutton and Isaiah. But they are now. There are many, many family's waiting on adoptions to be finished in order for their children to come home to them. But, in the end they will be home. Jimmy doesn't have that option. He is too old to be legally adopted by us. He will never be a "Gray" legally in the US. It hurts to know that if something were to happen to one of us, he couldn't come to be with us. He can't just get on a plane and be here in a few hours to visit.

It is possible for Jimmy to get a visitor's visa but it isn't easy!! We really believed that we would be spending this Christmas in Haiti. We truly believed that we would get to spend this Christmas with Jimmy. Andrew wouldn't be with us, since Ciji shouldn't travel to Haiti while she is pregnant but they could come if they choose to. It's a choice not a restriction. We didn't bother working on a visa for Jimmy because we thought we would be there! Now its too late. It takes months to get an appointment at the Embassy and most of the time even with an appointment they ask for something more. And it's very expensive! Between the passport, the US government fee's and the refundable ticket (that costs twice as much as a non-refundable ticket but you have to have a refundable one in case your visa is denied) you must buy before your appointment to prove you have a return flight, it costs a bundle!

So for one more year, Jimmy's stocking will hang on the mantle yet he will never see it. He will not get to experience a Gray family Christmas morning. He will be in Haiti without his mom and dad and siblings. But, he will be in our hearts.

Jimmy, as we celebrate Our Savior's birth, know that you are in our hearts and on our minds. We will continue to pray that we will get to spend next Christmas with you!! We love you and miss you oh so much. Thank you for allowing us to be your family!

Just 12 more sleeps...

And I will get to see my girl!!


Just 12 more sleeps...
And I get to hear "Sissy", "Sissy", "Sissy" from 6 little mouths and she will be here to respond.


Just 12 more sleeps...
And there will be one more person fighting for the shower!


Just 12 more sleeps...
And I get to sit in front of the fireplace with my "skinny-minny" with no body fat, watching a very realistic and very gross medical show, just because she LOVES them.


Just 12 more sleeps...
And I get to wake my sleeping young adult with "the good morning song" (sung by me, slightly off-key and very loud, VERY early in the morning).


Just 12 more sleeps...
And the sibling bickering is increased by one!


Just 12 more sleeps...
And my nest will almost be complete once again! (Too bad, Jimmy isn't coming with her, then it would be complete! But, that's a whole other post).



Carsen, we miss you and are counting down the days until you get home! It has been way too long for your siblings to go without seeing their Sissy. Love ya' Poohbear! Just 12 more sleeps!!!

The Gray family is growing, AGAIN!

That's right... the Gray family is increasing in numbers once again. BUT, we are NOT adopting another child!!!

Over Thanksgiving weekend, Jody and I found out that we are going to be grandparents!! Yes, you read that right, GRANDPARENTS! Andrew and Ciji are expecting a baby in July.

When we committed to adopt Isaiah we said that he would be the last baby until grandchildren... Well we did not think it would happen quite so soon!!

Jimmy and Carsen...

... what's missing from this picture?

YOU ARE!!!!

We miss both of you so much and wish you were here with us.

Kynsley making cookies!!

Zi getting ready for a walk.

Happy Thanksgiving from the entire Gray family,

Jody & Gail,

Andrew, Jimmy, Carsen, Shane, Dylan, Kynsley, Landon, Sutton and Isaiah

Another day...

It started at 4 a.m. but it's OK because we went to bed at 8 p.m. last night. 8 uninterrupted, glorious hours of sleep, what could be better???? I'm not sure if Zi slept that long since my amazing, wonderful son, Shane had the baby monitor in his room and may have got up with him, BUT I DID!!!

AND.... Zi is now playing in the den with his brothers and seems to be somewhat back to normal. He woke up hungry but happy. It is only 6:30 a.m. so I'm not going to say yet that the colicky baby is gone but today certainly has started off better then the last few days.

As far as pictures go... we only have a few. I've been too tired and cross-eyed to even think about taking pictures! I will try to do better now that I've had some sleep.

Isaiah at the Miami airport!!

Getting ready for church, leaving for church, after church

Yes, we actually attempted church, not the smartest thing to do with a sick child!! He slept through Sunday school but then woke up with a fever so we never made it to the service.

Oh, if only he would do this at night!!

lets see if I can finish this before the baby wakes up....

OK, so we are home. Zi and I arrived in Redding at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday. Zi did not like the plane or the airport or anything about the trip at all. Probably had a little something to do with the 104 degree fever, the double ear infections and bronchiolitis (one step below pneumonia). Not to mention the giardia and itchy skin that is being irritated by the very cold dry weather here!

Zi has not slept more then 3 hours at a stretch (all during the day of course) since we have arrived home. Needless to say it has not been the easiest transition for any of us. The other kids are being troopers and even Sutton is handling his arrival well. It is like having a 24 lb. colicky newborn with teeth and an excellent set of lungs. I really think when we went through customs they replaced my easy going, fun to be with baby boy with something quite different!

Isaiah is on antibiotics for the ear and lung infection, Flagyl for the giardia and is covered regularly with Burt's Bees body butter for his skin. He is on the BRAT diet and actual seems to be getting better.

We also got news that Jody was chosen for the mission to Haiti beginning Nov. 28th!!!!! Yes, you read that right NOV 28th!! After much prayer, we have decided to turn down this deployment and his name is on the list for the Jan/Feb. deployment. It was not an easy decision to make, since we know God has called us to serve in Haiti but do feel it is in every one's best interest for us to wait. There is so much going on right now that Jody would have to go by himself at this point and the family would have to join him later. Being separated for the holidays and during Zi's surgery is just not something we feel we can handle at this time!

Well it is now 7:15 p.m. and I'm finally finishing this post. It has been another long day and I'm praying for at least a few hours sleep. And hoping tomorrow is better!