While one door has closed, we are opening another! We have chosen a to pursue an adoption from Lesotho. Please visit our new blog if you would like to hear our story as it unfolds...
http://lesothosunshine.blogspot.ca/
Friday, April 6, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
letting go of this dream
Well, it is time to let go of this dream. This is the hardest post to write, and the one post, I truly didn't think I would have to.
Rwanda right now is transitioning into a Hague country, and with this major bureaucratic shift, many of the dossiers that have waited there for the past year+, have now been closed. That unfortunately, includes ours.
The clearly positive outcome is that all children in Rwanda will be secure in protection against any unethical and illegal corruption. The Hague convention governs this.
We realize that the governmental infrastructure impacting us, is also much larger than us. While this is difficult for us individually to endure and accept, we also understand why in the larger scheme of things.
At this point, this blog will now close. It is our intention to grow our family and we will continue to work on that, recreating and redefining our dream. We have a loving home, family, and community and our path will open up to what is right.
Thank you for supporting and dreaming with us!
Rwanda right now is transitioning into a Hague country, and with this major bureaucratic shift, many of the dossiers that have waited there for the past year+, have now been closed. That unfortunately, includes ours.
The clearly positive outcome is that all children in Rwanda will be secure in protection against any unethical and illegal corruption. The Hague convention governs this.
We realize that the governmental infrastructure impacting us, is also much larger than us. While this is difficult for us individually to endure and accept, we also understand why in the larger scheme of things.
At this point, this blog will now close. It is our intention to grow our family and we will continue to work on that, recreating and redefining our dream. We have a loving home, family, and community and our path will open up to what is right.
Thank you for supporting and dreaming with us!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Holding onto Faith
It feels wrong to not post in so long! I don't have any new news, so it also feels wrong to post. But, here goes.
We began this journey now, 2 and half years ago. At that time, adoptions from our country and Rwanda were taking no more than a year. We certainly did not expect this long wait, and longer wait of uncertainty. But, that is how life goes, especially, we have learned, the life of an adoptive family.
Our adoption journey has been one of the hardest we have faced together. It has challenged our faith and our ability to hold onto it. But, we are here. We are still hoping that this adoption comes to a close with a child or children wrapped safely in our arms.
We have a great lawyer working on our side in Kigali, and we continue to hope and pray that good news comes our way.
Keep us in your hearts!
We began this journey now, 2 and half years ago. At that time, adoptions from our country and Rwanda were taking no more than a year. We certainly did not expect this long wait, and longer wait of uncertainty. But, that is how life goes, especially, we have learned, the life of an adoptive family.
Our adoption journey has been one of the hardest we have faced together. It has challenged our faith and our ability to hold onto it. But, we are here. We are still hoping that this adoption comes to a close with a child or children wrapped safely in our arms.
We have a great lawyer working on our side in Kigali, and we continue to hope and pray that good news comes our way.
Keep us in your hearts!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Winter Blues
Over two years ago: our paper work for adoption begins
Love stories sprinkled onto paper, each one familiar
Dates timelines lifetimes
Of childhood influence
And adult perceptions
Sometimes squinting – looking into space and time
We notarized our hearts, to officialise who we are
Whole punched and translated our dreams
And couriered them across the seas
Furnished a trailer with bunks
And child sized bright blankets
Green polka dots and flannel tie dye
Pasted growth charts on doorways
And waited…months
The days pass hopeful
Wonder full work full life full
Except for the wait
That becomes longer
And less certain
Day by day
And we are, again
Winter well on its way
There is no known reason at this point
For this empty wait
Black chalk table writes “come home babies”
With pastel pink blue hearts of faith
Alongside empty coloured chairs
Primary coloured seats ready for play dates
No logical answers
At this point,
we are not even sure of the questions
To ask or to who
Sometimes squinting through
Can we notarize these winters and send those, too?
Love stories sprinkled onto paper, each one familiar
Dates timelines lifetimes
Of childhood influence
And adult perceptions
Sometimes squinting – looking into space and time
We notarized our hearts, to officialise who we are
Whole punched and translated our dreams
And couriered them across the seas
Furnished a trailer with bunks
And child sized bright blankets
Green polka dots and flannel tie dye
Pasted growth charts on doorways
And waited…months
The days pass hopeful
Wonder full work full life full
Except for the wait
That becomes longer
And less certain
Day by day
And we are, again
Winter well on its way
There is no known reason at this point
For this empty wait
Black chalk table writes “come home babies”
With pastel pink blue hearts of faith
Alongside empty coloured chairs
Primary coloured seats ready for play dates
No logical answers
At this point,
we are not even sure of the questions
To ask or to who
Sometimes squinting through
Can we notarize these winters and send those, too?
Friday, September 23, 2011
The gist of it...
For the family and friends who don't want the poetry, who just want to know what is actually happening:
Basically we were given approval, a month ago, from the government Ministry in Rwanda to adopt. The catch: we have 6 months for a referral before our file will close.
We are one month down.
Through other family blogs we are given a few concrete tidbits: referrals are happening, sporadically. Families travel within days or weeks and meet the children within a week of landing.
And the one truth that we know is that each adoptive process is unique.
So at this point we hold onto our faith that this will happen, and wait out our time hoping it actually does. It has been a long two years. Our hope and prayer is that within 5 months we have a referral and we are buying a plane ticket to Rwanda to meet our children.
Basically we were given approval, a month ago, from the government Ministry in Rwanda to adopt. The catch: we have 6 months for a referral before our file will close.
We are one month down.
Through other family blogs we are given a few concrete tidbits: referrals are happening, sporadically. Families travel within days or weeks and meet the children within a week of landing.
And the one truth that we know is that each adoptive process is unique.
So at this point we hold onto our faith that this will happen, and wait out our time hoping it actually does. It has been a long two years. Our hope and prayer is that within 5 months we have a referral and we are buying a plane ticket to Rwanda to meet our children.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Approval! One Step Forward
Little babies we wait for you
Today a little more content than yesterday
As our approval is signed and we have something to hold on to
Delicately
We move forward
And hold onto a faith that sparkles like
Newborn webs in the light morning sun
A vermillion spider weaves thousands of intricacies
And golden threads wobble perfectly
Floating firmly in the air
Like air itself, sparkling and catching oxygen
and colour and shape and spirit
Liquid pearls drip - magic
While tiny creatures persist
And life continues on
A sweet miracle moving
Delicately
Today a little more content than yesterday
As our approval is signed and we have something to hold on to
Delicately
We move forward
And hold onto a faith that sparkles like
Newborn webs in the light morning sun
A vermillion spider weaves thousands of intricacies
And golden threads wobble perfectly
Floating firmly in the air
Like air itself, sparkling and catching oxygen
and colour and shape and spirit
Liquid pearls drip - magic
While tiny creatures persist
And life continues on
A sweet miracle moving
Delicately
Monday, July 25, 2011
Moon Tides
It’s true
Pecking at the black boxes on the key pad, daily
Each time, fingers move to passwords like lifelong friendships
A quick cradle and goodbye
As the mail is opened up, but empty
I shake my head at friendships that last
Sturdy and reliable, weathered and tested
We have passed the one year mark
One year DTR – Dossier to Rwanda
Poetry has passed time, documented mood swings
Like lights and darks and inks and blobs
And seasonal markers shift, again and again
The waiting has been long
The dream full brimming over
Hearts full and full of hope still
Unsure of where it all comes from
The faith, the dream, the hope
But I know we have chosen this path
With intention
With love
And with our hands held tightly together, swinging
Down our future, bright
While we may not know with certainty
Where this journey will end
We continue forward
Enjoy full wide summer days
Blue skies
Red lilies
Whites of eyes
And wait as our panorama unfolds, moon tides
Pecking at the black boxes on the key pad, daily
Each time, fingers move to passwords like lifelong friendships
A quick cradle and goodbye
As the mail is opened up, but empty
I shake my head at friendships that last
Sturdy and reliable, weathered and tested
We have passed the one year mark
One year DTR – Dossier to Rwanda
Poetry has passed time, documented mood swings
Like lights and darks and inks and blobs
And seasonal markers shift, again and again
The waiting has been long
The dream full brimming over
Hearts full and full of hope still
Unsure of where it all comes from
The faith, the dream, the hope
But I know we have chosen this path
With intention
With love
And with our hands held tightly together, swinging
Down our future, bright
While we may not know with certainty
Where this journey will end
We continue forward
Enjoy full wide summer days
Blue skies
Red lilies
Whites of eyes
And wait as our panorama unfolds, moon tides
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Clothesline, Cool days
Like the robins in my yard
Louder than flash lightening
I too like strips of coloured string
Simple crayon colours: Nesting
I like to add little highlights
Knot up some yolk-yellows
And tie in some bulb-blues
Just making my home
Feel that little sweet-bit new
Because waiting for something
A dream pinned to a summer day’s clothesline
Drying too slowly - trapped too long
I can touch that fabric
See the sharp hues
It’s not right and it’s also not wrong
I watch sun shine brightly on it
But it is damp and drying slow
And the day passes
And the rest I don’t know
I look toward my garden
And the long weekend of May
Unplanted beds
Tended and ready
And once again I resist a plan
Resist those tiny seeds
Because maybe just maybe
We won’t be here to weed
But the robins comfort differently
They say nest gently – in your own way
Tie with strong, bright strings
Let each fly proudly, even wildly
Plant your garden
And let time pass as it may
Louder than flash lightening
I too like strips of coloured string
Simple crayon colours: Nesting
I like to add little highlights
Knot up some yolk-yellows
And tie in some bulb-blues
Just making my home
Feel that little sweet-bit new
Because waiting for something
A dream pinned to a summer day’s clothesline
Drying too slowly - trapped too long
I can touch that fabric
See the sharp hues
It’s not right and it’s also not wrong
I watch sun shine brightly on it
But it is damp and drying slow
And the day passes
And the rest I don’t know
I look toward my garden
And the long weekend of May
Unplanted beds
Tended and ready
And once again I resist a plan
Resist those tiny seeds
Because maybe just maybe
We won’t be here to weed
But the robins comfort differently
They say nest gently – in your own way
Tie with strong, bright strings
Let each fly proudly, even wildly
Plant your garden
And let time pass as it may
Saturday, April 2, 2011
still waiting, still optimistic...
It has been 9 months since our Dossier arrived to the Ministry in Rwanda that processes adoptive families (Ministry of Gender and Families). Each month that has passed has been a journey forward into a process with very little information, very little updates, and very little accurate hints of what will happen next. Life outside this adoption has been full, but the adoption is a constant little dream that sits inside everything else we do.
During these last couple months several international adoptive families have had news of their approval from the Ministry, and then have, within a few months, received their referral for their child/children. After the referral it is about 3-5 weeks before travel. It has been humbling listening to all of these online stories of this life changing experience, knowing that one day, it will be us buying those plane tickets, walking up to the blue gates of the Home of Hope Orphanage, and meeting our children for the first time.
At this point, we continue to wait with open hearts and optimism. Our lawyer has told us that we should be hearing any day, but we understand that there is so much to do on the Rwandan side that we can't make this go faster. We both know in our hearts that the right timing is the timing we have.
To all of our family and friends out there reading this, we really appreciate you staying in touch and hearing our story as it emerges.
One day this blog will be filled with a trip to Rwanda, a court case, a couple new passports, and family ready, willing and able. That will be a good day to share.
During these last couple months several international adoptive families have had news of their approval from the Ministry, and then have, within a few months, received their referral for their child/children. After the referral it is about 3-5 weeks before travel. It has been humbling listening to all of these online stories of this life changing experience, knowing that one day, it will be us buying those plane tickets, walking up to the blue gates of the Home of Hope Orphanage, and meeting our children for the first time.
At this point, we continue to wait with open hearts and optimism. Our lawyer has told us that we should be hearing any day, but we understand that there is so much to do on the Rwandan side that we can't make this go faster. We both know in our hearts that the right timing is the timing we have.
To all of our family and friends out there reading this, we really appreciate you staying in touch and hearing our story as it emerges.
One day this blog will be filled with a trip to Rwanda, a court case, a couple new passports, and family ready, willing and able. That will be a good day to share.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Interface
Like Alice in Wonderland
Playing life size checkers
Freakish greetings from Mad Hatters
We play music and write and paint
Playing away days of this waiting game
Like multicoloured jigsaw pieces
Floating in space
And we interface
Like ripples upon that skyline
We call dreams
Recall scenes of long ago thought up meanings
And time passes like true comedy
Like those Old Greek philosophers who would
Sit on goat ridden stone mountains
Create dialogue and hit-it-to-each-other
Building language and timeless traditions
Of the tongue
Shout out
Rung out
Where’s that marriage between
Those star crossed lovers
Because we took the stage
And played
But this game of anticipation doesn’t work that way
Like Alice in Wonderland
This is a new land
And the rules come in surprise
Twists of colour and shape
And the only thing to hold onto
Is knowing that it will never be the same
I have to say though
That this game is worth that wait
That in the end when it all aligns
And we hold our new fates
Two innocent faces - life long play mates
Staring at us
This game will fade
As Alice comes home
Through that rabbit hole
And two worlds hold stories built from
Imagination and reality
And our family is whole
Playing life size checkers
Freakish greetings from Mad Hatters
We play music and write and paint
Playing away days of this waiting game
Like multicoloured jigsaw pieces
Floating in space
And we interface
Like ripples upon that skyline
We call dreams
Recall scenes of long ago thought up meanings
And time passes like true comedy
Like those Old Greek philosophers who would
Sit on goat ridden stone mountains
Create dialogue and hit-it-to-each-other
Building language and timeless traditions
Of the tongue
Shout out
Rung out
Where’s that marriage between
Those star crossed lovers
Because we took the stage
And played
But this game of anticipation doesn’t work that way
Like Alice in Wonderland
This is a new land
And the rules come in surprise
Twists of colour and shape
And the only thing to hold onto
Is knowing that it will never be the same
I have to say though
That this game is worth that wait
That in the end when it all aligns
And we hold our new fates
Two innocent faces - life long play mates
Staring at us
This game will fade
As Alice comes home
Through that rabbit hole
And two worlds hold stories built from
Imagination and reality
And our family is whole
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
What's Shaking
Many of you have asked quietly, ...where are things at?
We haven't really known much along the way, so there hasn't been much to post. We are in a long line of families, waiting...and that is a tough spot to be in, month after month.
We did hear back from our lawyer a few weeks ago who mentioned that the Ministry (the official ministry in Rwanda who processes dossiers) is continuing to move along.
In our minds, we are thinking that this summer may be realistic in terms of timing, but we are happy to optimistic and realistic at the same time.
In the mean time, we will keep writing poetry, keep dreaming big, and keep wondering what it will be like to have our babies home. All of those are sweet thoughts that keep us full as we wait.
Please feel free to ask us though...we are happy to share what is happening, as we know it...
We haven't really known much along the way, so there hasn't been much to post. We are in a long line of families, waiting...and that is a tough spot to be in, month after month.
We did hear back from our lawyer a few weeks ago who mentioned that the Ministry (the official ministry in Rwanda who processes dossiers) is continuing to move along.
In our minds, we are thinking that this summer may be realistic in terms of timing, but we are happy to optimistic and realistic at the same time.
In the mean time, we will keep writing poetry, keep dreaming big, and keep wondering what it will be like to have our babies home. All of those are sweet thoughts that keep us full as we wait.
Please feel free to ask us though...we are happy to share what is happening, as we know it...
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Sunday
Hanging Sweetly Off A Crescent Moon
Is Hope
Forms like
A precise expression
Flowing into a refined stretch
And down into my breath
I know
The moon looks down on all of us
And secrets yet told
Hang sweetly
Hope is an accompaniment
Like a ruffle off the edge of a stilled pirouette
Surreal choreography decorates
First a sandy beach and then
A globe - silvery silk sides
Soft flowing fabric shapes oceans
Salty water dancing delicately through tender tree leaves
As waves ebb and grow
Light lifting off into whimsical rhyme
Spinning toes upright
Tapping against snow crests
And down into the depths of the Pacific
Light splattering against pavement
Just outside my house
While we lay sleeping
Is Hope
Forms like
A precise expression
Flowing into a refined stretch
And down into my breath
I know
The moon looks down on all of us
And secrets yet told
Hang sweetly
Hope is an accompaniment
Like a ruffle off the edge of a stilled pirouette
Surreal choreography decorates
First a sandy beach and then
A globe - silvery silk sides
Soft flowing fabric shapes oceans
Salty water dancing delicately through tender tree leaves
As waves ebb and grow
Light lifting off into whimsical rhyme
Spinning toes upright
Tapping against snow crests
And down into the depths of the Pacific
Light splattering against pavement
Just outside my house
While we lay sleeping
Friday, November 26, 2010
Keepin' it
F orward falling into splashes of snowy winter slush
A ction of daily life paced like a morning to night metronome
I mitated through life’s shadows – movements so familiar and distant
T hankful for routines keeping pace and rhythm
H opeful for change as snow melts and playful puddles emerge
A ction of daily life paced like a morning to night metronome
I mitated through life’s shadows – movements so familiar and distant
T hankful for routines keeping pace and rhythm
H opeful for change as snow melts and playful puddles emerge
Monday, October 25, 2010
Restless Wonderings
A sweet starling talks of
faces in dreams
like time machines
bending us forward
through Rwandan doors where
feet shuffle on dirt floors
Barbers and braids
boys and girls
curly curls and
afros
shakes each hand where
water meets land
inside translations and tickets
voyages yet to be planned
meets language to complete
immigration and citizenship
a thousand hills
of questions
upon a lifeline trill
of nature and nurture
steeped in bureaucratic speech
built upon fragrant dreams
reliant on a floating reach
sweet songs simmer as
day light becomes dimmer
fall leaves dance to the ground
lost and found
paper piled families swing on mary-go-rounds
and hair tossles amidst
cut outs of
sugar and spice and lollipop swirls
blending into curly curls and
afros
startling starlings wake up
and blink
faces in dreams
like time machines
bending us forward
through Rwandan doors where
feet shuffle on dirt floors
Barbers and braids
boys and girls
curly curls and
afros
shakes each hand where
water meets land
inside translations and tickets
voyages yet to be planned
meets language to complete
immigration and citizenship
a thousand hills
of questions
upon a lifeline trill
of nature and nurture
steeped in bureaucratic speech
built upon fragrant dreams
reliant on a floating reach
sweet songs simmer as
day light becomes dimmer
fall leaves dance to the ground
lost and found
paper piled families swing on mary-go-rounds
and hair tossles amidst
cut outs of
sugar and spice and lollipop swirls
blending into curly curls and
afros
startling starlings wake up
and blink
Monday, September 20, 2010
2 months DTR
Two months ago our Dossier landed in Rwanda and was passed into the hands of the Ministry of Gender and Family.
We found out that we are number 93 in a list of Dossiers waiting to be processed. For us, that is good news. We have a very little concrete information about timing - nothing more than that, but it felt like a little piece of relief in knowing something.
and from here...we carry on.
We found out that we are number 93 in a list of Dossiers waiting to be processed. For us, that is good news. We have a very little concrete information about timing - nothing more than that, but it felt like a little piece of relief in knowing something.
and from here...we carry on.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Rwanda Joins the Hague Convention
We have a new twist on our adoption journey. Previous to this post, Rwanda was not part of the Hague - an international convention that governs adoptions. The purpose and principles of the Hague are great; however, in the transition for Rwanda - we don't quite know what this will mean for families who have their dossiers there (us). The Rwandan Ministry will not be accepting any new dossiers, but have stated they will process the ones there.
In terms of the politics and procedures of international adoption, this is a good thing. Of course, we all have the best interests of the child/ren in mind.
In terms of children waiting for loving families, this could make the wait that much longer.
This is wild news and places our adoption in a much larger state of unknown.
From here, we wait and see and continue on...
Until we know more, there won't be much to post...
thanks for reading and keeping us in your hearts,
G & S
In terms of the politics and procedures of international adoption, this is a good thing. Of course, we all have the best interests of the child/ren in mind.
In terms of children waiting for loving families, this could make the wait that much longer.
This is wild news and places our adoption in a much larger state of unknown.
From here, we wait and see and continue on...
Until we know more, there won't be much to post...
thanks for reading and keeping us in your hearts,
G & S
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Dreaming Rwanda
Chubby cheeks and sneak a peaks
Little toes and wooden floor boards
Creak
As we speak in heart crevices
Deep
Tiny eye lids sleep
And dream
As spirit unfolds
Heart beats
And tiny crumbs feed our two dreams
Nestled in a forever homeland
A blood land tie
A forever lullaby
We will build a home
with sweet love
And always remember
Your story of who you are
And where you are from
And we will love you
Wrap you safely in our home
And grow with you
Until you grow on your own
Your chubby cheeks and sneak a peaks
Little toes and wooden floor boards
Creak
As we speak in heart crevices
Deep
Tiny eye lids sleep
And dream
As spirit unfolds
Heart beats
And tiny crumbs feed our two dreams
Nestled in a forever homeland
A blood land tie
A forever lullaby
We will build a home
with sweet love
And always remember
Your story of who you are
And where you are from
And we will love you
Wrap you safely in our home
And grow with you
Until you grow on your own
Your chubby cheeks and sneak a peaks
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Dossier goes off to Rwanda!
It is cause for celebration, as we have movement again!
The Dossiers are stamped and authorized by all Canadian parties...they will go in the mail tomorrow morning via Fed Ex. It is a 4 day delivery, that is not guaranteed...what is these days?
I asked our Power of Attorney there about the time line for the Ministry processing (this is before our package goes to the orphanage for the referral) and he said it is not fixed and could be any where from 4-6 months. I thought, that's not too bad. Although, it too could change, at least we now have a new time line to hope for.
I'm the eternal optimist anyway, so I will still hope it goes faster.
Anyway, to those following this blog...thanks for keeping posted. It is a celebration of sorts tonight.
Good night,
Gail
The Dossiers are stamped and authorized by all Canadian parties...they will go in the mail tomorrow morning via Fed Ex. It is a 4 day delivery, that is not guaranteed...what is these days?
I asked our Power of Attorney there about the time line for the Ministry processing (this is before our package goes to the orphanage for the referral) and he said it is not fixed and could be any where from 4-6 months. I thought, that's not too bad. Although, it too could change, at least we now have a new time line to hope for.
I'm the eternal optimist anyway, so I will still hope it goes faster.
Anyway, to those following this blog...thanks for keeping posted. It is a celebration of sorts tonight.
Good night,
Gail
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
waiting waiting...
Just in case you are curious...our Dossier is still stuck in Ottawa. We're hoping that next week they will be able to get to and get it back to us. With it being the holiday, that may delay it a bit more.
Ah, well.
We are going to begin enjoying the summer and letting this adoption continue on its course. It seems that most of this is out of our control at this point anyway.
We're heading out on a little camping trip with our new/old trailer and of course, Ping (the dog).
that's it for now...
Ah, well.
We are going to begin enjoying the summer and letting this adoption continue on its course. It seems that most of this is out of our control at this point anyway.
We're heading out on a little camping trip with our new/old trailer and of course, Ping (the dog).
that's it for now...
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Dossier Travel
Our Dossier is now at the Rwandan Embassy in Ottawa. One step closer...a few stamps away...
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