FINAL VISA APPOINTMENT!!!!

Next Thursday, October 3, my little boy with travel to Port-au-Prince to the US Embassy for his VISA interview!  Please pray for him!  Please pray for me!  I will now be working like a mad-woman to get plans ready for my students....parent/teacher conferences and any and all last minute things that need to happen before we go!  I do not have travel dates but will likely go get him the week after his appointment!  The time is here!  Thank you Jesus!  I have waited so long and I am beyond excited!!!!!!

I600 APPROVAL

Dear Ms. Kraft,

USCIS in Port au Prince, Haiti is pleased to inform you that the I-600 petition, which you filed at this office on January 23, 2013 on behalf of Mackenley Etienne, seeking to qualify him as your immediate relative has been approved. Your case has been transferred to the Adoption Unit of the Consular Section for the visa process. This completes all action by USCIS on the referenced petition. The Consular Section will soon contact you to follow-up on your case.

ONLY ONE MORE STEP!!!!!  VISA INTERVIEW AND THEN YOU'RE COMING TO MN LITTLE MAN!!!!!

One year ago today.....

2nd Birthday

On September 7, 2012 Mr. M came into my life!!!!!  I feel so blessed!  This process has taken SO long and I have learned, changed and grown SO much!  At this point today, knowing he'll be coming home soon, it suddenly doesn't feel like it has taken as long!  Reality is soon to set in!  My life will change FOREVER!!!!

1st birthday top left and this is his 3rd birthday

Here is my little guy the past 3 Aprils at 8 months, 1 yr 8 months and 2 yrs 8 months.

    

I am going to continue on with pictures from each year that I have, which would be 2011, 2012 and 2013.  Some years I am missing, but when I pick him up I will get EVERY SINGLE PICTURE! :-)

 August 2012 & August 2013

 February 2012 & February 2013

May 2011 & May 2013

 Christmas 2011 & Christmas 2012

 September 2011 & September 2012 

LORD MAY I PLEASE BE WITH HIM SEPTEMBER 2013!!!

 October 2011 & October 2012

UP AT THE TOP OF MY BLOG ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IT SAYS "GIVE TO MY ADOPTION!"  THIS DIRECTS YOU TO A PAYPAL ACCOUNT WHERE YOUR GIFT WOULD BE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.  MY DAD, MACK & I WILL NEED CLOSE TO $3000 TO TRAVEL HOME AND STAY A FEW DAYS IN HAITI. IF YOU CAN HELP (EVERY DOLLAR HELPS!) PLEASE CLICK THE LINK!  FRIENDS HAVE ALREADY HELPED WITH $750!!!!  THANK YOU!!!!

Did ya hear??? I'm coming home soon!!!!

So, on Wednesday, 8/28 my paperwork was submitted to the United States Embassy!  The next time my mama gets an email it will be from the United States Citizen and Immigration Services telling her I am approved for a VISA.  I then have to go to an interview at the US Embassy!  After I go to this interview and GLA gets my VISA she and my grandpa can come get me!!!!  I will be home before it snows!  :-)

I LOVED POOL DAY!!!!!!

This is me at my 3rd birthday party!!!!  My birthday was on August 7th!  I now weigh 24 pounds, size 18 mo clothes fit me best (but my mom is gonna dress me in 2T and 3T) and I wear size 7 shoes.

I loved my cupcakes!!!!!  I look forward to getting home for all the fun Minnesota fall activities.  I have never felt cold, cold weather, or seen leaves change colors.  I have never been pulled by a bike in a cart or even been in a car seat.  I have a whole bunch of new experiences ahead.  I hear there are also these two things called Tigger and Garfield waiting for me.  I wonder how we will get along?!?!

I am sure my mom will let you all know when the next news comes along and when we will be coming to the airport.  She will hold me tight the whole time but I sure would love to see you all there when I arrive in Minneapolis!!!!  See you soon!!!

WE HAVE A PASSPORT!!!!!

ONE WEEK AGO I WAS TOLD WE WOULD HAVE SEVERAL WEEKS TO A MONTH OR MORE FOR A CORRECTED PASSPORT AND TODAY, ONE SHORT WEEK LATER WE HAVE A PERFECT PASSPORT WITH THE NAME KRAFT ON IT!!!!!!!!!!!  I CAN HARLDY STAND IT!!!!!  I PRAYED ALL WEEK AND ACTUALLY ASKED GOD FOR THIS MIRACLE....THE ONE WEEK PART TOO!!!  YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHEN GOD IS GONNA TURN YOUR WORLD UPSIDE DOWN AND DO WHAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE EXCEPT BY HIM!   I GOT THE NEWS RIGHT BEFORE SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE AND I HAD TO HOLD BACK THE TEARS AND FREAKING OUT I WANTED TO DO!!!!!!  THE PARENTS OF MY NEW STUDENTS AS WELL AS STUDENTS WERE AMAZING....I WAS BLESSED BY HOW EXCITED EACH AND EVERY ONE WAS ABOUT THIS!!!  I WILL BE SAD TO LEAVE MY ROOM FOR 6 WEEKS BUT BEYOND THRILLED TO SOON GO GET THIS LITTLE BOY AND SPEND AN AMAZING 6 WEEKS WITH HIM AND THEN FOREVER MORE AS WELL!!!!!!!  MAMA IS COMING SOON!

Love this Boy!

This is an angle we don't too often see in pictures of him.  I love it!  A friend who recently returned from her trip to meet her child shared this with me.  He is all powdered up, in jammies, ready for bed.  I love this profile.  This picture does justice to his eye lashes! Oh how I long to hold you, little boy.  The time is growing near.  I love you!

Ornaments from Haiti

I will receive the ornament right around the time Mr. M comes home.  This will be tricky for me as far as getting them to people....but perhaps we can set up SHORT visits at my home where you can pick up your ornaments should you want some!  I only have 6 weeks to sell them before I have to send them back and I have 6 weeks on leave with him once he comes home.  We will work it out.  The ornaments will be $10 each with $5 going towards adopting costs for #2 and $5 going back to the Haitian artist who created the ornament!  I will receive 150....50 of each.  Email me or call me if you have my # to place your order as I assume they will go FAST!!!!! And if they all sell that will be $750 towards #2 which is AWESOME!!!!!!!

This fall I will have these beautiful ornaments made by artists in Haiti!  For over 50 years Haitians have created beautiful artwork from steel oil drums.  I have been selling Apparent Project bracelets for a year and a half to help raise $$$ for my adoptions of two children from Haiti.  As you are aware I am working on adoption #2 and still have a ways to go with raising $$$.  I do not know what the price of these ornaments will be nor when I will get them but I wanted you to see them early and think about buying one or some to help me out with adoption #2!!!!  Thanks!