Today is pay-day and report card day in La Digue. The kids get out of school early, right after report cards are handed out.
We are counting the hours till grandma and grandpa Porter arrive. (Tara's parents) They get in Saturday late afternoon. Isaac started the countdown at 10 sleeps, we are glad to be down to one sleep left! Dad has been to Haiti twice before, and Mom once. We are glad to have another chance to show them the sights and just be together. On Sunday we'll take them to visit our Port au Prince church and then when Paige gets back our other big outing will be for her birthday party on Thursday.
Hope is getting fresh braids, Ike had a haircut just to be sure everybody looks spiffy for G and G. Mom and Dad have not seen Hope or Ike since March, both of them have grown close to four inches since then.
If you are wondering how we are doing with the "baby-watch," we'll honestly tell you that we are a bit stressed. When we're rational we can calmly discern that God has a plan for this baby girl and that He will be letting us in on that plan when it makes sense to Him. We understand that we're not in control and that we are probably supposed to be learning something while we wait.
When we're irrational, and less faithful, we wonder if the baby is still living, if maybe mom and baby are too sick to come, if mom has some other agenda that we are not yet aware of ... and on and on. We are trying not to imagine the worst and reminding ourselves that when Hope was born she stayed with her (her mom) for 28 days before she was placed in the orphanage.
We think it is unlikely that the girls' mom has decided to keep the new baby girl. But, even if that is the case, that would be so much better then some of the imagined scenarios. Knowing this is Hopie's little sister created and instant bond in our hearts and we're just praying that she is healthy and in no danger in Cite Soleil.
We honestly just wanted to ask you to keep praying for their safety. It would be such a relief if we had answers soon and the ability to introduce her to my parents this coming week.
Good Luck with your Christmas shopping. That is one tradition we're not sad to be missing. :-)
With Love and Thanks,
T & T and reduced Tribe