Just a quick update on what we have been up to recently.

Ben: Ben led a conference that lasted two really long weeks.  He taught from 8-5 and then came home and worked most evenings until midnight.  He didn’t have a whole lot of time for anything else, but has squeezed in a couple of soccer games, taken out the trash and developed a way for us to have internet at the house.

Meghan: I’ve been busy keeping up with the house, the kids and new friends.  There are always dishes to be done and floors to be swept as well as kids needing to be put down for naps.  I’ve managed to find some time recently to read and have appreciated new friends being willing to run to the store or around town with me to help with the kids.  We have been going to the Sally Test Pediatric Center about once a week and yesterday went to visit three orphanages.

Eden: Eden has been very busy growing up!  As we realized how low we were on pull-ups, we decided it was time for Eden to stop wearing them for her naps.  She doesn’t like going to bed without her milk, but hasn’t had an accident since we started 5 days ago!  Eden also started “school” this week.  Each day during Andy’s morning nap we sit down to do some pages in a preschool work book.  She’s quite proud of herself and is doing really well.  It’s fun watching her think and to see how much she already knows.  She talks about home a lot saying things like, “Remember when Eden went ice skating?” or “When I go home from Kenya, I’m going to the jumping place!” My very favorite is when she talks about people.  She’ll ask me, “Mommy, do you remember my friend Clara?” or “Do you know my Papa?”  However, most important in her mind these days is my birthday.  She really NEEDS to have birthday cake and has been drawing pictures of cakes every day.

Andy: Andy is quickly becoming a big boy.  He is talking much more and runs around like he owns the place.  He’s getting more independent with his eating (which is very sad for the person who has to clean the floors in this family…) and he loves to be outside.  He knows that no matter what, he can do anything that Eden can do!  He’s still easy going and laid back and definitely charms the people in the compound.  He’s always being carried, hugged, thrown in to the air or being given treats by the other people that live here.

Please pray for the adoption process.  It’s taking longer to get things rolling than we anticipated and we’re stuck waiting for approval from the Little Angel’s adoption agency who we have been waiting to hear from since 2009!  Everything else seems to be in place, so once we get over this portion, we’re ready to roll! We know that God has a perfect plan and we’re trusting Him to direct us, but it feels like time is wasting away while we sit here not moving forward.

We really miss some of the conveniences of back home and of course miss our family, but we’ve all adjusted well and are having fun on this little adventure.  Please keep us up to date on your lives at home.  We love hearing about what you all are doing and what exciting things are happening in your lives!

We had our first court date yesterday. It was just a quick pop in to see the magistrate and show her that we brought Eden back. It was a very interesting setup. It didn’t feel as formal as the last magistrate that we saw. I think that everyone who was on the schedule for the morning showed up at 9 and then we all sat in a room together. The magistrate sat at the front and they just went right through the list. The lawyers and the clients presented in front of everyone. We had no idea what was going on for a lot of it as it was in Swahili.
The kids did pretty well considering that we were sitting in a somewhat crowded room for an hour and they had to sit quietly. Andy was a bit restless, but Eden pretty much just colored with Ben the entire time.
Now we need to schedule a meeting with the social worker and get this adoption started! 🙂

One year ago today, Eden came home! It seems like a long time ago that we brought that tiny little baby home and now she is so big!  We really appreciate all of the help and support that we’ve been given over the last year.  We are certainly blessed to have so many people that love our kids!

We had a small Gotcha Day Party over the weekend and Eden had a wonderful time. We had several traditional Kenyan dishes and a cake. We put together a scrapbook for Eden of memories and stories from this past year and would love it if any of you would like to share some of your favorite moments with Eden.

Before Eden came home I wrote several letters to her so that if we weren’t able to adopt her she would have some record of what she was like as a baby and where she came from, etc. Below is the letter that I wrote one year ago on the afternoon that she came home.

October 14, 2009

Eden,
YEA!! You came home today!! Whew! It was a long process, but we did it! We went to court on Monday and saw the magistrate. She signed the order granting us custody and guardianship of you. We thought that was it and rushed back to the hospital to bring you home. However, when we got there we were told that the District Children’s Officer had to sign off on us taking you home. It was already after 5 which meant we would have to see him on Tuesday. We went first thing on Tuesday morning and spent a very frustrating 30 minutes with Phillip listening to him talk about how he was too busy to write the letter that day. He said we would have to go back to the magistrate for you to be handed over to us.

So this morning we went to STPC at 8:30. Vivian came in on her day off to get you ready and go to see the magistrate with us. Joyce (the social worker) was also there and Milkah (the attorney) came with us because Ware (our normal attorney) couldn’t attend this morning. You haven’t been feeling well (not too sure what you have but you are on amoxicillin and a cough expectorant) and you haven’t eaten very well recently. And the last couple of days every time you cough really hard you throw up. I hope this sensitive gag reflex is short-lived! You wouldn’t eat anything this morning before we left. I think you were nervous, too. We all piled in the car and went to court. Once we were there we saw the magistrate and moved through things pretty quickly, then she officially handed you over to us and that was it!

On the way home you ate part of a banana and drank a little guava juice. But when we got home I think you knew that this was it and suddenly felt much better! You ate half a piece of bread, then some cerelax with a banana mashed in. Daddy started moving our things across the street (because we aren’t allowed to have you on IU property) and I cleaned up lunch, then brought you upstairs and gave you milk. You fell asleep on my chest before you even finished your milk and then I put you in your pack-n-play for your first nap at home! I’m sitting on the bed watching you sleep and feeling in complete awe that you are finally home and I’m amazed at all the things God has worked out so that you could be here with us. We love you so much and are so glad that you are finally home with us and a part of our family. We can’t imagine our life without you!

Love,
Mommy

How is it possible to both hate and love the Kenyan court system at the same time?!!

I met our lawyer (Daniel Were — pronounced “Wear-ay”) at the lower courts at 9am this morning. We were seeing a new magistrate because our previous one was transferred to Nakuru back in the spring. The new magistrate’s office was all business and very quiet. There were 3 other lawyers in the room and about 12 clients like myself. There was a very small amount of Swahili spoken back and forth before Were started things off by announcing our case, etc. After some shuffling of papers Were stepped out and beckoned me to follow. (Uh oh, not good!) He tells me we somehow fell off the docket! The problem with that is our official file is off in another building and not in the magistrate’s chambers! 🙁 Some disorganization with the changeover of magistrates must have caused it…so frustrating! Argh!!! Kenyan courts drive me crazy!!

Because I leave on Monday and because I was not able to stay in the courts all day we had to be seen this morning if I was to attend. …and now Were thinks its very important that I be there because “Baby Eden” is not. So Were started to work his magic: He called an assistant to go and fetch the papers and bring them to us at the building ASAP. Only 15 minutes later we go back to the chambers and see everyone waiting outside because the magistrate received an important (and private) phone call. Were chatted with some of the other lawyers there in Swahili but otherwise everyone is perfectly quiet while we wait in the tiny crowded hallway. We’re let back in a few minutes later and I found out that Were was getting himself pushed back to the front of the queue! So he just reads off what the magistrate should say while she hand writes it out for our file. She doesn’t even bat an eye at any of it! Were suggested April, she said mid-April was fine, and we’re done! I love the Kenyan courts!

We slip out and now I’m back at the training I’m giving this week with an hour to spare! I had arranged for several other guys to give all the talks this morning so I had plenty of time to type up this prompt update for you all!

Our unofficial “backup lawyer”, Milkah, was one of the other lawyers in the room because she had other business with the same magistrate this morning. So if Were had not been able to convince the magistrate I am sure Milkah could have! 🙂

On Thursday, Sept. 2 Ben goes to court with our lawyer for the next step in the adoption process. This is the court date that we set in November 09 when we were granted our travel order for Eden. We were supposed to present Eden to the magistrate at this court appointment. Ben is taking documentation to show that we have complied with the stipulations of the travel order and that Eden is still in our care and thriving, but that she has latent TB and should not travel until the treatment is done. Hopefully, the magistrate will grant us an extension until March. Our lawyer seems to feel confident that this will happen, but we would appreciate prayer.

The magistrate has the power to do anything from put Ben in jail (obviously that would be VERY drastic and is unlikely) to sending Ben on to the high courts to apply for the adoption (the other extreme). Please pray that the magistrate accepts our documentation and at the very least grants our request for an extension. God has done awesome things in our adoption process on the Kenyan side and we know that with God, all things are possible. We appreciate your prayer and support!

On another note, both kids are sick.  We went to the doctor yesterday and Eden had to do a breathing treatment.  She now has an inhaler that she uses every 4 hours.  It hasn’t moved to Andy’s chest yet and we are hoping that it doesn’t!

Ben will post an update after he goes to court!