Hugs and kisses

Tuks is in a real hugger and kissy phase. She hugs and kisses everyone and everything. It is too cute. When asked what her name is she says "Tuki"...which is her real nickname. She told me that she likes Tuki better than her legal name..Too funny. I also asked her the other night if she wants me to talk with others about her being born in Guatemala. It is coming up more often in public simply because I am talking more about the girls in Haiti .She said "Yes", and I know she understood what I was asking because she is real quick and good at saying no....

She can also point out Guatemala, Haiti and our home state on the globe...She is getting to be such a big girl some days, while others she regresses into a sobbing, tantrum ball of humanity...I never know who I will wake with the next day...LOL keeps me on my toes anyway. I have also decided that we may stay closer to home this summer than last since she can be so unpredictable in public. I am seeing small improvements everyday, but they are small so home bound we will be for the most part...give or take a few excursions here or there....

Busy

sorry for being a bad blogger....I am really busy with cleaning my basement and garage, and various other nooks and crannies. My camera died, sometime after Haiti. I think it was all the water the girls splashed on it. I am not sure as to when I will get around to wanting to spend several hundred more for a new one. This camera was only 2 1/2 years old...is that a normal life span for digital cameras??

Many parents papers are all of a sudden moving in Haiti. It makes me excited, anxious,and nervous all at once...will we be hearing news sooner or later. The visas to the US are still being mucked with so that is the long wait for the time being.

I am also busy fighting a development proposed to occur on the other side of my woodlot. I managed to reduce some of the development by bringing attention to the Army Corp of Engineers that a portion was wet, therefore could not be built on. I was successful in that endeavor, but we still have much city hall fighting to do. I hate politics, but sometimes you need to get involved...ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KIDS are going home

Two sisters (the two that I had noticed and brought my attention to this creche in Haiti) and a son are going home to their forever families!!!!!!!!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Character of a Champion

MT on left, C in the middle, and their coach on the right.

By now you have probably surmised my nephew didn't qualify for this year's summer Olympics. I have had a hard time wanting to post this, but since I brought it up initially, I decided I better put an end to it as well.

From the world's perspective, according to what was televised. C took the lead at the 1000m out mark, He kept it until the last 100m, and that is where four runners blew by him while basically he tied up...He missed first place by 5 seconds and 3rd (the last qualifying spot) by 3 seconds. It may have appeared that he was a young inexperienced runner that didn't strategize well.

Now for the real story that will never be spoken of except for within our family and maybe a few obscure interviews.

The number 2 qualifier, MT (also a teammate of C's), and C decided that before the race that C would take the lead at the 1000m mark and then the next lap MT would relieve C, and finally on the last lap each man for himself. Well, it didn't quite work that way. MT never relieved C. He just hung back and let C do all the work, which naturally wore him out. MT says he was sore, tight and had a side ache and just couldn't move up, yet if you watch the race you can easily see that MT had it all together to qualify for the 2nd spot.

One of C's interview statements
“If the start was moderate, the plan was I would take it with three laps to go, then MT two to go, then every man for himself. I just had nothing left with 100 to go. I hammered as hard as I could, I just had nothing left. It was a terrible race. I was on the outside of lane 1, inside of lane 2 the whole race. I couldn’t get on the rail until I took the lead.”


C is doing fine, well better than the rest of the family, we are just "pissed", hurt for C and really don't trust MT anymore. He had done this to C one time in college too. I imagine with MT being C's friend, C has a tough time wrapping his mind around the whole thing.

Even though C didn't qualify, we are proud of him because he ran his heart out, did what he said he would do ( a character trait MT obviously doesn't have), and came up still looking like a champion. He is a man of character, and we couldn't be more proud!! He will spend the summer in Europe racing.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

USA!!!

SHE'S OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MIM IS OUT OF IBESR












after 4 months and 1 week!!!!!!!
After our visit, I so needed to hear this news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Omega - the end

This is a hard post, and I'm not sure I will do justice to what I, Ve and Mim were feeling on the last day of my visit. As soon as Mim found out I was leaving she started distancing and becoming busy. She was frantically taking apart and putting together puzzles and wouldn't look at me. I could tell Ve knew something was up, but wasn't quite sure as to handle it. I eventually sat down, Ve came and sat on my lap, and finally Mim came over and sat on the arm of the chair.


Ve, not sure as to what is going on


Mim, distancing herself by keeping busy with the puzzles.

Once we were at Marie's saying our Good-byes, the kids started to cry, and Ve clung to my hand. I asked Marie to explain to her that I was leaving and once Marie did, Ve just dropped my hand, and her whole body slumped. Mim was crying and looking away from me. I gave both my girls hugs and kisses, and then turned and left. The kids followed us out, and I started to hear wailing, I turned and looked and it was Mim, on her knees with her arms and head resting on the door making this wailing sound coming from deep within her soul. I have never seen anything like it or felt my heart tear so deeply. She was on the edge emotionally and the only choice I had available to me was to walk away... walk away when what I wanted to do was go back, pull her from the edge of her emotions, take her in my arms and take her home and say I won't leave you ever....but I did leave her and the image of her on the floor against the door has been haunting me ever since. I have sobbed over it many times within the last week.

At this point, Ve is further in the process than Mim...so that means I will more than likely pick Ve up, and yet again leave Mim behind for another 4 - 6 months. Quite honestly, I am not sure I can do that again. I will have to talk with Marie about some other possibilities because right now I am at a loss as to my next move with the girls. I can't leave Mim again, that is all I really know for sure.