Big Girl Bed

Grace moved into a big girl bed this week. Elmo came with of course.

The Next Hurdle

The next hurdle for our family is citizenship. As legislation currently stands, we will have to wait two years before we can even file for citizenship for our girls. The unique problem for us is that half of the family lives across the border in Canada. Legislation to expedite citizenship for Haitian humanitarian parolees has been making its way rapidly through Congress with lots of support. It was supposed to be voted on this week. Here is the latest from the Joint Council on Adoption:

The last week has been full of twists and turns for the Help Haiti Act. Monday it was on the Congressional calender for a vote, then removed. Tuesday and Wednesday we discovered that the House Democratic leadership intended to tie a somewhat controversial piece of legislation, the DREAM Act, to the Help Haiti Act. Doing so could mean that the Help Haiti Act might not pass this year and would have a long upward fight in 2011. Today, however, we have seen a little bit of light. Sen. Reid announced that he plans to introduce the DREAM Act into the Senate. Doing so would likely mean the DREAM Act would not be tied to the Help Haiti Act.

Politics can change very quickly here in Washington and everything could change again tomorrow, or later today. Therefore, over 1200 adoptive children from Haiti without a clear path to citizenship need you to continue to to call and email your Representative, asking them to support the Help Haiti Act. Please don't forget to ask your friends and family to do the same. The children need a loud and powerful voice - the voice of thousands of America's granting them the right every U.S. adopted child should have - citizenship. So, please keep the phone calls and emails coming!


If you have a minute, please send an email on behalf of our girls.
Thanks!

Officially Ours!

2 years 9 months ago, we felt God tugging at our hearts and asking "Will you?" Just over 2 years ago our dossier arrived in Haiti. One week ago, a Michigan judge finalized our adoption. We are officially Mom and Dad to Daphna Hope Van Berkel and Grace Monique Van Berkel. No more guardianship, no more Grace "Jane Doe". Rejoice with us!

Pray for Haiti

Pray for Haiti today as Hurricane Tomas passes. H.I.S. Home is as ready for the storm as possible. There are currently 86 kids at the orphanage. Pray for the staff as well, as many live in the tent cities in the area. Cholera is spreading rapidly. Please remember Loubencia as well. This spunky 8 year old girl is currently in the hospital in the final stages of AIDS. Pray for comfort for her in her final days.