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Sunday, September 11, 2011

I Killed the Tooth Fairy



So I am officially the worst mommy in the world. 

Maybe there is a badge I can wear!?

I killed the tooth fairy last night.  Yes, the tooth fairy is dead now, well at least in my home the tooth fairy is dead.   

I grew up in a house where We didn't believe in the tooth fairy.  When we lost a tooth it was like  "oh gross, throw it away please!"  Unfortunately, that lack of compassion for teeth that I experienced growing up passed down to me.  Honestly, I cringe through my crooked smile as my children come running to me with beaming toothless smiles, "mommy, mommy- look I just lost a tooth!"  They hold this bloody tooth in front of me, and I am silently responding with an ugh! Yes, I play the nice mommy role and respond with, "oh thats great woo hoo!"  Now you may be reading this thinking I'm just heartless. I have been parenting for 14 years now.  I am sure there was a time (maybe) I wasn't so heartless towards teeth. I just seriously think teeth are gross!  I can't be the only mommy out there that feels this way.  I know some people don't like feet, well feet don't bother me like teeth do!  I don't know if I am just traumatized from all the dentist appointments I have had to go through with all my children or exactly why I am this way. 

I remember one of the adoptive parents came to visit their child in Haiti- and their daughter lost a tooth.  I remember how sweet the father was and he was so excited that he felt like he got to experience this memory with her.  I watched him sweetly wrap up his daughters tooth while taking pictures from his phone trying to capture the beauty of the moment.  I was completely convicted by his amazing "daddy tooth fairy role!" If only I had "tooth compassion" like his!  

So it is official, the tooth fairy is no longer living in my home.  The tooth fairy didn't just retire, it died.  I can't keep up with being the tooth fairy.  I am a horrible tooth fairy.  My kids all came to me believing in the tooth fairy.  As a young adoptive mommy, I didn't want to crush their excitement, so I played this exhausting game for years and years.  Oh the stories I could tell!  The tooth fairy has caused more drama in my home and even some strife.  So I officially announced that the tooth fairy no longer lives.  I will count my children's teeth and Pre- PAY!

Top Tooth Fairy Drama of the Month:
Forgot to "visit" Annelysia last night! Oh the drama! Oh how she is feeling so very neglected by me. :(

Last week Camden decided to switch beds with his twin sister, so I visited the wrong kid. Once Madison woke up she announced "I owed her"  also for a time last year when I forgot! So Camden comes to me wanting to collect his tooth fairy money as well, since he is a twin to Madison! Ridiculous! My kids can't bill me for teeth they have lost!  


I just simply can't keep track!
I accidentally gave a child in our mission a ten dollar bill instead of a one dollar bill... I've never seen a child more excited to lose teeth.

Victoria decided to teach all the Haitian children about the tooth fairy! Grrrrrrr  I can't even begin to tell you how many teeth we lose every week.  Oh and they all want to save their teeth! If a tooth gets lost, oh the tears.  I found myself in the dirt two weeks ago looking for a "lost tooth."  We never did find that lost tooth. :(

Praying today that your "tooth fairy" adventures turn out better then mine!

Love, a very tired and officially retired- buried in the ground tooth fairy mommy,

Heather Elyse













Saturday, September 10, 2011

Holding Grace


Holding Grace

At 7:11 our Grace went into the arms of Jesus.  There are just no words that can quite express my heart right now.  She died in my arms and surrounded by my children and several of our older Haitian children that are being adopted.  She died listening to worship music as we all poured our tears and prayers over her.   I will never forget the day I met Grace.  Her young mother was desperate and on her way to throw her into the ocean.  Her mother was just a child herself....only 15.  Grace suffered from Hydrocephalus.  I came outside and saw two missionaries and two Haitian directors  deny Grace saying they couldn't take her in.   I of course was horrified that they denied her, and Scooped her into my arms and began to visit with the mom.  The very people that denied her told me I was crazy for taking in a child that would die.  They explained that I would be responsible paying for the funeral, medical care, medicine etc.  They tried to warn me saying that this mission would look bad having a child die.  I of course didn't listen to them, and told them they should remember why they are in Haiti, and what being a Christian really means.   I went ahead and made the decision to take her in with the mothers agreement that she would go before the judge, sign our creche requirements a d papers, sign our integrity agreement, and provide a birth certificate.  The mother fulfilled her promise and was very grateful that we did everything we could to save her.  We have kept in touch with mom and have had the opportunity to minister to her on several occasions.  We had a mission team visiting us that day and they quickly began to clean her, feed her, and make her as comfortable as they could.  We took Grace to the hospital that day and we were told by the doctor that there was nothing they could do for her, and that she would die.  They provided us with a medical certificate stating she needed to go to the US due to Haiti not being able to help her.  As we were in the hospital a little girl died all alone in the middle of a hallway, while we were there waiting for the doctor to get us information.  One minute she was alive and we were loving on her, and within thirty minutes she died.  She had blood all over her.  She was filthy and was an orphan by abandonment.  She suffered from multiple things including Aids.  I couldn't help but touch her and whisper into her ears.... I so wanted to scoop her little body into my arms, clean her, wipe the blood,  and just simply hold her.  No child should have to die alone in a hospital bed without someone mourning and pouring love over them.  So I wept for her that day.  I mourned for that precious innocent child that died all alone, in the middle of a hallway, in a hospital bed.  We ended up taking home another little orphan baby that day who we were told by the doctor, would die.  He had heard we had just become a legal Creche in Haiti and had asked us to take her.  She was six months old and only four lbs. Diagnosed with HIV, congested heart failure just to name a few.  After the medical director signed papers for us to get her, she was released into our arms. We named her Hope.  As we were on our way back from the hospital with our baby Grace and now our baby Hope, I had just gotten the call that my mother didn't have very long to live, and that I needed to come home.  So when we arrived back to the mission, we booked a ticket back home.  That morning my mother went home to be with Jesus, after a long battle with cancer.  I told my staff that morning that we would open up a terminally ill  nursery for haitian children, and name it after my mom... And a week later that is exactly what we did.  We have a full-time nurse that runs it, and we just hired a doctor. We are basically like a Hospice here in Haiti.  Grace was our first child in our nursery that now can care for terminally ill Haitian babies.  Someone asked me the other day why I would take a child in that is suppose to die and my answer is this:  I would not just take a child in that is suppose to die, but I would adopt one.  I will die trying to help save them.  I of course believe in miracles and have experienced Gods healing Power.  So my Faith can move mountains.  We of course always believe for healing.   If the child is about to die, then at least that child will die having a family that completely adores them.  Grace died with a full belly, she loved her new crib,  new toys, her special pillow,  loved being touched, and completely cherished.  She loved it when we would sing over her, and one of her favorite nannies would dance with her.  Grace loved getting baths and loved her build a bear bunny that her family back in Oklahoma bought her.  She had a family in Oklahoma that completely adored her and considered Grace theirs.  This amazing family had found a surgeon that agreed to give free surgeries.  This family had told the US embassy that they would be her host home and handle all the costs.  Grace was scheduled to arrive in Oklahoma next week on a medical visa.  Holding Grace when she died made me realize that .... She was worth it.  She was worth all the work, research, time, money and blood, sweat and tears... LOTS OF TEARS... and I would do it all again.  We bathed her one last time this morning, put on the most beautiful little dress.  She loves to have her feet washed and massaged...and special lotion.  So this morning we did this one last time pouring our tears upon her as we literally washed her feet.  We all our completely heart broken, but we choose to fall on our knees and worship our sweet Jesus.  Dear Father God, just as we washed Grace's feet this morning we wash yours.  I dry them with my hair and I minister to your heart.  We just want to touch and feel your heart beating, catch your tears,  and take care of your precious orphans.  Wrap your healing arms around all those close to Grace right now.  We are desperate for more of you and we are nothing without you.  Thank you for your Grace! We need your Grace everyday.  I know you are holding Grace right now and I thank you for the opportunity here on earth to simply be YOU in the physical.  Her funeral is scheduled this Wednesday here in Haiti.