Anna the Diva and Little Tiger, and A Segue or Two

Well, Miss Beatha has decided, quite seriously, that she wishes to be called by the name Anna, which will become one of her middle names when the adoption is finalized.  (We're preserving her given name as her first name on all legal documents, thinking that she may, as an adult, wish to use once again the Haitian name gifted to her by her birth mother.)  Anna is, however, a beautiful choice, and we empathize that it is, indeed, distressing to have a name that is difficult for others to pronounce.  Especially as a "new kid" in the upper elementary years.  [Anna is sort of a family name, after all -- a derivative of my and Baylor's middle name, Ann, which was the first name of my maternal great grandmother, Annie Sherry.  Yes, her last name (pronounced sure-ee) is from where my first name came!  And my paternal aunt -- the fabulous and gentle Aunt Ann, and my paternal great grandmother -- Anne Stoltz.]  Good choice, daughter! 

I tell ya, Beatha, er uh, Anna, and Jameson are two uber smart kiddos.  They ask about ev-er-y-thing -- so, so curious!  "Why do some houses not have an upstairs?"  (That's how some people like their houses.)  "Why do I need to eat healthy food if I'm not sick?"  (So you stay healthy, and grow, and have energy.)  "Can dogs eat white chocolate?"  (Yes, but Bogey is only allowed her special dog food.)  "Why can I see the veins in the back of your hand?"  (Hey!)

And our pink diva is doing quite well at letting new mom be in charge of "Tiger" (Jameson growls playfully with a beaming smile when asked to do something he'd rather not.)  He is still Jameson -- I've just got to have my own mommy nickname for him at home.  So, we've got Diva and Monkey at the 5th grade level and Tiger and Snickerdoodle in 2nd.  What a crew!  Who needs legal names anyway?  [Which reminds me of our college days -- I'm not sure if anyone at Eureka College ('91-'95 at least) had real names.  "Geick" (okay, so that was his real last name) asked me one day during senior year, "So, what is 'Cluv's' name anyway?"  (They'd lived on the same floor for over a year.)  And then, there was Peanut, Hube (oob), Footlocker, and a few names I shouldn't mention.]  Moving on  .  .  .

We've placed our first on-our-own call to Haiti to speak with the kids' birth mom and oldest brother, and all was well.  Both dial-ups went through on the first try, believe it or not!  My brief, prepared Kreyol messages were well-received, and Anna did a great job translating the rest of the time.  For the sake of privacy, I will not share the names of their birth family, but I will offer that the talks were amazing and humbling.  To hear a mother say she is very happy and will sleep well and that she prays for me to be strong (healthy) and will pray especially that night for Hunter and Baylor, too  .  .  .  to have her instruct her two youngest children to behave well and to obey me is, um, indescribable, really.  And the brother had a laughing tone of happiness in his voice, and he was pleased that I attempted some Kreyol and also lectured the kids to obey me and to work hard at school.  Resilience.  Absolute and utter resilience.  And it amazes me thoroughly in the children, too.  They speak of memory after memory -- any of which that would have brought Hunter or Baylor (or me!) to devastation -- and they carry on in a casual tone.  I have no doubt that their continued, positive contact with their birth family has given them much strength during some very difficult years.

They are both anxious to start up at school, and we are making nice progress on all of the necessary appointments and other preparations.  The decision to have ample time at home together has really paid off -- you just can't go back and get the "first days" to do over, and they are so, so comfortable in their new home, now, and with all of us.  It's remarkable the growth and progress already in just over two weeks!