Adoption Day!

Nutella and fruit-filled croissants and homemade lattes to start our day.

Beatha Anna Samedy Cluver and Jameson Edward Mesilas Cluver

While Anna does, indeed, prefer to go by her new, legal middle name, we preserved Beatha as her first name.  Anna and Edward honor multiple members of our extended families, along many branches of our clans.  Their previous Haitian surnames are kept, but now, as second middle names.

The 11:00 appointment flowed smoothly, quickly, and with thoroughness.  I'll have to bum some clearer shots from one of the grandparents in attendance, as my camera didn't function so well

(as you can see above).  (Did I mention I have really got to shop for a new camera?)

We followed up with a 12 o'clock lunch at Avanti's, and then desserts at my sister's.  

A lovely day.  Thank you, family!

And as all homework in our possession had already been completed by the day prior, the boys were free to play once back home; they took advantage of the late-season pampass grass in the far corner of the yard for creating a secret fort, complete with signs, boundary stakes, and checkers.

And as we will be booked solid this coming weekend, tonight was the only time available for pumpkin preparations.  This is Hunter's "ghost."

The artist sketches the features for her jack-o-lantern,

which once carved with help from Dad is then also painted by Anna;

pink polka dots, of course!

Jameson going all-in for the seed-scooping.

A-glow!  According to Jameson this is his first carved-and-lit pumpkin experience.

It was a monumental day, and yet, a day with children wherein life goes on even without fanfare.  Checkers, and pumpkins, and a dress with spaghetti stains to wash.  Showers done and back packs ready.  Immigration forms to process and over a year of time to wait before citizenship is within reach. 

At the conclusion of the hearing, as the judge prepared to make his official decision, his words to Chad and I did, however, give me pause.  We were finished answering questions confirming our occupations, the date on which the kids came into our care, and other technicalities, and to the two of us he said beautiful things, validating, sincere, meaningful compliments and congratulations.  That is when my lip quivered.  Today is a step in what has been and what will continue to be a lengthy, complicated, unpredictable process.  A step, nonetheless, worthy of pause and reflection. 

Last night we were going over the plans for the day, and Jameson was curious about what the judge would look like, and in that musing he said he likes "Obama." Then, I became curious and confused, and I told him that I doubted the President of the United States would be in our courtroom.  He corrected me, "No, I like him because he said I could get on the plane in Haiti and come here."

And with that, the merry-go-round stopped, and I remembered.  I remembered to remember.  The sights and sounds of death feeding live to CNN, emails and phone lines ablaze grasping desperately at loose straws to try to make ourselves of use to keep the kids at the orphanage alive and to get them evacuated to safety in the United States.  I wouldn't have a beaming Tiger or artistic Anna enriching our lives, sleeping beneath our roof, if it wasn't for the incredible, collective effort of diverse persons doing their best for children, and some luck, and God's grace.    I feel an overwhelming gratitude to so many people.  It began with two women on the ground in Haiti who started the chain, and would not leave until all of the children were allowed to leave with them.  Surrounded by death, they gambled for life, and our children won.

Thank you, Jamie and Ali McMutrie.

The White House.  The Haitian judge and US Embassy in Port-au-Prince. 

PA Governor Ed Rendell.  The City of Pittsburgh.

Our family, friends, and the new family-friends we've made along this journey.

And to all those who've made possible the kids' transition to our home in Illinois.

I'll close late this eve with Hunter's recent poem for English class:

Fun

Amazing

Master piece

Is wonderful

Living good

Your closest thing