There is no God like our God!

There is SO much to say, but you must first understand one thing: God's sovereignty is the most frustratingly beautiful thing! It's this incredible resting place right between joy and terror and once you "get it," there is truly nothing like it. Now, I would also suggest at this point, that you not "test" God the way we just did by blatantly arranging the IMPOSSIBLE and expecting Him to show up. But, He did show up in His infinite power and grace and though the powers that be flat out REFUSED to let us on the plane for our return flight, God had other plans indeed. Plans that included running through the airport with an escort, being shoved onto the tarmac and pointed into the direction of a waiting plane on the complete OTHER END OF THE AIRPORT! We had to run across the tarmac for what seemed like an eternity to a plane with attendants eagerly waving us to HURRY! The story is much longer and full of a nearly hysterically crying Heather, totally overwhelmed boys and 2 sweat drenched parents. But in the end, the prayers of our friends were more powerful than any plans the enemy had for us and being able to rest in the knowledge that God had ordained for everything that was happening.....well, that was both maddening and comforting. Now, that I'm rambling, enjoy a few pics from the plane and initial moments home.

We leave tomorrow!

Everything is in place and confirmed. We have visas in hand! We leave tomorrow! We will post pics as soon as we can (which will likely be minute by minute as we both have smart phones). Check back often and pray for us as we rush through the Haiti airport. We only have 55 minutes between landing and departure to get the boys and get through the airport. Small airport but often big lines. Mercy and compassion...that's what we're looking for here......we've gotten this far right? To those in SoFla - see you soon!

God is Good

The visas for both boys are being printed as we speak - that is unless the printing machine breaks or something else equally as ridiculous. Looks like we will be on a plane later this week after all! Thank you to all who prayed and to all who rejoice with us now!

There's ALWAYS a problem....

Let me re-phrase that: There is always a huge, seemingly insurmountable problem. Here we go: two days after our visas were supposed to have been printed, they were still not printed. When I called to find out why, I was told they were waiting on a paper from USCIS. What?!? Here's what the problem amounts to: Our I600s have already been approved, our visa appointments have beeen completed and all went well - visas have been paid for. Even still, now they are questioning our I600A! It says we are approved for one or more children and though the officer stateside says that is sufficient, the Haitian officer says it is not and needs to see docs that say we are approved for 2 children!

Let's keep in mind that our homestudy has ALWAYS been for 2 children. We were approved through the court system, the Minister of Interior and our own Department of Homeland security through the USCIS approving our I600. NOW they want to question what amounts to a useless piece of paper that never needed to be filed in the first place. Let me explain further.

The I600a is a form, requesting from our government, the permission to eventually bring into the States, a child(ren) you intent to adopt. This just states intent. The approval comes in the form of an I171H. The I600 does essentially the same thing, with one notable exception: The (a) should be filed if you are adopting from one of those countries that doesn't let you know who your child will be until the end of the process. If you already know who your child(ren) will be before you start your process, you can and should file the I600 only. Because we filed both (the I600a at the beginning of our process and the I600 in Haiti about a year ago) this is blowing the minds of the government and they can't fathom that the I600a doesn't really amount to a hill of crap right now. The USCIS officer in Haiti tells me now that they "mistakenly" approved our I600 before double checking our I600a. This is INSANE! First, even if it was mistakenly approved, IT WAS APPROVED! They cannot now backtrack and hold our children hostage, which is essentially what they are now doing. Second, the I600a is a moot point and even if it was valid, specifically states one or more children!

If you have followed this inanity to this point, you will see this as nothing more than a complete and utter attack. It is so preposterous, so inane that this is the only explanation to be had. By the same token, because God is sovereign, and nothing happens that does not first pass through his hand, this has, for one reason or another, been allowed. This blows my mind. I cannot grasp why God would be allowing this particular trial after we have already been through delay after delay after delay. This is so like being pregnant and waaaaaaay overdue! My heart hurts. There is not a moment in the day that I do not think of/long for/agonize over the absence of my children in my life. This trial has only magnified that to unmanageable depths.

So this is what I ask of you dear friends who frequent the ramblings of my blog, pray. Over the course of these next 2 days pray fervently and without ceasing. Pray that they eyes of the government officials will be open to the gross oversight on their part. Part for mercy and compassion towards us and our situation. Pray that our children will be coming home as scheduled on Thursday and that this will not drag on and on.....If nothing else, Moise will come home on Wednesday. This has been a heartbreaking decision - having to choose, as a mom, between two children. Which one needs you more? Which one can you just not live without any longer? At the moment, we have determined that to be Moise, simply because he is more aware of us, our relationship with him and the imminence of his homecoming. He has already been disappointed so much in this process and we cannot bear to inflict the scars that choosing Phoenix over him would inflict. So, for these reasons, if thinsg are not worked out before tomorrow, we will be bringing Moise home on Thursday and turning our focus to fighting for Phoenix every day after that. This, friends, is why we desperately need your prayers.

I have ODD children

This was our day.....need I say more?



THIS....went on for hours. I think I should be worried.....

Yeah, I'm A Soccer Mom

Today was opening day for soccer season and Logan, our little right halfback, was kickin A on the field! There has seriously not been a cuter boy in a soccer jersey since David Beckham! Next week he may even sport the early years Beckham 'do with the top half pulled back into a little ponytail! Until then....enjoy these:







And what day would be complete without the Cai-Cai!

Oh Happy Day!

Our boys are coming home! Our boys are coming home! They'll be ready to come home on Monday! Sadly, Jeremy has a business trip scheduled for next week so we can't pick them up then. It will have to be the following week. But, the point is: THEY'RE READY AND THEY'RE COMING HOME!!!!!!!

Oh, did I mention, MY BOYS ARE COMING HOME!

What's in a Name?

A lot....a definition of character, a legacy, a hope, an ideal. We have always taken the choosing of our children's names very seriously and with the 2 new additions coming home soon, we are again playing the name game. Though we've had their first names chosen for a long time, we've struggled for nearly 2 years with their middle names. Not only have we finally settled on middle names, but we have come to a monumental naming decision. Once we readopt the boys here in the States and officially have their names changed, we will also have a name change for Logan and Cai. We really want to honor our fathers and grandfathers in such a way that their relationships to us and the legacy they leave behind, will be forever etched into our children's minds - and names. So, without further adieu, here are the new Pihl children (with the new names in bold):

Logan Gabriel Robert Pihl
Micaiah Ramsay David Pihl
Moise Benjamin Joseph Pihl
Phoenix Jude Austin Pihl

Yes, I know - I hear you - 2 middle names? Whatever - it's very euro and very honoring to our patriarchs and so, it is what it is.