FFF!

Chi's Birth Family

I posted a few weeks back that I was searching for Chloe and Chi’s birth families. Last Thursday I discovered an investigator through a friend of mine who was also searching. Come to find out, both her birth family and mine were living near each other. The search was simple and on the following Monday I had pictures, address, and phone number. I have since called her through a Spanish speaking person. The story of his family is all too common in Guatemala and rather lengthy and personal so I won’t share much of it, but just a bit. There are eleven children total. Two came to the U.S many years ago with the father who ran off with them. She has not seen them since. She then married a few more times and Chi was number 10 of 10 boys! The birth mother has predominately been the sole provider and her job is washing clothes for neighbors. She is illiterate. She has placed one other child for adoption in 2001. She placed him and Chi because she could not provide for them at the time. Presently there are seven children living in her one room home made of cinder blocks. The day the investigator arrived there were five tomatoes in the house. Two of the older boys were doing the washing because baby number 11 is only a few weeks old. Number 11 is a baby girl born on Chi’s birthday. The mother is planning to keep her. Who wouldn’t after 10 boys! We have talked as a family and plan to help provide for her and her family. Knowing the history of this family is both disheartening as well as relieving. NOW we have a story to tell Chi when he is older and it will be accurate. I believe in fate and God’s divine will in all areas of life. I know for a fact that HE placed Chi in our home and for a calling and purpose higher than I know. I think of Chi’s personality. He is intelligent, compassionate, gentle spirited, loving, joyful, and so soft. I can’t imagine my little buster living the life his brothers and sister face daily. Truly I don’t think he would have survived (or did I just spoil him?) Anyway I feel at peace and excited to help her raise Chi’s ‘baby sister’.

Chi's DNA profile

mes·ti·zos or mes·ti·zoes
A person of mixed racial ancestry, especially of mixed European and Native American ancestry.

That is what Chi's turned out in his DNA profile. He has very little other. I was a little surprised, but satisfied with the results. Still waiting on Chloe's to get here.

Kelissa has her own Blog

Kelissa decided to do her own blog last night. Her platform for Miss Oklahoma's Outstanding Teen is "World Poverty". She is very passionate about it hence the reason she always wins her interview. She wants to get her voice heard and really make a difference in the world, also the reason she will go into law and political science as a major in college. Her hearts desire is to put in an orphanage in Guatemala. I am the one pulling on the reins. She is just 16!!! Her platform is not because she does pageants, she does pageants to follow her platform which as I said is ending world poverty. So in a sense she uses her pageants as a platform for her cause. Her talent at Miss Oklahoma will be a lyrical dance to the song by John Legend "If You're Out There" which is the name of her new blog. She plans to put statistics and facts as well as where she is headed in her desire to make a difference in the world. Add her to your blog and get her some traffic if you feel the same cause! Thank you blogger friends! Lisa

Just cute pics

Maternal Bond

I witnessed the strangest thing this week that has been on my mind a lot ever since. Chloe was born by c-section at 5 pounds and given over for adoption the next morning. Her adoption process was rather lengthy and she did not come home until 18 ½ months old. She had a very rough 9 months in one foster home and then had to be moved where she spent the next 9 months in a better environment. I made a total of seven visit trips to see her during this time. I know that at the DNA test the birth mother holds the child for a picture, usually for only a few seconds. Then during the Family Court appointment both mother and child are present although I don’t know if they see one another. Chloe was 10 months old when the DNA picture was taken. I believe she was 9 months old for Family Court. A couple of night ago I was digging through my files to find some information about Chi. In them was a picture of him and pasted beside his picture was his birth mother. I think these are taken at Family Court. They look like mug shots and are about an inch in size. Chloe and Chi saw the picture of him and wanted a better look commenting in phrases like, “look, baby Chi”. His birth mother has very short kinky hair and the photo, being very mug shot looking, they decided she was a ‘mean man’. Children are so brutally honest. Then Chloe began asking for her ‘baby Chloe picture’. Now they are barely 2 and 2 1/2 respectively so I didn’t see a bit of harm in pulling out her picture as well. It was nearby so I grabbed it and showed the picture to her. She looked at it and said ‘baby Chloe!’ Then she looked at the birth mother picture and said, ”awwwwwe … my Mommy.” I asked her again, “Who is that?” She said, “It’s my mommy.” I asked her, “Do you know her?” She said yes. Then the sweetest and saddest thing I have ever witnessed happened. She took that tiny picture and pulled it to her and placed a little tiny kiss on the corner of it, then gave it back and went to play. I sat there stunned and disbelieving. I still don’t know what to think. There is really no true explanation. I’m not questioning her situation or the fact that she is now my daughter. We have an awesome relationship. I am confident she is right where God placed her. I knew adoption would come with many challenges. That’s not it either. But to see the unconditional love Chloe exhibited for a mother who never nurtured her was oddly sad. To recognize her face and know that it was her mother is incomprehensible. I once again question how strong nature VS nurture plays a role in the lives of our children from Guatemala.

Showing off the Curls

Chloe's indian straight near "perfect" hair needs no curling so I never have taken the time to do it. This morning as I was taking out my hot rollers she just wouldn't have it but that I put some in her hair. She is the untimate girly girl. After taking them out I showed her how she looked and asked her if she was bonita. She studied really hard and said, "nope I not pretty", matter-of-factly. She did enjoy showing off anyway.

My "virtual twins" do look a lot more alike this way.

Ok now that's a bit much.

Awwwww, I did a pretty good job.

Mr. handsome!

A Little Warning and a Little Chuckle

Everyone has their own potty training stories, but this one is a little too funny to ignore. I was at work and got a call from the babysitter who was in a panic. Lisa! Chloe has the potty around her neck! What? Apparently Chloe went to the potty alone. She was standing in a puddle in the bathroom with the potty ring around her neck! My all too protective babysitter tried desperately to get it off but it would not budge. Butter was on everything. I am the calm sort so I tell her I'll be right there to get it off. WRONG! It was hard molded plastic and looked a whole inch too small to come off! Her little ears were red, her chin sore and she was a very smug little girl when I got there to lift it off (yeah right). She did stay calm which helped enormously.
She even sported it around a little like an accessory.
This is as far as it would go. Not a bit more.
I don't advise purchasing a potty seat like this one.
Unless your kiddos are much less inquisitive than mine.
I had to decide if I should seek advice or go with my own farm girl do-it-yourself approach.
YES! I used pruning sheers for limb cutting, a knife, and a pair of scissors.
Thirty minutes later and in many pieces the potty came off and a very proud Chloe laughs at the whole episode! Now she has no potty seat and her hair is slick with butter, but the seat is off! We will try a different approach to potty training now. I'm afraid my much too smart kiddos will pull this every time I go to work!

Chi's pickup trip pics

Wow! Looking back it's hard to believe Chi has been home for 16 months. What precious memories remembering going to get him and actually bring him home to live with us forever. I still pinch myself in disbelief at times. Poor little guy was so confused at the time, but it didn't take him long to love everyone. He had never been outside and lived in a tiny house so he had culture overload, shock, and confusion just seeing the outdoor world, much less all us crazy people holding him. His foster mother was handycapped and could not carry him so even being held was a shock. Wow, he has come a long way. It's really hard to believe what God has done in all our lives. Thank you Jesus, you are so good!

Updates

The new portrait is done! You know, the one that replaces the one destroyed by green marker! I will post pics of the last week's photo shoot soon. I think they will be amazing! Cason is looking into getting a red z71. I'll post more on that later as well. His classes resumed yesterday. He will be going Mon. -Fri. this semester so I don't know when he will work in his office work. I may have to get busy again! Kade made some b's on his report card this semester so he is cracking down on his studies. I think he hated showing me his card more than I hated the grades on there so I believe things will be shaped up for next semester. I am still waiting on the DNA test kits. They should be here this week. I am hitted dead end after dead end searching for Chloe and Chi's birthmothers. I have found another person that I am talking to in Guatemala who may can help. If this lead doesn't go through I will probably give it a rest for a while. Please pray for Abby. Her picture is on the right of my blog. Click on it to go to the Riggs family blog. She starts treatments tomorrow and needs all the prayers we can give her.

Not me Monday!!

OK so I decided to play along with all the Not Me Monday crew. Click on the link above to be brutally honest with the rest of us!

1. I did NOT just advise my oldest son to buy a new pickup. NO! he just wrecked his old one, why would I suggest such a thing!
2. I definitely did NOT just grab a slim-fast shake for lunch! No, not me! I'm not at all overweight!
3. I did not leave for work with my two year old wearing high heels. No mother would do that! It WAS so cute though!
4. I did not watch 24 last night and let the babies have a free for all run of the house and have to spend 45 minutes cleaning up afterward. Not me!
5. I definitely did not forget to evaluate the Superintent for the next school board meeting. Nope I have everything all together!

Chloe and Chi showing off their new clothes from Papa Butch and Lisa

This and That

I am excited today. I ordered two test kits to determine Chloe and Chi's ethnicity. We have always felt that Chloe could be part Korean and Chi could have some Jamaican. This is only guess work based on appearance so these DNA test kits should tell us a lot more about them. I'll let you see the results in about three weeks. Lately I have been having a lot of curiosity about both their birth families. I don't know why. When they both got home I was so excited to put the whole adoption saga behind me that I didn't think I would feel this way; however, lately it seems important to me. I am trying to connect with both families and I'll keep you posted. Kelissa has a photo shoot today so I'll be posting pictures soon. Cason is looking for a new pickup. I didn't post earlier, but he wrecked his other one. He walked away without a scratch, but the truck was totaled. Raising teenagers is never easy. I just think, oh! I have to do this FIVE times! Angels have to work overtime in this household! Kade turned 14 on January 2nd! I had the flu and his birthday had to go on the back burner. He's ok with it though, he's just that kind of kid. Thank goodness! We'll have to have a summer bash for him I guess. One more thing, I am trying to contact Debbie Ward, so if you read my blog PLEASE email me!

Summer Fun in January!

This day was made in heaven! We are spending every minute possible outdoors. Chi is modeling his 'big boy underwear safely OVER his diaper!

Chloe is a little gymnist and what better thing to wear while potty training than a swim suit!

Chloe is already learning stretching and front and back rolls. She is just a natural.

Outdoors in shorts and a tank! Wow it's awesome today!

Chi has wanted to get out these 100 balls since Christmas! Well I didn't want to pick up 100 balls all over the house but they are a wonderful addition to trampoline fun!

I can't believe they are big enough to play on the 'fort' and I don't even have to worry about them falling!

My handsome little buster!

And little bonita Chloe!

Even all the cats had to be in on all the outdoor fun! Tomorrow will be cold, but this was a fantastic day for play.