I love...

Dearest Heart-born Son,

This week we are celebrating 6 months of having you home. I've been pondering some of the things I love about you:

I love...
-how you bounce up and down in your crib when you see me in the morning
-how you cock your head when we have staring contests
-how your eyes sparkle when we say "I love you" with our eyes
-how you hum and smack your lips together when you're enjoying your food
-how your feet dance when you're happy
-how your whole body dances when you see Daddy
-your open mouth kisses, over and over again
-your obsession with wheels and driving cars around the kitchen floor
-how you shake your head when you hear the word "no"
-how you "talk" on the phone even when you put it to your forehead
-how fast you crawl toward us when you want to play
-your belly laugh when Keith or Liliana tackle-tickle you
-that you sometimes clap with happiness just because
-that you let me wake you up before I go to bed to give you more cuddles
-that you are home and loved and our son!

Our 1 year old

We celebrated Myles first birthday October 4th. It's amazing to see everything about him changing so so quickly! He is now crawling, pulling up on everything, using his walker to get around, stacking blocks, playing with cars, and saying "Mama" and "Dada." He has gained 12 pounds since he came home in May! He's just so sweet, cuddly, happy, and giggly. We love you big boy Myles!

Greer Gang

No more posts needed on this adoption blog :)  Myles is officially part of the family and home (have we mentioned that before?!!!)  Now we'll only be posting on our family blog- GreerGang.

Really Home

Myles is HOME.  I can really breath now.  There is this enormous weight lifted off-that I didn't even realize the weight of, until now. Myles is HOME.  He has fit right into the space that was waiting for him in our hearts and our home.  The children are absolutely delighted with their brother--even refer to him as "brother" instead of Myles most of the time.  "Where's my brother Mom?"  "Can I just touch him while he sleeps?"  Our 4 year old Keith said to Daddy, "I'm crying happy tears because Myles is home!"  (he wasn't really crying, but it was cute nonetheless!!!)  Myles is HOME.  It was moving to see the bond that's already been created between siblings and grandparents.  My parents were able to have very tender moments with Myles before returning to Roanoke.  Peter's parents had a few hours here also before returning to Boston.  He is really loved!  I think, compared to the Myles-sized "crib" that he was spending all of his time in at the orphanage, he is elated when we put him in his crib in his room.  He is giddy when he stretches his adorable body out to go to sleep in his cozy crib.  After his bottle (still doing one in the middle of the night), he gives me the most breath-taking smile as I kiss him goodnight for the hundredth time.  Myles is HOME.  

We are HOME!

After an AMAZING 8 days in Rwanda, we rushed through our time in Ethiopia and we were able to leave Addis on Tuesday night!  We arrived home Wednesday at lunch.  Nana, Gramps, Keith, and Lili were waiting outside to welcome Myles home!  Steven Curtis Chapman's song "When Love Takes You Home" was the basis for the sign on the car.  :)

Saturday

We have had a great last few days-since everything was set by Thursday for Myles and his travel (and could have been on Wed if we had pushed)...we have had a wonderfully packed schedule with our friends here. It's been SO amazing being back in Rwanda with those that we love. We've uploaded again to our picasa web album. We think you'll notice how much Myles is changing! :) It's really remarkable how he's blossoming.

Yesterday we had a really significant time visiting Myles' orphanage for the last time. For the first time, I went in to Myles' room at the orphanage. It was just heartbreaking. It was really hard to leave the children there but incredible to leave with our son.

Today I was a bridesmaid in my Rwandan sister's gusaba (traditional wedding) :) The Baingana sisters (10 total) are amazing women who I was good friends with when we lived here...and they were so sweet to allow me to join them as a bridesmaid for Annet's wedding today. It was beautiful-with dancers and singing and lots and lots of Rwandan food. SUCH a blast. Myles loved it for a few hours and then slept soundly in his carseat.

We are leaving out about 20 other significant experiences- (inclduing meeting with the widows that Tara and I worked with--because of the sales of their cards we are able to buy a goat for EACH of the 50 women!)....

We are REALLY missing Keith and Lili. We leave for Ethiopia (for Myles visa) tomorrow afternoon. We are SAD to leave Rwanda and really wish we could just be going right home instead of going to Ethiopia. We cannot wait to bring Myles HOME!!!!

PLEASE pray that things go well in Ethiopia and please pray for us as we are missing the kids so much. (but know that they are having a total blast!!!)

His Eyes

Everyday we are with Myles his personality continues to blossom. Today was the day of belly laughter. I will never tire of looking into his eyes and hearing his laughter!

Sisters

We have had so many people supporting us throughout this entire adoption process, two of whom have already had a chance to meet Myles (before our friends and family in the States). Since we landed in Rwanda, my sisters Maggie and Bonita Baingana have been with us every step. Myles loves his Rwandan Aunty M and Aunty B. :) We have had so much fun even as we've waited in lines or spent the entire day in the car going to try to finalize paperwork for the adoption. It's remarkable to say that we really have ENJOYED the process here...we've met some incredible people, had some hysterical conversations in Kinyarwanda, and have loved every moment with Maggie and Bonita (and their fantastic families!) Love you ladies!

Travel Letter!

We got our travel letter today! You'll see Myles in a picture with the Minister of Gnder-she was delighted to meet him and sign his letter that allows him to be with us ALLLLL the time! :) He is sleeping soundly in our room right now, under a mosquito net. If you'd like to see pictures, we are going to be uploading them off an on to our picasa web album. Click here to see pictures!

Please pray for me, I'm hopefully getting over a nasty bug. :(

Meeting Myles!

We will never forget today, that's for sure! We couldn't have asked for a smoother union with Myles. We arrived on a crystal clear (typical) day in Rwanda and were greeted by Maggie and Bonita. We went to the Home of Hope (orphanage) with them and met a few of the nuns (who are French, Ugandan, Kenyan...all sent by the Mother Theresa Mission). Just as we arrived there, it began to rain-just a passing shower. We waited in a small room for them to bring Myles to us. Myles arrived through the rain-helping the nun hold the umbrella. It was SUCH a sweet meeting. He was happy to be held-very focused on our eyes, hair, shirts, and Nana's toy (after several minutes of being with him!)...he took a special liking to Peter's face-he kept reaching up to touch Peter's face. Unfortunately, due to a document we are still waiting on from the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MOGFP) -- we were not able to have him stay with us and were given a 5:30 curfew with Myles-leaving us with only 3:30-5:30 with him today.

However we had a very significant bonding time with him in our hotel room. Peter gave him his first bottle, while Myles stared intently in Daddy's eyes. We then both gave him a sponge bath which he LOVED. We had to get the orphanage smell off of him. We lathered his adorable naked body up with lotion while he lay on his towel on our bed. We talked with him and did tummy time and worked on his core. Because he hasn't been encouraged to sit up, his core is weak (but normally so considering everything). We can tell the sisters have loved him so much. He just loved being tickled and cuddled-as seen in the belly laugh pictures. We found out he has double-dimples when he smiles and laughs, like sister Lili! :) This was such a precious time. After the laughing, cooing, and cuddling, we fed Myles some rice cereal. He loved it and insisted on feeding himself with the spoon-very cute (and messy!). We got laughing together. What beautiful music we made as family!

It was incredible to experience this day with Myles' "Aunties", our friends Maggie and Bonita. Bonita works for Gladney and we are finally able to talk openly about the experience (before this we worked directly with our caseworker who we ADORE!) We have changed where we are staying. We are staying with our pastor and his wife from when we lived here. They were adopted parents to us when we lived here-and it's SO great to be "home" again with them.

We returned him to "school"-as we told him--because it just sounds so wrong to call it an orphanage, when he isn't one anymore...but he is spending hopefully just 1 more night after this at sleep-away school with his crib buddies. Please please pray that we get the document that we need on Monday so that we can be with our son ALL of the time!!!!! We head to pick him up from "school" at 7am tomorrow-that's the earliest they would let us. (I asked for 5am...)

SO much love-and special hugs to Keith and Liliana0--we miss you so much!!! (thanks Gma and Gpa for being there to hug and love them during this time...and Nana and Gramps next week!!!)

for more first-day in Rwanda pics, click on this: webalbum

Leap to Your Son

On our way to the airport in the dark on Friday morning, I found a letter my friend had written to us that I just had to share.
Dear Laurel and Peter,

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." –Confucius

A single step over the threshold of your home to the car that will take you to the plane, to the other plane, to the other plane, to Rwanda, to Myles. Each step bringing you closer to the place always ‘known’ for you, and him.

A thousand memories await you. And then a thousand more. Your new son will delight you with every smile, every movement forward, every successful location of the picture ‘ball’ on a story book page. He’ll eliminate your good night’s sleep… to make it more precious by holding him in the dark. He’ll toss food on your freshly washed floor…he’ll learn to sing his ABC’s by listening to your voice… he’ll dance to the music that you play in the kitchen… he’ll adore his big brother Keith… he’ll laugh with his big sister Lili. He’ll want to be just like daddy one day. And he’ll know his mommy’s voice; it will calm him, sing to him, instruct him, wrap around him like a ‘cozy blanket for his soul.’

And he’ll be HOME. Then when he is grown, and thinks about his childhood – he’ll think of his sunshiny room, his backyard where he played with his brother and sister, his mommy’s smile, his daddy’s shoulders on which he sat upon and surveyed the world.

He’ll also be dearly, devotedly loved by a legion of friends and family. He has become all of ‘our Myles’, a picture of how love can grow and sustain, reaching across the continents and obstacles to bring a little boy home.

Sure, a thousand miles is a long way to go. But what would Confucius have said about a journey of over 8,000 miles, and back again? Maybe he wouldn’t have said it begins with a step… maybe something more like a leap.

So then…. Leap to your child. Leap over the oceans, and the hurdles, and the waiting. Leap to that child that has always been yours… and let there be no more miles between you.

Safe travels to you… can’t wait to meet the new addition to the Greer family, whom you’ve received as a little child in HIS name.

With love and prayers – Heather, John, Aidan and Jack Honeywater

We're OFF!

Today we are leaving. I haven't quite wrapped my head around it yet. When does it really hit? I have been aching for this boy for months and months--and I am going to be meeting him tomorrow?!!! Our son. Our miracle in Rwanda. Myles-we're on our way sweet boy!!!!

Leaving in a few hours!

We have been going full-speed ahead since receiving the call Tuesday night about heading to Rwanda May 1! WOW, really leaving tomorrow!!!! In a few hours!!!

The orphanage has some needed items that we learned about Wednesday morning. We sent the word out to friends and I posted the need on facebook. We have received hundreds of dollars and TONS of donations. We left a bin on our front step labeled "Donations for Rwandan Orphanage" and each time I came home or walked by the front door, there was MORE! Thank you to everyone who gave! We cannot wait to fill and weigh the enormous bags tonight!

Here are just a few of the donations...

LEAVING!

Our heads are SPINNING! Our case worker just called and asked if we'd be available to leave FRIDAY...in 2 days! Ahhhhh-we are so excited! We are leaving Friday morning and will hopefully be holding Myles in our arms Saturday afternoon!!!!!

Travel Dates

We will most likely be traveling Friday, May 8! We have tickets on hold!

Waiting again

Here is our precious son, Myles Mugisha Greer. We cannot wait to bring him home...but have to. Rwanda now requires a letter from the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MOGFP) in order to get a passport for adopted children. So, we wait. We are so so so so ready for Myles to come home. Hopefully we will have travel dates soon. Please continue to pray that we can go to Rwanda to bring our son home!!!!!!

Travel Dates

We should be hearing Monday about our travel dates!

Reversing Wretchedness

My dear amazing mommy friend Susan, who writes for Christianity Today, recently started a blog focused on raising preschoolers. Her recent posting is titled "Adoption: Reversing Wretchedness." (click on that title to go read it) I hope her words move you to action like they did me.

He's Ours!!!

The court session went through and the gavel smashed down declaring that:

MYLES MUGISHA GREER IS OUR SON!!!!!!

Next steps: Friday our judgement papers will be picked up from the court (hopefully!) and then the Rwandan passport needs to be processed. We hope to have a better idea of our travel dates next Monday or Tuesday. Hopefully we'll be with Myles the first week in May!!!!

Court in Session

In a few hours, a court session will take place in Kigali, Rwanda to determine whether our Myles becomes an official member of our family. He will be given two new names- his first and last names will be gifts from his new family, us. We will keep the name that was given to him by those who found him abandoned, as his middle name--but hope to use it often, as the meaning of it describes him perfectly. I am filled with anticipation, with hope. I would love to hear that gavel smash on the table at the end of the court session tomorrow. The resounding noise would declare that he is no longer an orphan, but now a son...a brother...a Greer...OURS. He has been our son for months now. God put this deep, supernatural love in us for our precious Myles. I had been dreaming about those eyes for months before we saw them in his referral picture. When we got our referral call, Myles took my breath away for a moment when I looked at him on our computer screen--because I KNEW him. I loved him already...and didn't know how to respond.

Myles-whenever you read all of these posts, I hope that you know that you are so incredibly loved by your parents. We ache to have you as part of your family with everything in us. Someone is always missing here, and that's you. My arms long to hold you and make up for the months that you have gone without our physical and emotional love. I know that you have not been alone-that He has been watching you, but I also know that your Creator has planned for you to be part of this family since before you were born. Did you know that your grandfather ("Gramps") called me the morning of what could have been your birthday? He had been thinking and praying for you, and said that he strongly felt that it was the day of your birth?!! Now, learning what we have about you, this is true! For some reason, our union as family was supposed to be delayed like this...but we have ALL been praying for you and loving you from afar. We love you, sweet boy.