Cabin Fever

Cabin fever has set in at our house. We are trapped by mountains of snow and wondering if we will ever again see the green grass and trees. The newness of the Christmas presents has worn off and Rory is already asking how many days until his birthday/vacation/next Christmas. In the meantime, we are doing a lot of board games, videos, and legos. Watching the Olympics has been fun, and a nice change.

While the tragedy in Haiti continues, most of the world has moved on. What has made me so proud is the way that people we love have stepped up to help. We are so thankful for the effort made by so many to improve the situation. Another devastating round of tragedy is coming for Haiti as the rainy season is starting. The positive side of the situation is that Rory has been exposed to images of Haiti (good and bad), people are aware of where he is from and the challenges he most likely faced before coming to us. Just last week his school had Haiti week- raising money with themed days for the students. This week, the University of Indianapolis is having an Internation Dinner with a Haiti theme. The Daily Journal interviewed us for an article in the paper and even our neighbor went to Haiti for a brief time to help the Salvation Army there.

Despite the saddness of the situation, Rory has heard the name of his birth country roll from so many people's mouths, and I can't help but know that it is a good thing. Part of me is very sad because while he is surrounded by people concerned for Haiti, he is too young to know any different. When he is a teenager, there won't be Haiti week at school and most of his friends won't even know where it is. He'll be desperate for some sort of connection and the world won't consider Haiti a priority, unlike now. But, I'll take what we can get now and use it as best I can. I've saved tons of newspaper articles and taken pictures, etc.. Hopefully that will be a bright spot for him later.

I'm disappointed in myself for not blogging more. I miss it! I know other people who check the blog everyday to see if I've written (JESSICA:)). Thanks for checking in... I promise to do better!

For a change, some really good news

For the last week and a half, we've watched the footage of Haiti - we can't wrap our minds around how devastating this is. Or how very lucky we are to have Rory home with us.

But the most amazing aspect is the reaction of everyone around us. I just can't get over how many people have dug into their wallets and gave to the cause. It is truly wonderful and touching.

Joyous news- The creche is secure for now with 4 months of food to sustain the orphans that are there and the many new orphans that are expected to join them. The Phoenix Suns - yes, the nba team- made it possible to secure a private plan AND helicopter the supplies to the creche. I never enjoyed NBA basketball, but I think I can say that I have a new favorite team.

Security is a major issue. I just read that they are leveling ground in Croix des Bouquets ( the nearest major town) and a giant tent city will be erected there. My truest hope is that the creche will remain safe, but it is clear that those who desperately need food will stop at nothing to get it for their families.

More joyous news- 22 kids from the creche made it home. The C4C people have been to Washington, on CNN, and finally to Haiti to relentlessly beg for visas from the US embassy for these kids... they arrived on Friday in Ft. Lauderdale. This video was mostly about another creche that didn't have same success. I hope they do soon. The end shows Rory's friends coming home. Get your kleenexes!

http://cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2010/01/22/obrien.orphan.journey.cnn

Earthquake

I've had a lot of people asking me today about the orphanage after yesterday's earthquake. I just heard that the orphanage had some damage- all the kids are okay. Very lucky considering how close it was The transition house in Port-au-Prince has "major damage". This is the hub of the foundation's activity- lawyers, doctors, etc... all work on adoptions out of that building. I'm just devastated for those who are still waiting on their children. What an emotional dead end they must be facing.

Brandon and I are both just speechless... having seen Haiti and knowing what a poverty-stricken nightmare it is, we can't even imagine how things will get better there. How will they ever survive this?

Here is the link if you would like to help: http://www.redcross.org/

Happy 2010!

Christmas at Grandmas:) Rory tries on his new duds:)

Christmas morning... notice that it is still pitch black outside!

Christmas eve... cookies, legos from Grandma and Grandpa Vaughn, and even a gingerbread house:)

I just can't believe that Christmas is over and here we are, well into the beginning of the new year. I'm amazed at how time flies when you have a kid. LIKE LIGHTNING!

Our trip to the Garfield Park Conservatory Train Exhibit:) BEAUTIFUL!

It's about 15 degrees today.... the norm since new year's day. The annual patches of dry skins are showing up and my car looks like poop. There is about 6 inches of snow on the ground... more falling today, and yet- it's too cold to go sledding. The newness of Rory's Xmas presents has worn off and today he is just focused on driving me BANANAS! Just a minute ago, he was right here demanding that he get to watch a Coldplay video on youtube. Whatever... not to mention I just spent the last three hours playing legos and racing cars with him. Seriously, another issue... is every 5 year old a pathological liar? What IS that!?!?!?!? I told him to quite literally take off and find something else to do. So, right now, I can hear him downstairs driving Brandon nuts :)

Christmas was great and we had a lot to do. He loved every stinking present and thought that Santa Claus was his own personal hero. We think he might have been doubting Santa's ability to know he was here, but he was convinced the next morning at 5:30!!! UGH!

Please watch videos on our youtube channel... just click the video bar on the side. In other news, Rory just got his report card and it was fantastic! We are in awe of how great the people at his school are. They are just awesome. We are going to Malana's wedding at the beginning of March and spending some extra time with the Vaughn family in Tampa. We are excited to go!

Countdown to Christmas

What a crazy time of year this! We had a fantastic Halloween, including, but of course not limited to, visiting Grandma, Aunt Margaret, and Uncle Don and Aunt Mary's house. I laughingly joked that we should get shirts that say "Tour of Rory 2009"! Rory loved Trick or Treating and thought it was pretty cool that people just willingly gave out candy to total strangers. It is kind of a crazy holiday, if you really think about it. Rory really went crazy when we went home... check out the youtube video called SUGAR HIGH.

When we returned home he dumped all his candy on the table and just went to TOWN eating everything. But, we still had trick-or-treaters visiting, and the candy we had just wasn't good enough I guess. Rory wanted to give HIS candy to the 'big' kids- you know, the ones that SHOULDN'T be trick or treating, but do anyway. Actually, Brandon reported a trick or treater with a BEARD this year. Yikes. Anyway, Rory insisted on giving his candy to the kids (there were only a few). When we asked him what his favorite part of Halloween was, he said "giving out the candy". He's a giver... loves to give. When we laid in bed that night, we talked about how EVERYONE goes trick-or-treating.... his friends here, his cousins in florida, all his classmates, etc.... And he asked if anyone in Haiti goes trick-or-treating. I said no, it's just here. Then he asked if Witchy (one boy still in Haiti waiting to come home) would go trick-or-treating and I said, "No, Witchy isn't home yet so he can't go, but he'll go next Halloween." Rory was visably upset and asked why Witchy wasn't home yet, etc.... etc.... which turned into a long conversation. Then Rory asked if he could send some candy and his costume to Witchy so he could have Halloween in Haiti. How sweet is that... I just about melted.

Rory got his first report card in October and we had our first ever parent conference. It was really interesting being on the other side of the table. I actually teared up when the teacher was telling me how far he'd come and how he was writing (MY CHILD! WRITING!). I swore I'd never be that 'emotional' parent, but I do get it now and it just kind of brought it all home. He's come so far in just 8 short months. We are constantly amazed at the the things he says and does. The other day he just out of the clear blue sky started singing "Who let the dogs out!! WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!" If I had a dime for evertime I say "Where did you hear that?"

Also, Thanksgiving was great. We had a small gathering - same as last year, but with Rory here, it was a whole new ball game. He had a countdown until the "big turkey". We made a little pilgrim hat and collar for him to wear too. He was really excited about the turkey, and he had a leg of it at dinner- hey, that's what he wanted, so I simply obliged... it's a holiday for pete's sake! He also loved the rolls and Grandma's chocolate pie. He was bummed to go to bed while the rest of us played cards. He wanted to stay up and play with us saying "Hey, guys, let's play cards".

The day after Thanksgiving was awesome. We got out all the stuff, boxes and boxes of it. Rory loved the newspaper :) in the boxes... thought that was really cool for some reason. Rory loves the dancing snowman and all that stuff. Grandma and Grandpa sent him a reindeer and dog that both sing and dance. He played with them last night for an hour! We are gradually adding to our collections around the Christmas tree and Rory says there are 31 right now. He could be right, but I'm not going to count them! The cutest thing is that he asked Santa for four things (a train, a drum set, a transformer, and a teddy bear) so he BELIEVES truly that he is going to get those four things and nothing more. Boy, is he going to be surprised on Friday! We can't hardly STAND IT!!!

In the meantime, we are going to have fun during our school break. I'm drinking coffee and typing this in my pajamas. The break comes just in the nick of time. Don't get me wrong- my job is great, but let's just say, that this year... I'm working for every red cent they pay me!

Fall is in the Air

If I had to describe our last month in one word it would have to be - BUSY! We have been going non stop just about all the time. Our reunion in September was awesome! Rory loved meeting up with some of his old friends. It was an amazing time and we are so glad we went. Of course, the airplane ride was special- he didn't even bother with any of the treats I brought for him to play with. He just parked himself right next to the window and stared out until he fell asleep. Same for the ride home. HE LOVES AIRPLANES! Here are some pictures from our trip. He was in HEAVEN!

We went to the zoo with Grandma. Rory loves the walrus... just can't get enough of him. He also go to feed the giraffe! See picture!


Gearing up for Halloween is very interesting. I mean, really, how do you explain Halloween to someone who has never known it? Rory is really excited about wearing his Halloween costume (spiderman). It has "big muscles"!

Rory had his last soccer game on Saturday and we were sad to see it end! He just loved it! Baseball is just around the corner and we think he is looking forward to it the most.

In the meantime, there are a lot of new videos on our you tube channel. Just click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/indyvaughn

Six Months HOME!

Well, Labor Day was Rory's six month anniversary of being home. What a wild six months. In some ways, it seems like a flash... and in others, like an eternity.

Rory started school on August 10th and hasn't looked back. He loves school, especially riding the bus and packing his lunch. He's developed the reputation (around our house, anyway) as the town cryer. He comes home everyday and gives us a full report on what other kids have been up to and who is getting in trouble. His teacher gave him a glowing report just recently and says that he is always smiling a.k.a. 'he's so sweet'. Those of us who really know Rory know better! I'm sure he's just concocting his next scheme! Seriously, he is sneeky, but overall very well-behaved.

Brandon's parents visited in late August and we had a really good time together. Grandma taught Rory to play war and some other games, while Grandpa must have been pretty worn out by the end of the trip from playing ball so much. Rory rarely let him sit down. He misses them so much- we loved having them here.

Rory also started soccer. The first game was today. At first, Rory was very hesitant ... but right around half-time-BOOM- something just clicked and he totally just took off! No score is kept in his league, so I can't be sure... but I think he scored three goals. He's the ringer of the team according to the asst. coach (a.k.a. Pappa)!

In the last month, Rory has just blossomed. He's really come into his own. There is hardly anything we can say anymore that he doesn't understand and he just loves everyday. He sleeps solidly through the night (FINALLY) because the school day is just so long. He is actually reading- yes, reading- for school and just last night we were reading a book and he said, "Mama-look- 'little'"... he recognized the word he'd been working on all week in one of our books before I could read it. Brandon and I are really enjoying this time, because he is so happy! On Thursday, we told him about a big trip we are taking in two weeks. We are going to the Chances 4 Children reunion in Ft. Lauderdale and there will be around 25 other kids there. They are all home now and the look on his face when it dawned on him that he was going to see his old friends... oh, enough to melt your heart! However, he is also really excited to go on the airplane. Hasn't been on one since our trip home, so it will be interesting!