Griffin...You're The Best!

I've been a bit slack in the blogging department lately, but I've been meaning to get an update on here as to how things have been going for us...

This past Sunday marked 2 months since we met Griffin.  Wow!  In some ways I can't believe it's been 2 months already, but at the same time it feels like he's always been part of our family.  It has been an incredible joy getting to know him more each day.

our first meeting 2 months ago

We've had many people ask about how we are doing, as new parents...we are loving it!!  Ian & I have been trying to soak up every minute as much as we can.  There are days when I'm tired, but we have been having so much fun with Griffin and all the adventures that come with being a parent!  We are so proud of him and all the new things he is learning and doing each day!!  I find it difficult to put into words the way our hearts swell just watching him discover and grow. It's honestly still surreal sometimes (at least for me).  I've wanted to be a mom since as far back as I can remember and now it's here.  It feels good.  :)

As far as the bonding/attachment/settling in/cocooning...it's been going really well.  That first week or two back in Canada, we could tell that there was adjustment happening for sure, but it's slowly been getting better and better.  It is very evident that he knows "mom" & "dad" and we can see how he feels safe and secure with us.  It's powerful to watch a little baby put his trust in 2 adults that he only recently met and how quickly the love grows.  We are still very conscious of how he is handling each new face and outing, but we've been seeing a lot of joy and contentment from our little man. Griffin is a very social boy and, while he likes to be with us, he is happy to interact with our friends and family.  We've had over 3 weeks now at home and see that he is eating well, sleeping well, laughing often and being very generous to us with his hugs & kisses.  Each day brings newness and a deeper love in our family. We are thankful for a little boy who, we believe because of all the love that was showered on him, has been able to bond with us and receive our love as his mom and dad.

Well, there it is.  A bit of a short update.  I'll continue to update and post when things are on my mind, but I'm not sure what direction to take now.  This blog was started to document our journey through the adoption process and now that we're home, we'll see where life takes us from here!  For now, we're just a regular family, navigating this new world of being together at last.


A few pictures of life here...

 he loves his new wheels from our neighbour

mmmm...snacks :)

 out for a walk

 picking out a Christmas tree

 

 brrrrr....

Oh, and one more thing...a BIG shout out to the best Grade 5's!! (You know who you are!)  Thank you for loving and praying for Griffin and our family.  You are ALL awesome and a huge blessing to me!  :) 

Home

We have been home now for about 3 days and are slowly getting rested.  Griffin traveled like a champ!  He slept on most flights and if he wasn't sleeping, he was quite happy to charm the other passengers or watch baby cartoons on the back of the seat in front of him.  Ha!  Ok, so not every moment was perfect, but he honestly did really well.

We were excited to have our families and some friends greet us at the airport!  It was a late night, since we got in at 12:34 AM, so we appreciated it!  What a great welcome home!
Just 6 short weeks ago, we left as the 2 of us, and now have came home with the most amazing little boy.  What a joy it is to see him in our home and know he's there to stay.

As we've been taking time to settle in, I wanted to talk about a few things regarding how life will look for us for the next few weeks...

Although Griffin was nurtured and well taken care of for the first 11 months of his life, he has still encountered loss.  Not only has he lost his birth family and culture, but that one simple day - the one we could hardly wait for - was also a day of loss for him.  He left the only place and group of faces he had ever known and came with us...strangers.  We prayed for him regularly though, even before we knew him, and I believe God heard and answered in preparing his young, little heart for this transition.  Griffin has done amazingly well and we are very grateful for that.

This is not to say that we haven't been very intentional over the past few weeks to foster that attachment/bonding and to help make the transition easier for him.  We have carried him everywhere (either in our arms or the carrier).  We have made sure we are the only ones who hold him, feed him, change him and cuddle him.  We have used words to solidify our commitment to him and to show how excited we are to see him! We have kept a close eye on him to make sure he is not overwhelmed and are careful to slow down when needed.  We have made sure to keep some constants in his daily routine.  It has been a great last few weeks of bonding and getting to know our little man.

Now....we are home.  For us, it is again exciting, but for him, it is another loss and change.  We see that he is bonding with us and that we are a place of safety for him, but we also see at times how he is unsure of this new place, with new faces and much colder weather!

So, for the next couple of weeks, we'll be laying low and in some ways "cocooning" as a family.
The two biggest ways we'll be working on bonding are...
#1 - We will be spending the majority of our days at home, with limited visitors.  Griffin needs to know what "home" is and that we are his constant.  It also helps to minimize the over-stimulation of so many new surroundings.  So...we'll be waiting just a little bit longer to visit church, workplaces, and friends' houses.
#2 - When we do have visitors or when you meet Griffin, we would love for you to play with him, but are asking that you step back from picking him up, cuddling, and kissing him (at least for the next couple of weeks).  Although we see that he is more & more secure in who we are as his parents, he grew up in a baby home with different caregivers and volunteers catering to his beck & call.  We want to make sure he understands that we are his parents and the ones to feed, change, cuddle and comfort him. He also seems somewhat unsure when he has been held a few times by others and we want to make sure he is feeling safe. 

This has been difficult in some ways because all we want to do is go out and introduce him to everyone.  He is the best, most loveable little boy! We'd love to drive all over - visiting friends, family and coworkers; however, this may not necessarily be what's best for Griffin and that is ultimately our priority.  It won't be like this forever though...we promise!  Just give us a few weeks :)

Thanks for being so supportive and giving us time as a family.  We are so grateful for you all!!

 Checking out his new neighbourhood :)

On Our Way

This is going to have to be short because I have limited battery life and internet access, but I just thought I'd let you all know we're on our way home! We just landed in London and have one more really long flight left. Griffin did well on our first long flight and actually slept most of the way!

Before we left SA yesterday afternoon, there was one hope I had...to see our friends from Saskatoon arrive, who are coming to adopt their beautiful twin babes. I knew it would be a close one, but I figured I could have a bit of hope that we might cross paths. Well, thankfully their flight was early and we were able to share some hugs, introduce them to Griffin and visit for about 1/2 hour. What a blessing to see them!  All along we thought how great it would be to be in SA at the same time, and although we weren't able to overlap any days, I will treasure those few moments. They are just beginning their exciting journey of meeting and bringing home their kids. We love you guys! 

Well, I need to run for now, but will be in touch!

If any of you were still wanting to be at the airport (I haven't been able to connect with everyone yet) send me a message and I'll do what I can to get you the information.  

See you all soon! 

Where Has The Time Gone?!

Well, our paperwork is coming in and we'll be leaving within the week. Truthfully, we do not feel ready to come home.  We've fallen in love with the country, people and places we've seen.  We've also been enjoying (SO very much) having all this quality family time together.  Once we get home, things will be different.  Most of all, Griffin and I are really going to miss having Ian around every day, all day.  This has been such a treasured time for us!  

I have a hard time holding back tears when I think of getting on that plane and leaving this beautiful country.  Don't get me wrong...it will be wonderful to see family and friends, but if there was a way to see everyone and still enjoy more time here, I would take it!

I still remember crying as I sat in the Johannesburg airport just over 10 years ago.  I had been living here for 6 months, working in a baby home, and knew I would miss it terribly.  I always hoped I'd be back.  Now today, my feelings are similar to that time a decade ago...having such a difficult time leaving and feeling hopeful that one day we will be back. Our hearts have been permanently stirred towards adoption and Africa. 

The past couple of weeks have gone by in a blur!  We haven't been doing any major trips, but have spent time at the beach, seeing the World Cup stadium, going to markets, visiting with friends, hiking, and just enjoying time with each other.  It's been wonderful and refreshing.  

Griffin is doing well, but we know that another change is in store when we fly half way across the world to a place that will be entirely new for him.  New smells, sounds, climate, people, time zone and food.  That's a lot for a little guy!  We pray that he will continue to feel secure, safe and loved as we transition home.   

Thank you for your ongoing support, encouragement and prayers.  We know this exciting time of parenthood has just begun!

And...as much as we don't want to leave, we are definitely excited to introduce our sweet boy to everyone back home!  

Happy Birthday!

Dear Griffin, 

Today you're one!! 

It's hard to imagine that a year ago, as we were longing to know who the little person to join our family would be, you were making your entrance into the world.  Oh, how I wish I could've been there to hold you in those first few moments...BUT we are so thankful that you were well taken care of and loved.  God had his hand on you.

We have only known you for 31 short days, but already you have brought us immesurable joy, richness, laughter, and have made a forever impression on our hearts.  We are so blessed to be your mom and dad and love you more than words could ever express!  

Your smile lights up the room and your giggle is contagious.  

You love to love, give kisses, wave, wrestle with dad, laugh, clap, dance, "snap" your fingers, and chatter.  

We listen to you say "ooooooo..." at all the things you see and can't help but smile. I hope you never lose that awe you have in the beautiful world around you.

Griffin, you are a precious child of God!  We pray that you would grow up to be a strong man - who loves God & others and that in turn, you would know how deeply YOU are loved.  

As we grow together as a family, your dad and I will always be here...to encourage you, teach you, love you, support you, and pray for you.  

Griffin, you are one handsome, amazing little boy and we can't wait to watch you grow, learn, play and have so much fun in life!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Love, 

Mom & Dad

We Have a Little Canadian!

Today we got our email saying that Griffin has officially been granted Canadian citizenship!  Yippee! We told him and he was obviously thrilled 😉. He can't wait to get back to snow and try out his new winter coat! 

The next step for us is to submit documents for his passport, so he can come home.  We have a meeting on Monday and then from there, we wait.  Hopefully we can still return on our scheduled day, but there are no guarantees.  Maybe a few extra days in the sun wouldn't be too bad either!

Ian seems to be almost fully back to his healthy self.  Thank the Lord!  I've been praying for him and know you guys have been to, so thanks!  It's good to have him back!  Unfortunately, I'm feeling like I'm coming down with a sore throat now, but here's to hoping some medication and a good nights rest will keep it away!

I'll back up and recap a bit how our last few days have been...

On Sunday, we went on a steam train that used to run in the late 1800's.  Griffin loved hanging out the window and watching the scenery go by.  It was neat to be able to ride the train and see some of the country that way. 

As I already mentioned, on Monday we went to the mountains.  Griffin was a great little traveller and slept most of the way there.  

Despite being sick, our time in the Drakensburg was peaceful and we took in as much of the beauty around us as we could!  Ian was well enough to go for a short hike the morning we left and the weather was perfect!  Here are a few shots from our time there...

This was the view from our room and and a little chapel down below.  Beautiful!

Griffin and I took a walk on Tuesday while Ian rested. He seems to love the outdoors and so do we!

Griffin enjoying afternoon coffee :)

Yay! My dad is awesome!

A bit blurry, but it's the best we could do with the camera set on a rock.

He was tuckered out from all that walking!  

We're now in Umhlanga, which is somewhat of a resort town just north of Duban.  It will be nice to be able to walk to many amenities for the next little while.  We've been taking it easy and enjoying our time as a family of 3.  Griffin continues to bring so much joy into our lives and we love him more and more every day!  Being a mom is something I've dreamed about for years and it has not disappointed!  We feel beyond blessed to have the son that we do and look forward to introducing him to many of you in the weeks and months to come.  He will capture your heart. How could you not fall in love with that face?!

We love you all!  

Moving On

Today we left our "home" for the last 3 weeks and drove up to the Drakensburg mountains. I was sad to leave as we've been very loved, supported and encouraged by our host, but we couldn't stay forever! Unfortunately, Ian could've used an extra day there to spend in bed though. He's been fighting a fever, stomach issues and headache for the past 24 hours and can't seem to shake it. We came to the Drakensburg to hike and enjoy the outdoors, so I'm praying for healing and good rest for my wonderful husband tonight!  Griffin is sure missing playing with his dad!
As we drove up today, we passed through incredible beauty and incredible poverty. What a sobering thing to drive past patchwork shacks and barefoot children in the rain, knowing you're on your way to a beautiful hotel. Not sure what I think about that...
I need to be going now, but will write more and post pictures when we have a better internet connection.
Until then, thank you for your continued support and prayer. Despite not feeling 100%, we are doing well and are so thankful to be here!

What We've Been Up To

The past few days have been full of great family time and lots of wonderful memories.  We are the only family left at our current B&B, which has made for quieter breakfasts, but we've been well taken care of by the owner.  She is so accommodating and even gave us a little tour of Durban on Tuesday.  We saw some of the townships nearby as well as some of the squatter camps. It's heartbreaking to see how people live in run down, dilapidated shacks right next to large homes.  Though there is a lot of brokenness in this country, the reality is that it exists all over the world. Amidst the poverty though, there is so much beauty.

We were also able to visit the harbour and a place called the BAT centre.  It's home to local artists who display their work and sell to you directly.  

Yesterday was a gorgeous, sunny day and we drove up to a place called Phezulu in the Valley of 1000 Hills. What stunning scenery! We visited a croc & snake park, a Zulu village complete with dancing, and did a 4x4 game drive through the small reserve they have there.  

Griffin was quite content in the carrier 

Zulu village 

To me, this looks like a postcard!  It was so incredible...

During our drive, we came across the taller giraffe & wildebeest and followed them back to this watering hole.  Amazing!

View from our table at lunch.  

Today, we hopped in again with our B&B owner and she dropped us off at the beach to meet friends.  

4 little cuties!! It was nice to visit with the other families today!

Ian took Griffin to check out the ocean 

I am so thankful that we still have almost 3 weeks here because I'm not quite ready to come home!  We have been loving our time here - the beauty of the people, the landscape, the time with our son & each other - it truly can't be put into words.  

Griffin seems to be settling in well too.  He can say "mom" & "dad" and we're starting to see him connect those words with us already (mostly dad, but I'm working on mom every day 😉). He loves to cuddle, play, read, listen to music, and be with people.  He is also starting to stand on his own and is quite proud of himself.  

This has been a time of growth, learning, peace, and joy...we wouldn't trade it for the world! 

Thank you for supporting us and praying for us!

Beauty

Just wanted to drop in and say hi!

Our little man has been struggling with a cough & cold the past couple of days (and nights) so we are really hoping that he's slowly on the mend.

It's also still been a bit rainy the past few days, but today we saw some sunshine and it was wonderful!

Even in the rain yesterday, we decided to get out with the other families to a park/zoo and had a good time getting some fresh air and walking around the beautiful gardens. 

Ian was helping Griffin feed the birds.  He was very interested.

Still smiling with a cold!

The oldest resident at the zoo (100 years old!)

Tomorrow we should be submitting citizenship paperwork and then we wait for that to be processed before we go on to the next step. We are thankful for a great social worker here to help us get everything done! 

We are loving being parents and can't imagine life without Griffin. He brings so much joy to us every day!  How blessed and proud we are to call him our son. 

Good Days

Hi!  

First, I need to thank you all for your overwhelming support and congratulations.  We had no idea so many people were checking up on our family!!  It's been a great encouragement!

Griffin is doing so well!  It seems like he feels more and more comfortable with us and is fitting in great.  He is generally a very happy little boy!

We've been doing as much as we can, but the past couple days have been very rainy and it looks like the next few will be like that as well.  Not much to do on a rainy day!  We've been able to get out for a few hours every day though, which has been great.  Today was fun at an indoor market and out for lunch with friends in Durban.  

We are at our current B&B for another 1 1/2 weeks, then off to the mountains for 2 nights, followed by Umhlanga (just north of Durban) for almost 2 weeks. We'll be in SA for a while still because of passport and immigration paperwork that need to get done, but don't mind at all!  It's been giving us lots of time as a family of 3, which has been so good for bonding and attaching. 

Not much else to share right now, but I'll leave you with a couple pictures...

Happy weekend everyone!

Love,

Ian, Heidi & Griffin

Don't mind the drool on his shirt...he's been teething :)

I just love that face!!

Introducing...

We are SO thrilled to say that Griffin Qiniso is officially our son!!  

Today was a life changing day as we sat in the magistrate's office and he congratulated us on our son.  Everything went so smoothly so thank you for praying.  God is so faithful!  As we left the courthouse today, I had such a feeling of peace.  Knowing that he was now ours - for good - and how God heard our longing and prayers over the past 4 years and blessed us with an incredible boy.  

Want to meet him??  

Well, this precious, little, chubby hand belongs to... 

   

 This beautiful boy!!  He's so excited about it all too! :)

    

     Look at those lips!

  

      Family photo after court

       The rest are a few from uShaka on Monday

   

  

      I love this 

  

   

  

  

Tonight, we went out for supper as a family to celebrate and had such a great time!  Then later, brought dessert back to celebrate with the other families here.  What an awesome day!

Looking forward to sharing many more adventures in the days to come!  

Yippee!!

Lots of love,

Ian, Heidi & Griffin