Remodeled Mackey Arena

14,123

If you are a Purdue fan, I'm guessing that when I say this number you know what I am referring to.

I had a chance to go to the Purdue-Nebraska game this past Wed. I went with a friend from St. Lukes, Dwayne Lewis. He has a co-worker who used to be a manager for the Men's Basketball team. So, after the game he was able to hook us up with a tour of the re-modeled Mickey.

We got to see the Basketball offices, the film room, the locker room, the training facility and the practice court. Super cool and I am thankful for the opportunity provided by Dwayne.

BOILER UP!

Vantage from our seats before the game.

Championship titles (Men's and Women's) on display in the concourse.

Entrance to the BBall office

Practice Court donated by Brian Cardinal and his wife.

Film Room

Me at the end of the tunnel looking out on Keady Court

View down the tunnel

Training Facility

Play Hard Board

Oh, and it's no longer 14,123. It is now, 14,240.

February Update

We continue to be impressed with the orphanage that we are working with in Haiti. We will get monthly updates (including photos) on Little Mister and they seem to be very detailed.

Here is a great example, his daily schedule.

Daily Routine:
6am – wake up
6:30am – bath time
7:00am – getting dressed
7:30am  - breakfast
8am- English Class
9am – play time in the yard 
9:45am - peanut butter bread and juice
10:00am play time outside – singing, dancing, swings, balls, jump rope, etc
11am – Short walk to guesthouse for pre-school with Mademoiselle Kiki
12:30pm – walk back to Toddler House for lunch
1pm – Back up to guesthouse for another hour of school
2pm – Schools out, walk home, head to bed for a nap
3:30 - wake-up
3:45pm – juice and cookies
4pm – play outside or take a walk
5:30pm – suppertime
6:30pm – bathes and pjs
7pm - in bed for the night

This gives us great comfort in seeing how well he is cared for and the kind of education he is getting.

Referral

We have FANTASTIC news on Wednesday the 7th we got information from the adoption agency that we had been matched with a little boy. I was at work and Leslie was home. After the initial information from the adoption specialist, we started getting info on him through their online portal. We had the opportunity to look through the photos and videos as they came pouring in.

He is 4 1/2 years old, and was placed in the Orphanage in March of 2010. We have information on his birth Mother, but his birth Father is unknown.

December 2011

We know he was somewhat malnourished when he first arrived at the orphanage, but quickly rebounded with medication and proper nutrition. One thing to keep in mind is March of 2010, was 2 months after the earthquake. I have to imagine things were still very chaotic in Haiti in March.

July 2011

We know he was a full term baby and was breast fed. He has a fairly clean medical report. The only item they have cautioned us on is anemia. We also know that slight anemia is common for Haitian children in the community.

He is described as a quiet, easy going and a happy natured children. The report also talks about him as an observer, but he is willing to jump in and play with others. They say he is liked by all the other kids and known as the boy who won't fight or argue. They also say he is affectionate and he has bonded well with his primary caregiver and teacher. His smile melts my heart every time I see it.

May 2011

We also know that he has been evaluated at 4 1/2 years in social development (a match with his physical age). It appears that he has some slight delays with verbal communication. But, his other communication skills are very good. He is attending Creole and English pre-school classes each day and knows about half of his alphabet at this time. He also knows colors and number both in Creole and English.

February 2011

As you can imagine, we are beyond excited and walking on air. We've got a ton of question about what is next and when we can travel to meet him, but it will take a while to determine next steps.