Holland -
Quite a change from the scared and shy little girl we first met 6 weeks ago at the airport in Grand Rapids.
Then, 3-year old Abi was exhausted from a long journey from Haiti to Miami to her new home in Holland. She arrived with dozens of orphans who reunited with their adoptive parents from West Michgian.
The adoptions, done through Bethany Christian Services, had been in the works for years but the massive earthquake sped up the process.
Flash forward six weeks later and little Abi is getting used to her new family. She's loud, bubbly and running around with her new siblings.
"She has a very outgoing personality. I would say she's the most outgoing of our children," said her adoptive mother Kathy Baas.
Kathy and husband Jeremy already have three young kids of their own but decided they wanted to adopt and orphan.
"We were blessed with three chlidren right away and we feel like we are blessed so much and have been given a lot so we recognize a lot of orphans who don't have much so why not just adopt someone who needs help someone needs more than what they have and that we can give them, " said adoptive father Jeremy Baas, who manages a farm in Holland.
"It's gone really fast and really slow the first couple of weeks we were all waiting for her to make every move. Now it feels much more like a family routine," said Kathy.
"It's been fun it has had its ups and downs and a lot of adjustments," adds Jeremy.
Let's start with the language barrier. The little girl mostly know Creole but she's picking up English quickly.
"She kinda transitioned over because she wants to fit in like everyone else so she starts do what the other kids do and starts to talk like the kids talk.
Abi spent most of her life in a crowded orphanage in Haiti so this is a big transition.
What she remembers from those days and the earthquake is unknown.
She hasn't really said and again her language and being three it is two huge obstacles," said Kathy.
As time goes by they are growing and adjusting as a family.
"Hoefully we have the oppurtunity to send her to college. As parents always we have dreams for her to go back to Haiti as an adult and give back and help with the rebuiding process," said Kathy.
Then, 3-year old Abi was exhausted from a long journey from Haiti to Miami to her new home in Holland. She arrived with dozens of orphans who reunited with their adoptive parents from West Michgian.
The adoptions, done through Bethany Christian Services, had been in the works for years but the massive earthquake sped up the process.
Flash forward six weeks later and little Abi is getting used to her new family. She's loud, bubbly and running around with her new siblings.
"She has a very outgoing personality. I would say she's the most outgoing of our children," said her adoptive mother Kathy Baas.
Kathy and husband Jeremy already have three young kids of their own but decided they wanted to adopt and orphan.
"We were blessed with three chlidren right away and we feel like we are blessed so much and have been given a lot so we recognize a lot of orphans who don't have much so why not just adopt someone who needs help someone needs more than what they have and that we can give them, " said adoptive father Jeremy Baas, who manages a farm in Holland.
"It's gone really fast and really slow the first couple of weeks we were all waiting for her to make every move. Now it feels much more like a family routine," said Kathy.
"It's been fun it has had its ups and downs and a lot of adjustments," adds Jeremy.
Let's start with the language barrier. The little girl mostly know Creole but she's picking up English quickly.
"She kinda transitioned over because she wants to fit in like everyone else so she starts do what the other kids do and starts to talk like the kids talk.
Abi spent most of her life in a crowded orphanage in Haiti so this is a big transition.
What she remembers from those days and the earthquake is unknown.
She hasn't really said and again her language and being three it is two huge obstacles," said Kathy.
As time goes by they are growing and adjusting as a family.
"Hoefully we have the oppurtunity to send her to college. As parents always we have dreams for her to go back to Haiti as an adult and give back and help with the rebuiding process," said Kathy.
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