We made it!

After 5 hours of delay in the Miami airport, we finally arrived in port-au-prince. The group was amazingly patient through all of the delays. More patient than I was! One of the delays was due to a valve malfunction on the first plane. I was pretty sure we would have been just fine. In other words, just get me to my boy!! Shelley quickly retorted that it is a good thing they don't let adoptive moms fly the airplanes. Cuz she is pretty sure we would make unwise decisions due to the absolute excitement of seeing our children.

Our reunion was as sweet as ever. Pierre was kind enough to bring Kervens to me late that night when we arrived at the hotel. It was a magical time as me, Michelle, Haley, and Hanna Ray sat around just in awe of him. He warmed up too us all very quickly.

I can see a big change in him since February. He is much more independent, willing to go to other people - which has been a huge blessing to me, allowing me a few breaks here and there. He is talking non-stop, so the language barrier has been more of an issue than before. I am dying to know what he is saying!

He interacts playfully with his friends and others on the team. He absolutely adores Michelle and Shelley. He sings songs, counts to 10, and runs the show around here. It has been a blast so far.

Hanna Ray is such a trooper! Her little buddy Dalanka has latched onto her and won't let anyone else hold her. It is precious!

Oh, and the weather is so pleasant! I mean, we are not even sweating! It is nice and cool, overcast, with a cool breeze. Wow! What a gift!


- Posted by Carlee, using my iPad

Happy 40th Birthday!

Eddy turns 40 this week, so we threw him a party!  We had sooooo much fun celebrating him.  At the party, I scattered 40 fun facts about Eddy throughout the field.  Everyone enjoyed reading some amazing facts about this amazing man.  It was truly a special and unforgettable night!

Eddy Fun Fact:

#1 

Eddy was born in Missoula, Montana, on June 16th, 1972. 

#2

Eddy’s dad served in  the Air Force which took their family to many states: AK, CA, MT, NB, and CO.

#3

Eddy grew up downhill skiiing, hunting, and fishing.

#4

Eddy killed his first 8 point deer when he was 14 years old.  It was a 300 yard shot at a dead run.

#5

Eddy killed his first elk when he was 14 years old.  It was a 400 yard shot.

#6

#6Eddy’s first taste of chewing tobacco was at age 10 with an older cousin.  He could barely walk and started puking.

#7

At age 11, Eddy used to sit above the freeway in Montana and spit tobacco onto cars passing by.

#8

Eddy has broken 11 bones in his body.

#9

In 1996, Eddy went from weighing 142 lbs. to weighing 195 lbs. in 6 months.  

#10

Eddy toured all over the world as a professional cyclist: Japan, England, France, Luxembourg, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Germany, Holland, and the U.S.

#11 

Eddy did not hit puberty until his Junior year of High School.

#12

Eddy grew 6 inches in 3 months over the summer of his Junior year in High School.

#13

Eddy had a resting heart rate of 29 bpm (beats per minute) during his cross country days at Covenant College. 

#14

Eddy catapulted from a CAT 5 to a CAT 1 in just one season (6 months) of road biking.  

#15

Eddy achieved the 2nd highest score on a VO2 max test in Sacramento, CA, at Max Testa’s lab facility.  He was second only to Lance Armstrong.  

#16

The average professional cyclist has a VO2 max score of 75.  

Lance Armstrong...90

Eddy Hilger...86

#17

Eddy and Carlee took an 8 week honeymoon and spent time in:

St. Lucia, Florida, Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge, Alabama, and Chattanooga.

#18

Eddy was hospitalized at the age of 10 after a motorcycle accident where he received a fractured ankle and a six inch gash.

#19

Eddy was a three sport athlete at Covenant:

soccer, basketball, and cross country.

#20

Eddy was a national contender at the NAIA Div. I collegiate level in cross country and soccer. He was also a captain on both teams.

#21

Eddy was an Interdisciplinary Major at Covenant College...

Biology, Bible and Physical Education.

#22

Eddy studied so much his Senior year in college that his desk chair had a permanent imprint of his butt cheeks.  

#23

Eddy married Carlee Jo Bevis in 1998.  He proposed to her by washing her feet.

#24

Eddy forgot to get the marriage license for their wedding.  They were married illegally at LMPC on June 13th.  They were married legally, two days later, by the Justice of the Peace, 

Ed Gomez, at the court house. 

#25

Eddy and Carlee’s entire honeymoom to St. Lucia was mysteriously paid by someone.  We still don’t know who.

#26

Eddy used to drink an entire 6-pack of 7-up, then lie to his mom about drinking them.  He would stated confidently that he had not touched them!

#27

Eddy broke his hip in his last season as a professional cyclist.  It was a crash in the Claridon Cup, held in Pennsylvania. 

#28

Eddy’s favorite food is 

Filet Mignon.

#29

Eddy said he would never adopt.  He now has a son in Haiti.  

#30

Eddy answered the door naked (with only a guitar covering him) during preview weekend at Covenant College.  

It was a girl at the door. 

#31

Eddy was 5’1” tall in 9th grade.

#32

Eddy weighed 105 lbs. in 9th grade.   

#33

Eddy was the only white kid to make the AAU basketball team for the state of Colorado.  

#34

Eddy would consume 6000-8000 calories per day during his peak training as a cyclist. 

#35

Eddy’s fastest time for a 5 mile cross country race in college was 25min 26sec.

#36

Eddy held his first job at the age of 12, carrying a paper route through the snow of Colorado.

#37

Eddy stuffed 21 large marshmallows in his cheeks to win the championship “chubby bunny” game in high school.

#38

Eddy received the Student Athlete Award for Covenant College as a Senior.  

#39

Eddy’s favorite movie is 

THE BOURNE IDENTITY

#40

Eddy is the best husband and father that any woman could ask for...

AND THAT’S A FACT!

The soccer clubhouse turned into a sports bar.

Each balloon scattered around the field had a "fun fact" about Eddy.  40 of 'em.  

Jerseys and pictures of Eddy slathered the walls of the makeshift sports bar.  

Trying my hand at some cornhole.

Giving my "I respect this man more than anyone in the world" speech.

Lighting the candles.

Blowing 'em out.

Though this was an adult only party,
the kids got to come for the lighting of the cake and the singing of Happy Birthday to daddy.

What an amazing night!  A night we will never forget.  

I am a blessed woman to get the privilege of being married to Edwin David Hilger!  

Rosemary Beach

annual beach trip is always a blast!  What a great time to get away as a family, especially after a hectic end of the school year.  I am so thankful for a husband who makes these a priority for us.  Rosemary Beach has become our favorite spot.  Even though it feels like we are missing someone in these pictures (cuz we are), we got some great ones of the kids.

Speaking of that special someone that is missing from our family pictures, I get to go see our little Kervens in 5 days!  Daddy is staying back with the kids.  I can't wait to see Kervens again after four months of being away. Each time I go, he changes so much.  His birthday was last month, so we will celebrate him with presents and cake (even though they do that at the orphanage).  And a really special part of this trip is that my sister and two nieces will be joining me!  They get to meet Kervens for the first time, and I am so excited!