Tuesday,
August 14, 2012
This is it - The last “night” in China. Seems like we
waited SO LONG to get here (oh wait, we DID…have I
mentioned that before?) and it was over in a blink of an
eye. We are ready to come home. We are ready to see our
boy. We are ready for clean clothes, milk, fresh fruits,
and hair straighteners that plug in (me, not Jim). We are
ready to be able to read the signs around us. And….we are
out of money so……
There are definitely parts of this trip I will miss. Just
as with Kazakhstan, I have enjoyed learning about the
history of China and seeing some of the sights and places.
Some of these places will forever be etched in my mind. I
will miss not having to worry about cooking or cleaning
and being able to focus on EmmeClaire. But most of all I
will miss the great people that we have met in our group.
We have been very fortunate to have a group that really
had fun together. I remember when it dawned on me with
Adam that the 2 families we were with in Kazakhstan were
the first people to “meet” our son. These families in our
group were the first to “meet” EmmeClaire – one family
from the day she was handed over to us. We can all attest
for how much – even in a week – our kids have changed. (EmmeClaire
being dubbed one of the nonstop eaters….that’s my girl!)
There is something to be said for having gone through this
process together. We arrived – though delayed – as
strangers but are leaving with memories in common that we
can share with our children for a lifetime.
This road to EmmeClaire has been anything but easy. It
started in August of 2006 long before EmmeClaire was born.
It was NOT a straight path. We have signed, resigned,
fingerprinted, refingerprinted many MANY times. In the
meantime we had to continue living our lives, though part
of us were always “waiting,” marking one more holiday, one
more year. It is somewhat strange to NOT be “waiting”
anymore. This is NOT a journey without emotions. For those
who have waited can attest to, at times it seems like it
will never happen- or never happen as fast as it should.
You question WHY it has to be this way, this long, this
process, this hard, etc. NOW I can finally say, I know
WHY…Adam and EmmeClaire. I can say for sure there was a
reason we waited as long as we did for our girl. OUR girl
was not ready. There is a reason our path led us to
Kazakhstan first. And come Wednesday evening we will
finally have both our children together and that makes it
all worth it.
I will be forever grateful for the support and
consideration we have been shown over the last few years
as we traveled to both Kazakhstan and China. So many
people took an interest in the process, wanting to
understand it all, showing how much the care(d) for both
of our children. It has really meant a lot more than I am
sure many of these people ever realized.
And to Adam’s caretakers for the last 15 days…thank you.
We did not even get a chance to ask before Aunt Jill
offered to take him for the 15 days….not sure she knew
what they were getting into J I knew he would be happy
with Beans, err with his aunt and uncle, and he has
been….maybe too happy – He may try to get us to leave
again for a few weeks. This whole trip has been much
easier, though we miss him so much, knowing that he is
safe, happy, and with people that know him, and all his
silliness, and love him. There is no way he could have
gone through this trip without some major breakdowns (him
and us) if he had been here with us…plus there are not
many chicken nuggets on the menus here so I am not sure
what he would have eaten.
I can not imagine at this point NOT thanking the two most
important people that made sure China Doll finally came
home: my mom and Jim. Without these two, sometimes working
together, I know I would not have made it to this point.
They never let me give up on bringing home both my
children. They supported unconditionally, even when I know
at times I was a tad irrational (shocking, I know). They
listened and let me talk (or yell at times) through some
of the hurdles, upset, and frustrations that came along
with this process. I am sure they were tired of the same
conversations over and over but still were willing to have
them because they knew I needed that.
We are very fortunate to have been entrusted with these
two special children, both unique, both with a special
story. And now I can say without a doubt, they were BOTH
worth the wait, the frustrations, the tears, the
paperwork, the hurdles – all of it - and we could not love
them any more than we do.
“I held you tightly, kissed you softly and cried.
The tears were for your Chinese mother, who could not keep
you.
I wanted her to know that we would always remember her.
And I hoped somehow she knew you were safe and happy in
the world.”
-I Love You Like Crazy Cakes by Rose Lewis
Adam: We are coming home! XOXO, Mom, Dad, and
EmmeClaire
|
Catching up on my reading while
waiting at Pizza Hut
Average mid-day walk
Look closely.
What are the kids using to feed the fish?
Kicking back at Starbucks after hard day of shopping
Spices anyone?
Please add bubble wrap to my suitcase
Yeah, I am sporting shades because
I am THAT important! |
