Mike and I just got back on Tuesday evening from our first trip to Haiti to visit our precious children. We were there from Friday afternoon to Tuesday. It was so amazing to meet them for the first time. It is just so surreal to have seen their pictures so many times and then to be there face to face with them. I have to say, my love for them has grown so much deeper now that I have held them in my arms and spent 4 wonderful days with them.
So, about the trip. We arrived on Friday afternoon and got off the plane onto the runway. We then entered the airport, had to go through customs, and then off to get the luggage we checked. Then some people had to go through the tots we had brought for the orphanage to make sure we did not have anything in there that we weren't supposed to. Once we got out of the airport, there were lots of people wanting to help us carry our bags in order to get a tip. We located our driver, Dennis, and he helped us to the car and told the people we did not need help. From there we went to the orphanage to pick up the kids. We first went to the baby house and got Wadner. At first he was very shy and reserved, but he did let Michael pick him up and then he put his arms around Michael's neck. Once we were back in Dennis car, we gave Wadner a toy, which he was happy to hold. We then went to get Mia and the other kids of the family's that we had come with. Mia went right to me and put her arms around me. She was smiling and happy.
We then went to the hotel and checked in. Once in the room we let the kids go through all of the toys we had brought for them. It was then time to eat. The kids did very well at the dinner table.
On Saturday we just hung out at the hotel and went swimming in the pool. Wadner was a little scared of the pool the first day, but warmed up to it by the second day. Mia on the other hand loved the pool. She sat on a raft while I held her and was having a great time. By this time, both kids had really warmed up to us and we were having a great time being their mom and dad.
We did much of the same thing on Sunday. We played in the pool, played with the toys we had brought with the kids in the room, let Wadner watch TV and play with the remote (his favorite thing to do!).
On Monday we went with the other families to the beach. There was also a pool there with a kiddle pool, which is what Mia liked. Mia and I played in the kiddie pool and Michael took Wadner down to the beach. They found a canoe and Wadner liked being in there!!
Tuesday was the hard day. Leaving my kids was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Both kids cried, which I was not expecting. We had Dennis, who speaks both English and Creole, tell Wadner we will be back. When we went to leave, Wadner ran after us and they had to pick him up and he was screaming and crying. I was crying so hard after leaving them I was shaking and could not breath. I felt like I was having a heart attack or something. My kids are the best things in the world and I just pray that they are home soon.
