Something I Forgot About My Trip

I can't believe I forgot to put the most important thing about my trip to Haiti. On this trip Wadner called me Mama for the first time!!!! He actually called me Mama a few times. Let me me tell you, those are the sweetest words you will ever hear. It almost brought tears to my eyes. I could not believe how happy inside it made me when he said that to me. I have wanted to be a mom for the past 3 years and when he said those words, it was more than I could have ever asked for. It was absolutely incredible!!!

Second Trip to Haiti

I got back just over 1 week ago from my second amazing trip to Haiti to see my precious kids. I would have written about my trip sooner, but I have been pretty sick since I returned.

Mike did not go with me on this trip, to save some money and because he did not have vacation time to take, however, my mom came with me to see her first grandchildren. It was so neat to get to experience a trip to see my children with my mom. It it something her and I will always share and I think it will mean a lot to Wadner and Mia that their grandmother went to visit them in the country they were born in.

This trip there was a lot of adoptive parents that went with us too. We stayed in the same hotel, Hotel Kinam, and it was nice and again, the staff members were very nice to us and the children. I felt so bad for my Mia during the whole trip because her eczema is so bad, she was just itching and uncomfortable the whole time. I just can't believe how good she was considering she is 2 and in so much discomfort. We had medicine for her and by the end of the trip, she looked much better.

Our plane was late and we got to the Big Kid orphanage just as it was getting dark, to pick up Mia and the rest of the kids (except Wadner because he is at the baby house). Mia was tired and she came right to me and fell fast asleep in my arms. Jamie was there (the woman from the states that lives in Haiti) and she went to pick up Wadner since we needed to be getting to the hotel. She was not gone long and I looked up and there was my boy!!! He was a little shy, but I could tell he knew who I was. We went back to the hotel and I showed Wadner some pictures from our last trip and right away he got a huge grin on his face. We ate dinner and then spent some time with the kids before we went to bed. I believe my mom fell in love with the kids the minute she met them!!!


Our first full day there was Thursday, 9/13/07. We went to the orphanage that day to spend some time with the other kids. Poor Wadner, he would not let me put him down for the first few hours we were there and I think it was because he was afraid I was leaving. Even when he finally let me put him down, he would not leave my side. It just broke my heart because I knew in just a few short days I would have to leave my little boy. Later in the day we took the kids to the pool. Thanks goodness for my mom being there. I don't know how I would have held both kids in the pool by myself :)

The next day, Friday, a few of the families had to go and file some paperwork, so my mom and I stayed behind and took the kids to the pool again. I just can't get over how much my princess loves the pool! Mia is definitely a water baby.





On Saturday all the adoptive families including my mom and me took the kids to a missionary that also had a small zoo. They had a slide there and the kids (except Mia) got to go down a slide for the very first time. It was so great to see Wadner have so much fun. The kids all loved the animals in the zoo. I can't wait until Wadner and Mia are home and I can take them to a real, big zoo. They will love all of the animals!

Sunday was the worst day because we had to leave. I started crying from the moment I got up, just thinking about leaving. We had seen Jamie on Saturday night for dinner and we had her explain to Wadner in Creole that I would have to leave the next day, but I would be back. I felt better that he was a little prepared, but I could tell it had made him sad. We went to the Big Kid house first and all of the other families got out of the van and stayed to start saying good-bye. My mom and I took Mia and Wadner to go and drop Wadner off at the Baby House. The minute we stepped out of the van Wadner started crying. This of course just made me cry even more than I already was. I had our driver again tell Wadner I would be back and I loved him very much. I hugged Wadner and told him in English how much I love him and I just could not let him go. Finally, after a few minutes, I knew it was time to let go. I brought him over to the nanny and she had to pick him up because he would not let me go. He started screaming and crying trying to get to me. This I have to say, was the worst moment of my life. Leaving your child is the hardest thing anyone can ever ask you to do.

Now it was time to go back to the Big Kid House and drop off Mia. All of the parents were ready to go and I gave Mia to a little girl that my friend is adopting because her and Mia are very close. Mia started crying because she wanted me and I gave her a kiss and had to walk away or else I was not going to leave. I wanted more than anything to just stay in Haiti with my angels until the day they can come home with me for good. As hard as it is to walk away, I would not trade a moment of it, but it still doesn't make it any easier.

I am so glad my mom got to meet my children. It was a wonderful trip and I can't wait until I have Wadner and Mia in my arms again.