part 4...travel & joy!!

If you want to check out the previous 3 installments of our adoption journey, check out the adoption tab at the top of the page!

So we had about three weeks between the time we accepted the referral and when we had to be in little man's birth country. Needless to say it was a excited and crazy whirlwind. I have to say,a everything LITERALLY fell into place. Our families, who were behind us from day 1, stepped up and a plan was almost immediately in place to take care of our three older children. At work, about 2 weeks before a coworker had asked for an adoption leave as she had just received a referral! So my manager knew exactly what paperwork need to be filled out and how to go about getting everything done. I was able to transfer my caseload fairly smoothly and all the families I worked with were fairly supportive. And the most amazing part- my husband had just started, about 2 months before, a 6 month sabbatical from his job. he had always had a sense that we would bring our child home during this time but I was doubtful...I was definitely proved wrong! As an aside, the time we had as a family, once little man came home was a gift- both parents off, summer holidays right around the corner for the 2 older kids and little princess in love with her brother- it truly bonded us a a family of 6.
Anyways, with suitcases packed we said goodbye to our kids... Which was so so hard. Thank goodness for Skype! Our flights were uneventful and we arrived on time in little man's birth country. We were driven to our amazing bed and breakfast that we would call home for the next 3 weeks! The host was amazing and she holds a very special place in our hearts! We wish we weren't so far away....Anyways, we unloaded and then went with her and another adoptive family to grab an authentic cuisine based supper. So good and a great first experience. 11 hours later, after jet lag, some sleep (for me more than my husband) we were in a car with an amazing woman ( our social worker) off to the baby home where little man was. We were able to see a lot of the countryside and soak in a bit of the culture. We had a great conversation on the way and heard more about little man and the wonderful people who were taking care of him. Just after lunch we pulled into the yard. We followed our social worker in and met the director of the babyhome. 
looking back, this moment was so special and surreal. Knowing how much our son was loved and what a delight he was to those who knew him was such great experience. And knowing that each and every one of us had been and continues to pray for him is something that is is beyond incredible! 
So very quickly we were invited into the kitchen area, when around the corner one of the caregivers came carrying him in their arms!! To finally meet him was a moment like none other...
He was more precious in person, smiley and was quite content to be in our arms ( I must admit that he was partial to daddy's arms those first few days!). We played with him, learned as much about him as we could, took lots of pictures, met everybody there that cared for him and just hung out for about 3 hours. And then it was time to leave.
I had a hard time as I grieved for those that he was leaving. The people that had invested in his life, who had soothed him, gave him hugs and kisses and for the other little ones that had been  his playmates. And yet, this moment int time was to set his and our lives on a trajectory far greater! We were able to welcome another son into our family and he became a part of our family! "God sets the lonely in families...." 

Blessings,
Candra