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

13 years.

13 years...Happy Anniversary to the most amazing man!

13 years...of rollercoaster riding with lots of incredible adventures and memories

 I have loved every second.

Love you.

Summer holidays!!!

More moemories were made this summer on our adventure to Norther Saskatchewan!! 

It was a super fun week and we had a blast as a family...

sunset over the lake

beaches are good wherever you are!!

relaxing and reading at the campsite

sisters!!!

meals over the fire! The best!

our campsite!
A big thanks to friends who loaned as the screen tent-
we will definitely be investing in one of these!

cooking breakfast on our THREE burner campstove!!

surfer girl

beach beauty

hiking Boundary bog!

my hiker! He absolutely loves it...may be the first to do Ruby falls with dad at Waterton!

was a trooper. Walked almost all 2km!

our very own zipline! 

how heavy are those antlers??

dress up!

loving vacation!

almost ALWAYS in the water!!!

brothers!

our very own mermaid

sand sculptures!

another beautiful day at the lake

hiking the tower!

looking down!

our reliable van, packed to the hilt!

another year with AMAZING memories made!

candy from the candy store...that we visited almost every day!

helping...cleaning the campsite!

on our way home..like I said, packed to the hilt but oh so much FUN!!!

IT was the highlight of our summer...it always is. Family vacation is always incredible with good memories made and relationships that grow stronger! 

Blessings,

Candra

Part 3...The Referral

For Parts 1 & 2 of the story, go here

Wednesday evening I left for Regina for a course for work. Funny enough, or great timing, the course was on "the neurological basis of attachment in children". I was super excited to take the course as I am privileged enough to work with children in my job and this was extremely relevant to my job as a physical therapist. So Thursday morning, the course started bright and early and I was super excited. Around 11:00 that morning the facilitator for the course gave me a note to call home as soon as possible. My heart immediately jumped to my throat as my grandma had been quite sick and recently in hospital. I thought something happened to her. So I was worried as I picked up the phone and dialed. My husband answered and I said hello and then he said hi. And then there was a pause and quietly he said something. I couldnt quite hear so I said "pardon me?"

" we have a son"

And time stood still. 

Only for a moment. And then my arms started flapping wildly and my feet jumping up and down. Not all on my own volition may I add! I calmed down enough to hear that he had received a call from our social worker that morning that we had a referral. He was about 9 months old and beautiful. My husband told me to try and find a computer so that I could read a little and see PICTURES! So I frantically ran around this rehab facility and found a computer that would let me on and print. I found one and he was gorgeous. 
By this time my colleagues were getting a little worried and it was lunch so I went back to the room where the course was. One of my colleagues (who amazingly and not coincidentally is a mom who has adopted herself) asked if everything is ok and I replied that we just received a referral for our son! I received a huge hug and lots of congratulations...
So through all this I am in another city from the rest of my family. I was blessed to be able to concentrate the rest of the day on the course & keep glancing and the pictures I had just printed off of my son! That evening, with both my husband and I on the phone and the kids on speaker phone, we gave them each a picture of their brother and told them that he was about to join our family. My husband took pictures of their response and I have never seen bigger smiles! As an aside, my little princess slept with that picture each and every night until he came home...so so sweet. So I still had 2 days of the course left, which was great but I could not wait to get home! Saturday night I returned home to a house full of people(mom & dad and my sisters and families we there) as the next day we were celebrating my husband's and little princess' birthdays (born on the same day 30 years apart). I walked right into my best friend's arms ( my amazing husband) and was overwhelmed and thankful that we got to be parents for the fourth time! The next morning, we signed the papers to officially accept the referral - what a great birthday present! And that was how we welcomed our precious fourth child into our growing family...

Many people ask us how long it took us? Suffice to say that it was a very short time between when we started the process and received the referral. It doesn't make sense practically, as the process often takes longer, but God knew what He was doing. His timing is always perfect and there are so many things in our experience that can only be attributed to His work in little man's life and in the life of our family!

Coming up next - Part 4...travel and in person! 

Blessings,
Candra

Hello to some African friends!!

We love you and think of you all often....



 " Hi Shayne, Hi Robyn, Hi Melanie, Hi Wendy. I love you"
    - little man

Blessings,

Candra

A sneak peek!

We just returned home from a weeklong camping trip...and yes, we tented! I have had many people be quite surprised that we tented it but that is what we are used to and the kids did A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. And...I got to cook with our new 3 burner campstove - it was awesome! We had gorgeous weather in Prince Albert National Park and had a blast. Our only complaint is that is was too short! I will write more in the next day or so but here are a few pics of us on the beach!

hands in the sand

we can actually sit and relax momentarily!!!

camping!!!

Blessings,

Candra