November is National Adoption Month. I have spent most of this night reading posts I made on an adoption forum so many years ago when we were bringing Elia home. I logged onto this forum just about every day and the other women adopting from Guatemala provided so much love and support for me during this time. I have copied and pasted many of those posts below. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did!!!
This first post was written by me on November 16, 2003: I just have a minute, but I wanted to let everyone know that we got in last night, and things could not be any better! Elia did wonderful on the planes and throughout the day traveling. When we got to the airport we had 80 people waiting on us. It was so overwhelming, but I think Elia was the calmest one of all. About half the crowd at the airport came back to our house with us to visit with Elia. She loved all of the attention and had so much fun laughing, playing, dancing, and clapping. She was up until 9:30 last night and she slept until 7:30 this morning. We have just been amazed at how well she is adjusting. It is like she knows this is where she belongs. She won't let anyone else hold her yet except for me and DH. However, it will come with time. Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know that we made it home, and everything is wonderful. |
This post was was written by me on December 8, 2003: Elia has been home for 3 weeks now, and things could not be more perfect. She is 13 months old, and she makes us smile all day long! She has adjusted better than we could have ever imagined. She sleeps 10 hours a night, takes 2 naps a day and is an absolute angel. The language has not been a problem at all. She understands nearly everything we say to her, and she has said about 7 words since we have been home. She has the best personality and she is really funny. She copies EVERYTHING I do from coughing to laughing and even to the way I sit. My entire family just sits around and laughs and smiles at her. She is not walking yet, but it won't be too long. I posted a question about needing help introducing our dogs to her because she was terrified of them. Well, the dogs are now her best friends. We took things very slow with them. Elia gives them food from her high chair and tried to give them kisses. Well, I guess I have bragged enough. I just wanted to let everyone know how wonderful things are once you do bring your baby home. I have not forgotten the pain of the rollercoaster ride we were all on, but it sure is a distant memory. One look at Elia reassures me it was all worth it! |
This post was written by my mom on May 28, 2004: (Elia was almost 20 months old)
I wanted to share with all of you the pure joy that will be yours when your angel does come home. I remember this time last year waiting with Jenny and Kevin and hoping and being so sure that Elia would be home by the end of JUne. They were hung up in the Hague mess; received referral in Jan. of 03. As last summer went on and there was no word, we were all discouraged and quite honestly did wonder if she would ever be home. I remember some friends of mine actually suggesting some other routes for them to take to adopt a different child. Needless to say, we all knew that Elia was God's gift to all of us. She did not come home until last Nov. at 13 mo. old. Today she is truly the light of our lives; her smile, those enormous eyes, those arms that reach out when she sees me, the attempt to say, "I love you", every little thing about her is so precious to us. Just this morning she put a piece of typing paper down on the floor to use as a pad, got her Dora doll and a diaper, and looked at me and said , "Dora tted". I could go on and on, but you would never have time to read all the things I could share.
Thanks so much for letting me share about the joys of adoption!!
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