6 years ago today, we were driving to Atlanta to get on a plane to fly to Guatemala. I'm not sure I can actually write exactly how I was feeling that day. Let me think... nervous, thrilled, ecstatic, terrified... that about sums it up. I was going to be given the desire of my heart.... the child we had been waiting and praying for all of those 5 1/2 long years. Questions came to my mind... would I be a good mom? Would I know what to do if something was wrong? What if she cried and I didn't know what to do? What would be like to be in another country so far away from our family?
When we arrived at the airport, we noticed another couple and saw that they seemed a little nervous too. Our adoption agency, Christian World Adoption, had told us that a couple from NC was also going to Guatemala on the same day... could that be them? We introduced ourselves, and it was them. Not only did God allow us to meet the Turners, but He has allowed our friendship to continue over the last 6 years.
We got to the airport about 11:00 pm Guatemala time. After figuring out where we were going, we got to the hotel about 12:00 am. We had been told that we wouldn't need a Spanish/English dictionary because "everyone spoke English". What a joke... the only person who spoke Engish was the guy at the front counter. We couldn't drink anything with ice, brush our teeth with the water or even let the water run in our mouths from the shower. You should have seen Randy trying to ask if the Sprite was in a bottle... :)
The night flew by, and it was time for Makenna's foster mother and the lawyer's assistants to come with Makenna. We were told to wait in the lobby. That was the longest 15 minutes of my life. Then, we saw her... a doll in an outfit that my mom sent her. Her foster mother had thought so much of us when she put it on her. She had fixed her hair in a tiny pony tail on the side of her head. We were mesmerized...
After asking a few questions and getting a list of Makenna's likes/dislikes, we took a few pictures, gave lots of hugs and thanks, and they were gone. It was amazing and scary at the same time. All of the questions came back to me... everything was great until she started crying. I didn't think to check her diaper. I just started to cry too. Randy said, "Okay Andrea... she probably has a wet or dirty diaper. You have GOT to get it together!" I look back and laugh, but at the time, it wasn't funny. :) After a diaper change and a bottle, she was a happy baby again!
There are lots more details, but I will always save them for Makenna to share one day. I just want to document this weekend and remember back. God has been so good to us. He answered our prayers in a way we never imagined. I'm forever thankful!
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