We arrived in Haiti and there was a Caribbean type band playing for us (and I guess the other passengers!!!) as we got off the plane. They were trying to be festive... it was kind of strange. Our driver Frank was waiting for us and we were very happy not to have to drive. It was crazy! Like the bumper cars at Six Flags. After a while you kind of got used to it, but then you would think, "...really? I think that was too close a call..." I remember when I was young, my mom coming home from a trip to South Africa. She said her father was a terrible driver and she kept thinking she was going to die in a car wreck in South Africa and leave her kids without a mother in America. I could relate.
We were able to go to the orphanage that night. Frank just said "Come." So we went with him and pulled up to some large metal gates and he honked. The gates opened to a million (ok, not a million) screaming and cheering kids. Our children were brought forward. They had smiles on their faces and Roodnaud grinned widely and waved to us. Someone opened the van doors and the kids were thrown in with us. After a few instructions about medicine for Ednaisson ((he had a cough), we were off! The other kids waved and cheered as we drove off. At the guest house we had our first dinner together. Spaghetti. Haitian spaghetti. But the kids ate it up. Ednaisson was like a little bird. You brought the fork to his mouth and it opened. If you didn't bring the fork to his mouth he just sat.The kids hardly said anything. By the end of the week that had all changed.
Ednaisson had diarhea along with his cough. It soaked through everything. I started rinsing his clothes in the smelly water. We couldn't drink it, or use it to brush teeth or wash faces. It made everything more difficult. But we were together and getting to know our kids. Roodnaud is very expressive. You can tell what he is thinking all the time. There is no guessing. Roodnarline is more reserved. She waits to see what will happen. Ednaisson loves attention. He has been well cared for and loved by the wonderful nannies at the orphanage. He loves to tease. The kids had brought the photo albums we had sent them, and they knew who everyone was in the pictures. Ednaisson kept wanting his album and every time he got it, he insisted on giving Roodnarline and Roodnaud theirs .In a very short time, it seemed we were a family. I can't explain it, except to say that Heavenly Father was blessing us tremendously. My mom and our other kids said they were praying for us, and I know several of the teachers at school were also praying that all would go well for us. Those prayers were answered in a big way.
We spent Sunday together and were to go to the American Embassy for our appointment Monday morning. We had been told to be ready at 8:00. I woke to find the housekeeper/cook Cheri up in arms. It was 8:00 and we were all still in bed. The time on Lawaun's iPhone was wrong. I couldn't tell what Cheri was saying but it was clear she was disgusted with us. We threw on our clothes and grabbed the kids. She insisted that we take the baguettes and juice she had made for breakfast with us. We had a long bumpy swervy ride to the embassy and Ednaisson threw up. A lot. He and I were covered in vomit. But we used the diaper wipes we had brought and cleaned up the best we could. We had two interviews in the Embassy and got paper work going for immigration.
The woman in charge of the orphanage (Margarete) told us to take Ednaisson back to there so the nurse could observe him. We were sad, but relieved. All his clothes were soiled, he seemed listless at times and we were worried. Lawaun felt sure he needed antibiotics. We took him back. While we were there we played with the other kids. The children are friendly, curious, and fun loving. We enjoyed spending time with them. Roodnarline was sad when we left Ednaisson. She was worried about him.
The next day we went to a local court and signed for the kids. The court official asked if we liked kids and then laughed. We had just told him about the first four we had in America, and now we were getting three more... The court was dark, small and crowded. We were the only Caucasians there and received lots of curious stares. But everyone was nice and polite to us.
The next day was the parquet court. We had been told it would be a long wait in the heat and that it would be hard on the kids. Margarete's assistant told us Ednaisson would have to be there and we were worried, but Margarete said no, he did not have to be there. In the end he was not there, we waited in the air-conditioned car, the other couples we met there who were also adopting did not even bring their kids, and we did not even meet the judge. We saw our lawyer trying to talk to him in the hall, she took our passports to him and we were done. Quite painless!
The other couples were adopting from an orphanage called something like "God's Little Ones." One couple was from Canada, one from Indiana, and one from California. It was interesting to share their stories. They had all had an overnight layover in Miami and said the airport was very cold. I hope we don't have to do that when we go back!
