After about a 20 minute drive we arrived and as soon as we walked off the bus, one of the family's baby girl's arrived; therefore, their gotcha took place on the steps of the building. It was beautiful but heart wrenching as she threw a fit opposing this new stranger holding her.
One by one, the children arrived and we other families were like the paparazzi taking photos and videos to capture these precious life changing moments. I wish I could have been inside my teenagers' heads, wondering what they were thinking as this all unfolded. After 4 of the kiddos arrived, Esther and another little girl from her orphanage finally arrived.
As soon as she saw me, she began to cry. My heart broke for her as I knew, at her age, she had some realization of what she was facing. I'm sure she has seen several children leave her orphanage and never return. I can only imagine what went through her mind. Not only that, she remembers the last time she saw me that she was taken from her nanny, one of the only "mothers" she has known. Who can blame her for being so upset and nothing I did calmed her.
After maybe fifteen to twenty minutes, maybe more, maybe less - time was really non-existent at the time - she calmed while sitting on my lap and her nanny left the room without Esther noticing. But I noticed and when I saw the nanny look back one more time, I nearly lost it myself but held it together.
We then received notice that Xavier was likely not going to make it before the office closed at noon but that they would seek approval for them to meet up with us at the hotel instead. Thankfully, this was agreed upon; therefore, we departed the office after taking the registration photo with Esther and signing guardianship papers.
On the way back to the hotel, she did become curious as to why the little guy behind us was so upset, This seemed to distract her a bit. By the time we neared the hotel, she was beginning to grin at me. Back at the hotel room, potato chips seemed to sweeten the pot! The little girl we knew before she left last summer had returned!
I'm sure this journey is very confusing to her! She met you- loved you- said good-bye- met you again and probably didn't understand fully if she'd lose you again. I'm sure she was dressed all around! I wish they could tell us their fears- but even if they spoke our language in betting they couldn't process their feelings into words. Izabella told us a few weeks home she thought I was a monster- my green eyes scared her to death! Thankfully, my husband has brown eyes like hers. But, I would have never guessed this way where the tears were coming from. Oh if they could tell us- we could sloth their souls a little. This time is so full of stress and skirts and live and joy- all at once! It is not something any side of this can even ever prepare for! Even if you have done it before! My prayers are with you- as it seems you all are settling into a new norm, in the arms of a families live and guided by the hands of God.
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