Last night we had the pleasure of getting together with several other families adopting from Haiti for a beach bonfire. It’s always so fun to hang out with other adoptive parents. For one, it’s nice to just get together and chat with people who know all the dirty details about the Haitian adoption process. We mulled over the changes in IBESER, the Gassant firing, the 1974 law, the mess in Parquet, the timing of MOI, how passports are printed, when to file the I600 . . . Confused?? Exactly why it’s nice to have some folks to share in the insanity of it all.
But I also love these gatherings because it is so neat to meet other families who are passionate about adoption, with children who resemble mine, and see them all play together. When we first arrived, we met Debbie and her husband, who are in the process to adopt a 16-year-old girl. We saw Angela with her three new Haitian children, who just came home this summer! Seeing her newly enlarged family gives me hope that our own adoption will happen. As soon as we arrived, Angela’s 16-year-old started holding India, and her son Jude started playing with Jafta. Her 4-year-old daughter crawled right up into my lap. Despite the fact that these kids are just learning English, they immediately took to my family, and it was a lovely picture. Then our friends Alida and her family came, who are hoping to start the process of foster adoption. Her oldest boys hit it off with Jafta, too. They were running around the beach pretending to spar with light sabers in no time! Finally Donica and Paul came, who we have so much in common with. They have two kids similiar ages to ours, and are also adopting a little boy from Haiti who will be the same age as their bio daughter. So we are both creating “virtual twins”. It was fun to talk about how life will change once we can bring our kids home.
I really appreciate the relationships I have with these families, and they are a support to me, even when we just sit around a bonfire singing worship songs. Their presence gives me strength.
And who said meeting people online was a bad thing??? 🙂
********the photo above was taken on our last trip to Haiti *************
I need to check and see if there are any Haiti adoptive families around Houston.
I have actually been thinking about this.
It was so much fun to hang out with you guys too! we’ll have to do it again soon- maybe San Onofre… I love your kids, they are so adorable- Jetta LOVED Jafta and was talking about him the next day. Despite my “balboa” location mix up, Im so glad we made the hike up there…
ps.my sandles definitley got stolen- so bummed 🙁
That picture is so precious–I have tears in my eyes right now!! Between the pregnancy and looking at Keenan with Jafta and India–my heart is so full of love for your family!! I’m so glad you have met friends who also share this heart for adoption. How fun for you all!!