seven

this is one of those nights i soooo wish i had blogged years earlier than i started.  i wish i'd known to try.  i wish i could go back and relive the moments in sharper focus.  i blogged a bit about it last year, but not with the same details.  i decided they needed to be written.
this is a significant anniversary for our family.  this day.  and the next.  seven years ago Jeff and i were settling into a Miami hotel, with butterflies of anticipation (me, not Jeff~ which i know you know by now! :)) and emotion at the thought of stepping onto Haitian soil, the birth country of our son we were soon to meet.  wow, even now that brings back so many of the feelings that filled my mind during that time.  what had seemed like the longest two years ever had finally come to the homestretch.  the adoption journey was almost complete.  we were just a few short hours away from Hudson now, trying to sleep, with ocean waters separating us from this boy we'd fallen in love with from afar.  each month (while we waited to travel) we'd watched him grow up a little bit more, getting cuter and more expressive and healthier looking with each update.  the orphanage updates had gone from delightful and wonderful to somewhat painful as each month passed by.  we ached to have him home.  to take our own pictures of him.  to see his smile light up our family photos.  then finally, there was word.  the email from LaDawn (love this girl!) at GLA had the most amazing subject line~ "PACK YOUR BAGS!!!"  pack we had, and there we were now part way there, loaded with donations and baby items for our new son. 
waking the next day, September 11th, 2006 had its own range of emotions.  especially flying from a US airport where  9/11 remained at the forefront of so many American's thoughts.  we boarded our flight and made the final trek to Port au Prince.  Haiti was breathtaking and devastating, all at the same time.  truly a paradox of both, and i struggled to take it all in.  we slowly made our way up the mountain towards the orphanage, but not without incident.  first, the dilemma with the armed security guard appointed to safely get us from point A to B.  it didn't exactly go as planned, and there was legitimate concern outside of the airport about whether this buff, firearm-carrying Haitian was the right guy, or some impostor who spotted the "deer in the headlights" foreigners and wanted to snatch us for ransom.  shortly into the commute our fears were allayed when conversation with another occupant revealed he had been hired by GLA to get us safely to Hudson.  shortly after we had car trouble and had to wait for another vehicle to pick us up, all while still within the "less secure" part of PaP.  it made for a good story once safely back in Canada, but it was mildly stressful at the time. 
but then, the moment we pulled up to the mint green gates of God's Littlest Angels, the months of waiting and wondering and wishing and dreaming~ well, it all went away as i soaked in the moment and was fully present, fully aware of how precious this sweet experience was.  thankfully, even seven years later it remains clear in my mind.  i'm grateful for that.  Jeff and i got inside the compound and attempted to unload our luggage from the back of the SUV.  the GLA staff met us outside and said "no, no...let us do that...you go and meet your son."  wow....we stepped inside and there was this perfectly scrumptious baby, 19 months old but still quite small, sitting with LaDawn in pale green overalls over top of a cream t-shirt.  she said in Creole (Kreyol) something like"go see your mama and papa".  he toddled over and i scooped him up.  he was serious and subdued (imagine! :)) yet willing and sweet.  on LaDawn's recommendation Hudson even puckered up and kissed my cheek.  tears were flowing.  he looked at us like we were odd.  we settled into our simple room there at the orphanage and started the fun process of getting to know this beautiful child.  first bottle, first snuggle in the rocking chair, first prayers, first bath, first (of many) diaper change, etc...Hudson was sick at the time with a rattle in his chest and a fever.  it was a joy to give him lots of tender care and develop trust in those first days.  he was quick to attach and slowly let glimpses of his personality be revealed.  he was spunky and smiley and much like we know him to be today. 
fast forward seven years and it feels so good to look back.  it is important to remember where he came from, obstacles he's had to overcome, parts of him that are forever shaped by those earliest days. 
adopting Hudson was the start of something so transformation in my own personal life.  it was the discovery of a God-given passion for adoption and orphan care.  it was a journey that stretched my faith and sharpened my desire to give more of myself to those that simply need someone to care. 
i'm so happy to be Hudson's mom.  it is not always easy, let's be clear :), but seeing this child of mine hitting a ball during a baseball game, or playing with his little brother, or digging into a full plate of food i've prepared, well~ it is a beautiful thing.  i'm abundantly blessed our lives intersected.  i'm thankful beyond words.  can't wait to see how God will use this boy of big personality and intense emotions.  whatever his future holds, we'll walk it with him.  thankful for his adoption.