Two years ago today

Two years ago today, our youngest two boys came home to us forever from Haiti.  Madison and Thomas went with us on our pick up trip.  It is incredibly hard to believe that Richnigthder and Jerome have been with us so long.  In a lot of ways, it feels like they have always been with us, and in other ways, I still judge time as before they were home, and after they were home. 

They have grown unbelievably in every aspect of life.  They are wonderful, delightful boys and we are enormously grateful that we get to be their parents.  Two years ago today, I was bursting with joy and anticipation of knowing that when I left Haiti, I was taking them with me...forever.  Throughout the 27 month long adoption journey, there were many days I doubted that the journey would ever end.  I worried endlessly that they would be stuck in Haiti and never, ever come home.  I cried buckets and made Marc's life a living nightmare.  He always assured me that the day would come when they would be sitting on the plane in a seat next to us and we would cry happy tears.  He was right.
                                            

                                            Meeting the boys for the first time: Dec. 2007

                                         

                                            Our pick up trip: April 29th, 2009
                                             4 of the kids are mine, and Wilkenson was a creche buddy

On April 30th, 2009 we cleared Immigration at Miami International Airport and saw their Haitian passports stamped with the entry date and notation of entering on an IR-3 Visa.  That was the official end of the journey for us.  Their feet were on U.S. soil and they were officially United States citizens.  They were home forever!