Full Circle

Today is August 1st and we are at Ludlow Resort in Minnesota. Last summer we had started talking about adoption. Well…the girls were talking and Jeff was sort of listening. We all agreed to postpone a firm decision until August 1, 2006. In the meantime we would think about it, do some research and most importantly pray. So, last summer around the dinner table at Ludlow, we made a firm commitment to move forward. Exactly a year later, AnnaMaria, Lily and Sharon arrived at Ludlow Resort all the way from Guatemala on July 31, 2007!

It was a LONG day of traveling! We left the Marriott in Guatemala City at 4:00 a.m. After one shuttle bus, two airplanes, lots of waiting and AnnaMaria’s first ride in a car seat, we arrived at Ludlow around 10:00 p.m. We had a great welcome from the Hunsinger clan, Claire & Ollie.

I can’t imagine what AnnaMaria thought of the day. She really made it easy on us. She was SO good! I know it helped a lot that we’ve been together so long. Some babies had only met their families a few days earlier. The drive from the airport was nearly four hours. She did great for the first two hours, but got fussy after that. Jeff trusted me to drive (after not driving for two months!) and got in the back to play with her. She LOVES her daddy! She still wasn’t thrilled with the car seat, but she tolerated it all well. She had a look of resignation on her face like our dogs do when they are kenneled. They don’t like it, but they love us enough to be patient and know they will get to play sometime.

The customs and immigration part of the trip was very easy and didn’t take much time at all. Since we had visited AnnaMaria before, she came home on the type of Visa that made her a US citizen as soon as we stepped off the plane in Houston. Boy…I hope that doesn’t mean she’s a Texan (just kidding).

Being back in the States is curious. Lily and I have noticed strange things. Minnesotans are often very tall and blond, which is a huge contrast to Central America; we can talk to everyone and read all signs; it’s odd to see everyone in shorts. I don’t feel like I’ve come home from a trip as I have in the past. I feel like I’ve left one home for another. I feel confident that Guatemala will feel like home when we return to visit sometime.

During our last week in Guatemala, we had a great support network at the Marriott and met many nice people at the Embassy. But….I’m ready for a break from the constant adoption discussions. At some point it all becomes a blur. I do hope to stay in touch with a few families we met.

I have to share one more coincidence during our adoption journey. We met a family flying from Houston to Minneapolis with a son and red headed twin girls, who were probably 5 years old or so. I mentioned something about Lily to them and the mom said one of her twins was named Lily. Guess what the other twin was named………Claire!

I’m thinking of Shelley (my high school friend), Mark and Aida today. They should be getting their Visa today and flying home tomorrow! What a sweet family!