JUNIOR'S JOURNEY HOME: 2008-06-29

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Grandma Betty, Battery, A Weed and Brother from the Other Mother

WHAT???

Okay, each year at the Fourth of July my sister Tammy comes down from South Dakota with her daughter and her grandchildren. Long story, but let's just say Tammy had an unexpected child late in life and so she has grandchildren nearly the same age as her youngest daughter. Confused... it's okay, most of the time I am too. Anyway, Tammy's oldest daughter Amanda - mother to Aleyia, Haley and Landon came along with all three kids in tow (Landon has come for several years but this is the first trip for Amanda and the girls). Shane is the son of my nephew Travis and he also comes each year as well. So, head count....with Lorea, Akins, Mom and me there are 11 here right now. Now that we have set the stage here's the story.

My youngest great neice Haley has just turned four so real close in age to Akins. Now, imagine you are a four year old who has only met her Great Aunt and Great Grandmother a few times. Then think about an adopted cousin and another lady with a really unusual name like Lorea and who knows where she fits in to this whole picture. Okay, it goes about like this...

Haley to Tammy "Is Grandma Betty going swimming"? (This would be my mom Joyce - who the heck is Betty)

Haley to Amanda "Where's Battery"? (that would be me, Valerie)

Haley to Amanda "Where's my brother"? (speaking of Akins)

Landon "Yeah brother from the "other mother".

Haley to Valerie "Where's A Weed? (I assume Akins - and reply "He's over there riding his bike")

Haley to Valerie "No - A Weed? (okay I'll try again - "Do you mean Lorea? She's in the house"?

Haley - "Oh" (guess I was right, still not quite sure)

Haley to Amanda "Mom where is A Weed"?
Amanda "What? Who"? (Lorea enters the room)
Haley "Oh" and walks away (mystery solved A Weed = Lorea)

This kid is clearly confused!

Karen's Story

Gosh! Where to begin! Karen wants to adopt two children. She has been open to older children and both genders. After not getting a referral for a long time. Karen even applied in Ethiopia and Lesotho thus holding applications in three countries trying to broaden the options. Still no referral. Finally, Karen found Ishamel and asked about him. He is 9 years old and she has fallen in love. Still - Karen waits on a second referral. Still she holds applications in all three countries. The thought of making Ishamel wait while waiting for another referral has Karen in knots so she has made travel plans and is leaving to get Ishamel on August 23, 2007 and will likely have to make another trip for a second child! Karen has been my sounding board throughout these past few months. We got our referrals at about the same time and began holding each other together via telephone. Hang in there Karen!

Patricia's Story

This woman obviously has the patience of Job. She has waited 2 1/2 years for a child often feeling like she has been forgotten about. Finally, she got the referal for little Alomiza. After all this time and a communication failure she thought this child had been returned home. Later, it was confirmed that Alomiza is still at the house. Patricia hopes to bring her home in September but does not have specific plans yet as due to all of the waiting some of the paperwork has expired. We are all holding on to Alomiza coming home before fall!

July 19, 2007 - The Other Kids and Families

Needless to say international adoption is not an esay process. For the kids they often wait and wait. For the parents they often wait and wait! The only thing to keep everyone sane is each other. In the house there were reportedly 29 kids as of May 2007. The kids keep each other sane they play and learn together. The older kids are harder to place and often wait longer. The older kids seem mature and responsible beyond their years and are often seen caring for the smaller children. It seems to be natural and loving. Several familes are adopting more than one child so there are fewer familes. The familes stay sane by staying in contact through yahoo groups on line and the phone. By working together we learn. Without each other the process is maddening, complicated, confusing and very frustrating. There is little information provided and it is very infrequent.

July 26, 2007 - 12 day countdown!

Twelve more days until flight day! I'm starting to get anxious. I think with all of the frustrations and bad information around passports it was hard for me to "trust" that I was really going to bring Junior home. I now have tickets in hand and I'm goin'!

Heather shot off a short email today and while her arrival in Monrovia did not go exactly according to plan she did get to see the kids briefly - and she got to tell them their Mommies loved them and were coming soon - she wrote (VAL - JUNIOR WAS ALL SMILES!) I can not even explain how this made me feel and now I am really ready!

July 27, 2007 - 11 days and I can't sit still!

Unfortunately, no news from Heather today. All of us waiting families were hoping for an update from her and possisbly some photos! The mix up on her travel included not having reservations booked at the hotel where Internet is available so the communication from her is probably going to be limited. With Independance Day celebrations now complete she may be able to get better accomodations. We are all hoping for this anyway!

Yesterday, July 26th was the official Independence Day holiday Liberia was to celebrate its independence anniversary with something of a light show when Monrovia's street lights were to be turned on for the first time in 15 years, officials said on Wednesday.

Here's to PEACE, FREEDOM and DEMOCRACY in Liberia!