She's Mine!!!

Guatemala City, Guatemala


Photo session with Tuki

One year ago I was at the Marriott in Guatemala. I woke early, showered, set up formula and diaper stations, then went down for breakfast. By 10:00 am I was waiting in the lobby looking for the foster mom and Owl. They arrived around 11:00 am. We sat and talked for at least an hour or more about Tuki, her schedule, we exchanged gifts and addresses. We also made plans for them to come back on Sunday for their last good-byes. That was two days away.

Once they left I went back upstairs and we settled in, and then went to the baby room and visited with other adoptive parents. I could tell Owl was nervous around me, but then I sang her the song I had made up and sang to her constantly on our visit trip in February. She smiled instantly with this HUGE smile. I could tell we connected. My brother was scheduled to arrive around 1:00pm, and then I was to meet with our facilitator to make sure our papers were in order and to talk about the embassy appointment scheduled for the next day. My brother's plane had many difficulties and so I met with the facilitator alone. It went smoothly and Owl was just as easy going then as she still is. Finally my brother's plane had landed and he arrived I believe around 5:00pm. He met Owl for the first time and then we had supper, talked and returned to the room.

Owl was a little cranky, didn't sleep or nap well that first day and she wanted to be held the whole time, and yet I expected this because she acted that same way the first day of our visit trip. Just like on the visit trip, we co-slept. We had to get to bed early because our Embassy appointment was early and our facilitator was picking us up at 5:30 am. Yet, another schedule change for Tuki.

So now you have the facts, but how did I feel. OVERWHELMED. Yes, I was excited, and very happy I was picking her up instead of visiting. But I still knew that this was it..there was no turning back. I was now a mother and I was solely responsible for this little girl for the rest of my life. It felt heavy for many months. My life drastically changed. definitely for the better, but on that first day, it just felt HEAVY!!!!!!!!!!!! I had very little experience with babies up until that point. Until the visit trip I could have counted on both hands (if I exaggerated) how many diapers I has changed in my total life.

So how did we celebrate today.. Well we had a normal first part of the day, I went to work and Owl went to day care. But then afterwards we took a 1-1/2 mile walk to a play ground that was just built last year, she wanted to swing...and swing...and swing..and swing..it would have kept going for over an hour if I had let her. She loves the swing. Just like her Mom. I still swing whenever I get a chance. We then walked back home, took care of the dogs and had a big supper, bath and then off to bed. I finished the evening with finishing mowing the other half of the lawn. Who thinks I will be dead tired tomorrow??? Yeah, so do I.