“All really great flying adventures begin at dawn.”
-Stephen Coonts
We woke up at 3am to catch our (first) flight from Birmingham, Alabama to Port-au-Prince, Haiti on Saturday, February 21, 2015, and we watched the sun rise up above the clouds at 40,000 feet. I had thought about what it would be like to meet our son at least a thousand times up until that day, but I never once thought about how beautiful the space between us would be.
What a gift to be able to sit up there IN on our way to him! I will never forget how peaceful that part of the adventure felt. God speaks so clearly through the colors of a sunrise. Makes me emotional just thinking about it.
Kevin’s best friend (and my best friend Suzanne’s hubby), Billy, was so sweet to offer to travel with us for the first few days of our trip. He captured lots and lots of photographs, and even recorded a video of our first time meeting Sweet P.
(Kevin, Sweet P, me and Billy)
We are so grateful he was able to get away for a few days at the last minute, and I’m looking forward to starting a scrapbook and “gotcha day” video with his images and footage. Billy and Suzanne’s kiddos call us “Aunt Layla and Uncle Kevin” so it was such a treat to be able to introduce Sweet P to his “Uncle Billy” on our trip!
(By law, we aren’t allowed to post photos of Sweet P’s face until his last name has been legally changed to Palmer.)
We met up with our contact (Leah) from Three Angels Children’s Relief at the Miami airport, and the four of us boarded our (second) flight to Port-au-Prince around 10am. We landed in Haiti just after noon, and after a very….uh….wild ride (they don’t have traffic lights or signs- aaah!), we finally pulled through the gate at the guest house a little less than an hour later. (I blogged about the guest house last week, but I’ve since added a lot more photos if you’d like to go back and see more.) This next part is a little blurry, but I *think* we all figured out which rooms we were staying in, changed clothes, and then walked over to the Angel House orphanage together. We may have eaten lunch in there somewhere too, but since it’s the day we met our son, I have a hard time remembering much else than that!
This next photo was taken within a couple of minutes of meeting Sweet P:
He and Daddy were already making each other smile, and Mama was tickled listening to them be silly with each other. 🙂
We got to spend 14 days bonding, and we had the best time together…
He loved misting Daddy with his water bottle- ha!
Coloring (he’s a lefty!) was another one of his favorite activities.
I loved it when he wanted to be held by both of us at the same time! 😀
Here are a couple of short videos I posted on Instagram while we were there. His voice makes me smile so big! 😀
He speaks Haitian Creole at the orphanage, French at preschool, and (a little) English when he was with us. It is amazing how quickly he picks things up. Such a little sponge!
We also had two very important appointments while we were on our trip. One was at the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince, and the other was with a Haitian social worker, right there at the orphanage. The Embassy appointment was set for 7am on March 4th. Alix and Christine (from Three Angels) picked us up just after 6am, and we made our way back down the mountain. It was a long and very bumpy/dusty ride, but we made it just in time to stand in line (outside) until 8 o’clock. The street and sidewalk were full of people and vehicles that morning, but here’s a photo I found online that shows the tent we were waiting in line by:
After they called our names, and we went through security, we waited in a huge waiting room for another couple of hours. There was easily over two hundred seats in there, and almost every single one of them had a person on it. We found four open ones at the farthest end of the room, and an embassy officer called us up to window #26 (out of 29) shortly after 10am. She just wanted to verify some things with our paperwork. When we were finished, she told us we could go ahead and sit down. About an hour later, she called us up to window #27 (or was it #28?) and said they “had a little problem”. Our hearts sunk. She went on to explain that the officer who was going to do our interview had to go in to a Visa meeting for the next couple of hours. We were relieved that was the only “problem”, and decided to head back up the mountain to the guest house for lunch.
We drove back down the mountain around 12:30pm, and our interview only took a few minutes once we were called up to the window again that afternoon. Kevin and I stood side by side, opposite the officer who was seated on the other side of the glass. We answered her questions together, under oath, and her cheerful demeanor helped to put our minds at ease. We had waited so many months (22!) to get to that window and complete that step. I told Alix and Christine I felt like crying AND doing a cartwheel on the way back out to the car. 🙂
Our appointment with the Haitian social worker happened the next day, on Thursday the 5th. She and her driver pulled in through the big black gate at the orphanage around 10am.
(Photo by Nikki)
Sweet P, Kevin and I were waiting for her right by the front door because he LOVES to watch the “machines” come in. I feel like I’m probably not supposed to talk too much about the rest of this step of the process yet, but I will tell you that Sweet P greeted her with a “Bonjour, Madame” and a kiss on the cheek (it was ADORABLE!), and that everything went great. It was very apparent that the social worker cares very much about the children she is matching with their forever families, and we are so, so grateful for her kindness and her passionate heart.
We have been interviewed so many times (and by so many people) throughout this process, but that was the last interview.
* e x h a l e *
We flew home on Saturday, March 7th- and although it was extremely hard to leave our Sweet P, we couldn’t have had a better bonding trip and we’re excited to be on this final leg of the journey! And speaking of the journey, a lot of folks have asked me what’s next as far as our timeline goes, so Kevin did a little research on the remaining steps that need to happen before we can bring our kiddo home. Keep in mind, these may not all be exactly right, and there’s no way to know how many days/weeks/months any of them will take:
-Central Authority delivers or rejects authorization for the adoption based on the Haitian social workers evaluation report. (This is where we are right now.)
-Exit IBESR (Haitian Social Services)
-Parquet– About 11 court-related steps involving the Dep. of Justice, Dep. Foreign Affairs, Archive Office, Notary, and Immigration Office.
-Adoption Decree (3) steps– 1st legalization: Parquet Court, 2nd Legalization: Ministry of Justice, 3rd legalization: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
-MAE (Ministère des Affaires Etrangères) Ministry of Foreign Affairs must legalize the signature of the person in the Ministry of Justice.
-Attestation– After court papers are finished, the Act of Adoption must be sent to the National Archives and they declare that the signature on it is legal.
-MOI– Ministry of Interior. All adoption passports must go through the Ministry of the Interior for approval before Immigration will print the passport. (About 15 documents are needed in total)
-Adoption Decree (Sweet P becomes a Palmer!)
-Medical exam of Sweet P by US Embassy approved doctor
-I600 provisional approval
-Passport printing phase: Dossier in Haitian Immigration waiting for the passport to be printed.
-Final I600 App
-US Visa App (3-4 weeks?)
-Exit Letter
-Travel to USA!
We’ve heard that it could be another year before we get to that last step, but since this is a brand new system and we’re one of the first families to go through it, there’s no real way to know exactly how long it will be. We are able to visit Sweet P two more times between now and homecoming day though, so that will give us something to look forward to every few months while we wait.
And speaking of waiting, I’ve also heard from a lot of people who say they would love to adopt from Haiti, but they don’t think they could handle the wait or leaving their child after the two-week socialization trip. If you are one of those people, I’m here to tell you: with God at the helm, you can absolutely do it.
Especially if He’s been whispering to you about it already.
2 years and 4 months in- the weight of this process is undeniably that heaviest thing I have ever felt Called to carry. But we have an incredible Lifting Partner, y’all. And because He is concerned more about how we carry things than how long we carry them, He is always RIGHT there. Sustaining us, encouraging us, and protecting our hearts, every step of the way.
We’re 2 years and 4 months in, and I have held my son. I have memorized the map of his bones. I have absorbed the sound of his voice and the direction of his gaze. I have been captivated by the rhythmic rise and fall of his tiny chest as he sat in my lap and played with whatever was on the table in front of him. I know his joy. It flooded out of him like a thousand sparkling rivers, and it’s still splashing around in my eternally grateful heart.
The wait doesn’t have a thing on the one who is SO worth it.
XO
Layla, lovely verse, and soooooo true! Thank you for sharing your joy. 🙂
Blessings on you, Kevin and sweet P.
Amen! God be praised.
That last paragraph just slays me. Hoping and praying it won’t take a long time to get through all these adoption steps, that you’ll be holding Sweet P and showing his face in photos soon!
I have been checking your blog to get an update on your time in Haiti and wasn’t disappointed. It’s funny how many countries are so similar and different in their adoption processes. We were in China 9 yrs ago in April meeting our youngest child with many of the same thoughts, hopes and fears you were having. How many trips are you doing for your adoption and when do you get to bring him home? I am so excited for you both.
Beautifully put Layla! I love your heart…and I’m so thankful and excited that you get to visit him more in the coming months!! ~Kim
You are a humble servant! Thank you for sharing your story! Praying for your family to be together SOON! Blessings to you all.
Tears of joy are falling down my face for you. I hope the last steps go quickly.
Layla, as I said when we “chatted” last week, my prayers continue to be with the three of you as well as all of the other families involved in this process. I continue to wait, and hope, and CELEBRATE with you as the time and the process move FORWARD! I know that your love for each other and for God will carry you through the final steps of this amazing journey. Thanks for sharing it with us. xoxo
Crying at my desk. So happy for y’all and prayers that the rest of your journey is smooth and swift.
Just Beautiful. Can’t wait to meet that sweet boy. ❤️
Oh so very very happy for you!!! Once again, I have tears in my eyes reading about this chapter of your adoption story. What beautiful little hands Sweet P has, what an amazing trip, what a journey you are on!
I have been waiting (not very patiently) to read the post about your visit with Sweet P.
May God continue to hold you up during this waiting time! My heart just sank, as I was hoping it would be just a few weeks till Sweet P came home with you. But, if you can do this, then I can do it with you! (Ha!). Prayers, grace, mercy, blessings on all of you. May this all be speedily taken care of in GOD’S TIMING and may His grace be ever present upon it. That is one blessed boy–:)
So,so precious!
So sweet! Wishing you many happy days with your little guy. 🙂
“The wait doesn’t have a thing on the one who’s worth it”…So true!! Beautiful words that I will keep in mind as we wait to find our final child through foster/adopt.
As a long time reader of your blog, I can’t tell how much joy it brings me to see that you all have finally met your Sweet P! Thank you for sharing this journey with others. Looking forward to what’s to come for your sweet family.
Love love love. You are such an inspiration!
L & K,
God bless you both. I will pray that your wait for forever comes to an end soon. When I read about your son and the trips, the separation, I can only cry for you. I know that God has you all in the shelter of his hands, but you are both so STRONG. I don’t think I could do bear it the way you do. Hang in there, he will be home soon with you.
This is all so exciting Layla. I am so happy for you and Kevin. You will be the ideal Parents for that sweet little boy. Lefties generally are pretty artistic, he will fit right in.
I think the waiting demonstrates just how much they care for these children’s well being.
I thought I’d add this for those who are doubting themselves….Anything worthwhile is worth waiting for.
Amazing how much joy your heart can hold! Thank you for sharing.
Oh Layla and Kevin, I’m so happy for you!!! There’s a light at the end of the tunnel now. Can’t wait till we get to meet Sweet P, too!
Layla – how precious are your words and your heart!
The love of God shines through you and and not only pours all over Sweet P but us as well. I can feel your love for our Lord and Sweet P as though stand right next to me. May God give you and Kevin the desire of your hearts in His perfect timing. Always lifting your family up in prayer!
Love that I starting reading your blog for design inspiration and found life inspiration instead. Reading this on my bday and filled with joy for you, Kevin and Sweet P and all the memories and love you will share in the future. Thanks so much for filling my heart today with inspiration and positivity.
I so enjoyed your pictures and reading of your experience. I waited with my daughters good friend, through their Korean adoption…..I was so hoping yours would be faster. But they, like you, were going through a new system and yes, it took time. It has to be so hard to know it’s going to be another wait but you are fortunate, visits are possible.
Have I missed it in other posts, how old is Sweet P?
I hope for efficiency and speed in those who have jobs to do to bring this lucky little fella home to you. Looking forward to updates <3
Amen. Thank you for sharing, Layla and Kevin. My prayers for your journey and Sweet P will continue.
At work … Crying … tears of happiness for your obvious love and joy! That last paragraph just killed me! … and then fedex came in to deliver a package in the midst of my tears and he’s probably thinking I’m sad. Wow!
Bondye Bon! (creole “God is Good”)
So happy to hear the great news – huge congrats to your family.
Love from the UK.
as though my eyes weren’t leaky enough, you wrote “Sustaining us, encouraging us, and protecting our hearts, every step of the way.” powerful, layla…so very powerful!
thank you again for sharing your experiences. so joyful.
Beautiful post! Your words and heart are so AMAZING! You are such a messenger of love, hope, caring, God…oh, the JOY of it all! I am so thrilled you have had your first visit and can carry that joy with you!! I think knowing that first step has happened, although over, makes it all the better. Now the end is in sight! Each step you are closer to seeing him every day, moment…trust me on every moment–no more private potty time!! Blessings to you and Kevin and your son!
So happy for you, Kevin and Sweet P. Your words have touched my heart today concerning waiting on Him! My prayers are for your waiting to be short.
Layla,
I felt like crying and doing cartwheels while reading this post! Along with many others, I am so thrilled that you and Kevin were able to spend time with your son and are one step closer to bringing him home. Praying, praying, praying for all three of you!
This post brought tears of joy and sadness. Joy in seeing the 3 of you bonding and sadness that the red tape takes so long. You are both amazing! I can’t wait to meet your Sweet Pea in person….we are on schedule to move to Montgomery and begin building our house on Old Pike Road in October! Praying for the 3 of you each day.
You have a brave and strong family which will only get stronger with the arrival of Sweet P. My prayers are with you and your husband and Sweet P. I love and so feel your words and thank you for the postings. God Bless Your Family.
I very much enjoy reading your story. I have many friends who have adopted (from all over the world) and their stories are all unique. I am so happy for you and Kevin….and for little Sweet P! What a glorious adventure you are on:)
So happy for you 🙂
I know it almost killed you to come home but knowing that you will see him again (and I hope very soon) made it easier. So happy for you guys!!!
Oh Layla, how wonderful to read the details of your visit to meet your son!! Thank you for including us in this journey and your time spent in God’s waiting room, it strengthens our faith also that He is always in control and has us in the palm of His hands. You and Kevin are such an inspiration and we are so happy for you!! He looks so precious and I know filled your hearts with even more love and wonder at the miracle God is working! My prayers will continue that this journey will come to an joyful end and indescribable celebration that day you bring your sweet P HOME!! Blessings, Linda
Beautiful! You have such a beautiful way with words!!
I was curious if there are any language barriers with Sweet P. Is he taught English and Creole/French?
What joy! I couldn’t wait to read this post! Praying for you all – Sweet P is definitely worth the wait!!!
Beautiful! I am so thankful that you have gotten to hold your little man, but I am even more excited about all that He has done in your hearts durin this process! It has been such a joy to see you come alive in the past couple of years. I just had this thought of how much more Easter will mean to you this year as you think about how God left His only Son for a time, but how glorious the reunion must have been. And your permanent reunion with Sweet P will be a celebration extraordinaire!
I saw on FB that you had posted about your trip…I’ve been dying to read the details.. .so here I am at work, tears streaming down my face. Your strength is AMAZING. The Lord picked the right people to be Sweet P’s mama and daddy, and I know that he is as excited about coming home to you as you are having him here. You are in my thoughts and prayers. I pray that these last steps go faster than you ever imagined…y’all just need to be together!
Oh Layla! What a beautiful recap…so touching. I felt like I was there with you! I can’t wait to meet your beautiful boy at The Chapel Market this fall…I just know he will be all settled in by then! Prayers for expedience to that last beautiful step…TRAVEL TO USA!
I am so happy for you! I began following your blog because of your wonderful decorating style, but my heart has been captured by your journey with Sweet P. Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful experience.
Such a beautifully written post about the beautiful family God has brought together. So grateful you have allowed us to follow your journey. And so very happy for you!
Beautiful, just beautiful! So excited for you family. We are currently waiting for our referral from Haiti, this post was just what I need today 🙂
God is good!
I cried reading this post. It really touched me. It’s so beautiful that you, Kevin, and Sweet P have found each other.
So happy for you and your family! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Wow. So beautiful! One day, Sweet P will be snuggling with that teddy bear on his bed, and all the waiting will be a memory.