Hi, I'm your mommy

I knew this day was coming.  I had been mentally preparing myself for the first time I got to hold my new son... but nothing can quite prepare your heart and soul for the avalanche of emotions you feel when you see, hold, and kiss YOUR child for the first time - whether its physically giving birth to them or not.

Last Friday morning started out at a feverish pitch.  Half of our missions team had traveled down to Miami the night before our flight, in hopes on getting a better nights sleep (normally we meet at our church at 2:30 am for the drive to Miami International.)  This ended up being a lost on me - being that my mind wouldn't stop racing for me to be able to sleep!  We met up with the rest of our group at 5:30 am in front of the Insel Airlines terminal.  However, we soon learned that our 8:30 flight had been delayed to 1:30 pm for mechanical problems.  UGH!  My chest constricted and my heart sank.  All I could think of was that I was losing five hours with Sam.

But all was still OK.  After all, the flight wasn't cancelled.  Right?

Our group quickly set up camp close to one of the handy, new airport phone-charging stations for our 5 hour wait.  We ate, drank coffee, played on our phones, ate AGAIN - anything to pass the time.  FINALLY, our boarding call came.  I was blessed to have a fellow team member sitting beside me.  She was an awesome support system for me as I was a bundle of nerves - a mixture of 50% laughing excitement and 50% crying emotions.  I'm pretty sure that the Haitian gentlemen sitting on the other side of me thought I was 100% crazy!

We had the normal organized mayhem of finding our luggage at the Port Au Prince airport - all 32 bags of humanitarian aid.  It still amazes me to see how we manage to stuff get 32 large duffel bags, 16 people with their carry-ons and two drivers into 2 vehicles.  We are QUITE the sight!

During our drive to the orphanage, I had talked with the ladies in our group about getting pictures or video of Sam meeting me.  However, those plans flew out the window upon our arrival... 

There is always a flutter of commotion once you get to the Village (the orphanage).  The bags need unloading, Barbara comes out to greet everyone and give room assignments, and children swarm around the new arrivals.  Me?  I made a beeline to the opposite side of the orphanage.  I knew that is where Sam's room was and I NEEDED to get there now - like I needed the air in my lungs.  As I was approaching the building, a young girl looked at me and said, "Davidson?"  I believe I may have yelled, "YES!" to her.  She went running to the room and I was close behind.

The metal, security doors on the houses are open during the day and curtains cover the doorways for privacy.  As I stepped onto the front porch, Sam's nanny -named Ecefi- stepped out from behind the curtain holding a child.  My child.  The face I had been dreaming of for the past 2 months.

She smiled warmly at me and said, "mama?"  All I could do was give a slight nod and then she handed him to me.  I was trembling and crying - happy tears.  We all shared a joyous laugh and huge hugs.  Sam was eating a roll that was as hard as a rock - but he was thoroughly enjoying it since he is getting in several new teeth - and he didn't grasp at all that our worlds had just been rocked FOREVER.

I stood on her front porch for several minutes, soaking him in.  His long fingers, growing hair, incoming teeth, and big gorgeous eyes.  As I started to make my way back through the village, with my son in my arms, it dawned on me that I had left my 'camera crew' behind.  I had run off and left them.  In hindsight, I'm quite ok with our first picture being AFTER I had dried up the waterworks.  

...besides, we had a whole glorious weekend for pictures!!