Part 5...

We were more than a little surprised to see that Haiti actually does pre-boarding! We figured it would just be mad dash, everybody for themselves kind of chaos to get on the plane, but it wasn't. We walked out into the heat and onto the tarmac towards the plane that was going to be the first leg of our journey home. Olivia was a bit scared of the turbines of the plane, can't say I blame her though, they do look and sound scary. We lugged our bags and kids up the rickety metal stairs and into the plane. The kids for the most part were in a state of complete awe, or possibly fear, not sure. They looked around and for the most part seemed unfazed, like they travelled this way for years.

It was almost immediate that we could feel the stares of the flight crew. They would walk by and smile at us, kind of a weird creepy, stalkerish smile, but a smile none the less. The kids did great! There was a bit of fussing about being strapped in but for the most part they were wonderful! and did you know that along with your free blue snack box American Airlines offers complimentary parenting advice? Well, they do! C was so happy to find out from our crazy Spanish flight attendant that if our kids are bad we should put them fully dressed into a cold shower. Works every time! and if they ever throw up from crying so hard we should make them clean it up and it will never happen again! Wow, look out Dr.Phil!



The plane ride to Miami was quick, painless and poop free! It doesn't get much better than that. Once we landed we waited until the plane was almost empty before attempting to get off. We figured with the kids and the bags we would surely be better off to wait than try and navigate the 18 inch aisle of the plane. The flight crew all sort of gathered near us and told us how lucky our kids were to have found us, and was the adoption long, hard, etc...the flight attendant asked if we were all family, and C said the sweetest thing, "we are now" and it is so true. We navigated this adoption together. Our files moved together from office to office never getting separated. We talked on the phone all the time, emailed and facebooked daily, we did it together and I cannot imagine it any other way. I am not sure I would have gotten through it without having someone who knew exactly what I was going through.

The lines at immigration in Miami were not bad at all. I was expecting the worst since my last visit included a two hour wait. We maneuvered our way through in about 20 minutes, no questions asked. Being food deprived for 3 days we decided that food was our priority. We checked into the hotel and then gorged on pizza in the airport. Nothing like a healthy meal of pizza and pop to start the kids off right.

What was really funny was watching the kids reaction to seeing themselves in the mirror at the hotel. Wil just sat on the bench and stared at himself. At one point he tried to lift his foot up to step into the mirror to get the "other" baby. When he realized he couldn't do it he just fell down and cried.

We hung out in our rooms for a couple hours to let our first meal digest before heading back out to feast again. I gave Wil his first warm bath and he hated it, screamed so loud C and R could hear him in their room. Poor guy. When I took him out of the tub and started lotioning him up I looked at him and his teeth were chattering! I guess AC is something he was not used to. I bundled him up and covered him up in bed, where he promptly passed out.


After a quick sleep we headed out for dinner. Again, we got some weird looks. These three white people with these three black kids, probably seemed a bit weird to some folks. I wasn't sure if going to an actual restaurant was going to be a good plan with three tired and scared kids, but they did great. We filled their bellies with another quality meal of chicken fingers and fries. What good parents we were.

It wasn't long before everyone was tired and needed to go to bed. We headed back to our rooms and said our good-byes. We took one more picture of our kids all together, looking tired and stunned. We were done. After all the phone calls, facebook messages, whining and commiserating, we were done and parting ways. Although it won't be good-bye for long, we only live one province apart and I am sure we will see each other again.

I was exhausted; sickness, travel, little sleep and I wanted to curl up and sleep for a week, but in typical me fashion I couldn't. Thank god for the laptop. I talked to my sister and a few friends online and eventually my eyes were dried out and ready to close. I set my phone alarm, the alarm clock, and got a wake up call! Overkill? maybe, but I wasn't taking any chances. The next day we were going home....

to be continued...