Wow! Words cannot express how I felt when meeting my daughter for the very first time. As we exited the airport in Guatemala City, I searched the crowds for our ride. (There were at least 200 people lined up watching everyone as they came out of the airport for no other reason then just to catch a glimpse of an American or another foreign traveler.) As we reached the end of the red carpet-like line, I noticed one sign that read “Geene Louis”. Perhaps that is me. I positioned my grandmother out of the way with our luggage and made my way to the Guatemalan gentleman holding the sign. I searched the depths of my mind to find an memory of the two intensive Spanish courses from my college days. (Forgive me for all of the misspelled Spanish words you are about to read…..) “Hola. Me llamo Jennie Lewis. Para mi and mi abuelia?” “Si, si,” he replied.
We waited for him to bring the car around and load up our luggage. I still wasn’t convinced we were with the right person. Then he said something about stopping at the San Carlos Hotel first. I told him I didn’t know anything about that. Yikes, we are in the wrong car! He pulled out his cell phone and made a call. I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but I knew he was getting confirmation about the San Carlos Hotel. He got off the phone, and the words he uttered made me feel like there were butterflies in my stomach, “We go to San Carlos Hotel first to get baby.” “How far away is that?” I asked. “Cinco minutos,” he replied. I looked at Mamma like a deer caught in the head lights. She sat there in the back seat with me, un-phased by everything. “Mamma, did you hear that?” “What?” she asked. We are picking up Kennedy first and we will be there in 5 minutes!” I exclaimed. We scrambled to get out our cameras and prepare for the BIG meeting.
We pulled into the parking lot of a beautiful boutique hotel. I walked quickly inside scanning the area for Kennedy. No one there had a baby. I found someone who spoke English and explained the situation. She told us to wait in the front room right by the hotel entrance. After a few minutes my attorney Paco and his wife Sylvia walked into the room. I noticed, there was no baby with them. My expression must have said it all. His wife, who was more fluent in English, told me Kennedy would be here in a few minutes. I hugged and kissed both of them and thanked them for arranging this for us. They sat down beside me and handed me a folder with adoption paper work inside. He went over a few things with me, but I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to pay any attention. Sylvia showed me a typed letter on legal size paper and in purple font describing Kennedy’s eating and sleeping schedule. At the very end of the letter is stated, “She is very sweet girl. LOVE HER VERY MUCH!”
Moments later they saw the foster mother pull into the parking lot. They went out to greet her and I jumped up and showed Mamma how to use the camera. As I turned around, there she was. My heart stopped. I immediately started to tear up. I walked over to her and reached for. She was placed in my arms and the tears began to roll down my face. Sylvia pointed out the little pink outfit she was wearing and the shoes she had on. They were items I had sent down for her. It was Valentine’s Day, and her shirt said LOVE. I started talking to her and in moments I had her smiling. What a relief….she is not terrified of me.
I just kept crying. “Thank you, thank you, thank you” is all I could say to the foster mother. She was moved by my emotion and also started to cry. I hugged her and Paco and Sylvia through the tears and just kept saying, “Thank you so much.” We took some quick photos and then left for Antigua where we would be staying for the next four days. There are no car seats, so I sat in the back and held Kennedy. I left Mamma hold her a little bit as I snapped some photos. I then took Kennedy back into my arms. The drive made her fall to sleep and I held her close to my chest with her head resting on my shoulder.
We arrived at the Villa de Antona boutique hotel and were greeted by the hotel staff. As we made our way into the lobby to check in, Kennedy was taken from me by a hotel staff person with a big smile and I would soon find out…a bigger heart. Her name was Veronica. I was a little annoyed because I wasn’t done holding her yet! After we checked in, they took us on a quick tour of the facility. We walked into the open court yard and there is where I met up with Kennedy again. There is also where we met Gary and Ellora, a couple adopting three babies! They invited us to join them for dinner and that is where our friendship began and also where Kennedy’s first professional photo shoot was held.
The days to follow were amazing. I loved Kennedy from first seeing her photos. I didn’t know she would make me fall head over heels. My heart has been filled with so much love, it is indescribable. One day it just hit me. As Mamma and I were sitting outside and she was holding Kennedy, I just started to cry. This was all part of God’s plan from the very beginning. In the six years we were trying to get pregnant, through all the tears that were shed, and all the prayers that were said, God had this amazing plan. They say a thousand things have to go just right in order to conceive…..with adoption, I think the number would be in the billions.
You will have to wait until I have enough courage to write about our last day in Antigua with Kennedy. Give me a few days, and I will plan on posting it over the weekend.
We waited for him to bring the car around and load up our luggage. I still wasn’t convinced we were with the right person. Then he said something about stopping at the San Carlos Hotel first. I told him I didn’t know anything about that. Yikes, we are in the wrong car! He pulled out his cell phone and made a call. I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but I knew he was getting confirmation about the San Carlos Hotel. He got off the phone, and the words he uttered made me feel like there were butterflies in my stomach, “We go to San Carlos Hotel first to get baby.” “How far away is that?” I asked. “Cinco minutos,” he replied. I looked at Mamma like a deer caught in the head lights. She sat there in the back seat with me, un-phased by everything. “Mamma, did you hear that?” “What?” she asked. We are picking up Kennedy first and we will be there in 5 minutes!” I exclaimed. We scrambled to get out our cameras and prepare for the BIG meeting.
We pulled into the parking lot of a beautiful boutique hotel. I walked quickly inside scanning the area for Kennedy. No one there had a baby. I found someone who spoke English and explained the situation. She told us to wait in the front room right by the hotel entrance. After a few minutes my attorney Paco and his wife Sylvia walked into the room. I noticed, there was no baby with them. My expression must have said it all. His wife, who was more fluent in English, told me Kennedy would be here in a few minutes. I hugged and kissed both of them and thanked them for arranging this for us. They sat down beside me and handed me a folder with adoption paper work inside. He went over a few things with me, but I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to pay any attention. Sylvia showed me a typed letter on legal size paper and in purple font describing Kennedy’s eating and sleeping schedule. At the very end of the letter is stated, “She is very sweet girl. LOVE HER VERY MUCH!”
Moments later they saw the foster mother pull into the parking lot. They went out to greet her and I jumped up and showed Mamma how to use the camera. As I turned around, there she was. My heart stopped. I immediately started to tear up. I walked over to her and reached for. She was placed in my arms and the tears began to roll down my face. Sylvia pointed out the little pink outfit she was wearing and the shoes she had on. They were items I had sent down for her. It was Valentine’s Day, and her shirt said LOVE. I started talking to her and in moments I had her smiling. What a relief….she is not terrified of me.
I just kept crying. “Thank you, thank you, thank you” is all I could say to the foster mother. She was moved by my emotion and also started to cry. I hugged her and Paco and Sylvia through the tears and just kept saying, “Thank you so much.” We took some quick photos and then left for Antigua where we would be staying for the next four days. There are no car seats, so I sat in the back and held Kennedy. I left Mamma hold her a little bit as I snapped some photos. I then took Kennedy back into my arms. The drive made her fall to sleep and I held her close to my chest with her head resting on my shoulder.
We arrived at the Villa de Antona boutique hotel and were greeted by the hotel staff. As we made our way into the lobby to check in, Kennedy was taken from me by a hotel staff person with a big smile and I would soon find out…a bigger heart. Her name was Veronica. I was a little annoyed because I wasn’t done holding her yet! After we checked in, they took us on a quick tour of the facility. We walked into the open court yard and there is where I met up with Kennedy again. There is also where we met Gary and Ellora, a couple adopting three babies! They invited us to join them for dinner and that is where our friendship began and also where Kennedy’s first professional photo shoot was held.
The days to follow were amazing. I loved Kennedy from first seeing her photos. I didn’t know she would make me fall head over heels. My heart has been filled with so much love, it is indescribable. One day it just hit me. As Mamma and I were sitting outside and she was holding Kennedy, I just started to cry. This was all part of God’s plan from the very beginning. In the six years we were trying to get pregnant, through all the tears that were shed, and all the prayers that were said, God had this amazing plan. They say a thousand things have to go just right in order to conceive…..with adoption, I think the number would be in the billions.
You will have to wait until I have enough courage to write about our last day in Antigua with Kennedy. Give me a few days, and I will plan on posting it over the weekend.
