It is done...

There are several reasons for my not posting lately. If you read my wife's blog, you know one was me getting sick. Thankfully I have recovered. The other has had to do with having another task I needed to complete. Before I felt I could begin to say some of the things I still need to say here, I needed to have the letter already written to go directly to the people involved. As the title indicates, I sealed that letter a few moments ago to be dropped in the mail tomorrow.

Now is still not yet the time to go into all the details, but if you've read my blog for any length of time, you have to have some idea that our experiences were not pleasant working with them during our adoption. While there are perhaps some details you do know, I assure you there are many others you may not. Even in saying this much, I do not want to be vindictive, but I must be open and honest.

Everything from all different parts of my life has been reassuring me that it was absolutely necessary for me to send this letter. From my Bible study, to TV shows I happened upon asking 'What would you do' in the face of various injustices, to some Curious George Soundtrack songs I got at the library, to quotes on blogs of people I really respect, to the new Matthew West CD - Something to Say... and on and on.

Please don't take anything I say on this blog over the next few weeks as me trying to dictate your experience with them to you. If you have received good service and respect from them, then I am happy for you. Unfortunately, we did not, and I know of too many others who suffered similar (or even worse) treatment. Many of them perhaps were not in a place to speak up for those behind them for whatever reason. Some are still in process and live in the fear of retaliation.

The blog quote that I mentioned has been working on me a while about this. It says:
'...once our eyes are opened we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act.'

I don't know who said it, but as I said, it's been working on me a while about speaking up about our experience. If you are indeed someone else who had a bad experience with Special Delivery, or even someone who had a good one, AND ARE THROUGH WITH THE ENTIRE PROCESS, then I'd encourage you to speak up in whatever way you feel at peace with as well. There are at least a few avenues to pursue.

In attempting to find a reference for the above quote, I found a few more I'll also share.

Oppression can only survive through silence. - Carmen de Monteflores

The truth is the kindest thing we can give folks in the end. - Harriet Beecher Stowe

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

One last remark. If you are still in process and do choose to respond via a comment, I highly recommend you do so anonymously for your own safety and peace of mind. If you need me for anything, we'll figure out some way to make contact privately.

Still Making it...

As you can see if you've been reading my wife's blog over the past few days, we're still doing well. We're staying pretty tired, but enjoying being a family. They are both some funny kids. I love them so much.
I really do hope to blog more soon. I've been trying to keep a running list of topics I'd like to cover.

One of the thoughts that I've been thinking about a lot is how we handle adversity and suffering. One day, waiting on some programs to run at work, I found the following. It was written by Phyllis Groff, a Mennonite missionary in Guatemala. She's a very special person, though I've never met her. She actually is a big part of our adoption story, as it was through her and their work that our son came to EN. (for a little more info, click here).

This was on her blog last year speaking about Holy Week in Guatemala:

"I pondered the activities of the Holy Week. In the U.S. we put our major emphasis on the joy of the resurrection and sing happy songs on Easter Sunday morning. Here more emphasis is placed on the suffering of Jesus and much thought is given to how we can identify with his suffering. Could it be that the people of Guatemala live with suffering and so are drawn to identify with the suffering of Jesus? While we in the States like to pretend that suffering doesn’t exist or that it is far from us. We like the victory and joy of the resurrection. We quickly pass over the sad part that includes pain and suffering and go on to the happy ending. I believe that Jesus wants us to ponder both his suffering and the victory of the resurrection story. "

She's right, all to often we focus only on the happy ending of everything, never taking in the lessons in the suffering itself. We are at that happy ending now, but I'm also hoping that the many lessons I learned through our process benefit me from here on out, and maybe also encourage some of you as well.

I'm still praying for all of you, my dear friends. Thanks for what each of you have meant to us through this.

It's hard to believe...

that we've been home over a week now. Things are going very well. That's not to say it's easy, but it is really is so good to be a family of four now here all together. He is such an amazing and special child. He's so fun to just be around. He's so happy so much of the time, and really over the past couple of days has started singing a good bit. It's unintelligible singing, but makes me smile. My daughter is doing so well with him, also. She's a great big sister and loves him so much. She's been extremely good and probably more patient at times than was her previous norm. They're both so beautiful, that I figure later I'm really going to be in trouble. It's certainly hard to say no already to their infectious smiles and laughs. I love my family. My wife has been super taking care of everyone through this.

Truly, I still cannot thank all of you enough for all your thoughts and prayers. They have really meant so much to us.

Along those lines, while I have time, I wanted to share a few specific blessings from the trip that I know were answers to special prayers.

1. All flights were on time and even early.
2. All our luggage made it.
3. The kids did superb on all the flights.
4. Our hearts remained calm through it.
5. J. was not waiting for us in the hotel when we got there. We had been worried a little about that, since we wanted a chance to at least put our stuff up first before seeing him. Also, he wasn't too long in coming after we had said chance to put up our stuff so we didn't have to worry about him not getting there.
6. He did extremely well meeting us again. Only a few tears when the caregiver left, that quickly turned to laughter with A. once in the room.
7. Everybody slept well in Guat.
8. The embassy appointment went super smooth (even though it was slow). J was an angel the whole wait though. Our contact was on time, and super nice as we already knew from our visit trip.
9. Both our long flights weren't completely full, so we had a little room to move.

There are so many other things, but I want to share just one more special one in particular. Even as I watched it unfold, I knew one of you must be praying for us and thanked God then and there on the spot for beautiful Christian friends and for His providence.

On the trip home, we purposely planned a little longer layover (2.5 hours) just in case the plane was a little behind and/or we had any snags in immigration. As I noted already, we were on time and thankfully immigration was no extra big deal either (though I would still like to know exactly what all was in those famed envelopes we couldn't open). Anyway, this did leave us with a little 'time to kill' in the Houston airport. Our last leg was on one of the regional jets so it was in one of the smaller more crowded wait areas where all those type planes are. About 30-45 minutes or so before time to board, J (and very soon A also) had waited and played all they could stand. The meltdowns were beginning.
And then she appeared. She being what I think might have been an angel in human form. In this day and age of airport security extremes and such caution about liquids in carry-ons, a wonderful middle-aged lady came over to us and pulled out a bottle of bubbles for our children to play with. It was amazing. They were happy again as she blew them and they chased them. Then she'd let them blow some, too. It was special to watch. As I said, I just knew one or many of you must really be praying us home. It really got us through.
As far as I know, she wasn't traveling with any children or anything. She just said she was a grandmother, and had bubbles in her bag. Wow.

So thank you to whoever it was praying for us last Thursday around 11:30 or noon central time. Your prayers and ours were answered. We serve a wondrous and incredible God.

Thanks for letting me share. Love, -T

Yes, we are home...

Thank you all for your prayers. Many were answered today as we traveled home. It went well, but we are zapped. I'm headed off to bed as soon as I click 'publish' here, and the rest of the family is already in bed. We'll post much more I'm sure over the next few days, but if anyone out there was still in suspense, I just wanted to let you know we are home and so happy.

Our little man is in bed in our house tonight. Here's a pic of after he gave it up.

Wow....

I'm too tired to even attempt to try a long post and/or putting into words just what an experience this has been. It's truly amazing. It's really been indescribable in so many ways. I cannot thank each and every person who sees this enough for all your prayers for my family. They have been answered and multiplied. Both my children have been so wonderful so far in everything. They are going to make quite the pair, and always keep us busy. The embassy appointment went great today.
I'm going to get some rest now, but will post more in the coming days. We'll keep trying to put some pics up each day on Erin's blog, and I'll try to get some on here too as we have time, even if that means when we get home.

Thanks again to all of you.

Last post pre-flight

After this, the computer goes in the bag for the trip. It's been a long road, but I'm told we're almost there. It's still so surreal. I hope you all are doing well. I'll be happy to comply with the cartwheel request once we get home. It's actually been too rainy here over the past several days to do it lately. Anyway, thank you all for the prayers. Keep them going for us as we travel and adjust. Wishing the best for all of you!!!

Just to prepare, Addie and I got in some flight practice Saturday at the Science center.

She and Mom had some fun together, too.