Airport Parties

Much like when you birth a child and all of your family and friends gather in the hospital waiting room just dying to meet that sweet baby, in the adoption world, family and friends gather at the airport to meet that sweet kiddo (or kiddos) when the family walks off the plane from the pick up trip.  I have recently been to two airport parties and I just have to say, it is a beautiful thing.

 

This family waited 3 years for a referral to their kids and now, they are home!

This family just spent 3 weeks in China picking up their little guy.  After not one, but two failed referrals and so much heart break, their boy is home!

And his parents are already so in love with him.

I love airport parties, welcoming home tired, overwhelmed families that have labored in love for years to make a child that has no family a part of theirs.  I CANNOT wait until my family is walking off the plane from Bulgaria.  But here’s the thing: to have adoption there has to be a ton of heartbreak and tragedy.  I say tragedy because just the fact that a child has to lose their first family to get a forever family is a tragedy.  These kids come home grieving the only life they knew back in their home country, even if it was a hard life. 

That is why I LOVE this picture.  Asher came home about 2 years ago with his forever family.  I had the honor to be there at the airport when they walked off the plane.  I love to see this little guy with his family now.  I love to see him interacting with his parents, playing with his brother and sister, fighting with his brother and sister, disobeying his parents (sorry, Jen) and especially hugging on his mommy.  I love these things because they are normal, every day, family things.  Bonding and attachment, they happen.  This is family.  This is redemption. 

All of these kids have families that love them, that will always love them.  They have parents that will raise them up and siblings to play with and fight with.  Their lives before they came home will forever be a part of them, the good parts and the not so good.  And now these kids have a mom and dad that will be there by their side as they grow up and process where they came from and what it all means.

Welcome home Audri, Freddie and Ahijah.  You have been loved on and prayed over way before we ever met you.