Our Reunion

To start with, things got a little mixed up with the meeting time. We had arranged with Reyna to meet at 4pm, but the facilitator had told her 5pm. It was pouring and so the traffic was horrible, delaying them further. Our translator (Sonia) came at 4pm anyway as we had to review our documents for the Embassy. As we reviewed them I noticed a discrepancy in her birthdate. The date on her new birth certificate was 10 days earlier! All the documents for the Embassy had this erroneous date, so we could have left it and been alright, but it would have changed it for the rest of her life. It seemed too important and fundamental, so we decided to do what it took to have it corrected. As it turned out, it will be an easy fix (new birth certificate and passport) but won't require a change in our plans or another trip to the Embassy for us. I felt like it was our first significant decision as her new parents and it felt right.


We were sitting outside waiting when Marta Alicia, Mama Reyna and her daughter, Nancy, rounded the fence and entered the hotel grounds. Martita started running and ran into my arms saying "Mami" and after a few good hugs transfered to Tim. It was a sweet reunion. After taking her thing to our room we went next door to La Casa Grande for dinner where the atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable. Our translator had to leave before Reyna came, so conversation wasn't as free-flowing as we had hoped. However, my Spanish had improved quite a bit since last summer and we were able to have a reasonable conversation. Reyna and Nancy will be in the city until Thursday, so we invited them to go to the zoo with us on Wednesday.



After dinner we returned to our room to visit and to give Reyna the shoes we had collected. I explained to Marta Alicia that our friends had given us lots of shoes so that her friends could have shoes as she had wished. It was PRECIOUS watching her plow through the suitcase of shoes pulling out different pairs and excitedly shouting to Reyna who she thought they would fit. Not once did she pull out a pair and try them on, she was focused on finding ones for her foster family and friends. Reyna found a pair of dress shoes that looked great on her and she was very pleased, as did Nancy. Reyna was very grateful.



Eventually, it was time for Reyna and Nancy to go. Once it was clear the time had come, the tears flowed freely, as I anticipated they would. After she sobbed for 15 minutes or so on Reyna's lap, Reyna picked her up and put her in my lap, which Marta Alicia allowed. We did our final hugs and good-byes and they left. As the door closed, she started to wail again. It's hard to describe it--a raw, deep pain that comes from the depths of her soul. It brings me to tears just thinking about it. Nevertheless, she curled up in my lap and let me rock her until the intensity subsided. I'm always amazed at her ability to live in the moment, feel the feelings and ride them out. Her courage and authenticity awe me.



Soon she began looking for her suitcase and we had fun going through its contents. Unfortunately, with all of my good intentions, all three pairs of shoes we bought her were way too big. In fact, the shoes we bought her nearly a year ago still fit well, although she already has them slated to be handed down to her foster sister, Nancy. (Additionally, I keep buying her size 8 slim clothes, but today she put on the size 6 skirt we bought her last summer!)



When it was time for bed, she asked to call Mama Reyna, which she did. It seems to be such a huge comfort to her to be able to call. Then she called Papi Fidel, who is still at home, then Reyna again to tell her she reached Fidel. She doesn't usually talk long, but just long enough to touch base and find out how they are doing and to tell them she is doing well. It's nice to know a little more Spanish so I can follow enough of the conversation to know she's telling them that she's doing well. :) Then we were off to bed. Within about 5 minutes she had curled her whole body up into my arms and was fast asleep. I didn't sleep a lot, as she earns her nickname "pulpita" well (little octopus), but by morning she was sleeping soundly glued to my side. Again, her instinct toward bonding amazes me. All told, I don't think we could have asked for a better reunion. We are grateful for everyone's prayers, for God's peace and sense that this is His doing.