My Family

If you are new to this blog and want to read the entire story chronologically - please start in January with "Our Story, Part 1"

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Our Story, Part 45 - The Faith of a Child

I had only been gone about five minutes from Ruth's house when I called Mykel (my husband) to tell him that I wasn't traveling home alone! It would be an understatement to say that he was thrilled! We decided not to tell any of the kids and just surprise them in the morning...


Mykel and Aubrey

I had to go to the airport and pick up my sister so I headed up the freeway… I had only been gone about 10 minutes when Aubrey started to cry. I couldn’t reach her from where I was sitting so I had to pull over and get her a bottle and try to find her pacifier. I didn’t know it then but she hates to be in a car seat! I finally made it to pick up my sister and then she drove so I could sit next to Aubrey. It was almost 8 p.m. by the time we got on the road to head home. I realized that I didn’t have any other clothes for Aubrey, I had given away all of the baby girl items that were too small for Ava, so I didn’t even have pajamas for Aubrey to sleep in.

We pulled over at 13th East in Salt Lake and went into a ShopKo store to buy some clothes for her. Aubrey’s onesie was soaking wet and completely filthy and her diaper was dirty again, so it was definitely time for a break. My sister Yvonne and I had a great time shopping for little dresses, shoes, shirts, pants, PJ’s and diapers. Aubrey was content to either sit in the cart or have me hold her. I was grateful for the time I was able to spend with Aubrey beforehand so she was somewhat familiar with me and who I was since I had spent time in her home and with her mom and dad during the past couple of days.

By the time we got on the road to get home it was really late and luckily for me after Aubrey was fed she fell asleep for most of the drive. When I finally arrived at my house after midnight Mykel was waiting up for me. Aubrey was awake after I took her out of her car seat and Mykel wanted to hold her. He told me later that he “immediately felt a bond with her” and that he was “completely attached at first site" (she has been a daddy's girl ever since!) For me it took a little longer to feel the connection, I was so absorbed with worry that she would be taken away from us at any time that I couldn’t let me heart fully open. I was still somewhat guarded with my emotions because of past experiences with my other children being placed with us and then taken away.

We didn’t have a crib for her so we tried to lay her down between us on our bed to sleep. I was exhausted after traveling for over seven hours in the car, standing out in the heat and just the emotional aspect of the entire day. Needless to say I wanted at least a catnap, but Aubrey had other plans, she had already been asleep and now she was fully awake! I don’t blame her for being anxious, she wasn’t in her own bed, she was unfamiliar with our home, with us and everything around her. She would finally sleep for a few minutes and then wake up, sleep, wake up, all night long. It was a lengthy night for me, but Mykel enjoyed all of it, he wanted to just hold her all night anyway.

Aubrey already had him wrapped around her little finger!

The next morning is one of my favorite memories. I could hear some of the kids getting up to get ready for church. I walked in the living room holding Aubrey and my son Preston was sitting on a chair fixing his tie. Now I have to back up a little bit here and give some details on the situation with Preston…. We had been talking to the kids about the possibility that Aubrey could become a member of our family for several months, so each week Preston wanted to “fast and pray that Aubrey could come live with us.” Preston was only nine years old at the time, but he had been fasting every Sunday for the past month. I brought Aubrey in and when Preston saw her he was so excited! I told him that his fasting and prayers had worked and that his little sister was coming to live with us. Then he said “does she get to stay forever?” I told him I wasn’t sure yet because no paperwork had been signed, then he said “then I am going to fast again today.” I tell Preston it was because of his strong faith that Aubrey became part of our family, which I completely believe to be true. He has amazing faith.

That first week with Aubrey was full of fun and excitement for all of us. She is always so energetic and and playful, we call her "the little firecracker!" We had to rearrange rooms, find a crib, buy some more clothes and adjust our schedules to accommodate a new member of the family. We had been planning a vacation to Mexico for about four months and now we had to figure out how we were going to make the trip with a young baby and get permission from her parents and her birth certificate so she could cross the border.

Our Mexico trip was the first hurdle, by the end of summer Ruth wrote me to tell me that her husband “was making a fuss about getting Aubrey back.” I still get sick to my stomach when I read that e-mail.

3 comments:

  1. I am glad to find your blog through your interview with Tracey. I can't wait to find time to read your story from the beginning.
    I am an adoptive mom as well, in the process of adopting our third. I try to blog when I can.....not so often anymore!
    You have a beautiful family!!!

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  2. Camille, Thank you for sharing your experiences with all of us. I admire you guys so much! My brother Marty was adopted in a private adoption right after his birth. My parents were always very honest with him about being adopted. They told him that when he was ready they would help him find his "birth mom". He never wanted to, he always thought of my mom and dad as his "real" parents. He didn't want his brothers and sister to know either. He felt that we would think differently of him (not true). His adoption was kept a secret from us (his wishes) until his death at 17. Being a mom myself, I admire his "birth mom" for giving him up. Although I question every day her circumstances. I would love to meet her and THANK her from the bottom of my heart for sharing him with us. Our family was blessed by him. He was truly the BEST big brother I could have ask for and I miss him dearly. I wonder if she knows of his passing, I am sure she thinks of him daily. Sorry for babbling on, I just wanted to tell you how much I admire you and what an AMAZING example you are to me! :) Thanks again for sharing your Amazing experience!
    Pennie

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  3. Becky,
    I am so glad you found my blog! It has been so enlightening reading about other adoptive parents and hearing their stories. I don't know how long I will be able to keep writing on my blog either, time is so precious with my children! Thanks for commenting!

    Pennie,
    Thank you so much for sharing part of your life and the story about your brother! WOW! There are so many different variables with each child and every adoption ~ I agree with you about thanking your brother's birth mom, I thank my Heavenly Father every day for Ruth and for her unselfishness in allowing me to be a mother. I don't think of my children differently either, they are my children. I am glad you felt the same way about your brother, I am sure it was a comfort to him, I am sorry to hear of his passing. Thanks again for sharing this with me and for your comments, they mean a lot.

    Camille

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