Ottawa-Thursday August 23, 11:30 pm.
We wanted to introduce baby Jasmine to as many family members as we could as we travelled home to Canada. So we decided to fly through Vancouver, with a three hour lay-over, so she could meet her grand-parents on the Thompson side of the family and my brother Matthew.
We landed half an hour early. It took us no time at all to clear immigration, baby Jasmine was travelling on a Chinese passport, and needed a Canadian visa to come to Canada.
Once that was done, we had to check our luggage in at Air Canada.
My cell phone rang, it was my Mother.
"Where are you?" she asked. I described we were behind the glass at arrivals, and that if she moved up to our section of the glass I could show her the baby.
I pushed the stroller up to the window. My Mother was still on the phone, talking and walking, and then she saw Jasmine.
And we both started to cry.
"I love you Mum," I told her in the opening between the glass panels.
"She beautiful." my Mother said.
We finally got our bags through, got through the exit, and found my side of the family.
"This is the best day of my life," my Mother said. After five years of anguish, and grief, and hope, here was baby Jasmine.
We all sat down for lunch, it was delicious. Then Louis, Pierre, Jasmine, and I boarded the plane to Ottawa.
This time it was only a five hour flight. We were veterans.
We arrived right on time, 11:30 in the evening, to a big crowd at the Ottawa International Airport. There were pink and white helium balloons, Pierre's Mum was there, his aunts, cousins from Montreal, one of his student's and his family.
Pierre's Mother was there, Noella, who had taken care of both my children when they were small. I handed her baby Jasmine. I knew she felt the same way I did when I first got a chance to hold her.
Through the crowd I found Tonda MacCharles. She inspired me to make this trip. Two years ago she came to my house, just after I'd gotten out of the hospital after another failed attempt to have a baby.
She had recently brought home baby Li who was about 18 months old from China. "You've got to do this," she said. "It means no more heartbreak, only success."
She was right, I am so thrilled to be baby Jasmine's Mother.
Then there was Hannah Boudreau, another great friend, who has seen me through the worst and the best of the last few years.
"I'd like to ask you to be Jasmine's Godmother," I said.
More tears, and then...."It feels like you just asked me to marry you." Hannah said.
"No, it's easier than that. You just have to spoil her."
And then Aunty Patsy, my own Godmother was there. She too has been with me through some very dark moments. She wrote a letter of recommendation when we applied to adopt baby Jasmine.
Big hugs again.
There was a huge crowd, lots of laughing, and cheering, and picking up baby Jasmine.
When we got home the house was filled with pink and white ballons. There were balloons hanging from the Canadian flag outside. There were sandwiches, and coffee and cake. We had a party that lasted until 2:30 in the morning.
Jasmine ate rice cereal, and some milk. Louis opened presents. Pierre was beaming. I was surprised everyone had gone to so much effort during our absence.
Almost a year ago, a Chinese friend of mine said what touched him the most about Canadian families who adopt Chinese kids is the reception at the airports.
"There is always such a celebration when I fly in from Beijing and there are some adoptees on board," he said.
Now we've had our celebration.
We wanted to introduce baby Jasmine to as many family members as we could as we travelled home to Canada. So we decided to fly through Vancouver, with a three hour lay-over, so she could meet her grand-parents on the Thompson side of the family and my brother Matthew.
We landed half an hour early. It took us no time at all to clear immigration, baby Jasmine was travelling on a Chinese passport, and needed a Canadian visa to come to Canada.
Once that was done, we had to check our luggage in at Air Canada.
My cell phone rang, it was my Mother.
"Where are you?" she asked. I described we were behind the glass at arrivals, and that if she moved up to our section of the glass I could show her the baby.
I pushed the stroller up to the window. My Mother was still on the phone, talking and walking, and then she saw Jasmine.
And we both started to cry.
"I love you Mum," I told her in the opening between the glass panels.
"She beautiful." my Mother said.
We finally got our bags through, got through the exit, and found my side of the family.
"This is the best day of my life," my Mother said. After five years of anguish, and grief, and hope, here was baby Jasmine.
We all sat down for lunch, it was delicious. Then Louis, Pierre, Jasmine, and I boarded the plane to Ottawa.
This time it was only a five hour flight. We were veterans.
We arrived right on time, 11:30 in the evening, to a big crowd at the Ottawa International Airport. There were pink and white helium balloons, Pierre's Mum was there, his aunts, cousins from Montreal, one of his student's and his family.
Pierre's Mother was there, Noella, who had taken care of both my children when they were small. I handed her baby Jasmine. I knew she felt the same way I did when I first got a chance to hold her.
Through the crowd I found Tonda MacCharles. She inspired me to make this trip. Two years ago she came to my house, just after I'd gotten out of the hospital after another failed attempt to have a baby.
She had recently brought home baby Li who was about 18 months old from China. "You've got to do this," she said. "It means no more heartbreak, only success."
She was right, I am so thrilled to be baby Jasmine's Mother.
Then there was Hannah Boudreau, another great friend, who has seen me through the worst and the best of the last few years.
"I'd like to ask you to be Jasmine's Godmother," I said.
More tears, and then...."It feels like you just asked me to marry you." Hannah said.
"No, it's easier than that. You just have to spoil her."
And then Aunty Patsy, my own Godmother was there. She too has been with me through some very dark moments. She wrote a letter of recommendation when we applied to adopt baby Jasmine.
Big hugs again.
There was a huge crowd, lots of laughing, and cheering, and picking up baby Jasmine.
When we got home the house was filled with pink and white ballons. There were balloons hanging from the Canadian flag outside. There were sandwiches, and coffee and cake. We had a party that lasted until 2:30 in the morning.
Jasmine ate rice cereal, and some milk. Louis opened presents. Pierre was beaming. I was surprised everyone had gone to so much effort during our absence.
Almost a year ago, a Chinese friend of mine said what touched him the most about Canadian families who adopt Chinese kids is the reception at the airports.
"There is always such a celebration when I fly in from Beijing and there are some adoptees on board," he said.
Now we've had our celebration.
1 comment:
Rosemary and Pierre - Congratulations on your new baby! We (my husband Randy and I, Karla) golfed with your mom and dad, Heather and Nigel and they we exchanged 'grandchildren' stories! Yours is a wonderful heartwarming story - our daughter-in-law is Korean so we too have an "Asian connection" as it were. Take care and we wish you the best. Karla
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