For new readers: to find the beginning of our adoption story, go here. For those of you who have already been reading along, here's the fourth installment:
A couple weeks after that phone call, we readied ourselves for the trip to Guatemala. We packed a stuffed lion (that our other two children had chosen for him), a blanket, a tape recorder with a tape of all of our voices on it (singing, talking, reading. The kids loved doing this!). We also brought a thing to hang on the inside of his crib that held a big picture of our family, so he could see our faces. At the time of our referral HH staff had placed a little Sassy photo album in his crib filled with pictures of us (we had done this in our paperwork phase, and sent it in months before).
Then we flew to Guatemala to meet our son. It was an emotional trip. As excited as I was to meet our sweet boy, I was very sad to leave our two other children. I pretty much bawled the entire way to the airport (2 hours away) as well as the first leg of our travels.
We had a layover in Houston and it was there that I met Michelle (or, rather- saw her for the first time; wed been emailing and chatted on the phone once, as they were heading down to see their little boy, too). Michelle, her husband Chad, Mark and I all flew into Guatemala together. When we got there we waited for another couple who was also flying in that afternoon.
We were all driven to Hannahs Hope (the name of the orphanage). Mark and I were ushered downstairs to Isaias room. We saw him, lying in his crib on his back, sleeping soundly. Up until that moment it had all seemed so surreal, and then- there he was, our little 3-month old boy. He was so cute. We were teary, and wanted to hold him but didnt want to wake him up. What with all the commotion, though (us peering at his face- inches away, crying and whispering), he woke up and looked at us. Mark picked him up. And for the rest of that day (and the following three days) we got to be his mommy and daddy during the daytime.
We held him, talked to him, changed his diapers, changed his clothes, fed him his bottles, sang to him, and prayed for him. We told him all about his big brother and big sister. He looked at us very intently (as 3-month old babies do) and smiled at us lots. He loved being held, and slept easily in our arms.
In the evenings we went back to the hotel and spent time with the other couples we had traveled with. We had a wonderful time with these couples. Each morning we all went back to Hannah's Hope to spend more time with our boys.
I journaled late that first night:
Of course I cant sleep because I cant wait to see Isaias again tomorrow. Will he remember us? What expressions will he show us today? How did he sleep last night?...
I am so grateful for the chance to see him in his home here at Hannahs Hope. It is really valuable for me- for my mothers heart- to be able to see who is caring for him, how and where. When I leave here and think of him in the months to come I will be able to picture where he is at, and who may be holding him.
I rejoice in you, oh Lord, for all of this. For the blessings you have lavished upon us. For who you are. For your heart. For your vision. I love you. My heart is so full!
Our days with him passed quickly, and then it was time to go home again. I well remember the last night with him. We were flying out early the next morning and knew it would be many months before wed see him again. Mark and I took him downstairs where it was quieter. Mark held him and sat in the rocking chair. I knelt next to them, and we laid our hands on his little head of black hair and prayed blessings over him. And we cried; buckets of tears. We had bonded so much with him in these few short days and now we had to leave him behind.
But we entrusted him into Gods capable hands and left him that evening. And we completed our journey as I had begun it: in tears.
~Stacy
*For the next part of our adoption story, go here. | 
