This past weekend was our annual Haiti Reunion. This, seriously, feels like a family reunion. But like a very, very, very special family’s reunion. I cannot describe how much this annual gathering means to us. This was our fourth year going, and we would not miss this weekend for the world. There is no “highlight” to speak of because the whole entire thing is one big highlight. There is just nothing like seeing what happens when a bunch of Haitian adoptive families get together. This year we had 17 families, 74 people, — our biggest yet. There were a few new families, in large part because of kids who have come home since the earthquake. This reunion was more meaningful than ever. Kyle and Owen love this reunion weekend. I mean, they really, really, really love it. It is almost like they just savor every single second of it. What was really striking to me this year, though, was the importance of this reunion for Meera. While in the past I had always thought of it as something we did for Kyle and Owen and Braydon and I, now I am more fully realizing how truly important this is for Meera too. It was an incredible, incredible weekend. As it always is. But it always, somehow, feels even better than the year before.
We arrived at our hotel on Friday evening in time for a swim. Here they are ready to head to the pool:
We got a good night’s sleep and were very excited the next morning!~~
Arrival at the reunion is like arriving to sink into a group of your oldest, bestest, most favorite friends in the whole world. People you share deep connections with — connections that go way beyond what any words could ever describe. Just look at Owen’s face:
And for Kyle and Owen, not a minute is spared before it is straight into sports, sports, and more sports. There is absolutely nothing like watching a bunch of Haitian-American boys play soccer together. No kidding: I would not get in the middle of it if you paid me a million dollars. These boys are hard-core. K & O love every single solitary second of it. They are all drenched in sweat by 5 minutes in, but they go and go and go and go all day long.
And you just know that these boys — while fiercely competitive with each other on the grass or field or court — love each other too, with just as much passion.
And while some girls do partake in the athletic endeavors (and I give those girls a ton of credit for jumping into that fray!), many of them just play and play and play and play all day long. Their energy is no lesser, just different. And they love each other so. There is a lot of hand-holding and baby-carrying and chit-chatting that goes on. And it is all good.
Meal times bring us all together. The parents linger and chat (and there is much to chat about). The kids eat and run. Everybody enjoys every bit (and bite) of it.
After lunch it is pool time. This is not your everyday pool experience! These kids love the water. Every one of them!
Here’s my favorite picture from the reunion~~ TWINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good friends’ 4-year-old boys came home this year. It was a joy to meet them.
And some other fav’s:
They played basketball until they couldn’t see any more.
And then they went nuts in the dark with glow sticks!
We didn’t leave until 10:30. It was the three bambinos’ longest day ever. Like, ever, in their entire lives. Meera — who thoroughly enjoyed every second of the reunion (but did not nap, and was going going going all day and night) — let us have it that night. From 2:30am on, she was up all night, inconsolably exhausted and miserable (although I’m sure she’d do the whole reunion all again in a heartbeat if given the chance). And the next day the three were more tired than we’ve ever seen them. They lazed in the hotel room watching cartoons. We have never seen them quite like this.
A quick visit in the hotel lobby with some new favorite friends (hi Lancers! long time blog readers and first time meet-in-real-life-ers!!!)…
photo credit: the Lancers
…and then we were off, heading home. Meera looked like this for almost the entire drive:
And the boys vegged out with the iPhones, delirious with deep happiness and deep exhaustion.
We arrived home to a lazy late afternoon and early bedtimes for all. The reunion will surely be a highlight of our whole year. We are already counting the day’s till Haiti Reunion 2011.
OMG! Kyle and Owen have gotten sooooooooo tall they absolutely dwarf Meera. It is interesting from a medical point of view that Colin is exactly 30 days younger than your boys, but he is so much shorter. We met with his birthfather, who is of average height, so the doctor must have been right when he attributed Colin’s stature to is a protein/vitamin deficiency that really slowed down his growth. Of course, he has slowly made gains.
I’m really jealous of your PA reunion. There are only a couple of us here on the West Coast from the same creche. It looks like you guys had a blast, but more importantly, your boys have a very special connection with those other boys and girls that they will be able to draw on years from now.
Hi Candis! It is an amazing reunion! But the kids are not all from the same creche. There are a few who are from the same orphanages, but the reunion is for all families in Pennsylvania who have adopted (from any orphanage) in Haiti.
Heather
Hi JMs!
Wow that looks like another amazing Haiti Reunion weekend!!! I totally get it, how significant and important it is to feel in those moments that you are in the presence of others who have more similarities than differences. It is so important for children who experience "othering" (subtle or overt) at one point or another to feel they fit in and are part of the majority instead of the minority. I really do envy your boys (and yourselves as parents) having this opportunity. Also you're so right it's truly important for Meera too.
Take care,
Kate
Hi Heather and Candis! It's just us and Corey's fam from our creche. I find this one of the really amazing things about our reunion. So, Candis, will you come next year? Come on over. You'll be glad you did.
You captured it well, as always, Heather. M' renmen nou, Johnson-McCormicks!
p.s. I hadn't thought about how amazing it was that all three of your bambinos were still motoring at 10:30pm. Wow.
Oh, that was me, Kristie.
looked like a lot of fun … we really wanted to figure out how to get there but texas is no short jaunt away … glad it is growing each year, really cool.
Tara, we would have LOVED it if you guys had come!!!!!
Maybe some year it will work for you to make it. If not, though, the "Haiti Reunion" where our kids will meet yours will be when we bring K & O back to SEE HAITI (and you guys will be back living there)!
xo hbj
We just found our daughters bio parents and are planning a trip next fall to meet everyone. starting language lessons this fall and taking time to really learn Creole…or as much as we can. When are you taking the boys to visit?
I am so totally behind on my blog reading.. but I loved, loved, loved seeing these pictures. I knew you would have great ones! I think my favorite is of the kids totally wiped out in bed though!
It was so great to see you all.. can't wait for December! xoxo Corey