And THEN she came home
Hi everyone:
Can you believe it's been a whole year? I can hardly believe it! Time has gone by so quickly. It seems like yesterday that we met her at Asilo Madre Conchita. The adoption process seemed to go on forever and ever, and now she's been home a year!
I remember April 18th last year when I got the phone call from the INS. It was right before lunch. I was teaching my class at WCMA when my cellular rang. I usually don't answer a phone call during class, but I recognized the number and I knew we would be receiving a call and SOON! The INS worker said that Eric and I were due in Tijuana on April 19th at 2 p.m. to work on her visa.
I teared up and jumped for joy. I called Eric and told him we had to leave in the middle of the night. I left WCMA and headed for the local human resources dept. and finished my maternity leave request. I was going to have a baby!
I went home for lunch (Eric's dad and step mom were visiting). I told them the news. It cut short their trip, but they were sooooo happy for us (as were several hundred family and friends all over praying for us: like YOU). Eric had a concert that night. He told the kids that he wouldn't be there the next day. He was getting his little girl. They surprised him by playing Lullaby for him (a song he wasn't sure was ready). Eric was speechless. He tried to tell the audience what was going to happen, and made me go up and tell them instead!
I had called the orphanage. I could tell that Madre Maria was happy and sad. I'll never forget her voice when I called.
We went home that night and tried to sleep. At 2 a.m. we were up and running. We hugged our family at 3 a.m. and headed to Mexico. We called Madre Maria before we left so that she would have Elia ready for us.
When we arrived, Elia was wrapped in a blanket and asleep. Madre Maria was sitting on the couch holding her. She had gathered her remainder of formula, a pair of shoes, a couple of jars of baby food, and a spoon. (We, of course, had run to the store the day before and stocked up!). She quietly prayed over Elia and then blessed her. Tears were on her cheeks. Oh how she loved her! I was soooo excited to have her in my arms where I would never have to let go of her again, but I was sad for Madre Maria. Elia had won her heart. But, she knew that Elia would be loved.
And then, we were off! We drove through the night and into the next day before we arrived in Tijuana. We ran late, but we made it to the American Consulate. We stayed in Tijuana for 2 days. We were there the afternoon of the 19th, 20th, and the morning of the 21st. On April 21st, we received her transit visa. We were off!
Eric and I recorded her coming into the country. It was a long drive home. I remember the hours and hours in the car. I was very car sick, but Eric and I wanted a video of Elia going into the house for the first time. We met a friend (Nicole) down the street and passed off our camera. We started driving down the street and I couldn't believe my eyes. My house was covered in posters and tee-peed with streamers! Banners were everywhere! I got out of the car and started laughing. It was as if I was never ill. Eric grabbed Elia and we proceeded to look at the photos and head inside. Little did we know that once we opened the door, every room would be filled with posters, streamers, glitter, etc! (Way to go guys: you all know who you are!).
I just knew that Elia was very loved. She will never remember her homecoming, but we will. Our first day home, we met up with the praise band from our church and practiced "Held" for the next day's service. We were surprising our church. Uncle Gerry came and walked her down the aisle. I think people thought he was late and was just bringing in one of his own grandchildren. Then he headed onto the platform where we were performing with a slide show going on behind us (thank you Gene). The church applauded. I still get choked up when I think about it.
Eric and I are just so very thankful for all of the love and prayers that brought her home to us! There are soooooo many people who helped to get her here, or to pray her here! Now I look back at the baby photos and see that my girl is growing up! She will be exactly 22 mo. old on the 21st (probably when you read this). She is a toddler and running around like crazy. She has gone from not talking to talking a lot! (She takes after her mommy!). She couldn't crawl and now she walks and runs! She ate baby food, and now she eats people food. The list goes on!
Thank you everyone for everything that you did to get her home. Thank you mom (Gloria) for the beautiful website and journal for us. Thank you mom (Patricia) and Tim for helping with the crib, clothes, toys, etc. Thank you mom and dad (Jim and Kathi) for the wardrobe, clothes, toys, etc. Thank you all moms and dad, and Tom for the financial support to help get her home. Thank you Uncle Gerry for knowing the "system" and creating a wonderful spot in our hearts that will forever be "uncle". Thank you entire First Baptist Church for your prayers, financial support, baby shower, and blessings bestowed upon us. Thank you music staff for your baby shower and love (and decorations: Lorena and Nicole). Thank you choirs in the NUSD program for your baby showers, "A Mother's Prayer," support in my churches shower, and free babysitting! Thank you NHS orchestra for your "Lullaby" for my husband. It meant the world. Thank you to all our friends and family for your Blogs, prayers, journals, etc. Thank you Madre Maria, Madre Tere, and Madre Adela for loving Elia and for taking care of our baby girl. Thank you everyone. I know the list is huge and I have to be forgetting something. If you received this e-mail, then thank you. You were integral into getting our Elia home! We love you from the bottom of our hearts.
Sincerely,
Eric, Becky, and Elia Krell
My Guess is some of you will enjoy remembering some very special moments along Elia's Journey of Faith. Here are a couple of links with a movie in the middle if you want to look back with us for a little while.
1. OOOHHHSSS and AAAAHHHHSSS
Elias Church Surprise
2. Putting the pieces together for Elia
The web page has been downsized some but still holds lots of special memories and the entire BLOG Journey that many of you helped to write for Elia; and lots of the first photos. Elia also has the entire website in print for when she is older.
Here is the website
All Night all day angels watching over me my Lord
posted by glo @ 5:17 AM
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