"Grandmother"

I didn't know what to expect. I really had no idea how to prepare. I was going to meet their grandmother! We were told she would be here between 8 and 10 this morning. Ten o'clock came and went. At about 11:00 am, Auntie Miriam (from the foster home) walked in but no one was behind her. She happily and yet quietly said, "Anna, their Grandmother and Uncle are here to see you." Anita knew what was happening and she happily skipped outside. Maxwell looked at me blankly as I took his hand and we headed out to the patio. There the Grandmother sat with their Uncle Daniel. A beautiful, aged grandmother ... Grandmother Victoria. Their Uncle sat there with a smile of joy. I couldn't do anything but hug her. I simply thanked her over and over. I'm sure my hugs are so odd to Ghanaian's, but heck, I'm a hugging person. Here is this crazy white girl that just wants to hug everybody ... male, female, old and young. It's my happiness and joy coming out. As we sat, we were all silent for awhile. Miriam translated for us because the Uncle and Grandmother speak Ga. Anita just stood by her Uncle, happy as happy could be. You couldn't but help smile. I learned the Uncle had been doing what he could to help support Anita and Maxwell but it was extremely difficult. He is only able to find odd jobs and the grandmother is too old to work. Food is very very difficult to get when there is no money. I asked about their mother but Miriam wouldn't even translate. She quickly shook her head "no" and it was understood their mother is not discussed. Maxwell wasn't so sure about them being there, perhaps there was fear he wasn't going to America. I reassured him, it was ok. Then all of a sudden their Grandmother started talking to Miriam. I just sat with Maxwell on my lap and listened. Miriam looked at me and translated ... (I will do what I can to write without tears ...) She kindly said: "She feels so thankful and blessed for Adam and I. She is overjoyed with happiness ... she is just so so so happy! She has prayed and prayed for someone to take care of these children and now the time has come. She continues to pray God will take care of them and bless them. But more, that Adam and I will be blessed by our kindness in adopting them. She said they are our children now and she wants us to take them as our own! (Yup, didn't make it without tears!) What she said was beautiful. I started balling, tears streaming down my face. Here sat their grandmother, so so so happy her grandchildren were going to have a better life than what she could provide. I stood up and just hugged her and couldn't stop. There was pure love and thankfulness radiating and I had to convey it somehow. And then she started crying too. I told them they were tears of joy as were the grandmother's tears. I explained Anita and Maxwell will have an immense amount of love in their life and we cannot express how thankful we are to have them as our children. Adam and I are so excited to be their parents and to raise them to be respectful, beautiful adults. And hopefully one day, if and when they are ready, they can return to visit their home country. Their Uncle simply smiled a smile of joy the whole time. It was beautiful. He was a kind man and you could easily tell he loves Anita and Maxwell immensely! He told us "he can now rest in prayer b/c he has been praying so so much for their adoption to be final. He now feels at peace and is so so happy! He will continue to pray for all of us in the years to come."
I then asked if there was anything she wanted me to teach them down the road or anything she would want them to remember. She just shook her head and told us "No, no, I am just so so so so happy! I'm just so happy God has provided and He is giving them a beautiful life."
I'm not sure my words can convey the pure joy the visit brought to me. It was so much more than I could have imagined. The two people who were struggling to care for our children have prayed so fervently God would provide a better life for them. Adam and I are who they have prayed for! To be told you are a blessing and gift to some one's life is a feeling tough to describe. I sit in awe of God's amazing love ... Love that brings cultures from across the world, together!