Arrivals at the Moncton airport

Here are some pics from the 3 families that arrived at the Moncton airport last night. In true International Adoption style, the flight was an hour late. (seems more flights are late than on time) I believe 2 families were from Moncton and 1 was from Bathurst. It was quite a beautiful site when the daughter and father who didn't travel to China met their sister and daughter for the first time.

If you've ever been to the "new" Moncton airport, and especially been there for something like this, you'll know that the entrance from the plane to the baggage area is not designed for something like this. People were standing in a semi-circle waiting for the people to come form the plane. The other passengers coming into the baggage area looked quite confused as to why that many people were standing there in a somewhat organized fashion. Usually, there are a few people waiting for their friends and family to get off the plane, but never numbers like last night.

As we really didn't know the families who arrived last night, we just mostly stood back and took it in. A gentleman in his 50's or so was there by himself last night watching the familes enjoy their homecoming. I didn't recognize him and asked him if he was there to see the families arrive. He said no, he flew in earlier in the day and was there to pick up his lost luggage and his sister who was flying in on the same flight. He told us that him and his brother and sister were in town to bury their father who had just passed away suddenly. He said it was quite an amazing site... here he is in the city to see his father off at the end of his life, while 3 new children are in the city to begin their new life. He was quite amazed at the whole welcoming event and said that in all his years of travel, he had never seen anything like that before. Even in his time of grief, he was able to smile for a brief moment while he enjoyed the happiness in the room. For him, he described it as "the full circle" - as one life leaves this earth, another life is taking it's place. Three lives in this case.

Seeing those new families and talking to that gentleman, it was quite an amazing night. I didn't get his name, nor do I think I will ever see him again, but the impact that the local adoption community had on him and the conversation I had with him will stay with us for a very long time. The next time you're in a crowd - talk to someone. You never know how it will change your life, or theirs.