Impatiently Waiting-An Adoption Journey Update

Adoption truly is the ultimate journey. Lots of time spent completing mountains of paperwork, preparing your house for 90+ item inspection, research and reading on adoption and children of adoption (which I know first hand being one!), not to mention opening your entire life to the agency just to determine if you are "parent material" (see previous blog post here). 

Do "regular" parents have to do all this?! Well....let's not get me started on that rant; although, now that may have to be another blog post. Hmmmm.....


However, once all the classes and paperwork is complete, the search finally begins. 


FINALLY! The search begins. This search should be an exciting time! Your family is about to be complete!


But truly, it's nerve wracking. A family can look through a binder of available children. It is exactly as it sounds. And it is emotional. Jeff and I felt horrible for not being able to help every child. Pages and pages of children from counties all across the state in need of love. Heartbreaking. I don't think we will look at the binder again. BUT it is a reminder that so many children are in need of stable, loving homes. I wish our country would make our children their first priority. 


Then there is the waiting. We are waiting for our child. We don't know his or her gender, how old he or she will be, or even all the background information on him or her! Think about that! Most parents have nine months to prepare! Parents can find out in advance the gender, prepare his or her bedroom, buy clothes and toys, and bond with the fetus. We may not get any of that. Many of the parents we have met and spoken with, had a child they were interested in and the next day took him in. The next day! 

We may have a warning or we may not. Time will only tell. However, as that is the only thing Jeff and I know definitely... good thing we have friends on call ready to do some major shopping! Then, of course, plan our "after" baby shower!

This moment is special (although LONG) as our social worker has suggested that we focus on relinquishment (a birth mother would select us to adopt her child) or foster-adopt a child (or two!) up to eighteen months old. I am excited for this focus as it is truly what I want in my heart. As we cannot have our own children, I still want to have the experiences as a new mother. And Jeff being Jeff is on board with me, although he would much rather skip diapers altogether! 



But until the diaper changing, we continue to wait for that life changing day!