Saturday, May 30, 2009

11 months...I mean 4 years.

We are now at 11 months of waiting for our referral; however, it has been over 4 years since we signed on for our second adoption. I have been so fixated on getting through to our referral on a month-to-month basis that it only dawned on me the other day that Sara was only one-year-old (she will turn five this month) when we were officially approved and began waiting for adoption number two. Over the past four years, in our adoption world, we have complete two full homestudies (one domestic and one international), three homestudy updates, have had two birthmoms change their minds, and switched our adoption plans from domestic to international - even when I don't want to think about all of "it", there is always some kind of reminder marking our journey. It better be true about what people say - "good things BETTER come to those who wait!"

Will this month be "the" month? I have not the foggiest idea! My heart wants to believe "yes", but my brain and the reality know that we are still a few months away. Several months ago we had planned to save up our vacation days for our trip to Ethiopia and my mat. leave, but we have decided that life is too short to save and wait for all this to happen. So, we are taking three weeks off this summer, just to hang out, maybe take a trip somewhere - not sure where yet (any kid-friendly suggestions are welcome).

9 comments:

Carolyn said...

Wow- you have had quite a journey over the past 4 years! There are so many emotional ups and downs that some days you have no idea how to feel. I hope this is the month for you and I truly believe that the prize at the end is so worth the wait!


Carolyn

lyndsey said...

Wow congrats on making it through all that!!! Hopefully your wait is over very soon and you can make your plans to fly to Ethiopia!! How great will that be??? !!!!!- amazing!!!
Ahhh the fun.
I agree with the taking the holidays NOW!! I started that this year and it is soooo less depressing. For the last two years I look my holidays at the end of the year.... hoping to be going off on parental leave.... ha 2009 I said screw it.... when do (( I )) want to take time off!!! It is healthier I think. We know we won't be flying this year so I am glad I did that....
Happy 11 months!!

Ranavan said...

Wow, that quite is quite the journey Laura!

We are also taking holidays...as many as we can manage time wise and money wise...it fills up the waiting space.

Please let this wait be almost over for you.

Natalie and Chris said...

I'd like to say Congrats on 11 months but I know it won't make you feel better. So, i'll say good for you for making it this far and hopefully this is THE month. thinking of you. Nat

Derrick, Alysia, and Levi said...

You referral has GOT to be soon. It will be a great boost for me when you get your referral and can see things moving along. Plus, yours is one of the first blogs I started reading so I have a special interest in your family! Blessings to you all!
Alysia

Coldwater Mom said...

I say Ontario is a great destination :) We were the same way with vacation until about 2 months ago... we weren't being fair to the girls. So we are going to the Camping at the North Pole in New York state. Should be fun. I went there as a child.

Let's hope this is both our month... June is the month of new beginnings.

Sharla said...

I agree that you should absolutely take the holidays now. We put off booking a trip because we had been waiting for our referral and finally ater putting off booking for almost a year, my Case worker told us there was no chance of us getting a referral soon enough to travel in 2009 so we booked our trip for end of September and then out of the blue, we got our referral and now the trip will only help pass the next stage of the wait and give us some family time with our other kids before our home becomes complete chaos so it works out well.

Alberta can be a good destination. West Edmonton Mall, summer festivals, you could visit our family, go see the mountains...

Favorite family destinations for me would be: -Panorama (lots of kids and family activities, beautiful scenery)
-Disneyland (you just can't go wrong there)
-Vancouver Island
-Canmore, Jasper, or Banff
-a cluster of small towns anywhere
-hotels with waterslides or pools

Janice said...

Enjoy those three weeks holiday this summer. They are well deserved, I'm sure.

Sarah Rodgerson said...

I really hope your wait is over soon, you have had quite a journey. I hope you enjoy your holidays, and would just like to say that Prince Edward Island is a wonderful kid friendly place, with lots of beaches, where you know friends will be close by!!

Sarah