Connecting

My niece Samantha gets it. She is a wonderful young woman, and I love her, but I love her even more for getting it. The IT I am talking about is the need to connect with others in the International Adoption Community. As Samantha said tonight on the phone, she tries to understand all that I am going through as I wait for this next part of the adoption to happen, but she said she knows that only others that are going through or have gone through this before can really understand. She is correct. I was lucky tonight. I was able to connect in person with another Mom to be. One who will be travelling to Hanoi at the same time as I am to receive our children. We went for dinner and chatted for a few hours. It was wonderful. Just what I needed, someone who truly understands what I am going through. Yes this is a wonderful time in my life, but it's scary too. When a woman gets pregnant, 40 weeks later, give or take a few, the child is here. For me, it's been almost 3 years. Years of wondering if I am doing the right thing. Years of wondering if it will ever happen. Years of stressing over silly things. 2 years 7 months and 3 weeks of waiting to see my child's face. By the time I get to hold her it will be 3 years. Is this the right thing to do? My heart tells me yes. And most days my brain agrees.

Paperwork to Vietnam

Good news today. The paperwork for my referrral, (and I assume the others that will be traveling at the same time) was to be sent back to Vietnam today. Of course, with Christmas upon us, things will probably not get processed as soon as I would like, but it's a start. And, in a few more months, I will be waiting impatiently for the Invitation to Travel that must be issued from Vietnam before I can go to meet my daughter. Not that I want to wish time away, but Hurry on Spring

Paperwork

Well, it's off! The paperwork that is. I finally got the proposal paperwork all finished and sent off to CB today. Another big step completed. Just a few more to go and then I get to hold her close in my arms. I heard great news yesterday, the group traveling before me received their Letters of Invitation. They expect to travel the 1st week of January. That's 3 weeks from now. Wonderful news for all of them. I know that before I know it, it will be my turn to travel and then my world as it has been will be forever changed. Can't wait.

A Little Step Closer

I just read, (over at a friends blog) that the group that will be travelling to Vietnam ahead of me have received a little bit of good news. They will, soon on a not too distant day, have a definite idea of when they travel. I envy them. They are one step closer to being able to cuddle, close to them their children. I also know, that once they are on their way to finally meet their little ones in person, then I and the other 4 families travelling with me will be next. It makes me feel a little bit selfish. Fantastic news for them, but I also know it brings me one step closer, to finally able to hold my Macy. (OK Kathy, yours and mine lol)

AP meeting and paperwork

Well, it's done. I've met with my AP and we signed all the things that needed signing. She will drop off her statement back to me on Sunday and I will hopefully send everything back to CB on Monday. Then we wait again, wait for our Invitation to Travel...... But wait, not so fast. There is a group ahead of my little group that is still waiting for their turn to travel. Bev, I am hoping your Invite to Travel arrives soon. By tomorrow would be nice.

Official Extension

Well, after a bit of a glitch, in that my Ministry of Ontario Approval had expired and an extension had not yet been issued when my Proposal was ready last week, all is now well. I heard from the Powers that be at CB that my approval was granted until March 09. Yesterday, Wed, I called my AP Barb and we are meeting this afternoon. I'm trying to be calm, but this meeting today is when we look over the paperwork together, and I sign the Proposal (assuming my AP thinks all is OK.) For me, it's a big deal. I have already met with my MD and she says Go for It. There is not much medical info but from what I understand the medicals from Vietnam are pretty scarce. It just goes along with all of this journey, a good part of it is a Leap of Faith and for me, my instincts are telling me this is a good thing. (Of course it could just be the mommy thing in my wanting it all to be OK)

2 years, 7 months and 3 weeks later

International Adoption, "Not for the Faint at Heart." I have thought of that statement many times the past 2 years, 8 months . That is how long it has been since I started the process that brings me to this wonderful time. Last Tuesday, Dec 2 at approx. 2:40 pm, I saw, for the 1st time, my precious daughter's face. To say it has been a easy, uneventful journey would be untrue, but as of last Tuesday when I got the call from the Adoption Agency that my Referral for my daughter had arrived, and then approx an hour later when I got to see her face, everything that had happened in the past no longer mattered. The waiting, the anxiety, the uncertainty at times that this journey would never be, completed faded away. My daughter is waiting. She doesn't know she's waiting, but I know. And soon, OK spring, this coming spring, right after the winter that is now setting in, I will travel to get her. I can barely wait. I gaze at her photo when I awaken in the mornings, (I have a 11x14 framed pic on the wall in my room). I have a 8x10 on the mirror in my ensuite bath. I have a 8x10 on the computer desk, a 8x10 taped to the closet door so I see her as soon as I enter the house and another framed 8x10 on the dining table. OK lots of pics, but so far, none in my car (I was advised by another waiting mommy to avoid this for safety reasons, thanks Bev) Friends and family have asked me if I have came down from my high yet, sort of, but at times not really. I am much more emotional than I thought I would be, I am an emotional person anyway, (who knew haha) but to realize that soon, I will be holding my daughter is truly amazing.