Great News!

GREAT NEWS. Two baby girl referrals have been handed out.  Best of all that makes us #1 on the list now! that is so terrific beyond words... This also moves us up two spaces on the infant list. Even though we are #1 on the toddler list now, the reality is that we will most likely receive a referral for an infant girl. Just the way it seems to be working out. Of course we'd love a child of any age, but the thought of bringing home a toddler would be so wonderful indeed. It's amazing to sit here and just think and wonder at the many possibilities that are before us. I know this will happen for us soon, and the thought that one day, we'll be a family of 7. picturing next Christmas together. maybe by Halloween. what if by 4th of July! that's what's so exciting and scary and mind boggling. it's so close....

okay, so i made the call

I finally called the agency today. i pretended that i was only calling to ask about a fax i sent... but i can't lie.  i was really calling to find out about any toddler referrals.. Well the news is that they may have much older kids (like 6 or 8 years old.) Nothing on itty bitty kids. So I'm back to anticipating the long wait. It's most likely that we'll be given, and accept, the referral of an infant. That could be many months from now. It's so hard not knowing. One month we're all excited because a new province is opening up and the promise of tons of kids is waved before us. We keep hearing that this will happen, but then no toddler referrals at all for months. So it's 2 am feedings and yucky diaper changes for us! Jeff swears he will not help in the diaper department. His claim is that he'll help when I've matched the number of diaper changes I've done to the number he's done.  I'm also trying hard not to wish for anything too much. I don't want to jinx myself. I'd rather say, we're open to any age and be thrilled to pieces when the time comes. It feels wrong to say I prefer this age over that. Almost like saying who are we to be so picky?! Besides, i believe in fate, and i believe the child that is destined to be ours will be ours. I suspect she'll have a strong and feisty personality and she'll let us know she's the one for us.

Avoiding the phone

Our adoption agency usually has their BIG meeting on Monday nights to discuss all the upcoming referrals. I've been dying to call them and get an update. Are there, finally, toddler referrals ? I'm trying not to call them, because all they tell me is: We're Optimistically Hopeful. What does that mean? I know our daughter is out there. And yes, I know I'm supposed to be patient but I'd just love to know, yes she does exist, she's living in province XYZ and if I'm just patient a little bit longer... I'll know who she is.

I must admit I'm 100% clueless as to what an infant or toddler will need or want. Bottles?  Diapers? slings v. wraps.  Baby strollers?  Jeff has already declared he will not use a baby sling. but i think they are pretty cool. besides from what I've read about adoption, it's extremely important to have your child as close to you at all times as possible. She needs to learn what it is to have a mommy and a daddy. She needs to feel this is where she belongs. okay, getting ahead of myself AGAIN. back to the bottles and diapers and things like that. to all my mommy friends i will be calling you and asking for help. a step by step guide to what to do and when to do it would be very nice, thank you. Honestly, I'm totally and completely clueless and I'm just hoping this maternal instinct thing will suddenly jump into action.

Our Journey Begins

Emma and David.  This is the story of how we became a family.  It took a long time for Mommy and Daddy to find you and bring you home.  Lots and lots of things had to happen first.  We got to meet lots of people who were very helpful, kind and friendly and wanted to see us become a family.  I hope you can read these stories and picture how Mommy and Daddy moved Heaven and Earth to find you, love you, make you part of our family, and promise to hold you close and NEVER EVER EVER let go!

For a long time Mommy talked to Daddy and told him how much she wanted a little girl of her own.  But Daddy already had 4 big kids!  So after a lot of talking and asking and thinking about it, we decided there was room in our hearts for one  more little girl.  We never knew that one day, instead of one little girl, we'd bring home Two Great Kids.  Chieu and Kieu!


This is how your story begins...


We are second on the list for a toddler aged girl (1 to 2 years old). We had also asked to be put on the infant list since toddlers seem to be very scarce right now. We have our hearts set on an older girl though, but still young enough that there's some cuddle time for me, mommy. We had gotten our hopes up when the agency announced they were working with a brand new orphanage -- one that they had never worked with before. Well it's looking like the kids there may be all much older. So that was disappointing for us. I'm learning to be calm in all this. Whether we're referred a child that is 6 months old, or 2.5 years old -- we know she will be our perfect little girl. I hadn't anticipated a referral for a while yet either... so I figure I have time to sit back and see how things work out.