Big News!

I have been wanting to update our blog for the past couple weeks. Its been hard not to share new news with family and friends, but we didn't want to tell people, and then possibly have to explain to everyone why it didn't work out. But, it did work out! Doug and I are the very proud "almost parents" to a ~ 8 month old baby boy! Due to confidentiality issues, and the fact that we haven't passed as legal parents through the Ethiopian court systems, we cannot post his name or any pictures. Wish we could share with everyone. He is simply the most beautiful baby boy I have ever seen. Perfect in every way.

So, let me tell you about the journey, the journey that we initially had no intentions following. And, it wasn't because we didn't want an infant, we just knew that the wait could be potentially close to 2 years, and we aren't getting any younger.

In international adoption, as perspective parents you can do two things: 1) wait for a referral (which could be 18 months plus for an infant) or 2) consider a "waiting child". Waiting children are often put on a list because they are older, however, there could be other reasons as well. Baby boy was put on this list for other reasons. We noticed him in early December, but we weren't even official yet, because we hadn't yet received our I-171H form (FBI clearance). On December 9th, we received this letter. We had already spoken to our case manager about the waiting child list, although she forewarned us that with a very recent "wait date," to not get our hopes up if we see a child we would be interested in. But you all know me....I can be very persistent if there is something I believe in....

Therefore, we inquired about baby boy. I received his medical information and pictures. It was love at first sight, and second sight, and third sight....Although I wanted to request a match right then and there, I knew it would be in our best interest to have a consult with an international adoption expert. Doug and I chose an expert at Yale University and had a phone consult on December 17th. Picture this...me, Doug and my Mom sitting around the kitchen table, documents spread out all over the table, speaker phone, and....a tape recorder. Yes, I listened to the entire call again, to make sure I got everything...and I mean everything. I have always been a great note taker, but this was different. I was afraid I would be so caught up in the moment that I wouldn't have my listening ears on. Thanks to Mom for thinking of the recorder.

There were additional questions that needed to be sent to Ethiopia for follow up. In the meantime, Doug and I had all weekend to really think about every possible situation, and how we would handle it. At the end of the day, we both felt that baby boy was meant to be a part of our family, and we would do whatever we possibly could to be sure he had the best possible life with us. Of course, there was a lot more to this decision, but it was our decision, and a very personal one for sure. I knew it was right when after we wrote the email to our agency requesting a match and we hit the "send" button, I felt at peace, for the first time since this process began. There was no doubt that he was born to be our son.

Call it divine intervention. Call it whatever you want to call it. There was a reason why we got approved when we did, that we kept looking at his picture, and that we were matched in two days. We don't know exactly how it went down, and we really don't need to know. What we do know is that on Tuesday, December 22nd at 4:05pm, we got the call.

Baby Boy has been matched with Doug and me!!!

Oh, sweet love.