A new calm

I've noticed since we received the news of our approval a new calm has come over me. I've been thinking about the whole process a lot less and really focusing on the baby itself. Thinking ahead and hoping that by this time next year we'll at least have a match and a picture of our newest addition. But it's not a stressful thinking or a sad thinking, it's a thinking of all the things that are going to happen next year and adding that to the list. Hopefully 2006 will be a great year to remember. There are of course all the what-ifs, but I really haven't had much trouble with them yet. The approval has allowed me to move into a very happy place and we are back to talking about names and teaching Ian about his new sibling. We received a book as a gift called "A love like no other" - a collection of adoption stories from all angles. I'm excited to dive in and start reading it. I've also gotten a lot of great encouraging emails from family and friends in regards to our approval status. It's wonderful to know we have so much support and that this child is already loved and accepted by so many people.

Since there won't be a lot of updates on the actual process I've decided to start posting things I learn along the way about Thailand. First thing, Orchids are the national flower. I'm sure they will become more interesting as my research goes on. I haven't done research since college :) But at least this will be fun - and no paper required.

I also have a huge cross-stitch project to start that will eventually end up being a wonderful scene of Bangkok. Hopefully I'll figure out how to post pictures and I'll show everyone my progress (Jessica, can you tell me how to post pictures?).

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks for all the support and love you have shown us so far and I hope I have been able to show it in return.

Huge hurdle

Okay - so this entry is a little delayed because of strange timing, but we have some great news to share! I finally heard from the agency, on Friday afternoon, and it turns out Mary M. (the woman who took the trip to Thailand) did get to sit down with reps from the Thai Red Cross. She found out that our dossier has passed the pre-approval stage and is officially on the wait list to receive a referral!!! It's amazing! I can't even describe the feelings that come over me when I read the email explaining we were approved. Although there was a little twist to the story - we've been approved since OCTOBER!!!!!!!!! Yup, October - I guess the communication never made it back to the agency. That helps explain a little about what everyone has been trying to tell us about how the people in Thailand work. But what's good is that we already have two months of our official waiting down - without even knowing it! That brings our next phase down to about 10 months for a referral. It still seems like forever, knowing we will most likely live through another summer, fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and maybe even winter before hearing we've been matched, but at least we know for sure that it'll happen. It's an amazing feeling - it's like hearing that we are really expecting.

So now the next phase of our plan needs to take shape. It's time to start learning some Thai, looking into some cooking classes, and reading more books. By the time our baby comes we will be prepared to keep some Thai in his life. (yes, if I haven't mentioned it before, chances are it'll be a boy).

Waiting to wait

Well, the agency representative is back but our program director has not had a chance to sit down and catch up with her - oh and she's off tomorrow, so she'll try on Thursday! Please excuse my sarcasm but I'm finding it hard not to totally explode!!!!!! The soul purpose of this trip was to find out information for the agency and the families in the program and, what? I'm sorry, you can't find the time to get together for updates? What's that about? So, now we are waiting to hear if there is any news on our waiting.

So, of course, sitting here listening to RENT is so uplifting and putting me in a much more pleasant mood :) At least my cough is going away and I can sing along. That makes me happy.

Although, actually there is some good news - I've made a contact in Bangkok. His name is Eric and he graduated from Beloit College in 1977. I contacted the alumni office and asked for names and contact information of alumni in Thailand - I figure coming from a smaller school it was worth a shot and there were about 6 contacts. I picked the first one on the list with an email address and took a chance. He's super nice and totally willing to email me and answer my questions. I feel very lucky to have connected with him, and that's one good thing that's going on right now. :)

I'll keep you posted.

Second Installment

Well, it's official, we have paid for nearly 50% of our adoption already and we don't even know if we've been pre-approved. Ironic, huh? I really don't have anything to say, I just felt the need to validate the idea of writing a 2nd huge check to the agency for bacially mailing our dossier. I guess this is how they keep running as a non-prot organization - Get the money upfront and in large chunks.

At least we have lot of things to keep us busy for the next few weeks. Between shopping, cleaning, organizing, wrapping, and playing! :) It should go by pretty fast. It's going to be a great holiday season with Ian because he's old enough to be truly excited about his presents. We are planning a gift a night for the 8 nights of Chanukkah. He's really going to be fun this year. We are already in the holiday spirit watching Polar Express (his new favorite movie) and playing with a dreidel I found in a drawer. But I still think about the agency and their trip and anxiously awaiting any news, it's not as often as before.