Next week we will celebrate one month on the wait list! I'm so glad this part of our wait falls during our busy season. With Brody starting school, Beck's birthday, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc...I just know this last half of the year will fly by. We will be seeing our child's face for the first time before I know it. They've told us 4-6 months, so we hope to have gotten that anticipated phone call and email by Brody's birthday in February. Although I am praying that God allows us to see that sweet picture much sooner than that.
It's amazing for me to think that our child is most likely already born. Living in the baby room at Eastern Social Welfare Society in Seoul, waiting to be placed with a foster family. Right now our child is considered an orphan, but oh how I wish he knew of the family he already has waiting on him and praying for him! My mama heart has already kicked in, and it hurts to think about our babe laying there without a mommy or daddy to hold him. I do have faith that he is being well taken care of though.
Lately, I have been reading articles and following adoption forums, and I've become increasingly aware of the grief and sadness these babies go through when they come home. They are taken from everything and everyone that they know. They grieve their foster parents, because they are the only mommy and daddy they've ever known. And from what I can tell, these foster mamas in Korea love our babies fiercely until we can get there to bring them home. Our baby won't understand that he would eventually be placed in a group home if he's not adopted by a certain age. That his foster parents weren't meant to be his forever parents. He will be surrounded by strange people, strange smells, strange voices. We will have to work very hard to gain his trust and help him understand that we are his mommy and daddy. All children handle this part differently. Some grieve very hard, while some adjust with very minimal problem. Whatever the case may be with our child, we are willing to do whatever we can to help our child adjust and settle into our family. I want to be as prepared as possible. I have two books ordered that were recommended to me, and I can't wait to delve in and see what I can learn. There's also a conference in Chicago in April that Brent and I are really hoping we can attend. The author of one of the above books is speaking at a weekend seminar called Empowered to Connect, and from what I can tell, she is tremendous at this aspect of adoption. I think it would be great for us.
But amidst this fear and unknown, I have a huge peace about it all. It will work out just how it's supposed to. And it will be so worth it. I also have found peace in this stage of waiting we are in. I know we've done our part - the paperwork and home study and applications - its all complete. We've endured the hurry and wait, hurry and wait, hurry and wait cycle. And now we will just wait. I want to enjoy this season of life with my boys, and know that we will see our child's picture when God says its time.
One exciting little thing we did recently was mail off the beginning stages of paperwork to begin application for our baby's citizenship! We should receive appointments within the next few weeks to go get fingerprinted! Who would have ever though I'd be so giddy over fingerprints?! But any little thing we can do to inch our way forward in this process is to be celebrated!
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