{ adoption: month 5 }
If I had to sum up the fifth month of our journey towards adoption in one word, it would be: paperwork.
I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished this month: 3 online courses completed, Basic Infant Care & CPR done, and almost all of our forms turned in. As of today, only two items remain to be turned in: our fire inspection (which will hopefully be completed Thursday) and our personal questionnaire form which we are almost finished with. Paperwork isn’t the most fun thing in the world but I have felt such a sense of purpose in doing it.
I’m a little bummed to report that we’re still waiting on our social worker to set up our first meeting with her. She told us once we had 75% of our paperwork done, we would begin meeting and we definitely have more than that turned in! It’s hard not to be impatient, but I really do believe any delays are part of God’s timing and plan.
I recently read a beautiful post “The Gift of Longing, When It’s Done” by an adoptive Mama I follow, Jillian Burden. Here is an excerpt:
But, oh how my long wait has intensified my enjoyment of this child!
If he makes too much noise I don’t think about the peace I had before him. I think about the empty silence.
If he wakes up in the night I don’t remember the sleep I used to get. I remember the nights I lay awake, longing for him.
If he throws his food on the floor at dinner, I don’t remember the way we used to enjoy quiet, romantic meals. I remember how we ached to pull that third seat up to the table.
When it takes me twice as long to run an errand I don’t remember the luxury of moving fast without him. I remember all the hurried trips to fedex and the frantic appointments we squeezed in as we panicked over deadlines and adoption paperwork.
Life is better now. Life is better with him.
I really believe the long wait, the tears, the sadness we’ve endured to become parents is going to make it all the sweeter when it happens.
Thank you, as always, for your love and support.
- – Jen