Thoughts

We are in the beginning stages of our adoption.  There is (as best I can explain right now) the homestudy, then the dossier, approval from USA, getting a referral for a child/children, traveling to meet child, accepting of referral, travel back again, bonding with child, court hearings, and finally coming home. But it doesnt stop there, because then you have to make sure the child and you are doing well and report back to agency and country adopting from for a while to make sure everything is A OKAY.  I may have gotten some backwards, or missed some.  We are at the end part of the homestudy and starting on the dossier paperwork, so I do not know what I have not done, but I do know the general timeline.

Reading others blogs and seeing others thoughts, I thought, hey, I am going to write my own down too.
So,

My thoughts....

Adoption.
Did you ever think you would adopt?  No, we were led here through different twists and turns through life but now that we are here we know it is for a reason and that this is where we are supposed to be.

Is it a process?  More than some can imagine.
 
Is it emotional?  Yes.

Is it crazy?         Yes.

Did you have any idea when you started what it entailed?    Nope. and we are just beginning

Do you have a clue what is to come.  Nope.

Are you excited?  Yes, so hopeful and exited, imagining the who/what/when/where of everything all the time.

Are you scared or nervous?  Yes.  Its the unknown and its always scary and nerve racking.

Do you have a million questions?  Yes, and they change and then I think about something else with the adoption and then my questions change again.  

What have you learned so far?  You have to just go with the flow, open your mind and every aspect of your life to complete strangers to critique you and be okay with it and that can be very hard.  

What is the craziest part so far?  That you have to double check the checked documents so check em again and then check the checker.  :) sorta.


I get people that ask a lot of questions when they hear I am adopting because they have thought about it or know someone thinking about it and I answer their questions and try to guide them as best as possible and believe that is part of why we were chosen to adopt; to help others to know about and lead them to adopt as well.  It's definitely something for those with patience and who can stand by their partner and get through things together.  It brings you closer together and makes you really think about what you will do in the future and how you will do it. 
You go in a little naive but are guided along the way with great support from the agency and social worker you are working with.  We have been fortunate to have an awesome agency and social worker and it makes a world of difference I think.  Our families have also both been very supportive and wishful and wonderful listening to us babble on and on about it as this will be the first grandchildren either side has. So not only is it monumental to us, it is monumental to the family.  Our child or children are going to be showered with so much love and acceptance and family its gonna be great!