Thursday, September 13, 2007

Thoughts on our approval

Nothing to re-do, all fingerprints okay, capital "W" waiting, here we come. We're officially approved. Thanks for opening that letter, N!

Whenever I'm getting ready to leave for a trip somewhere and people ask me how excited I must be, I'm never sure how to answer. I never get excited about going somewhere until I'm walking out the door. Only then do I genuinely start looking forward to what's to come. So I'm realizing that I feel the same way about this adoption.

My thought upon first hearing about our approval was not, "Whoopee!" but "Alright then, that's done, great, thanks God, what's next?"

Maybe it's the pessimist in me, that half-empty girl who won't let me believe that it's really going to happen. That girl seems to be always telling me not to get hopes up until the deal is sealed. I remember in high school being asked what my least favorite emotion was, and I immediately said, "Disappointment."

So I'm not sure what's the healthiest thing. This guarded way I have towards the possibility of good things coming has most definitely saved me some heart-ache (i.e. disappointment), but sometimes I wonder if I'm not letting myself experience the full realm of emotion at my disposal with this process.

It's like my friend in Slovakia who's mother freaked out when she bought a baby stroller before her baby was born: you don't want to jinx anything by preparing too much. I don't go that far into superstition, that's for sure, but at the same time, I've done zilch to get the room ready for our arriving kid(s). The most I've done is to buy a couple of interesting baby t-shirts, which I've promptly stuffed into a dresser drawer so I don't have to look at them.

(And by preparing for baby, I mean *buying* for baby--I've done an insane amount of reading and talking to friends about the stuff we'll be facing from sleep issues to attachment parenting to issues of race and adoption--my head swims sometimes from all the expert voices I surround myself with).

They say that the adoption process is an emotional roller-coaster, and that's true for sure. I've been frustrated, exhausted, inspired, frazzled, spit-fire angry, and often relieved when various steps get completed. I guess what I wonder is when that deep sense of anticipation will kick in.

So far, it feels like I've just been packing the suitcase and cleaning the house in preparation for the Big Trip to Parenthood-land. I'm wondering when that feeling of walking out the door, passport in hand, now-I-can-get-excited is going to take over.
Will it be when we get our referral? Will it be when I see the new Rooney face for the first time? Will it be when we literally walk out the door to the airport for Addis Ababa?

I'm curious what other parents in the process have experienced, from those just starting out to those raising their kids already.

9 comments:

tara said...

oh my gosh! You're waiting?! Congrats! I will be waiting to hear when you've got that coveted referral!!

Anonymous said...

wahoo! that is awesome! start sleeping now!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, Ted & Lori! It's been great following your journey and I look forward to hearing about your referral!

Staci

Amy B. said...

So, when do you return from your trip? I bet you can't wait to get that approval letter notarized and sent off...what a relief to be done with all the paperwork! We are waiting right now for that "special" letter too...can't wait! Amy

Lori said...

We get back Saturday night. Yes, I'll be glad to get the letter notarized and off, but I'm especially longing for my own bed and a snuggle with the cat. Travel is great, but home is better.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations!! :) Finally, huh?

About the emotion thing... I'm not adopting, but I am a mom of two. I feel the same way you do. I don't like disappointment. I despise it! Worse than ... well, everything! So, I can relate. I have no advice though, as I haven't found a cure or any relief either way.

I am always pleasantly surprised, even if I had knowledge beforehand. :) Life is good that way. And I am very, very thankful for each and every surprise! :)

Have a safe trip home!!
Steph

Drew Carey Show said...

Congrats on getting into the waiting game! For me, the real excitement and anticipation kicked in just a few weeks ago, when suddenly it felt like we were in the window. Now, it's subsiding to an "oh well, I guess we'll get the call when we get it..." Maybe tomorrow I'll be manic again. There's no telling. Okay, so suffice to say, 12 weeks into the wait, and we're officially on an emotional roller coaster. Please join me for the ride!

Anonymous said...

Hey Lori, I remember being in the hospital when Peyton was born and calling my parents to tell them that she was a girl...they asked me if she was "our" little girl, and I said "well, I think so". We tried really hard to protect ourselves and to not get too ahead of the process. Until we left the hospital with her, I didn't really feel like she was ours. Did I miss out on some excitement and joy? Probably. But it's also realistic with adoption. It's so uncertain and out of your control. Hang in there. You are doing everything right and will just be a story someday that you can share with your children. It's not always so agonizing. Safe travels home!

Kristi said...

So happy for you and Ted...another step closer :-)