That little ticker up there is getting close to a big big date. Hard to believe we have been at this adoption for such a long time, and we are not even in the home stretch yet. I'm defining the "home stretch" as when we are actually on our pickup trip, or when we learn the dates of our pickup trip, which we don't know yet and don't know when we will know. So mentally, I am just keep on keepin' on.
The good news is that the strike is over. There was a strike earlier this month that lasted just over two weeks, delaying all progress on our case. I am seriously glad it is over, as each day of it felt like a bit of lead in my stomach, just sitting there in the pit of my stomach. Of course, I can't blame people for stopping work when they aren't getting paid, but I just want my baby.
Last week was officially two months since we submitted our dossier and our son's paperwork to court. While we were in country, our attorney had estimated that it would likely be two months until we would get the call for our pickup trip. That clearly has not happened yet. I know from other people it took four months for them to get the call, so I guess we are in that zone of "it could be anyday now" and we could be in that zone for quite a while.
I just re-read the preceding three paragraphs, and the tone sounds like I am angry. I'm really not. I'm not sad either, or depressed, or anything along those lines. I'm still (mostly) in a good place, but the euphoria is (mostly) gone, and I am just pressing ahead every day. I'm not a marathon runner (I just chase kids in the backyard), but maybe this is what "the wall" is like. Maybe not. Maybe I'm not there yet. Maybe I'm still in that middle stretch where it is hard, where it has been hard for a while, but it's not yet as painful as it will be.
How am I getting by each day? Well, it is basically the same recipe each day. I pray, I hope, I trust, and I keep busy. I focus on myself as little as possible, and every day I work hard recalling as many blessings as possible. That always puts me in a good frame of mind. I'm not saying this as "hey check me out, I've got it all figured out." Just that I know there are lots of people reading this that are waiting as well, and I offer that as a helpful hint to take (or not) as you see fit.
God has been really great at giving me lots of little gifts over the last couple months. Really wonderful gifts which have helped me focus on the good, and which have generally been for brief periods of time (so I figure I can do them, or if we get our call to travel before they are completed, I won't miss too much). And most of them have been free, which is definitely good for the pocketbook right about now, and made it possible for me to sign up for them. One of those little gifts was a course on St. John's Gospel, which I really enjoyed. It was self-directed, so I could use a schedule that worked for me, and I ended up completing it early. But before I had completed it, my parish had started a Bible Study on 1 and 2 Peter. Really great stuff, and because both letters are very short, the study is not very long. It ends next week, as a matter of fact. But, I also heard about an online course through Hillsdale College on Western Heritage, that is absolutely fascinating. We are entering the third week, and I am learning all sorts of things I wish I had studied in college, but then again, I don't think I would have appreciated it then like I do now. It is really wonderful, and I look forward to each lecture. Can't wait till the new one shows up on the website later today! The Greek Miracle, I think it is called. Should be incredibly interesting. We are also doing a ten-week DVD series at our parish entitled Catholicism, by Fr. Robert Barron, that is breathtakingly beautiful and wonderful. Again, it is not too long and is free. We're starting week three, and if I am around for the whole thing, I'll learn a whole lot, but if we get called to travel before it is over, none of my time would be wasted. And finally, there is a Life in the Spirit Seminar, seven weeks long, and we're in week three for that as well, and it has been nice to participate in that as well.
There have been various events and get-togethers too for us to have fun as a family, and as long as it is ok to rsvp just a week or less in advance, that has been working out well too. For example, we had a Cub Scout campout this weekend. It was great great fun, and we could literally decide to go or not at the last minute. In fact, we weren't sure we were going to spend the night until that very day, because the weather prediction was for nighttime lows of about 32 degrees, and we wanted to make sure we could get some decent sleeping bags before we committed. We did, and had a great time. And I think the boys will earn their "freeze out" badges for camping in weather that cold! Even I feel like it was a big accomplishment. We wore lots of layers of warm clothes, had good sleeping bags, and used air mattresses to get our bodies off that very cold ground. The boys slept through the whole night with no problems at all, and in fact were warm enough they didn't even wear hats or mittens to sleep. I did, but I am the cold one of the family. Anyway, it was a ton of fun, the boys played for hours in the woods with their fellow scouts, and I am really happy that we were able to do it. Plus, is there anything better than hot dogs and s'mores made over an open fire? Of course, had we been in Honduras and missed the whole trip, I don't think any of us would have complained, but in that we were here, it was a great thing to do.
So, that's about it for me for now. Thank you for your prayers, for us and for our little adorable sweetheart (who I hope remembers us), and best wishes for you in your keep on keepin' on too!
Monday, October 29, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
22 months old!
Precious boy,
You are 22 months old now! Yesterday was actually the day your turned 22 months, but we were busy all day doing fun family things, and I didn't get a chance to type anything on the blog. But I did think of you and your special day about a bazillion times. The highlight of our day was going to a model train show. Your brothers loved it. We had a great time watching various size model trains pull their stuff along their tracks. Beautiful trains and amazing layouts. The family favorite was a layout made entirely of Legos. It was really incredible. You will learn about Legos soon enough -- they play a big part in our everyday life. We've got a big container of Duplos waiting just for you!
We also got your brothers their Halloween costumes. I had been holding off on that, not being too sure whether we would be here in the States or there with you for Halloween. Though I still don't like to predict what will be the story at month's end, it seemed a good idea to at least get a pair of costumes. Now we have a very cute astonaut and a very cute Superman running around the house, and how can you go wrong with that?
I miss you precious boy. I wish we were there with you now. I wish I could look in those big dark eyes of yours and kiss your cheeks, 1000 times for every day we have been apart, and just hold you and hold you and hold you. Hopefully soon my dear one. I love love love you.
You are 22 months old now! Yesterday was actually the day your turned 22 months, but we were busy all day doing fun family things, and I didn't get a chance to type anything on the blog. But I did think of you and your special day about a bazillion times. The highlight of our day was going to a model train show. Your brothers loved it. We had a great time watching various size model trains pull their stuff along their tracks. Beautiful trains and amazing layouts. The family favorite was a layout made entirely of Legos. It was really incredible. You will learn about Legos soon enough -- they play a big part in our everyday life. We've got a big container of Duplos waiting just for you!
We also got your brothers their Halloween costumes. I had been holding off on that, not being too sure whether we would be here in the States or there with you for Halloween. Though I still don't like to predict what will be the story at month's end, it seemed a good idea to at least get a pair of costumes. Now we have a very cute astonaut and a very cute Superman running around the house, and how can you go wrong with that?
I miss you precious boy. I wish we were there with you now. I wish I could look in those big dark eyes of yours and kiss your cheeks, 1000 times for every day we have been apart, and just hold you and hold you and hold you. Hopefully soon my dear one. I love love love you.
Friday, October 05, 2012
In a good place
It has been a few weeks since I have posted anything on this blog, and for no real reason other than I didn't have much to say and I have been rather busy. Actually, I guess those are two very good reasons to stay quiet! But several folks have asked how I am doing and what is going on, so I'm make a quick update.
In short, I am in a good place! I honestly had really really been dreading this part of the adoption journey. I thought after having met our son and spent a bit of time with him, that having to return home without him for some untold number of months would be excrutiatingly painful for me, and as a result for everyone around me. Of course, I do miss him. Of course, of course, of course. I think of him and say a little prayer for him frequently during the day. But I am not sad and am not moping around and I don't think I am adding to the stress level of those around me (any more than normal, that is!). I can only think that God is being especially kind to me, and busloads of people are praying big time, and for both of those I am hugely grateful.
Evenings and weekends have been filled up with the regular things of life: homework, dinner, playing with the boys, going here or there. And the daytime hours have been somewhat filled up too. I don't know how it is possible, but it is not uncommon for me to come back home after dropping the boys off at school and going to Mass, then I get involved with something, and before I know it, it is afternoon already and nearly time to go get the boys again. And before I know it, it's Friday again just like it is today.
I have been making a conscious effort to fill my days will good things, so have met several times with my prayer group, or my Bible study group, or been working on my school work (which is St. John's gospel this semester, by the way), or met with friends or family members, or practiced music for choir, or helped out at school or elsewhere. Or when I can't think of anything else to do, there's always cleaning the house, though I try to do that in moderation! :D
There is no word to share on our case. Realistically though, I'm not sure that there really could be anything to provide as an update, until everything is ready for us to travel again and sign the final adoption decree and bring back our sweet little boy. It's either they're not yet done processing our case, or they are done processing our case and we need to travel. So I don't expect anything until that time. When will it be is the million dollar question. I'm thinking anytime from around the end of this month to the end of the year. Obviously I am hoping for as soon as possible. Our attorney said it would likely be two months from when we petitioned the court, and we were at court on August 25th. I am really hoping and praying everything is complete within two months of that date, which would be October 25th. The later it gets toward the end of the year, and things generally start to slow down for the Christmas season. Although I bet it is gorgeous in Honduras for Christmas, I would really prefer that our trip need be no more than four to six weeks and we are all set to go home by then. Really hoping and praying for that.
And the other thing relates to the adoption tax credit. As yet, Congress has not acted to extend the adoption tax credit, and unless they extend it, the credit will end after this year. Which means that adoptions would need to be finalized by the end of this year in order to receive the tax credit. We are really counting on that tax credit. Really counting on it. So, if I can ask you once again, if you haven't contacted your Congressmen to ask them to extend it, please do that. It will make a huge difference for us and for many many other adopting families. Refer to my archived blog posts if you need more information on the tax credit.
Thank you so much my friends!
In short, I am in a good place! I honestly had really really been dreading this part of the adoption journey. I thought after having met our son and spent a bit of time with him, that having to return home without him for some untold number of months would be excrutiatingly painful for me, and as a result for everyone around me. Of course, I do miss him. Of course, of course, of course. I think of him and say a little prayer for him frequently during the day. But I am not sad and am not moping around and I don't think I am adding to the stress level of those around me (any more than normal, that is!). I can only think that God is being especially kind to me, and busloads of people are praying big time, and for both of those I am hugely grateful.
Evenings and weekends have been filled up with the regular things of life: homework, dinner, playing with the boys, going here or there. And the daytime hours have been somewhat filled up too. I don't know how it is possible, but it is not uncommon for me to come back home after dropping the boys off at school and going to Mass, then I get involved with something, and before I know it, it is afternoon already and nearly time to go get the boys again. And before I know it, it's Friday again just like it is today.
I have been making a conscious effort to fill my days will good things, so have met several times with my prayer group, or my Bible study group, or been working on my school work (which is St. John's gospel this semester, by the way), or met with friends or family members, or practiced music for choir, or helped out at school or elsewhere. Or when I can't think of anything else to do, there's always cleaning the house, though I try to do that in moderation! :D
There is no word to share on our case. Realistically though, I'm not sure that there really could be anything to provide as an update, until everything is ready for us to travel again and sign the final adoption decree and bring back our sweet little boy. It's either they're not yet done processing our case, or they are done processing our case and we need to travel. So I don't expect anything until that time. When will it be is the million dollar question. I'm thinking anytime from around the end of this month to the end of the year. Obviously I am hoping for as soon as possible. Our attorney said it would likely be two months from when we petitioned the court, and we were at court on August 25th. I am really hoping and praying everything is complete within two months of that date, which would be October 25th. The later it gets toward the end of the year, and things generally start to slow down for the Christmas season. Although I bet it is gorgeous in Honduras for Christmas, I would really prefer that our trip need be no more than four to six weeks and we are all set to go home by then. Really hoping and praying for that.
And the other thing relates to the adoption tax credit. As yet, Congress has not acted to extend the adoption tax credit, and unless they extend it, the credit will end after this year. Which means that adoptions would need to be finalized by the end of this year in order to receive the tax credit. We are really counting on that tax credit. Really counting on it. So, if I can ask you once again, if you haven't contacted your Congressmen to ask them to extend it, please do that. It will make a huge difference for us and for many many other adopting families. Refer to my archived blog posts if you need more information on the tax credit.
Thank you so much my friends!
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