We accepted our Referral!!!!

WOW - what a week! On Tuesday, we got THE CALL we have been waiting for. I can't believe today is Friday and it has taken me this long to post. It has been a crazy week. AWAA called on Tuesday and told us they had matched a beautiful 8 month old with our family. We were so excited! Colby and I were actually sitting in the waiting room of the pediatrician when the call came in. It was incredible - I had literally just said to Colby, "Wow, I really had a feeling that today we would get the call - I am disappointed it didn't happen" when I looked down and there it was - it hadn't even rung yet but the number appeared on my phone. It was a 703 area code!!! It was so surreal! I absolutely shrieked in the waiting room! They conferenced called Dennis in and he and Reilly immediately got in the car and met us at the doctor. Now, you have to realize that Reilly had been home for 3 days with strep and the flu, Dennis had the flu, and we were at the doctor to confirm (which we did!) Colby had strep. Quite the week in our house! Well... Samantha is just spectacular. We were a little shocked when they told us she weighed 25 pounds!!! After a little more investigation, it appears she is actually 18 months (roughly!), not 8, but she is just wonderful. The head of hair on this child is adorable - a mound of curls! I wish I could post her picture. Well... I promise to write more later. :) Ahhhhh how can I fall in love this fast!

We're Number 1!!!!

So it was an exciting night in the Ring household last night - the family "in front of us" in the baby girl adoption line received a referral. Honestly, I was a little surprised by my genuine happiness for them - I say that meaning I guess I thought my selfish excitement at being next in line would overpower my emotions. While I won't downplay that excitement - because it is huge, I was absolutely thrilled for this family. There is something about the adoption journey that is a unique bond for those travelling the ups and downs together. While we only know each other via the internet, I know the emotional struggles they have faced first hand, so I was elated that this faze of the wait is over for them. :)

So... for the last couple of weeks I have been a crazy person; now that gets amped up tenfold, I imagine. I feel like it is unlikely it will come today or tomorrow, so that gets me through this week. But, by Monday, I will be playing mind games once again! Oh well - that is just the way it is. We are surrounded by love and support, so I simply can't wait to share our daughter with everyone. She will be one lucky girl - they say it takes a village, and we surely have an incredible support network. I was also really thrilled to see how excited the boys were last night. They were jumping up and down and calling grandma, etc. It was so cute. They have been so passive in the process, since they have been hearing about it for 18 months - and it is rather abstract. I realized how much of this adoption journey has influenced Colby's thinking (age 6). Our next door neighbor is pregnant and having a boy, and when I told Colby, he said, "Where are they on the list? Will they get a referral soon?" I had to explain that she is having her baby just as I had him, at a hospital - etc.

Well, I better get some work done. Something tells me productivity might slow down a bit in the next couple of weeks. :)

So Begins Month 11...

Today is September 21, 2009. Exactly 11 months ago our paperwork went overseas to Ethiopia. I would say the first 7 months didn't seem too bad. I didn't expect a referral in that time, so I didn't have my hopes up, and thus life moved along. In July, there was a flurry of referrals, so I started to get really excited. In fact, it looked like a July referral was a possibility, so Dennis and I debated a trip for me and Reilly - in August, before school started - to meet the little one, knowing that we would get caught in court closures so we wouldn't get to bring her home until October - at best. Well, here we are in the eve of September, still waiting on that referral. There is one family ahead of us, who is about 3 weeks ahead in process, so I know their hearts are hurting! Each day now is such a swirl of emotions. I wake up excited, nervous and ready to jump out of my seat when the phone rings, I fall asleep each night a little sad that it didn't happen. I know I have been cranky and out of sorts - more withdrawn then normal. One one hand it is easy to just say "things happen for a reason - it is all in God's timing" - which I do totally believe, but it is another to live it patiently. Patience is not a gift I was endowed with in mass quantities (there are other ways in which I am not well endowed too...:) I am beginning to nest - I cleaned out closets and the pantry. Now, I am thinking about new furniture for her room...

hopefully soon. :)

Yet Another Reason I am Thrilled to Be Adopting from Ethiopia

Wow, It Is September 1st!

I am not really sure where August went. The scorching humidity enveloped the start of the field hockey season, the school doors opened and welcomed back the faculty, my boys prepared for kindergarten and second grade, and well, the month disappeared. It passed without a baby girl referral and I have solemnly held my # 2 place in line. Truthfully, there were days that were so busy, that had AWAA called with our referral, my head might have exploded. It would have been a lot to deal with. Now, that being said, I would have managed! But, now I am ready. I am sensing in Dennis a longing that he is really ready too. That makes me really happy. It has been tough to start another school year and have to answer the "when are you getting your baby" questions - with the pitiful response of, "I have no idea".

We are hosting an exchange student from Finland for the school year. My boys are loving having Lauri with us. He is a great kid and has filled in the "big brother" role quite nicely. Hopefully before Thanksgiving we will have baby girl home - how fun to have 4 kids with us for the holidays!

Well, back to work. :)

Reflecting on a Good Day

I am an optimist. I see the negative, I deal with the negative, but I do not let the negative - at least in most intances - bog me down and break my spirit. As I see it, my life has always worked out, so why shouldn't I be an optimist?

Today was one of those days where I realized how much I love my job. Seriously - I LOVE my job. The pace of the day was a bit frenetic, and I had a million things I had to do; I did not get all one million done. But, what did get done made my heart happy. As I have mentioned before, I am the director of a program for students with significant learning differences - bright kids who struggle in a traditional classroom for a wide variety of reasons. Today we had our first official faculty meeting. I say official because my core full time staff works all summer and we talk and collaborate every day, so we have very few "official" meetings. But we have several new part time folks because our program is expanding. I feel so honored to work with the incredible group of people that teach these kids every day. They are SMART, kid-centered, innovative, hard working and fun. They are true team players who have the best interests of kids at heart. They are self-less and tireless and I respect each and every one. We laugh a lot - it is an easy trust that has grown among us, and for that I am grateful.

But today was about the families we help. I had two different parents cry tears of joy in my office as we determined how exactly we could help their children. Is there any greater reward than looking into the eyes of a parent who feels like they have finally found an answer to one of their prayers? When they say with gratitude that we have changed the course of their child's life forever? Really, this is my JOB. How cool is that????

So, anyway, I was up most of the night - which is rare for me. I am a "gifted" sleeper!!! But I think the day was so busy that I just couldn't process it all and needed to work through it on a subconscious level. Today is another busy morning, then I take the field hockey team to a tournament overnight. I have great girls, and we plan to play laser tag after the game, so it will be a lot of fun. Again - my job. HA!

We are now number 2 on the adoption list. MAYBE we will get the call soooooooooooon!!!!!!!

True Friends

So, I have been meaning to catch up on blogging for a week, but this past week was rather chaotic. Last week I had the pleasure of spending 4 nights with my childhood/high school best friends. It was so much fun! The quaint Cape Cod landscape added to the enjoyment, but the company was unbeatable. I really don't think I have laughed that much in a long time. There was a certain luxury in being without children for several days; it allowed for no schedule, no time lines, and no stress. We ate breakfast on the deck at 10 AM in our PJ'S! What is better? But what I enjoyed most was that a single word or phrase could spark a stream of vivid memories that had buried themselves into the deep recesses of my mind. Moments from 20 years ago were a clear as if they were weeks ago. This provided much amusement.

I am fortunate to have 4 incredible friends - each so very different, yet wonderful. Sometimes I wonder if our differences are what make us so close; do we seek in each other what is missing in ourselves? I know I admire Holly's unabashed individuality, Melanie's serenity, Alyssa's compassion and Kim's genuine likability. We each bring to the friendship something unique - we each embrace each other wholeheartedly, flaws and all. Our differences are just facts, not worthy of examination or judgement. There are not many places in life that we can exist free from the fear of judgement, which is sad. But for 5 days on the Cape, we erased time and remembered how important our connection is. Thanks to my wonderful husband for helping to make it all happen. Girls - I already miss you. :)