| Friday, March 10, 2006 |
| DoE Day/Labor Pains |
Well, the paperwork has gone to the DoE today. I have people praying everywhere that the papers are right on top of his/her "to do" list. You know how it is after vacation. There's a ton of work. You start with the most urgent/priority items and work your way down. Well, I know that our adoption is not probably priority to him/her, but it is to the Lord. We are praying that it moves across his/her desk quickly and we know something very soon. I feel like I'm living on pins and needles all of a sudden, waiting on a call to travel. It's kind of like waiting to go into labor. The only difference is with Russian adoption, you have to go into labor twice (and who knows how long in between). :-) Some of you have been living in this zone for a long time, you are amazing!!
For those of you have never birthed a child but are on the adoption adventure, there are so many similarities. At first, there's not too much to do. Life seems pretty normal while you take care of a few things. The whole idea is pretty new. Then you find out the home study agency is coming. You begin "nesting". You clean your house furiously and meticulously trying to get ready. Then you have a period of rest when you are waiting for INS, HS agency, etc. Then there is a flurry of late nights and running everywhere preparing. With a pregnancy, your body is uncomfortable, you don't sleep well at night, and you're running to doctor's appointments every two weeks. With adoption, you are filling out post placement agreements, registration obligations, gathering birth certificates, marriage certificates, filling out financial paperwork, etc. You're running everywhere getting papers notarized and apostilled, getting fingerprints, police clearance, and yes, going to the doctor. With pregnancy, you lose sleep because your body is uncomfortable and you pray that your baby will be born healthy with 10 fingers and 10 toes. With adoption, you loose sleep wondering if all of your paperwork will be approved, if your children are healthy in a country where it is below 0 most of the time, if they have been held that day and loved on, if they know momma is coming to get them. Then when the dossier is sent off it is just wait time. When you are pregnant, you can feel the baby kick you and stick their feet in your ribs. You have a hard time breathing. When you are adopting, you wish you could feel any piece of them. You wouldn't mind being kicked and poked. Sometimes you have a hard time breathing when you walk past their picture for the millionth time and you still don't have a call. Then the day comes, you go into labor. Your body works overtime pushing out a beautiful new human being. You lose many hours of sleep nursing and comforting in the middle of the night. With adoption, you get the call that changes your life. You hop on a plane and fly to the other side of the world, which is not just 1 or 2 time zones away, but a completely different day. You catch one plane to the next, without sleep, rest, or a shower. You get to see and hold your baby(ies) for a few short hours for a few short days. Then you whirlwind back to the other side of the world without them. Talk about sleep deprivation and having your days and nights mixed up! As a mother of four children (3 pregnancies), I could not imagine leaving them in the hospital and waiting weeks and months to be told to come back and get them. However, this is what adoptive parents do. I have not been through this portion of the journey yet, but I can only imagine how horrible it is. The praying I'm sure becomes more intense, the pain of separation a world away becomes worse, the sleepless nights become harder. Adoptive parents have to go into labor twice! Ugh! At the end of the journey, both adoptive parents and pregnant moms end up with the same result, beautiful children that the Lord has entrusted to them to raise for His glory. One's child is birthed in her body, one's child is birthed in her heart. Both are beautiful and truly special!
Many blessings to moms out there everywhere, whether by birth or by adoption. You are truly amazing. I pray daily for those of you adoptive parents waiting to "go into labor", whether it be for the first or second time on this adoption adventure. You are troopers!! Remember to lean on God when you have those "breathless" moments and remember what will come in the end.
Have a blessed day. |
posted by 6blessings @ 7:21 AM  |
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| 5 Comments: |
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Kim,
Thank you for your words. I needed them today.
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I've never carried a child, but I can imagine that there are similarities. I've had some amazing ups and downs in the past week... lots of breathless moments.
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Thanks for the analogy. You are right- a beautiful child entrusted to your care is the result of all of the exhaustive effort and everything is/was worth it in the end.
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Your analogy is so true!! When we were told when we would be traveling abroad, I started to cry because it felt like someone was telling me I was pregnant!
It is truly an amazing adventure!
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Kim,
Thank you for your words. I needed them today.