Taking the Long Way Around

The transition meeting was today. It was quite a deal. My heart was just about pounding out of my chest! Most of this meeting was confidential.

The bio mom was there... after the meeting I sat down and cried for her. There is always a sad part to adoption. Diplomacy, kind words, psychology -( palliative care?) are words to describe the responses of the social workers. Let's just say we NEVER used the term adoption in this meeting.

To make things easier on the children as well as to ease the pain of giving up the kids on the foster mom, and to give the bio mom time to adjust her thinking, we are going to move very S.L.O.W. Remember these kids are not yet legally free. The mother is still fighting. After the meeting Steve said, "I would say that international adoption is easier. When you pick up the kids they are yours!"

Of course, there are trade-offs. Some things are harder with international - like coming up with the funds and all that, BUT at this moment looking at the slow transition and all the people involved and all the requirements and such it sure looks easy to go to another country pick up your kiddo and whisk them home - signed, stamped and notarized.

We will be visiting back and forth with the kids all the month of February. We have lots of time to get ready. It's probably a good thing.

Jon and Teresa will likely pick up Lottie in March. Tom and Cindy will likely pick up Bethlehem and Temezgin in March and we'll probably get the tw*ns for good in March. Only Rhett and Trina aren't quite there yet, but their paperwork went a lot slower at the beginning... I'm sad they have to wait. Waiting is tough! But it will be so worth it in the end. It all takes time whether it is domestic, Ethiopian or from Chinese. We started this journey together and we are all at about the same stage. Interesting, isn't it!

It's been a big day. I think I could sleep for a week.