1 year ago...

One year ago today Mark, Alejandra, and I were all sitting on the couch enjoying a nice relaxing Sunday.  We aren't big Valentine's Day gift givers but today Mark said he had a gift for the family.

Initially when we adopted Alejandra we knew we would be back to bring home our second child but the matter of "WHEN?" was what was up in the air.  At certain points we would go between "maybe never," "today," to "in a few years."  But, lately we had really been discussing the possibility of beginning sooner, rather than later.  What we did know for certain was that we both needed to be 100% ready for this second addition.

2.24.10 - Initial application off to CHI

So on Valentine's Day 2010, Mark pulled us aside and told Alejandra "we are going to get your baby brother or sister from Colombia" and so it was!  Paperwork began and this whole year has been a whirlwind of notaries, apostilles, letters, fingerprints, applications, FedEx, and many appointments.  Time has both flown by and moved at a snail's pace.

Alejandra is also excited to welcome her baby home.  Last Thursday on our way home from school she said "Mamí yo quiero ir en un avión."  I asked her where she wanted to go and she replied "a Colombia."  I asked her why Colombia "Porque quiero ir por mí baby."  She made me get teary-eyed and all I could muster up was "yo también."  Then, we finished the last few minutes of our drive in silence.  I couldn't speak because I thought I would loose it.   I don't want Alejandra to feel anxious or worried at all so we are so careful to always present the wait to her in a positive way.  We've been preparing her for this transition for a whole year now and I think she is BEYOND ready too.

Retail Therapy

Stating the obvious:  All this waiting is really hard!

So on Friday I (Debi) had a day off from work and a few hours to spare.  I decided to hit the mall and buy the one thing I've spent hours researching.  I need to be ready to carry 2-4 changes of clothes (at least one for each child), diapers (probably for the newest Adelman), 2 sweaters/jackets, snacks, a camera and of course a wallet.  I wanted a backpack because I need to be hands-free with Alejandra.  But, I wanted something girly.

Makes me smile :D.

What beautiful bag would suit all of these needs?  I narrowed it down to the Ju-Ju Be BFF and Petunia Pickle Bottom(PPB) Boxy Backpack.   I had said that I would wait until the referral, but I needed something tangible to show that this little one was coming soon. So off I went to the mall to search for the perfect diaper bag.  I tried on both bags, looked at myself in the mirror and then went with the PPB Boxy Backpack.  Now I just needed to make a color choice.  Again....repeat the try on, look in the mirror routine.....Finally, I took the plunge.  There were other purchases made (but none I would EVER admit too).  But, more importantly I was able to not obsessively think about the referral for at least 3 hours.  A tiny mind diversion for a few hours.

Then I brought it home and stored it away in the closet in the nursery :(.  Back to waiting and that knot in my stomach has returned....Again we wait until Monday.  Patience...patience...patience....

24 weeks...

Our dossier was shipped off to Colombia 24 weeks ago.  Soon....soon ;)!

Updated Paperwork

We got our FBI clearance and medical letters renotarized today with a fresh date.  Mark will be taking care of his this week as well.  We've got to get those off to apostille early next week and then off to CHI.  We are good for another 6 months!

20 weeks!

We sent our dossier to Colombia 20 weeks ago today (but who's counting ;).  We are in full swing here at Casa Adelman with 2011 activities.  January is almost halfway done!  ICBF is back to work matching families.  So many families will be traveling soon to meet their children in Colombia.  It will be an amazing February for so many Forever Families coming together for the first time!

FBI Fingerprints

Happy 2010 to us!  We just received our updated FBI clearances so we are all set for another 6 months!  Just waiting for news!  Colombia should pick up in the next couple of weeks.  Happy 2011!

16 weeks!

Well today it has been 16 weeks since our dossier left to Colombia.  Our paperwork has made its way to Putumayo region and now we sit and wait for our referral.  We have tried to research as much as we could about the region and not much as come up.  In fact, we are the first CHI family to be referred to the region.  Thankfully our in country CHI team is familiar with the area, we know we will be well taken care of.

We know our child is born and they are out there waiting for us.  Tonight we can't help but wonder Who is giving them to eat?  Who is giving them a bedtime bath? Who is reading their bedtime stories?  Who is rocking them at night?  Who wakes up in the middle of the night to give them a bottle?  and tomorrow morning who will greet them with a smile and an I LOVE YOU to get them ready for the day?  We can't wait to have our little one home with us.

This second time around we have been more at peace with the waiting process that is synonymous with adoption.  But, we can't help but feel a little sadness knowing our little one is just waiting and will spend this Christmas away from us.  We have a lifetime to make up for this lost time...so for now we take comfort in showering our little Alejandra with an overabundance of hugs and kids.