Reflecting on "The Call"

A year ago today, I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.  Some fellow adoptive parents and I joked that we were all in the same club. We were all trying to keep the other from going completely insane!  (Tracy, Beth, Emily and the others---I love you girls!) From November 2, 2009 to August 13, 2010 was the most challenging time of my life thus far. Sure, we'd faced some serious family sickness and other hard times but this was different for me.  My child was on the other side of the world and I had little or NO control of the situation.  I had to rely on a middle man for all of the foot work and had to wait days for answers..some that never came.  It's a lot of hurry up and wait.  It's so emotional and at times, flat out draining. There was always a little piece of doubt lingering that our son may never make it home.  I always had a fear that something would happen to end it all.  In the contract you sign with Holt, you have to agree to many things.  They aren't anything to fear, but life is uncontrolable at times.  Sometimes, it just happens.  Sometimes people get sick with Cancer. Sometimes people are blessed with a pregnancy that they weren't planning.  So there are several things that COULD have happened, but didn't.  It's not easy for me to not worry about the unknown and the what-ifs.  I'm a worrier by nature.  All of that said, I'd do it again in a minute!  Our 40 week paper pregnancy was SO worth every minute of it.  The moment I got word that my boy was ready to come home, the worry went away. The moment I saw his face in person and held him, the anxieties of being a first time parent to a 17 month old baby boy who would be confused and know nothing but Korea vanished.   The agencies we worked with are wonderful. Catholic Charities and Holt are awesome.  They work so hard to bring our children home to their forever families.  When you are so many miles away from Oregon and South Korea, sometimes it is hard to remember that there are some many people working very hard with one goal...to unite children with their families.  That is because you have so many days that you don't know what is going on behind the scenes and all that you can think about is holding your child in your arms.

If you are interested, here is a link to my blog post from the day of our travel call on Friday, August 13, 2010. http://whatsnewwiththebenefields.blogspot.com/2010/08/i-love-friday-13th.html

It starts off like this:

When I woke this morning, I never thought that Friday the 13th would be such a wondeful day! It hasn't been spooky or scary at all, just filled with lots of kind words, great news, and smiles.

Daniel and I (along with family and friends) have been anxiously awaiting "The Call"

that finally came today.

Thank you again to all of our family and friends who kept me going!  The love and support is something I will never forget.  The best part is, you all are still here rooting us along and sharing with us these special memories that we will treasure forever.

Daniel and I are the luckiest parents in the world.

God has blessed us more than we could have ever imagined.

 

XOXO,

Stacy