Every story begins somewhere, and ours begins with dropping an application into the mail. Or does it begin with me as a teenager watching Oprah, and falling in love with a family that adopted a little girl from Russia? I was so moved in fact, that I announced on the spot one day I would adopt a baby from another country. Sure, teenage girls say silly things and make unkept promises, but that announcement has haunted me for 20 years. Until today. Today Fredrik, Kysa and I drove across the Ravenel bridge from our downtown Charleston home and dropped an initial application form in the mail to adopt a BABY BOY from Ethiopia!! While we know this is only the beginning of a heap of paperwork and many months of waiting, it felt so good to get the ball rolling. We are committed emotionally, spiritually, financially, wholly.
This step puts in motion years of discussion Fredrik and I have had about having an even more international family. Fredrik being a Swede, and both of us with incurable wanderlust, we want to open our hearts and home to a child from across the globe. We've been blessed to experience so fully the beautiful, natural birth of Kysa and now we seek the experience of having a child via adoption.
Fredrik and I believe in "chosen" family which sort of opposes the statement that "blood is thicker than water." Both of us coming from small families, our friends and community have become our extended family over the years...we have many "chosen" brothers and sisters who live all over the world. We look forward to growing our family with the support of these worldly and international aunts and uncles, and of course the family that's been so caring and supportive over the years.
The logistics: We're looking ahead to 4-5 months of paperwork, then 8-10 months of waiting for a referral, and then another 3 months until travel and pick up. There will be 2 trips with hopefully one month in between. Our little man should be approx 6-9 months old. So the earliest we could have babe in arms will be approx Nov'11 and the latest approx March'12. We're telling ourselves that it could be two years for sanity's sake.
and so we begin.
la familia!!
(Crying) – I’ll have to write more later.
ReplyDeleteHow extraordinarily lucky “Baby Boy” is to have chosen you three.
Love. Love. Love.
(My heart is bursting for you)
Extraordinary people.
ReplyDeleteExtraordinary dream.
Extraordinary family.
I'm humbled.
And suddenly the world is that much better.
Wow, so very excited for all 4 of you! What an amazing adventure you've begun! Can't wait to meet the lil boy! =+)
ReplyDeleteLove you, Auntie V
We love you and support you completely. And we are in awe. Best of luck to you all in your noble endevour. We will be with you all the way in our thoughts, if nothing else.
ReplyDeletePajovici, Belgrade
WOW! I admit when I first commented on facebook, I hadn't read this post yet. Now I am even more eager to read about this journey as it unfolds. I admire your passion to follow a lifelong dream!
ReplyDeleteWhat else can I say but WOW! The process has started. Mom and I are very impressed with your dream!!! As always we look forward to supporting your effort and Fredriks any way we can. As Kysa already knows, our future grandson will be lucky to have parents like you and Fredrik. Love to you all and we look forward to taking the journey with you as proud grandparents!!! Dad and Mom Waddell
ReplyDeleteMy heart is smiling! :) Not just because of how proud I am of all of you, not just because how lucky this little boy will be to call you his family... but also because we get the opportunity and are lucky enough to love this child, our soon to be nephew!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing journey!
Love Always,
Aunt Kim and Uncle Oz