Today marks one year from the beginning of the hosting program. One year ago today I was standing in an airport waiting to see these two girls I'd been so excited to meet for months. Well, one of them for months, the other for a couple of weeks. :) I'd known this was something I was supposed to do, but what was it going to mean? Would we like each other? Would they get along with Little One? How in the world were we going to communicate?? Would we really end up adopting? Could I really go all the way across the world?
It was so fun that first night at the airport. It was a high, that's for sure. Getting home on the other hand, that was a different story. As the little one we hosted stayed up. all. night. long I began to wonder what in the world I had done. It didn't get any better either. LOL Much worse, in fact. By the time we were 3 or 4 days into it I was counting down the minutes before they left and I could have my life back. It was so sad for me to have been so excited for months and then when the time came to be wishing it were over.
About half way into the program the little one I thought I'd be planning on adopting was off with another family. Finally, I was able to enjoy having Ira. She was sweet, kind, helpful, so very good with Little One. (Hum...I wonder where that girl went. I'd sure like her back!) Then she said yes when asked if she wanted to be adopted. Sending her back was really hard.
After mountains of paperwork we finally had a date of February 9th (I think...LOL) to be in Ukraine. I guess I really was going all the way across the world. And in the middle of winter, no less. I hate winter. What an adventure being there was. What a roller coaster. Actually, it's been one long roller coaster since the moment I heard about Save a Child. I keep hoping it will slow down, but it's not looking like it will anytime soon. :)
Anyway, enough of the stroll down memory lane. Happy Anniversary to all my dear Save a Child friends. :) What a joy you are in my life! I feel so blessed to have gone on this adventure with you. I'm so glad to have you there when I need to vent as well as when things are going well. You guys are amazing and I love you!
hello:) Happy Anniversary to you, my friend! It's fun to look back and see how far we've all come!! As a side note, I find that every time I had a baby, things never slowed down, instead I adapted to a new level of 'normal.' I'm finding that things are the same way with this adoption. There will always be more laundry, there will always be more homework, there will always be more messes, more meals, more bikes, more busyness. There will also be more love, more caring, more teaching, more sharing, more growing. With the births of my biological kids, I found that I fell into my groove faster when I changed myself instead of trying to get things back to normal. I've just this past week been trying to view it this way instead of thinking constantly, 'as soon as we get into a good schedule, as soon as I get _____ caught up, as soon as you-know-who can attend school by himself:), I've been letting it go and being okay with my new 'normal.' It's helped a ton!!! I've also had to adjust my expectations with each birth and now with the adoption. When I had my second baby, I was bugged because I was only showering every other day. When I had my third, I DREAMED of showering every other day! So what if the house is clean, the laundry done, the counters cleared, the homework caught up, if we are mostly happy, healthy and believing, that's about all that matters in the end:) Have a great week. p.s. love the pictures in the above post, by the way. especially the one of the three of you. darling!!
ReplyDeleteSuch a good perspective. I love the way you look at things. It helps me to not freak out so much. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks about the pictures. I noticed I hadn't put one of her with her glasses on though, so go back and look. I added one. Bwahahahaha!