When the Wait is Finally Over

When the Wait is Finally Over

Our Adoption Story:  Part 3

When we first saw our little boy’s photo, it was love at first sight.  Adoption agency photos were were often a little awkward, but there was no denying that he was adorable!  We were elated when we received the official “invitation” to come to China and pick him up.

When the wait is finally over, it is hard to rally believe.  After seeing our little boy’s face, it was hard in a different way.  We were excited to know who he was, but it was so hard not to be with him.  We could send him a care package, so we went a little overboard sending toys and a photo book of our family, so that maybe he would recognize us when he saw our faces.  We even sprayed the perfume and cologne on a stuffed animal that we gave him so that he would recognize our smell.

Everything about the process up to that point had taken longer than expected.  We had been somehow involved in the adoption process for 3 years at that point.  We really weren’t hoping for anything to speed up.  Luckily for us, however, it was almost time for China to hold the Olympics, so they began to rush adoptions through.  The country was going to be overrun with tourists at this point, so the theory was that they were going to shut down adoptions during the Olympics, so they could focus on that.  They were known to shut things down during major Chinese holidays as well.  To our amazement, what was normally a 4-6 month wait from seeing your babies picture for the first time, was turned into a 2 month wait! That still sounds like a long time, but of course there was more paperwork, more adoption classes, lots of packing…and baby showers!

When we finally boarded the plane, it was all pretty surreal.  We were giddy with excitement.  While many were tired or apprehensive about the whole process, we soaked in every minute.  We were happy tourists during our 3 days in Beijing, a time our agency gave us to get over the jet lag and get use to being in a foreign country.  We saw the Great Wall, the Beijing Olympic Nest, the Forbidden City, and more.  None of course compared to what we were about to experience.

When we flew to our little boys’ home province, I remember thinking that our lives were about to change forever.  It was almost a carefree excitement that I thought it with.  I remember it vividly.  I have never felt the same since.  You have probably heard the popular saying that when you have a child, it’s like a piece of your heart is walking around outside of your heart.  It definitely is.  I haven’t felt as carefree since that moment in time, but I wouldn’t trade being a mommy for anything.

It was later that afternoon a scared little boy was placed in our arms.  He had fear in his eyes.  I’m sure we smelled funny, looked funny, and sounded funny to him. It’s no wonder he started crying.  He was inconsolable for the next few hours.  He finally fell asleep that evening crying in my arms.

Luckily, our guides told us that you had to give it about 3 days, and then things would change.  It was pretty much like clockwork–3 days later, he relaxed.  It was like he finally realized that we were going to give him food and change his diapers when he needed it, so we couldn’t be all bad.  He even called me, “Momma” for the first time when he was trying to get me to give him a bite of ice cream.  We spent the rest of the trip growing closer and loving every minute of finally being parents.

We can’t really say that’s the end of the story, of course, because we are still learning about being parents every day.  Adoption presents some of it’s own challenges where parenting is concerned too.  I wouldn’t trade our journey for anything.  Our son fits perfectly into our family.  I love him with all my heart.

For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him.28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:27-28