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Monday, January 21, 2008

Our Adoption Journey, Part 8

If you are just joining us, please refer to the following posts before reading this one: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7 I was just finishing up a patient when my pager beeped. I looked at the number displayed and my heart froze. The feeling you get when you know you are going to experience incredible excitement, or horrible dismay. Your heart is not sure yet which way to turn, so it freezes until your brain tells it which direction to go. I run to the office phone and dial the number, A's number.



"Hello A, I just received your page. How is everything?"



"Everything is OK, I guess", she replied. "But I just came back from my doctor's office and he doesn't think I can deliver the baby vaginally. He has scheduled a C-section for me on Wednesday."



My heart turns in the direction of incredible excitement! Next Wednesday! Today is Thursday! How many days is that? 1, 2....5 days. In 5 days I am going to be a Mom! In 5 days my dreams will be coming true. In 5 days...in 5 days.



"Are you ready?" she asks me.



Am I ready? I was ready when I was 21 years old and stopped taking my birth control pills and had the optimistic opinion that I would be pregnant in a month. I was ready when I was 23 years old and we went to our first appointment with the infertility specialist. I was ready when I was 27 years old, a college graduate finally, and we went back to the infertility specialist. I was now 28 years old and had been ready every one of those days, every hour, every minute, every second. Yes, I was ready.



"Are you ready?" I asked her.



"Yes," she said. "I am ready."



What was she thinking? feeling? Her baby had been a part of her for the last 10 months. She felt it grow inside of her. She felt it kick her under her ribs, in her bladder. She was kept up at night, having to pee every hour, not being able to find a comfortable position. She would soon see her daughter, see the foot that kicked her ribs incessantly. See the elbow she could trace on her abdomen when the baby moved. She would get to hold her daughter, briefly, a few hours, maybe a day, and give her to us to love and raise and parent, for a lifetime. She would walk into the hospital in 5 days with her daughter, and walk out with empty arms. What was she feeling?



I couldn't help but worry about A. By this time I had deep feelings for her. She was so young, yet so very mature. She was more than confident about her decision. She had told me many times that she got pregnant for a reason, so we could become parents. She firmly believed that. She got pregnant while using a condom and birth control pills. She believed that her baby was meant to be ours from the beginning. Her faith was very strong.



The time frame was eerily parallel between her pregnancy and our journey. August - A gets pregnant, we find out we will never be pregnant. September - A finds out she is pregnant, we start the adoption process. October - A contacts the adoption agency, we contact the same agency to begin our homestudy process. January - A chooses our letter, our adoption plan with K fails. To make this even more eerie, when A received the packet of "Dear Birthmother Letters" from the agency and she opened the packet, our letter fell out, fluttered to the ground and landed face up. A looked down and saw our smiling faces looking up at her. She said she knew at that moment that we were the ones. Even now, this sends shivers up my spine.



I can't describe the incredible joy and excitement I felt after that phone call. I don't know how I finished up the work day and drove home. I do remember calling Dave and giving him the news. Once again we were at the epitome of the roller coaster ride. In 5 days we would become parents. This precious little girl was not growing in my body, but she was already growing in our hearts. The roots had taken hold and a beautiful tree was sprouting....and we have not seen her, touched her, or smelled her yet.



to be continued....

25 comments:

karisma said...

How exciting! I would have taken the letter falling as a sign as well. Now Im going to read the rest of the story as you see I could not resist reading this first.

Beccy said...

That is a lot of coincidences, I'm looking forward to the next installment.

ChrisB said...

I think I started breathing after I read the first paragraph... she seems an incredible young lady. All those coincidences...that made this journey possible!

Anonymous said...

I had been on the edge of my seat since the last part, wondering what A's phone call would be about.

So, now I am crying over this post. Happy tears for the excitement you were feeling, but sad tears over the loss that A will feel.

Can't wait for the next part!

Jennifer said...

I hate serial stories....I want to skip to the end and see how it turns out! The suspense is killing me!

Attie said...

OOHH My Gosh!! I too got shivers!!! AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aoj and The Lurchers said...

I am sitting on the edge of my seat here!

Anonymous said...

Another great installment... And what a beautiful young woman.

Debra said...

Alison,

I am so glad that nothing was wrong when A called! As you know, the thought gave me quite a scare when I read the last installment!

I do not believe that there are accidents when it comes to these important things in life. YOU were MEANT to be the parents of this little girl. "A" was the angelic conduit who was meant to bring her into your life. It was no accident that your letter and photo fell to the floor as A opened the envelope. But you already know that...

Such a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing it.

Hugs,
Debbie

Irene Latham said...

I'm with Debbie -- it was meant to be. As if your whole lives were leading up to that moment....

tiki_lady said...

How sweet! I am so happy for you. Nothing is coincidence. There is always a reason and something to be learned! Heavenly Father works in such great ways!

Kelli said...

I just finished reading all 8 installments and will be checking back daily for part 9!

bichonpawz said...

This is so exciting! The suspense is killing me! Sounds like it was meant to be...

Anonymous said...

Keeping us hanging!! Write faster!!!!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful post! Great blog! I'll definintely be back.

There's nothing quite like bringing that new little person into your home for the first time. I'm exited for you.

Anonymous said...

I am a bad girl and didn't go read the previous posts first. Oh my gosh! I am hooked and will be reading everything now!

Mr Lady said...

Alison,

I HEART adoptive moms. So much! WOO HOO for you!

Thanks for your comment. I will totally be back!

Anonymous said...

Wow. I got chills reading your post!!!! I need to go back and read all the other posts. My friend adopted a beautiful baby girl last July. It just became legally "official" last month. Adoption is such a wonderful thing.

Tera said...

I have really enjoyed reading your adoption journey. Wow, the highs and lows you experienced...just a step into mommy-hood, huh?! Can't wait til the next edition.

suchsimplepleasures said...

i actually got teary-eyed!!
how's it going over there?
xoxo

Anonymous said...

What a great story!!! I can't wait to read more!! It's been fun poking around your blog.

laurie said...

oh my gosh i hope this has a happy ending.

it's such a compelling story.

ConverseMomma said...

OMG!! You are in my thoughts and prayers. I went through this. I know just how you feel. I am so happy I found your blog. My son, who we adopted domestically, is 19 month. He is the greatest miracle of my life. Oh sweetie, I hope all goes well.
Peace.

Anonymous said...

It sounds like it really was meant to be, part of me is terrified of a unhappy ending - you sound like the perfect parents for this little girl

Andrya said...

No coincidence at all. She was meant for our family. She's was one of us all along. She just took a wrong turn: She accidentally went to the other A. Easy mistake. And you found her, because your heart, and Dave's heart is so big, it's like a beacon that's impossible not to see. I love you.