Close call

January 21, 2006

This is more of a funny story than a question. I keep telling it to my friends, but they don't really get it. I figure you guys will appreciate it.

So, I live and work overseas, in West Africa. My best friend has 3 bio kids and I'm at her house all the time. Her cook knows I'm going through the adoption process and waiting for all of the politics at the orphanage to clear out.

Thursday afternoon, my friend comes running into my classroom (I'm a teacher) and says, "You have to come to my house RIGHT NOW. There is a lady with a baby!"

Naturally, I looked at her and said, "You're nuts. I can't get a baby that way!" But curiosity got the better of me and I followed her home. The whole way, I was laughing and saying, "I can't just go home from school with a baby one day!"

The lady was gone, but she had left all sorts of contact information and the story of why she was looking to pass the baby on. I called the lawyer - not because I thought she'd say, "Sure! Bring her in and we'll get the paperwork started!" but just because I was curious what advice to give this new mother.

Of course, the lawyer told me to stay far away from the baby or else I'd be accused of child trafficking, and all I could do was beg the cook to tell the mom to take the baby to the orphanage (as opposed to other more gruesome options). That part made me feel really helpless, so that's obviously not the funny part.

The funny part is that I realized that that's EXACTLY what it's going to be like when I get "the call." I'm going to be going about my regular, boring, daily life, and then all of a sudden I'm going to have this kid looking up at me, saying, "Hi! Now feed me!" What's THAT about?! At least when you're preggers you have a BALLPARK figure of when to expect the kid!

I guess I'm glad last Thursday happened - it was a pretty freaky experience. Now at least I know a tiny bit of what to expect!

MargieMe

February 9, 2006

One Thursday I was sitting in a meeting about how to finance summer school. Two weeks earlier I had foot surgery so, I am sitting with my feet up and the surgical shoes off, when my cell phone starts to vibrate. I look at the caller ID window and realize I don't know anyONE in that area code, but it is the area code of my agency.

I wait until the end of the meeting, call back and hear the words that change our lives forever, "I have a child to present to you." By the end of the day, I had decided to accept placement and ran up a $200 cell phone bill calling my parents and sister (both out of state).

The next morning I was scheduled to presentation to a group of administrators. I grabbed only about half of what I needed, went in and started my presentation with the announcement that I had become a mom yesterday and "suddenly, all of this doesn't seem so important anymore." To the credit of my friends in the group, they :clap: and :cheer:

By Monday morning, a mere three days later there was someone saying "feed me," "change me," "love me forever" and most importantly (and most scary) "take care of me because I am totally dependent on you." And the best part is every day I know that it is the best decision I ever made.

I pray your wait is short!