Friday, June 16, 2006

Four Month Anniversary...

Tomorrow is the four-month anniversary of our log in date. I've seen other waiting parents post about this anniversary and had always thought that it was pretty significant, but now that it’s us, it doesn’t feel that significant at all. I think it's because as the wait extends out, the four month mark is less and less of a milestone.

Since we started our application process back in August, it’s actually been a 10 month wait so far, but only four months are counted as “official” waiting months. In reality though, we’ve been waiting for a baby since our first miscarriage back in 1996, so really we’ve been waiting for 10 years!!

Right now referrals are running at 12 months from LID, so if they don’t keep slipping we may see our referral 8 months from now. In this case, we could have Lauren home by next Mother’s Day, possibly traveling in April 2007. If the 12 month wait slips to an 18 month wait as rumored, Lauren gets further and further away from us.

When I look back, it seems like just yesterday we were making the decision to adopt, but when I look ahead it just seems like endless months on the calendar. We actually have plenty to keep busy with for now (projects around the house, the nursery, FCC meetings, Yahoo group exchanges, etc), so I actually try not to focus on the waiting. Instead, I’m focusing on the positive things about the wait like meeting new people through our local FCC, “chatting” with my cyber-friends, and watching other waiting families head to China to meet their babies (seeing the photos and videos really keeps me going). If it weren’t for the support of the adoption community, I have no idea how I would be keeping my sanity through the months ahead.

I’m looking forward to posting that it’s our eight-month anniversary, then hopefully at that point we’ll be four months from referral.

6 comments:

Kim said...

You've got a great attitude, Donna. And I agree with you about having the support of others going through this with us. It's priceless.

Robin said...

I'll second that GREAT attitude. What an inspiration to others who wait. :0)

Lisa and Tate said...

RUMOR at 18 months???? NO WAY get that out of your vocabulary WOMAN!!!! I think 12 or less!!! We are four months closer and this extra BLOGGING, EXCHANGING, and working on house projects just seem to eat up the time!!!! It is already MID JUNE!!!!

Lisa

Michelle said...

Ten years is a long time to be waiting for something you want so badly. I feel your pain(and we really only been waiting five years. None of that is "official" yet. Hopefully soon.) All I can say is, you are four months ahead of us! That's gotta count for something. I hope the next four months fly by!

Stephanie said...

Yep, the wait is a killer, but if you have waited 10 years already what is another year in the whole big picture, right?

Julie said...

It'll be 8 months on July 7th and somehow it doesn't feel any closer than when when we were at 3 months.
Julie