WANTED: Little Brother

So… here it is.  I am FINALLY going public.  See, I have had this deep dark secret brewing since March of this year.  Yes, you read that correctly, I said March.  As in almost 9 months ago. 

If you think back in time earlier this year, to March, Tatiana and I were celebrating her 1 year home anniversary.  Things were seriously picking up again, movement wise in the region that Tatiana was adopted from (Vladivostok) and so I thought, great!  No time like the present to get this thing started.  Let’s do this! 

And then *IT* happened.  Torry.  Hansen.  Outrage.  Fear.  Hysterics.  Anger.  Everything.   Why did she have to be single?  Why did she have to adopt from Vladivostok, the same region I adopted from?  And best of all, why did she do what she did?  Alas, we’ll probably never know the answers to that question… but needless to say my “Road to Vladivostok Version 2.0” came to a screeching halt.  I think you can still see the skid marks. 

But as many of you know, the world of adoption is usually not finite.   So it was time for Plan B.   A second dossier was prepared (#2 this time around for those of you keeping count, #1 was on it’s way to Vlad when this all happened!) for another region.  Tick tock, tick tock… the summer was slow with little movement.  Thankfully, T and I were busy, busy with lots going on to keep my mind off what was going on or NOT going on for adoption.

Just when I had put the timeline out of my head in September, a new referral popped up in yet a DIFFERENT region.  Isn’t it always when you least expect it?  So, off I went, full speed ahead with yes, dossier #3.   I think I am almost expert at this now right?

I don’t want to be-labor the story here, but suffice it to say, that referral for a variety of reasons was not meant to be.  It still makes me sad to think about, because for two months I thought of this little face as my future son, a solid match for brother-land.  

The story doesn’t end on a sad note, however.  Chapter 4 – Plan D, perhaps, is in full swing, and today, I have officially accepted the referral of a sweet little face.   Again, just when I thought the door was slamming closed, a little window was opened – highlighting another path.  The ironic thing is, this happened the same week that my dear friend Kim, who I have known for (WOW!) 26 years, approached me to ask if she could use my “wait” experience (and the frustrations of that wait) from Tatiana’s adoption in her sermon this past Sunday at church.  Kim is becoming a minister and I was beyond honored to be a part of HER journey!  

I don’t know all the details yet – when I’ll be traveling etc., so bear with me during this exciting time.  It feels odd and yet a relief to FINALLY be sharing all this news.  There are so many reasons I haven’t posted publically about journey #2 yet – but mainly because the waiting can be so difficult that sometimes it’s easier to keep it to yourself than have to explain it to so many people.  I can’t keep it quiet anymore.  I just can’t!  I realized that partially when I read another friend’s blog, who is also going back to Russia for adoption #2 and I found it so cathartic to read her thoughts on the process.  Sometimes it MAY be easier to keep to yourself… but sometimes it’s easier to share the load! 

Keep us in your thoughts, please!