It's been a while since you've heard from us, almost 7 months in fact. We've decided to try something new and post at least an update each month, if not more. So here goes...
As of this weekend we've been waiting 29 months to adopt. It was a pretty tough summer for us. Some of you may know that back in June, we matched with a potential birthmother (let’s call her M). After more than 2 years, it felt like we were finally coming to the end of our wait and the beginning of our life as parents. After 6 weeks filled with both the joy of matching and some pre-parenthood jitters, we suddenly learned that M changed her mind and had decided to parent, and that we were no longer matched.
We always wanted the best for everybody involved, and we absolutely and totally respect M’s decision. But knowing that she had made what for her was the best choice, didn’t make it any easier for us to face the fact that we were not going to be parents after all. We both felt a lot of disappointment, some frustration with the system, and even a bit of anger. The unmatching really took the wind out of our sails. Before we matched with M, we had worked very hard to get the word out about our adoption plans to as many people as possible and stay positive along the way. We struggled to sustain the pace of our efforts and keep our spirits up even before we matched. Matching was a blessing in so many ways, including that we finally had a break from all our efforts. When our match ended, we had a terribly difficult time bringing ourselves back to the workbench. The events of June and July had been so emotionally overwhelming that it took everything we had just to keep going. That said, we know that if we are going to be parents, it’s going to be a result of our own hard work and emotional investment.
So in September, we have begun to get back into the swing of things again. Friends and long-time followers of this blog and our Facebook page know that September is when we go on the Bead Shop Hop. We did it again this year, following a new route, trying some new strategies, and having a genuinely good time. We have some photos over on Facebook, and you can read about our adventures in 2012 and 2011.
We wrapped up this year’s hop with a trip to Disneyland on Friday the 13th, just in time to see the unveiling of the Haunted Mansion’s Nightmare Before Christmas decorations. It was crowded and chaotic, but fun too.
We have seen some things end recently, but with endings come beginnings. Fall is here, bringing cooler weather and lots of opportunities for fun. Maybe we’ll have a treat for Halloween, and someone to give thanks for this Thanksgiving. We’ll see, and we’ll keep you posted here. In the meantime, thanks always for reading our posts and your support.
