Pay It Forward

Last night we were invited to speak at the adoption agency to people that were considering adoption.  There were 5 couples that were supposed to be there, but only 2 showed up.  That was fine by us - it gave us the chance to really talk personally about our experience.  

November 2012, we went to the same informational meeting.  13 months later, we kicked off the meeting with a squirmy (but adorable) 8 month old in our arms.  Holy crap.

The night started off a little crazy.  Gary hurried home from work so we could down there in time.  Miranda, in a fashion very unlike her, cried the WHOLE WAY THERE.  We thought she would sleep.  No such luck.  At one point we pulled over to the side of the road and tried to give her a small bottle.  Then we took off her coat.  Then we tried to entertain her.  Nothing.  However, by the time we arrived, she was calm and smiling.  Thank goodness.

We were prepped by the social worker as to what kind of questions we could anticipate and what we should try to highlight.  We were not worried.  We lived and breathed this process and in many ways, still do.  So we were ready.

We walked out and introduced ourselves and started to tell our story.  Home studies and profile books and educational classes.  Open adoption and birth mothers and what a typical visit is like.  Feelings and emotions and fertility and loss.  Our journey that led us to adoption and our journey since adoption.  It was empowering and exciting and it felt good.  The people in the audience were respectful and interested and Miranda was pretty good, considering it was past her bed time.  She smiled and cooed in all the right places!

When we were done, we could not stay for the rest of the meeting so we gave Miranda her night time bottle and started to head home.  Luckily, this time she slept and heavy sleep, too!  We were able to transfer her pretty easily to her crib when we got home.

It felt good to tell our story. To pay it forward, so to speak. We were honored to be asked.  I hope we helped someone else.  I really do.  But if not, I know it helped us to say it all out loud, to realize again how lucky we are that Miranda is in our lives.  Not that we need a reminder, but it was fascinating to tell our story.

5 days until the judge officially declares Miranda "ours".  Then this chapter is closed and we start the next one.  The one with the little girl who is THIS close to crawling and then walking and then talking and oh my...it's too much!  Let me take it one chapter at a time!!

Adoptions From the Heart

First Snow Day!