The Long Two Week Wait
This week, Nadia and I will enter into a sort of “extended two week wait.” All of our paperwork has been submitted to the courts, which means that we are free to begin advertising and networking. Last week, we received a copy of our homestudy, which was glowing. What a relief!
Tomorrow, I will send ‘final’ versions of our profile book to our attorney for one final review. This will be the document that the potential birth moms will sift through, among hundreds of others, so that she can decide whether or not she would like to meet us. Utlimately, she’s the one who decides if she will pick us or not.
The back and forth of the editing process between me and our lawyers hasn’t been too bad but I’m glad I see a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s hard to figure out what to say about yourself and it’s hard to figure out what picture to include in a profile of your life. I mean it’s another round of: Does that picture make me look fat? too old? too young? bored? in love enough? etc. In other words, it’s another marketing project and it’s a little weird to ’sell yourself to a birthmom,’ but I haven’t allowed myself to analyze it too much. Anyway, another wait will soon begin.
Yet, this is not the kind of wait I’m used to. When I was actively trying to get pregnant, it was about monitoring every bodily twinge and all of my anxiety revolved around my bodily functions. This is different. This revolves around networking with other people and getting hand picked by someone else, so my anxiety is externalized in some ways, but it’s still there.
She’s baaaaaaaaaaack!
I’m scared. Of course, I’m scared. Once Nadia and I put ourselves out there, who knows what we’ll get back? Yes, I know, I know, it’s important to stay positive, but let’s face it, I’ve been waiting for a baby for a loooong time. I could see a lot of my feelings of inadequacy popping up if it begins to feel as if we are “waiting forever.”
On the other hand, I gotta say that the adoption process has been so much more user-friendly than the TTC process ever was, at least for me, anyway. I’ve felt support and love from everyone I’ve met, ranging from pre-adoptive parents, to adopted children, to parents, to lawyers and other professionals. Oh, I still have flash backs about the fertilty clinics and those insensitive doctors. Of course, there have only been a few a-holes in the adoption mix, but that’s to be expected. Overall, it’s been nothing like my TTC hell.
Anyway, here I go again! But, this time, I hope it will be more fruitful.
We are in the early stages of the adoption process (domestic open), although if feels like forever since we started this journey (Oct 31). I can’t wait till we get our homestudy completed and begin the wait…. although that thought also terrifies me at the same time.
Best of luck to you and cheers to a short wait and a smooth journey.
1Ohh, that’s exciting, but you are bound to be scared, it’s the start of the next chapter. And so far I’m finding it lots more user friendly, although I know it’s going to be such a long road.
Good luck.
2OOO! How cool! I hope hope you get snapped up quickly!
3I’m so excited for you and sending a barrel full of babydust your way.
4Ohhhh, I am so excited for you. Good stuff except that the wait becomes indefinite. I am so hopeful that you will be on the list for a very very short time.
5Congratulations on entering the “wait.” I too hope it is fruitful. In Hebrew people say “B’shaah tovah” — “may it come at a good time.”
6sounds great! i too am very excited for you and nadia… let’s hope the wait is not too bad. i can imagine it is both relieving and odd to have the focus out there on someone else’s decisions, whims, desires and so on when before it was on you. though, in reality – in neither case did you (any of us) have control. arrrgh! i hate that!
7yay!!! doe a glowing review….Here’s sending only positive vibe to you gals…love you , miss you!!!!
8I helped some friends of mine put together their photo selection for their adoption, and man was it hard! (Not to mention all of the photoshopping out of beer cans.) I’m so glad to hear that you have gotten to such a big milestone in the process, and am so excited for the next step. I’m hoping the wait is a short one.
9This is so freakin exciting I can’t wait. The ‘more user friendly’ part really confirms that this is the right direction.
10Hi, Eva! I found you through Adoptive Families magazine. I did the Blogger review.
Congratulations on your homestudy! Once your family profile is done, you’re good to go! Let’s hope your wait is not too long. Good luck on your journey. 
11Oh, and I love your blog!
12I hope your wait is a short one and that you’re snapped up and that your journey to parenthood is just round the corner.
ICLW
13#101
http://thegalwho.wordpress.com/
Oh this is very exciting. I wish the best for you and Nadia and know the end of this process will be a wonderful feeling. Happy iclw.
14AH!
The homestudy…ugh. We wrote, revised, rewrote our profile so many times. It sucks..big!
However, when you’re done and you get to be EPUDD (externally pregnant, undetermined due-date) life gets really fun!
Congratulations!
ICLW
15Wishing you the very best! Congrats.
Liddy from
16No. 144: the unfair struggle (male-factor, speedskating, life)
I really, really hope your wait isn’t too long. I hated doing the profile part – it felt like a press kit in so many ways and then of course, the irony is that we got matched without one!
17That’s awesome! Hope your wait isn’t too long.
18ICLW
Congrats on finishing the paperwork and getting out there! Our son came to us through open adoption last May, just 3 months after we went live with our agency–may your sweet baby find you quickly too!
19Congratulations on moving forward! How exciting! Best wishes that this journey is much smoother and fruitful than your TTC one.
iclw
20