Update

Well. . .  almost 2 months since my last post and nothing to report on the adoption front.  December marked 3 years since we signed our contract with Commonwealth.  We have been through a LOT this adoption process especially when compared with out first.  I was told it would take longer this time around, but somehow, I had refused to believe it would be THIS different.  As I look back these 3 years, particularly these last few months I see I have made mistakes along the way.  Funny, because when I was giving seminars for CAII to families considering adoption, I always reiterated how the process is filled with uncertainty, that you will have pitfalls along the way, that you have to be flexible and never lose hope. . . yet I have not done those things this time around.  Truthfully, it was quite easy to say them because back then I had not experienced them, everything went so smoothly with Oli's adoption (apart from the fact we still had not received our passports back from the Colombian Embassy the day we were to travel . . . but that is another story - See the end of this post for that outcome).  So following are a few recommendations for those of you that are "in process".

1)  Keep a blog, you will be grateful when you come home with your child, others love reading them and it will be a very special gift for your son or daughter someday.  Write down how you feel while you wait and the experiences you have during the process. 

2) Talk to your child (in your mind or out loud whatever you prefer,) tell them how much you are waiting for him/her .  . I truly believe you are somehow calling them to come to you.

3) Keep living, dont put your life ON HOLD!!!  This is where I messed up big time this time around.  For the past 6 months I have declined so many invitations to things and not planned events and trips "just in case".  I have missed out on a lot of fun activities because I did not want to have to cancel them at the last minute and I was sure we were going to get THE CALL any day.  Instead I sat like a fool next to the phone waiting and watching life pass by.  So this is my most important recommendation . . dont NOT do things "just in case we get our referral", keep as busy as possible and when it does happen you will be more than happy to call people and cancel plans (and I am sure they will forgive you when they hear the great reason you have)!

4) Even when you are at your wit's end and dont think you can bear the wait any more . . . distract yourself . . . call a friend, write in your blog/journal and vent, take your nieces or nephews for the weekend, even go to your favorite fast food joint and pig our but, NEVER lose faith that it will happen!

Here are some recent pictures, Oli, as always is such a joy to us and definitely keeps us on our toes!

This one is Oli on Christmas morning with her favorite gift and the next one is at her school on snow day

With Tia Maria and cousins at the circus

PS We did finally receive the passports on the morning we were to travel to COL. . . .I am sure we were the highlight of that Fedex guy's day because when he rang the doorbell he had 2 extremely excited people waiting for him . . . . I believe I even gave him a hug!  :)

An Unusual Thanksgiving

Well, if someone told me a week ago that this would have happened I would not have believed it.  Oli started coughing late last week and on Monday night woke up crying saying her ear hurt.  I took her to the doctor on Tuesday, by then the cough had gotten worse but she was still in good spirits.  After the doctor examined her, he proceeded to give her some tests (Oli was SO brave . . she did not cry once) drawing blood from her arm, inserting long Q tips up her nose, giving her 2 shots in her legs (an antibiotic) as well as some chest X-rays.  Well, long story short he diagnosed her with influenza AND pneumonia.  Mind you she had pneumonia less than 2 months ago. . .Fortunately she is responding well to the antibiotics and nebulizer treatments so I know she is well on the road to recovery but still, it was quite a fright!  

The doctor told us that he did not recommend Oli be with many people for the next few days so we had to cancel Thanksgiving at our house and wound up spending a very quiet evening with Anthony, Oli and my mom.  Very different from what I imagined I would be doing but regardless very nice.

Still no news about our son (or daughter), the waiting is very hard but I keep reminding myself that this is one of the lessons that this child that is coming into our lives is teaching us.

We spent November 21st, National Adoption Day with dear friends who have also adopted their children.  Here is a picture of that special day. 

WE LOVE YOU ALL!

Oliism

When I picked up Oli from school earlier this week she told me that one of the girls in her table said the following during lunch. "Raise your hand if you are Jewish". I asked her if she had raised her hand and she replied, "no, mami, I'm not Jewish, I'm Colombian!"

waiting waiting and more waiting

Oli doing the nebulizer on Teddy.

Oli has been sick for the past few weeks and was diagnosed with walking pneumonia. She has been home quite a lot doing 3 nebulizer treatments a day but is fortunately now feeling better.

I cant believe it is October and still no referral. I know each adoption is different and I should not compare them but things have been so different from the first time around. With Olivia, we waited 11 months from the time our dossier was sent to Colombia to referral. We were told 12-24 months so when we got the call it was totally unexpected and amazing. One moment I was making dinner and the next I was a mother. I will never forget it. This time around time we have already been waiting 30 months. The thing is that we keep being told it will happen soon and so we have put so many things on hold just in case we get the call. If we would have been told at the beginning it will be this long of a wait we would have gotten ready mentally for the wait. However, for the past year we keep hearing that we will get the referral soon . . . it is so difficult to be in this state of mind all the time. I find myself wondering "will today be the day?" so much, every time the phone rings the first thing that crosses my mind is always" is this THE call?"

The only bit of news that we do have to share is that last week we received the acceptance letter from Los Pisingos (the Casa Privada/orphanage we are adopting from) and we have been approved to adopt a boy from 24-36 months. We are very happy to have this piece of news and hope and pray that we can go pick up our son soon and begin our lives together as a family of 4.

Bye bye summer

End of August. . . . how time flies. We had a fabulous summer, Oli and I spent every day together and had a great time doing many, many things. We went to NY for 3 weeks to visit Nonna and Nonno, aunts, uncles and cousins Kiki and Frankie. The rest of the time we spent here in Miami, going to the pool & beach, seeing friends and going on playdates . . . we were very busy. I told Oli she was attending Camp Zita and she loved it!

Yesterday was the first day of school, it is her last year before starting kindergarten. She is attending Rainbow Montessori School, so far so good, she has not cried when Anthony dropped her off. I have a good feeling about this school and she is very excited she got to use the computer at school yesterday.

 

No news yet about baby # 2. We have also been working hard setting up the new bedroom and playroom, we are ready for the referral! Hopefully soon . . . . . .

first graduation

Here is a picture of Oli at her Muzart graduation with her best friends, Paige and Sydney last week. Sniff sniff. . . it was beautiful and of course I had tears in my eyes (I'm a Pisces, what can I say!). Now she will be home until school begins in August.

On Friday I was invited to participate in a Gladney Family Association (GFA) Training Retreat in Fort Worth, Texas for 2 days. The outcome is that we are now in the process of officially begin a GFA here in South Florida! This means we will be offering playgroups, educational workshops related to different adoption issues, as well as other events for our area. I am THRILLED about this and am really looking forward to helping organize this to be an awesome association!

I was very impressed with what I saw this weekend at Gladney. The comittment of the volunteers, the professionalism yet warmth of the staff, the transparency and integrity of everyone there really impacted me in a positive way.

no news yet. . . .

Oli's B day

Well, even though almost 2 months have passed still I have posted there is no news to report on the second adoption front, however we have been busy. In April Oli had her 4th birthday party, theme Curious George, it was her first real one with lots of friends (over 60 kids and adults!) invited. We all had a super time, but I never realized how much work organizing an event like that would be! Here are some pictures of the big day. May was also full of several important events, I cant believe the month is almost over as is her school. We have decided to keep Oli home this summer, we will be going to NY for a month anyway so we will stay busy doing activities at home and with friends until classes begin in the fall. Four is definitely my favorite age so far, she is so sweet and understands things and is able to communicate with such complex words it astounds me! She is truly a pleasure and a joy and I am looking forward ot spending these next couple of months together.