School Days Ahead

Heading back to school, knowing that it'll probably be another year (at least) before Necie is home. On the bright side, more time to organize, shop, lose weight (dream, dream, dream)...and Ben has started school too. It's great to finally have him at my school. He's so self-possessed and confident. I love seeing him organize the other kids into games. He'll be in Stevie's class, which is really funny seeing how my Mom taught her kids and now she's teaching mine. All about the circle.
What I'm not looking forward to: all the questions. Everyone will be expecting that something has happened, will happen, and I'll get to repeat over and over "No, maybe next year." Hopefully, we'll be so busy that I just don't think about it too much. Of course, as Ben gets more verbal, he's bringing it up. He announced to his friends that Necie is his sister, and has recently started campaigning for a baby brother too!
My DH started a new job, really a return to an old job, and he is really pleased to be working with this group. His boss adopted from Korea, like we did with Ben, and I think they'll be much more supportive of our travel and 'Daddy time.'

One Year Later

It's been one year since we officially registered with our agency for our second adoption. One year. And I was counting off how long it could be until we get a referral - as many as 15 more months if they keep working in half months! The first adoption was so fast I didn't really have time to think. Started in November, gotcha by October. I think the total time that we sat around with nothing more to fill out was 4 months...and now I'm looking at years. Not a happy thought.

What started all this was the new batch of referrals (congrats to all those who received one!) Most people had waited a year or just over. I think I could deal with that timeline better than this unknown stretching road that is our wait. Things will go by faster though once the school year starts again. Nothing like students to keep you focused on the here and now. This year I will be starting a new class of lower elementary students. I'm really excited to be working more with younger students, and am looking forward to the Earth history focus after so many years teaching the human story. This year we'll be focusing on the Cenozoic, so we'll get to native Americans, as well. Sometimes I think the cultural curriculum was the whole reason I got into Montessori education!

7 Days of Sun

Not one rainy day! and to top it all off, my parents decided to come after all. We had such a great time, and Ben got tons more confident about being in the water. He'll even float and "swwim" on his own with the little inner tube we got him. (We're right behind him the whole time, but he thinks he's swimming.) So now we're back and Ben and I have one more week to re-adjust to regular life. It looks like the rain's going to catch up to us here. Dad's out of town on travel, so it's going to be very low key and relaxed.

Next week I signed Ben and myself up for a culture camp...my husband laughs, since he's Korean, why do we need "culture" camp? But I think it will be a fun way to hook up with other children (and parents) in the area Ben's age who have also been adopted. I signed on as a volunteer, so we'll see what I'm going to learn about...

Heading to the Beach

Finally vacation approaches and we're headed to the ocean. Can't wait for a whole week of funa and (hopefully) sun. Unfortunately my parents aren't going to join us as planned, since my Dad is not feeling up to travel right now. The house will probably seem a little empty, but I'm sure Ben can fill it up with sound and, at least the impression, of alot of bodies. He's at that zoomy three stage and is never without a song, question, comment, game...in other words, he doesn't stop unless he's sleeping or eating! This is his second year at the beach, and I can't wait to see what he gets into this year.

Approaching 4 months

Soon we'll be 4 months into the wait. No clue as to the end, but with those 120 days behind us. When I first started, I thought the wait would be 9 months, kinda like a pregnancy. So I told friends that I was "paper pregnant." Now when they ask me, I say I'm still paper pregnant, but we've moved from humans to elephant gestation.
I sometimes check the rumor blogs, but it's so depressing, I mainly avoid them now. I was even thinking about quitting the process or changing to a different country, but Molly (my agency coordinator) talked me through it and I went to a panel to listen to adoptee and adoptive parents, and I'm back on track. It's amazing how hard the wait is the second time.
The first time, I barely thought about it, other than to be excited. Then when we got the referral, everything moved so fast I didn't have time to think. This time, I guess I know what's ahead, and the wait seems sooo slow.
I've joined a secret pals group, and shopping for my pal has been a great way to focus on the present. Other than that, I try to keep busy with work and gardening. (I'm trying out the new square foot garden method.)

Drum Roll, Please

The Brown envelope has arrived! Baby step, baby step, baby step...it's kind of funny to get all excited about an envelope, but when you're wrapped up in a long process such as this is looking to be, anything that gives you hope of a conclusion is celebrated. So, celebration!

My husband was even excited about this. It's just more visual than a DTC or LID. For our last adoption, a much shorter timeline, he didn't really get energized about the whole thing until after refferal. This time, knowing the joy ahead of us, it's just that much harder to wait. He got home first and when I got there he was waiting with the BE. He wasn't really sure what it was, other than from China. Of course, when I explained that it was the paperwork for after the referral, he kind of tuned out again - it seems so far away I guess. Still, it's one more brick on the road, bringing us closer to Necie.

New Things

This whole blogger thing is new to me, and I am attempting to learn as it evolves...sort of like adoption. Just when you thing you've got the system down, you find a new way to challenge yourself. As I look at the lengthening timeline - 8-9 moths, now 10-12 months - I wonder what I've gotten my family into. Then I take a deep breath and I know, it's for Ben and Necie. Everything they will experience after this will be worth whatever I have to do to accomplish this. I have my first sweetheart close with me, and I know all will be well when I can bring my second angel home.