Hurry up and WAIT...

3 months ago I didn’t think I was going to be able to start the adoption process until Summer 2007. Why? Because I am single. If you are single, then you know about the struggle just getting the go ahead to start the adoption paperwork. I’m not sure if married couples really know how lucky they are being able to decide to adopt and calling ANY agency to start the process. Singles have to contact TONS of agencies asking if they have a single slot available. Why? The Chinese government places a restriction on the amount of singles allowed to adopt each year. I remember reading or hearing that only 12% of all China adoptions are granted to singles. Most agencies do not have immediate openings for singles and the wait can be up to a year, just to start the paperwork! I was considering it lucky that I could start as early as summer 2007, because I had found an agency out of Seattle willing to accept me as a client.

Then…my Mom stopped by my house one morning on her way to church. She dropped off a newspaper ad announcing a local China adoption seminar hosted by Small World Adoptions, Spokane, WA. She thought I might like to go….just for fun.

So, on April 17, 2006 I attended the adoption seminar (just for fun), listened to the presentation, and patiently waited for the Q&A. I then asked the question, “Does your agency accept applications from singles and if so do you have any open spots?” The agency rep (Kathy) responded with, YES and YES, “why don’t you visit with me after”.

WHAT THE!!

Anyone who knows me knows what happened next…I started to cry and I didn’t stop crying until late that night. I met with Kathy briefly after the seminar and she indicated that there was a single gal, next in line for the next open singles spot at Small World Adoptions who had backed out THE DAY BEFORE the adoption seminar. Kathy hadn’t posted the open spot on the internet as she wanted to wait and see if there was a local family who would be willing to take it first. I was THE NEXT single person who happened to cross her path. Fate? Chance? Destiny? Luck? The good Lord watching over me? Whatever it was, my life changed at that very moment.

The emotions I experienced that night were crazy. I was happy, scared, excited, nervous, and overwhelmed with the idea that I could start this process waaaay earlier than summer 2007! I called my good friend the moment I got to my car to tell her the news…well, more like sobbed to her the news. She was so excited for me and when I asked why I couldn’t stop crying her response was “Sara, I did the same thing the moment I found out I was pregnant!”.

Oh, so that’s what it was. I had just found out I was going to have a baby.

So, where am I at now? I have been accepted as a client of Small World Adoptions and I am patiently waiting for my agency to HURRY UP and finish processing the 12 couples ahead of me so that it is my TURN TO START. My agency expects that it will be some time this summer…keep your fingers crossed!

What am I doing to keep myself busy until the magical email comes across the wires telling me to get started on my paperwork? Well, I can tell you what I’m not doing;

I’m not buying baby things… (yeah right)

I’m not constantly thinking about the baby… (yeah right)

I’m not stalking anyone with babies who are between the ages of 8 months and 14 months and observing their gross and fine motor skills… (yeah right)

I’m not reading adoption books when I should be working on my graduate studies… (yeah right)

I’m not constantly thinking about the fact that this time next year I will be SOOO MUCH CLOSER to going to China… (yeah right)

You get the picture right? HURRY UP AGENCY I WANNA START MY HOME STUDY NOOOOOOOW!