A Week to Keep My Mind Occupied

This week so far has proven helpful in keeping my mind occupied. I almost let it by me that the native land tour was over on Sunday. But I'd like to think I am too sharp to let things by me so easily. Wellllll.....maybe "sharp" isn't the right word to properly portray me LOL!!!

The family in Thailand now has "adopted" their son. It isn't an official adoption until after 6 months of being home. Then the Thai government sends finalization paperwork. I'm so excited for them! Can't wait to hear all about it when they get home. They have a blog they've been updating everyone with and it's been interesting to read about their adoption journey. So many thoughts and feelings go into an adoption! And there are so many questions with no answers.....so many people involved who need to say goodbye when you take the child home with you.

I was recently told about a situation that made my heart weep. A certain foster parent was hurt badly by a family who took their "adopted" toddler from her the very same day they met him. He was apparently screaming and afraid and didn't want to leave yet and they just took him. The foster mother wanted so badly to have one more night with the child she had cared for for so long. My heart just sobbed for this woman. We had planned to let Nok choose when she wanted to go. We can wait to take her.....we'll have her for the rest of our lives! But, her foster mother will have to say goodbye. The family that is there adopting their teenage son let him choose and he chose to go with them the same day. They did go back for visits before they left for Bangkok and I think that was helpful for everyone involved. We're more than willing to take our time when it comes to new adventures and frontiers and saying goodbye to the old ones. It's a scary world when you're a teenager jumping into something new. I couldn't imagine leaving my home, my country, my people, everything I have always known to move with a family I just met that very day to a country I have never even dreamed of going to! Frightening, upsetting, frustrating, and sorrowful. Given the situation and how much I love trying everything there is to try in the world, I would go. But not without a heavy heart and the weight of the world on my shoulders. I would grieve and not be able to speak for a day or two until I set it in my mind to make it work, to make the best of the situation. And I hope that's what Nok does. Grieve when she needs to, and love us as her new and permanent family.
I feel a bit melancholy today for some reason. Must be the weather, or maybe hearing about the toddler, and foster mother who is mourning his loss. Just as I start to doubt God, doubt His presence in my life and surroundings, He's there again. Lifting me up and holding me close. Some exciting things happend this week that refreshed my faith. Alot of you reading this know that I started a website to sell my photography. You can go to www.romanticafineartphotography.com to see my work. Anyway, I have shown my work at the county fair for years upon years and have won tons of ribbons for places 3 through 6th hahahah! But in the last several years I had gotten used to seeing those first place ribbons. I had decided that since I will be selling my work professionally this would be the last year I would show my work at the county fair. It wouldn't be fair to others for me to continue (and our fair doesn't have a professional category anyway). I told my Creator and the ultimate Creator of my work that I would really like to win Grand Champion since it's my last year. Welllll....I didn't win Grand Champion, the competition was pretty stiff, but at the last moment....just when I knew all hope was lost....I was awarded not only First Place and Class Champion, but Reserve Overall Champion as well!!!!!!!! I was so excited I forgot myself and stood up and screamed and started crying. I know it sounds silly now when I think about it, but the emotions I experienced were incredible! Everything from doubt to triumph crossed my features and I will never forget that moment. I praised my Creator for making such beautiful live artwork in the world for me to take pictures of. Every morning He paints a sunrise just for me and every evening He paints a sunset for me as well. During the course of the day He brings birds to sing to me and flowers to delight my eyes! And those are just a few of the things He does for us all.

In addition to that small distraction, we'll be picking up an exchange student this afternoon and we'll have her for almost 2 weeks. It'll be an excellent way to pull my thoughts away from the gloom of waiting to travel to Thailand. Ever present in my mind is the child I have yet to meet.....a part of me half a world away (plus one hour). I read this poem once and it branded itself into my mind. I want to share it with you. Whoever wrote this was a person who felt the ultimate joy of adopting a child.....something a great deal of the world should experience if they are at all able or so inclined.

Not flesh of my flesh
Nor bone of my bone,
But still miraculously my own.
Never think for a single minute
You didn't grow under my heart -
But in it!

Nothing new....Still

Nope....there's not anything new. I just wanted to spend some time getting to know how this blogging thingy works and holy cow! I must not be the brightest crayon in the box! I must've accidentally made two new entries with nothing in them! So then I had to figure out how to get rid of the something with nothing in it. I think I was successful.

So anyway, I spoke with our worker and she said there is nothing new. Of course I knew that already but just had to make sure. The Native Land Tour is still going on and our worker thinks the social worker in Thailand who is assigned to our case will probably get a few days off after the Tour and then be back on and running like crazy. I hope Nok's paperwork is there waiting for the worker to make it back to her office and get it sent to us.

Can't wait to hear when Nok gets the package we sent! Our friends will be preparing to leave Chiang Mai in a few days and head to Bangkok with the boy they are adopting. I haven't heard anything from her yet but assume everything is going well. I want to know what emotions she experienced and how if FELT to hug him and speak to him for the first time.

I'm all about emotions and actions. Sound.....Spoken word.....Feelings....What was it like? What will it be like? Do I want to experience it again? There will never be another first time.....to hold Cody in my arms right after birth and meet her face to face for the first time ever.....to hold Nok in my arms right after meeting her for the first time ever and say the first thing that comes to mind....knowing she can't understand a thing I say! Hahaha! Firsts....There is a First time for everything and I want to know what it's like! I want to scorch that first meeting into my mind forever....those first words....and of course those first tears.

Your Mission.....Should You Choose To Accept It.....

Yeah yeah.....I decided to start blogging. I had told myself it wasn't necessary but it turns out that it will be easier for everyone to keep track of our adoption process this way. We've been through so much already, I kinda wish I had done this a Year and 8 months ago! It would've simplified alot of story telling and retelling so that everyone knew what was going on. But, that's life.....

So, I don't really know where to start. The here and now? Okaaaay......Well there is nothing new today. Oh, yeah, by the way it's Tuesday July 18th. And that would be 2006. Anyway, back to the story.....

So, we're waiting. They told us not to expect to hear anything the month of July because of the Native Land Tour that's going on until Sunday. I don't wanna sound rude or anything but I wish they would just hurry up. I mean, HeLloOoOoO we have paperwork that is just sitting on someone's desk! Waiting....and waiting.....until they get Nok's paperwork sent from the orphanage.

Oh, yeah, we sent her another package. I'm excited to hear when she gets it! We sent the package by way of a family headed to Thailand to adopt their teenage son. I'm excited for them. They should be meeting him in about 4 hours. I'll bet they can't even sleep or eat for the excitement of finally meeting their child! I think that's what'll happen to me. Won't be able to sleep or eat......then i'll be too exhausted to enjoy the first meeting. Naaaaaaaa! I'm just messin! I mean I may not be able to sleep at all or eat much..... but that first time we meet Nok....Wow! I can hardly wait! Sometimes the excitement is just waaaay scary. Here lately i've started to think someone made this child up. They made up this kid that we'd love to adopt and bring into our home. It's all a big joke that someone thinks is funny. And when I find out who made this horrible joke I'm gunna .....well.....it's not gunna be a pretty sight. No, really, I know she's real and we can't wait to meet her.

I'll write more later when I think I need to say some more stuff.