The Call

So we have been busy! Booking flights, bed & breakfasts, completing paperwork, updating medications, finishing our basement renovation, sorting baby clothes, assembling a crib, buying diapers, packing, and all the while trying to have quality (if not quantity) time with our girls. In all this time, I have had very little time for sleeping, and even less for blogging. But I thought I need to post about receiving that amazing phone call. I had imagined the "call" for months already, and felt that I was prepared to hear. But nothing is like the real thing. Nothing.

My good friend Jen and her kids were over. Marc was at work, Sara at school, and Leah was having a blast playing with Ryan and Caleb. We had given up expecting the phone call and so when the phone rang at 10:30am it didn't cross my mind that it could be what it was.

I did see "Mission of Tears" in our caller ID, and felt a little flicker of hope which I quickly suppressed...don't get your hopes up Renée, it's probably nothing. I walked to the kitchen with the phone, swatting at the butterflies taking flight inside me.

Elaine, the adoption administrator at Mission of Tears, was on the phone. She asked how I was and I said quite good. Then, I knew. Elaine sounded a little nervous, and then asked me again "How are you?" I think this is it! My hands began to shake and my voice developed the nervous quiver that Elaine had.

"We have a little baby boy ready for you" Elaine said. I was a little stunned so my response was a little muted. Also, Jenn was in the other room so I was a little self-conscious about my reaction. With a pad of paper from VanGoosens's music, and a pen that barely worked, I jotted down the information that Elaine was reading to me. My hands were shaking so badly I could hardly write!
Boy, born Feb. 16, 2010 (he's only 10 weeks!)
Birth mother chose us! Mom is English, Dad is African, looks Caucasian so far.
May 19 or May 25 court date!

I could barely speak as Elaine talked about our child. Our son, our little guy for whom we've prayed and prayed and prayed. Finally in a moment of clarity at the end of the call, just as we were hanging up I said, "His name, what's his name!".

Elaine laughed, looked through her notes and told us "Arthur".

And there it is. I thanked her, and abandoning Jenn who was waiting in the living room, ran to the bedroom and called Marc at work. With trembling voice and a lump in my throat I read through my faint notes. "Wow!" was his response. Then silence. (This was repeated about 10 times.) It's amazing how you can be waiting for something for over a year and then when it finally comes be completely unprepared.

We were both stunned. Agreeing that I pick him up for a celebrative lunch, I hung up and told Jenn. She shared our excitement and we talked and talked about our new baby, when we will travel, how we will get ready in time and all sorts of joyous baby talk. Jenn agreed to take Leah for lunch and I drove to Marc's work. Sitting at Boston Pizza, we stared at each other. How our lives had changed! Nothing seemed important anymore but getting to Africa. (Marc had sat in his office, staring at his computer screen for 1/2 an hour and completed nothing.) How do you write bulletin announcements when you just heard you have a baby boy?!? We laughed, and planned, and wondered what he looked like, how big he was, and what in the world we were going to name him.

That afternoon after school we told the girls. They were excited but had difficulty grasping that it was finally happening. Even two weeks of waiting is a long time for them. It was fun talking with them about names (our Boston Pizza discussion had settled nothing). Sara wanted to name him after boys she new at school -- Matthew after her reading buddy, Samuel after her friend. Leah wanted to name him "Grawp". Both are now satisfied that Jeremy is a good name too!

The following two days were emotional, overwhelming, and wonderful. Every few hours it seemed we received new information about our son. A special moment was when we received an email with pictures of the baby. How amazing to have pictures from the moment he was born! - He is beautiful!

Thursday afternoon, while the carpet was being installed in our basement, we received all his medical information, pictures of his birth parents, and the legal paper. Then we met with our Canadian social worker, Ann Felsky. With tremendous smiles we signed the documents accepting the proposal. What a gift! Our little boy!