here’s a little story that you will enjoy

about a week ago, we got a call from our Texas agency telling us that there was a birthmother* who was very excited about our profile and wanted to talk to us.  J took down the information while I flitted around the kitchen, freaking out a little and trying not to burn our dinner.  When he got off the phone, J took over the dinner preparation, and I took a few deep breaths, then dialed the number we’d been given.  I got voicemail.  Or, at least, I thought it was probably voicemail–it was really just  a recording of some music.  Not sure if I should leave a message, I hung up and called the agency to confirm that we had the right phone number.  Yes, it was correct.  So I called back and left a short message with our contact information.  In just a few minutes, she called back.  And we talked for two hours.  She talked to both J and me.  She told us how she’d been interested in our profile because we looked like “regular, normal people…. but a little bit goofy.  like me.”  We talked about big things (why she’s chosen to pursue adoption for her child) and small things (her favorite foods–apparently right now she’s into sour candy).  We laughed and tripped over each other’s words because we couldn’t talk fast enough.  She told us that she was having the gender-viewing sonogram in two days and that she was looking forward to finding out.  She told us she was due in March and we both laughed since J and I both have birthdays in March.  Finally, we said our goodbyes and both agreed that we’d enjoyed our conversation.

Two days later, I got another call from the Texas agency, this time while I was at work, telling me that she wanted to talk again.  I called.  She’d had the sonogram and wanted to tell us that she was having a boy.  and that he has a really round head.  We talked a little more and she told me that she wanted to spend a little more time deciding between us and another couple, but that she hoped to have an answer for us by next week.

I spent the weekend convincing myself that she wouldn’t choose us because I didn’t want to get my hopes up.  I spent the weekend convincing myself that she wouldn’t call until the following Thursday or Friday probably.  It’s a big life decision, not one to be made in a hurry.  I spent the weekend trying to curb my impatience and my dread.

On Monday, I was at a used bookstore picking out some titles for my nephews (shhhh…. Christmas gifts) and found a copy of the book “Happy Adoption Day” that’s based on the song by John McCutcheon.  It seems to focus a little more on international adoption, so I was waffling about whether or not to get it, but decided that since it was only 95 cents, I should just get it and add it to my own book collection.  Two minutes later, my cell phone rang.  I checked caller ID and it was her!  I answered the phone and she said she just wanted to call and tell us that she had picked us!  She picked us!  She’d called the agency to tell them and to get them to relay another message to me that she wanted to talk to me, but she got impatient and couldn’t wait for them to call me and for me to call back, so since she still had my phone number in her phone, she just called me directly to tell me.  She picked us!  She wanted to know if we wanted the sonogram picture for our scrapbook. (yes.)  She sent me a photo of herself taken with her cell phone.  She’s beautiful. and she picked us.

We got the rest of our paperwork the next day and faxed in our acceptance papers this morning.  We. are. matched.

*disclaimer:  technically, she’s not a birthmother until she has given birth AND signed the papers sealing her decision to choose adoption.  Until that time, she is just a mother.  But for convenience sake, I will refer to her as a birthmother for this story.