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This post, and many of the posts that will follow it in the adoption category, is one of the major reasons that this blog exists. If you read our bio, you will know that we are an adoptive family with two children from Thailand. I also describe myself there as a “compulsive planner”. If you know anything about the world of adoption, you know that things are not exactly predictable. “Adoptive parent” and “compulsive planner” are two titles that don’t sit well together. Timelines are estimates at best, your experience can vary greatly from someone who is adopting through the same program, and you have the added variable of the child who is your own and yet a stranger. There are long periods of waiting with no news mixed in between periods of franticness when you feel your life depends on completing a few documents just to find yourself in another period of waiting.
In those periods where we were waiting, I soaked up every bit that I could, anything that would help me feel like I was physically and mentally prepared for that ultimate moment of meeting my child for the first time. I wanted someone to spell out every minute detail of their experience and while I had so many adoptive moms pour their hearts out in their blogs, there were still so many questions that I had and felt too foolish to ask.
We made it our mission to document our stories – from real life moments to packing lists, practical tips that helped us through travel to things we learned as first time parents. We told our story live as it happened and came home to create videos that gave a visual to those written words. Our children cherish those videos, telling a small portion of each of their stories, but we have also been able to use them to share with other families, helping them prepare for what is to come. Our stories may not be exactly the same, but when you can see moments unfolding on a screen, it better prepares you for what is to come, and it is what I longed for desperately to tick that “compulsive planner” box in my brain.
My hope is that if you are an adoptive parent, these posts can give you peace of mind. If you know an adoptive family, that they can give you a glimpse into what their experience will look like so that you can better support them. If you are a reader maybe learning about adoption for the first time, that it will spark something in you to the world of adoption / orphan care and find where you fit in to the story.
Adoptive parents – a quick note for you – if there is ANYTHING that we can help you with as you prepare for this journey, please let us know! We are so happy to help!
