And we wait

And wait. And...surprise, more waiting. We've done our Home Safety Inspection (passed!) and are now waiting on MAPP classes. Our child is out there, waiting for us. Let's not make him (or her!) wait too much longer!!

Shopping for a dining room set, oddly enough!

This morning we attended the MARE (Massachusetts Adoption Resource) adoption fair, held oddly enough at Jordan's Furniture. And in an even odder twist, we sat at a...yes...dining room table...while we talked to a man about his adoption experiences. But I digress. Let me start at the begining. It was a dark and stormy...morning. Despite the torrential rain, we made it there nearly on time. I was a wee bit stressed about making it there on time ("but Ed, it shows what kind of people we are!"), but shouldn't have worried. No, what I should have worried about was making a grand entrance in the Orientation meeting, where I spilled my coffee all over the plush leather seats in the IMAX theater. And the gentleman up on stage, watching me do this? None other than Elliot (owner of Jordan's). Tah-dah! And as I was exiting the theater, I stepped in gum, tracking it down the steps with me. And of course, who is standing at the exit, watching my latest manuever? Elliot. Tah dah! I'm sure he quickly left, had his security team spot me on their cameras, and made sure that my picure (complete with a big circle and "X" through it) was sent to all the adoption agencies in Massachusetts. Alert! This woman is clearly not mother material!

Things went uphill from there, thankfully. We met some wonderful people, learned about the realities of adopting an older child, and left with more knowledge and insight in to what to expect from the experience. We can't wait to hear "Nelson, party of 3"!

Nelson, Party of 2

For a long time now, "Nelson, party of 2" seemed great. Cozy. The two of us, doing what we wanted, when we wanted, how we wanted. It was all about us, and that was just perfect. That is, until we started to realize it wasn't really so perfect at all. Sure, we have had lot's of guests at our table over the years. Family, their children, friends, their children, neighbors, their children, co-workers and, yes, their children too. We've had lively conversations around that table, a few heated debates around the table, and many celebrations around the table. We've had our pets at the table too. (But mooching is a story for another day). Our table has been set lavishly, and simply. We've had gourmet meals there, and have had our share of mac and cheese dinners there as well. But there is one thing that has become glaringly obvious: There is an empty chair there where our child should be sitting.