So, Here we are, in month 8 of "the wait". Honestly, there isn't a lot new on the adoption front. Based on the wait times of families receiving recent referrals, I expect that May is the earliest I would see a referral and it could be longer than that. It just seems impossible to predict. Then once I receive a referral I would travel about 2-6 months after that. When I started the process travel times were about 2-4 months. With the increases in adoptions the courts are just backed up with cases and it's taking longer to get court dates. So in the meantime, I just try to be as patient as I can, which most days is a struggle, and I just remember that it will happen when it's supposed to happen.
In the meantime, I try to remember to be grateful for the good things in my life. I thought putting them in writing would be a good way to do that so here are some of them.
1. My god daughter Erin. For her birthday I took her to the American Girl Place in Natick. We spent the afternoon, had lunch and enjoyed ourselves to the fullest. It was so great to have her to myself and you would have thought I took her to Disney World. She's a delight.
2. My godson David and his two sisters Lauren and Renee. They live in Florida now but when I do see them, they make me feel like they've been waiting their whole lives to see me. It's like we're together all the time even though we only see each other once or twice a year.
3. For good music. I can lose myself for hours just singing along with the IPOD or listening to whatever random song comes into my head. My IPOD is a very eclectic mix these days. You might hear a little Dionne Warwick, a little Cold Play, Barenaked ladies, Def Leppard(I am a child of the 80's after all, and let's face it, they were one of the very best hair bands), a little temptations, Kenny Chesney, a lot of Jason Mraz, Plain White Tee's or Beyonce. Like I've said before, I like pretty much everything except Gangsta rap and Gregorian Chant.
4. Books. I like to read and I LOVE to re-read favorite books. I started re-reading a Prayer for Owen Meaney by John Irving. If you haven't read it, I recommend it highly. Very quirky but worth all the time you put into it.
5. The Hallmark Channel. I admit it. My name is Beth and I have a sappy movie addiction. If there were a support group for this I would be the president. I am a sucker for quirky love stories where two people who aren't supposed to be compatible somehow end up falling in love. If only my love life would work out like a TV movie!
6. Electric Blanket. The. Best. Invention. EVER. Seriously. I'm cold all the time and this miracle invention has brightened my life(and sadly, I'm not joking).
7. American Idol. It's back, I'm obsessed, enough said.
8. Diners, Drive-In's and Dives. It's a must see on the Food Network. It lets me experience all this delicious food without having to feel guilty about the calories.
9. Varitek re-signed with the Sox. My baseball season can now begin.
10. My sisters. I don't know where I would be without them. I talk to one and or both of them at least once a day if not more(which is sort of amazing since I hate to talk on the phone). I can not imagine that there are three sisters as close as the three of us. Given our age gap, you wouldn't think that would be the case, but I think it came down to good parenting. My dad used to tell us that we were all on the same team and a team always sticks together. I remember being about 12 and thinking that I would like to be traded but in hindsight, I feel so grateful to have them. They're incredible parents and I can only hope to be as good at it as they are. But man, I'm sure gonna try.
11. Spell-check. You would be horrified at my inability to spell.
