Monday, July 9, 2012

Joshua Dean is here!!! - Wait, what?!?!

Ladies - I've missed you.  I have some good news.

We have a son!!!  His name is Joshua Dean!!!

Ok, it's quite a story, and I'm here with him right now doing tummy time, so my time is brief.

I know - me, doing tummy time!?!?!

On Tuesday, June 12, I called our adoption agency in Texas back after they left me a voicemail about a case.  Would I please call them back about it?  The social worker sounded optimistic, but I tried not to notice.  She said that a child had been born Friday, June 8 four weeks prematurely and was in the NICU.  The child was doing well, but had had some issues right after birth and during pregnancy.  Would we like to be shown to the birth mother?

We discussed the information, which I'm not disclosing due to privacy reasons, with our pediatrician and prayed.  When he sounded optimistic about the situation long-term, and I didn't sense the Lord pulling me back as if to say no, we said yes, you can show our profile.  Lord, we prayed, if this is meant to be our son - we had since learned it was a boy - then let the birth mother pick us.  And if not, well...

It was a surreal day waiting.  We had said yes to being shown around 9am, and I was off work that day.  Thank goodness, because I almost felt dizzy.  It's like I could hear my life changing, or so I dared to hope.  I told a few trusted friends, and they shared my excitement and my wariness.

I had decided to take a nap, or rather a lie-down-and-close-my-eyes-but-I-still-can't-sleep time when my cell phone rang.  It was the agency.  I took a deep breath, and thought, well, here goes.  Rebecca, the social worker said, we showed the birth mother the profiles, and she picked.... you!  Really!?!?!? was all I could say.  Yes! she reiterated, are you surprised?  Well, yes I am, I said, and then - ok, well what's next?  And we were off...

I was scheduled to work the next 3 days, so after I called DH and my parents and then texted my brother, I called my boss, my pharmacist coworker and texted trusted friends.  It was a whirlwind of communication gone heart crazy.  Our son was alive - in a NICU bed in Texas waiting for us.  We didn't know what he looked like.  We didn't know what hospital he was in.  All we knew was that he was here!!!!!!

I swapped shifts with the other pharmacist at my store so I could open on Wednesday and be able to get off earlier in the day to pack and organize.  I had to go to the doctor for a physical to renew that part of my home study (of course it would expire in a year, and here it was almost to the day!).  I had to call HR at work and check on a personal leave (I didn't end up officially taking one - it was in my best interest not to do so and my boss was fine with that).  I asked for 4 weeks off, not knowing how much time was really best, but only knowing that the time for the ICPC to go through - the interstate compact for the placement of children - between the states was estimated at 7 to 10 business days.  I knew I'd be in Texas for a few days!!  My boss said he'd take care of finding coverage for my Thursday and Friday shifts (which I had said I'd work extra to cover for someone else).  I called my scheduler to let her know my boss had approved my leaving.  I was on the phone for what felt like hours.

We planned to leave Thursday, as soon in the afternoon as we could, to pick up our son!!

TBC...

2 comments:

  1. Holy monkey! I literally just blurted out "Shut up! No Way!!!" and raced to read the rest!!!! Rebecca--I AM IN TEARS FOR YOU!!! WHAT A HAPPY DAY!
    Congratulations MOMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait to hear more. BEST NEWS IN DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  2. When Deni told me to run, not walk, to your blog my heart was racing to find out this wonderful news! Congratulations, Rebecca! I'm overjoyed for you as I think about all that you've been through to get here -- and now seeing how the Lord has carried you through to this moment. A son! How amazing! Rejoicing with you today! Eager for more of the story... and pictures?!

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