It Has Happened!

Well, yesterday morning started off with some disappointing news. Roger contacted our Adoption Agency in ON and found out that our baby's paperwork was still in translation. Roger was able to get them to agree to call us when it came back from translation.
So, since it was still being translated, we figured there goes our hope of hearing that day.
Around 3 pm I was teaching a piano lesson. The phone rang and I picked up the portable beside me and saw that it was our adoption agency.
Now, my policy while teaching piano lessons is that I do not answer the phone. However, yesterday was the exception!
I excused myself and went into the kitchen. I switced to our regular phone - just because the portable had low volume.
I was told that the documents were back from translation and that our agency had been in contact with the provincial ministry (NB Adoption Services). And that was basically all he was able to tell me.
However, while I was still on the phone with him I got beeped from Gentle Path. They have been contracted by the government to handle all international adoptions files. I was very quick ending the conversation with the adoption agency. (Sorry, V! I hope you don't mind my abruptness!)
J started the conversation by asking me how my day was. I said, "You tell me how my day is going." And she responded, "You are having a very good day."
She went on to say that there was an issue because the child was older, 21 months, and it would create some more paperwork to change our homestudy to include "a child under 24 months of age". I said that that didn't matter to us!!
Tori was standing beside me, hugging me the whole time.
When we got off the phone I knew that we had a girl, 21 months old!
Now, the mother of my piano students was rejoicing along with us. And I couldn't have asked for a better "piano mom" to be there when we got that call. She is a sister-of-my-heart and her children are our godchildren.
I tried calling Roger to see if he had started his afternoon bus run. Al said he had already left and asked me if I had heard news. I just told him that we heard that it was out of translation. Sorry, Al, but I couldn't tell you before Roger!
So, then I tried to go back to teach piano lessons. It was SO hard to concentrate when all I wanted to do was celebrate - continually!
About another 10 minutes into my godson's lesson the phone rang again. I squealed "It's the social worker!" and answered the phone!
Our social worker asked when we could come in. I told her that I had no way of getting a hold of Roger, but he would be home between 5 and 5:30. We'd come in as soon as he got home. She said, "Roger will want to eat first." And I told her, "No, he won't!"
Now I knew it REALLY was happening. And my heart felt like it was going to come right out of my body!!!
And back to teach another 40 minutes of piano lessons. But we had no more phone calls to interrupt.
My goddaughter asked, "When is your baby going to come out of your tummy?" I quickly explained adoption to her. (Since I really was supposed to be teaching her piano, I didn't want to take too long.) And then she asked when is she going to come out of the other mommy's tummy. I told her that she already had and that she is almost 2 years old. And that we would be going to get her in a couple of months. Probably around my birthday. "Won't she be a wonderful birthday present?" I asked her. She screwed up her face in a questioning look - which she can do so well - and said, "Are you going to wrap her up?" In case you were wondering the same thing, no, I'm not.
They were the last piano lessons of the day so Tori and I began to get ready for heading to the social worker's. We had the dog fed and the fire stoked. Roger came home when Tori and I were in the bathroom. Tori was still brushing her teeth and told me to wait until she could come out, too. She said, "Dad will see you dressed up and know that something is up." So we walked out together and I said, "Let's go to town." Roger looked at me and said, "Go to town." To which I exclaimed, "WE GOT THE CALL! WE'RE GOING TO TOWN!"
Roger said the best thing ever, "Then what are doing standing here?!?"
So we quickly left. It was a very difficult trip to not speed. We also know why expectant parents make a practice run to the hospital. We ended up going a short-cut, but took a wrong turn off the short-cut and adding a few minutes to our trip! :) But it was still probably faster than going the other way.
While en-route we called our moms to let them know we were "on our way to town". Poor Anna, I didn't even identify myself when I called her, I just said, "WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO TOWN!" I didn't tell her we we're calling from the cell-phone and "literally" were on our way to town. She told me not to keep talking, but "go, go, go!"
We met with our social worker and she showed us pictures of our beautiful daughter. And she really is beautiful!
And believe it or not, I still had not cried.
But that all changed when she read that our baby was found March 19, 2008.
That is my birthday.
I wept.
So much that the social worker gave me a "box" of kleenex.
And it wasn't just because of the "connection".
But to think that her mother made the most difficult decision of her life, and probably felt like her heart was being ripped away from her, on my birthday. She was giving up her everything and I was receiving the greatest gift ever. My heart was full and aching at the same time.
Chances are slim that I will ever meet Violet's birthmom. But she will never be far from my heart. And I will pray that she finds peace and healing.
After meeting with the social worker we started making calls. My parents and sister were actually in town so they invited us out to eat. Tori was happy because she was getting hungry!
We stopped and had copies made of her photos.
Roger stayed in the van and called more family.
Ah, it was a beautiful day.