6 - 3 - 3 - 0 - 1 - 8. Perhaps I should play those numbers. They are the numerals associated with our most recent adoption processing fees. It's been mostly piecemeal since September. $300 here. $600 there. $100 here. $50 there. $7 at the UPS store. And now the more substantial fees are creeping up on us. Maybe that's a good thing because that means we're moving closer to being officially in waiting mode. We're that much closer to eventually receiving our match, and we're that much closer to planning a trip to bring our child home.
Sometimes the range of emotions catches me off guard. Stretches of time between paperwork, and just when I feel a sense of accomplishment having completed one set of forms, there's another set due. With all sorts of complicated instructions, required documents and of course -- more fees. Though I have to admit, I actually think the adoption paperwork has been much easier than any government RFPs I've labored over since writing city/state/federal grants for work.
In addition to the unending paperwork and check-writing, A. & I realize how real our adoption journey is. We have made this very serious and committed choice to bring a child into our family, and we are preparing financially, emotionally and physically for this child's arrival. We're in constant discussion about money matters, feelings about becoming parents as well as all the purging of unnecessary items from our home once we receive a match. All in anticipation of adjusting to a little person in our lives, and we are very aware of how we may be out-of-balance for a while as we figure out what it will be like to expand our family. On an even more upside, Mom says she looks forward to being called Lola and taking our toddler to the park.
Not sure what role numbers play in our fortune, but I do know how lucky I am to be on this journey to parenthood with A.
