December, 2009 it started. We filled out a simple $25 application and mailed it off. Korean adoption seemed like such an easy and natural decision. Some people have asked me (and others have wanted to ask) why adopt? Why not have "a child of your own"? My inside voice is considerably more snarky than what makes it through the filter. "This IS my own child!" is what I hear in my brain. But the answer to the real questions is, adoption was always our first choice. We could have gone the pregnancy route but we chose this other path to grow our family. It's not better or worse, just different. I don't have a good reason other than it is what has always felt right to us. So here we are.
All the other questions we hear; Why not the US? How did we end up with Korea? How much did it cost? What if she wants to find her birth mother someday? Why was she given up? All these have different answers. Some answers have brought about very strong reactions in those asking. And I’m careful with whom I provide those answers. Some of the story is mine to share. Some of it belongs to Avi, so it will be up to her to decide what to share when the time is right. But long story short, I couldn't be happier with our choice. If we'd taken a different path, we would never have met this beautiful little person. Call it divine guidance, call it the universe unfolding as it should. I feel we are where we were meant to be.
We honestly didn't think it would be June 2013 before this process would come full circle. Though Ann and I remember the orientation day differently, I swear they said two years and we'd be a family. Yes, it has been very difficult at times, but not as tough as you would think. We’ve kept busy with the endless house remodel, the marathons, the fitness competitions and the like. When you’re brain is busy with every day life, the difficult times are fortunately few and far between. We’ve seen her grow from an infant into a perky 2 year old. Missing things like first words, teeth and steps was not easy. But knowing she’s in the care of an experienced foster mom who loves her very much is comforting. She’s not languishing in some orphanage. That helps.
We've been through promises of a Korean adoption shutdown. We've seen the threat of war from the North combined with legal stonewalling by Korean anti-adoption activists that has slowed the process to a crawl. I won’t go through all the details of this stuff because it’s covered in countless blogs on the internet. (most of which I’ve read obsessively) And, quite honestly, it’s a little boring unless you’re waiting for a child. It’s a little boring even if you are waiting for a child. The important thing is she gets to come home soon.
We have two trips planned. We know the dates for the first, the second is still a mystery. We have a court date planned for June 19th. We’ll fly out of Denver on Saturday the 15th and arrive on Sunday. Monday we’ll meet Avi for the first time. We have about an hour or so to hang out with her and her foster mom. Tuesday we’re not sure what they have planned for us. On Wednesday we go to court. We’re not sure what they will ask but it’s expected to be about 15 minutes there. Then Thursday we say goodbye and come home. The next trip to bring her home is 3-6 weeks after that depending on how long it takes to get her visa.
So that’s where we’ve been and we’re going. Soon, there will be more of Avi’s story to tell.
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