Our Angel Arrives! Part 1 - Match Day

On July 3, 2010 at approximately 9pm, Jay, AJ and I were just getting back from a neighborhood street dance in celebration of the 4th of July. We were exhausted from a long day of painting our tree house and a really long walk to and from the street dance. But it was a good weekend so far. The day before was our 5 year wedding anniversary and the next day was going to be spent with very good friends who are in from out of town. And then more prep for AJ's big kids' bday party on the 10th. Lots to do......and not a lot of time. But there was a surprise for us just around the corner.

Our son, Andrew David was being born as we relaxed on the couch from a busy day.....and we had no idea.

The next day, I was dancing with AJ to some Kidz Bop tunes when the phone rang at about 9:30am. I figured it'd be my sis since we were splitting the market shift that day with my parents. But it wasn't my sis. It was the birth parent advocate from Adoption Star. My head immediately started to spin. I tried to turn down the music and walk away from AJ's grabbing hands - he still wanted to dance. I was searching for a pen and my profile info sheet - I have these sheets scattered around so they can be easily accessible when we get profile opportunity calls. But of course, I can't locate a single one. Finally, I remembered - MY PURSE! There was one in there. All this time, Sue is trying to tell me about a healthy baby boy that was born the day before to a wonderfully sweet and shocked young woman. I started trying to jot down anything I could about thie potential opportunity. And then Sue asked if we wanted to be profiled. My heart screamed "ABSOLUTELY"! But my voice came out a more timid "Yes".

I was being cautious because in the short time that we have been homestudy ready, we have been profiled several times and none of the situations resulted in a placement.....not to us, not to anyone. And recently we were profiled and selected for a 2 month old baby boy. But our hearts were devastated when the birthparents changed their minds and decided to continue to parent.

But now we had another opportnunity.

So many fellow adopters told me after our failed match that our baby would find us soon. That it seems to happen so fast after a failed match, for whatever reason. So I did start to think "Could this be our baby?".

But we knew the birthmom was looking at a variety of family types and we told ourselves and each other that we weren't gonna get excited, we weren't gonna tell anyone, because we were not gonna get picked. And at least we knew we'd find out within a few hours this time so then we could just move on with our day.

I went to the market to work my parent's pasta booth. I didn't say anything about the call. Jay and AJ came to visit us at the market, and we didn't say anything about the call. They left to put AJ down for his nap and something made me look at my cell phone. MISSED CALL at 11:44am. NEW VOICEMAIL. Here it was, the dreaded call to call them back and then hear that we weren't chosen.

I call Missy from Star back and she says "So, how are you?" and I say "OK" and she says "Only OK? Are you sure?". Then I say something like "Why don't YOU tell me." And she says " "A" chose you and Jason!" Did I just hear that right? REALLY?! She continues to tell me more about the details and that she needed confirmation from both me and Jay that we were accepting this placement. Um, yes.

But Missy questioned my response. I guess I didn't sound enough excited or tearful or whatever she was expecting. I sounded, exactly what I was - shocked and cautious. Because of our recent failed match, I learned that getting a call that you are chosen does not necessarily mean it's time to celebrate. It's a STEP in that direction, but it's not a definite. And I needed to protect my heart. Missy didn't know about the recent failed match so after I explained that to her she understood.

Then she told me that Jason and I needed to decide on a name within a 1/2 hour so she could get the paperwork started. OMG! There was only one name that we had discussed agreeing on for a boy - Andrew. But what about a middle name?

We decided to go with Jay's middle name - David. Andrew David. Our son. AJ's little brother. REALLY?

After getting off the phone with Adoption Star folks and Jay, I went back to my parent's booth at the market and made up a lil white lie about who I had been talking to. See, Jay and I had decided that we weren't gonna tell them....or anyone really, until we brought Andrew home. Partly to protect ourselves if it goes bad, and partly to completely surprise them if it goes good.

So I proceeded to ask my mom if she could babysit AJ the next day bc we Jay and I were gonna hang out with our friends that were in town. Really, we were going to sign the papers at Adoption Star and then hopefully bring Andrew home from the hospital. My mom easily agreed. And so the scene was set for a once in a lifetime surprise.

But since we weren't really spending the day with our friends, and we actually had planned on it b4 we were matched, we had to tell my very good friend. So we'd tell her and my sis and that would be it. So that is what we did.

Finally the market was over and I could head home to start preparing for a baby. And that is how Jay and I spent the rest of the day/night. We timidly toasted with some wine and then went to bed. We knew we had to get a good night's sleep bc if all goes well, it may be our last one for quite some time. Of course, I didn't sleep a wink. Not at all.

Here is our last family picture before our new addition. This was taken just a few weeks ago.

Stay tuned for Part 2 - Placement Day........