Transparency
There’s something about this adoption that is different from when I adopted Oscar. My agency tells PAPs what number they are on the wait list(s). They also disclose all referrals, so PAPs continue to know exactly where they are in the process. This is far from how things happened when I adopted Oscar. Don’t get me wrong – that process worked and I got the perfect child. I also got very frustrated as I watched dozens of people who had their dossiers logged in far after mine receive referrals months before I did (and not because they were willing to take older kids, etc.).
My VN agency clearly did not process referrals in the order dossiers were logged in; it was more subjective than that. I like knowing where I stand, but part of me feels concerned that there’s no “human” element here, matching children to their new parents. I imagine that sounds silly; of course, there’s no way that the person who matched my file to Oscar’s really did so based on any special information she had. It was just as random as this list. I guess part of me wants to believe in an “adoption fairy” or something. Having said that, I am absolutely certain that I am going to be thankful for this transparency when I get higher up the list and that whatever child joins our family will be just right for us, too.
So, what’s my number?
REALLY Happy
He spoke! Oscar said a word, completely unprompted. We were in the kitchen and the oven was on. He walked by it and I looked down at him while he was signing “hot,” and all of a sudden he said “hot. . . hot” out loud. Clear as day – just like he says it all of the time or something. I got all excited and he started clapping for himself. If he only knew.
I doubt this is one of those breakthrough moments where everything is going to turn and we’ll find out that he actually has a vocabulary of 50 words that were dying to break through. I don’t care, though. I’m happy just knowing that he can actually think of words on his own and get them out. Or, at least one of them.
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Etta’s Hats
Where I’ve Been
