Where do I begin?

2 Years
24 Months
730 Days
17,520 hours

That is how long we have been waiting for our referral from China. How much longer will we have to wait? Who knows for sure?My best friend Lisa tells me all the time that I am a much stronger person then she is. She tells me she is not sure that she could be as patient as I have been while we wait for Sophia. I tell her that I am really not patient I just have no other choice. The adoption is a wonderful and strange thing all at the same time. The unknown is so scary some times. When we began this wait we never really thought that we would have a baby in 6 or 8 months, but we also never dreamed it would take more then 2 years either. This anniversary is one we never thought we would have. We looked at each other this morning and said how do we even address today? What are the right words? Happy-NO , Merry-NO- Congratulations-NO, none of those seem right because this is not exactly a happy occasion but not exactly sad either. We know we are close, we can feel it, can't explain it but we can feel it. We know that Sophia is alive somewhere on the other side of the world. She in the last few months has had to face more loss and more trauma then any one person should have to and she is just a baby. She has lost more then time, more then 2 years really. She has no idea how her life is about to change because she is not waiting for us and has not been waiting for us for 2 years, she is not anticipating our arrival. We know that it will happen and one day this wait will be a memory. We know that our lives will be filled with the joy of our daughters laughter and tears from time to time. For now we surround ourselves with others who understand what we are going through like Susan and Jonathan Love our friends and travel mates. They are waiting for their first child Lily Kate. It is very possible that Lily Kate and Sophia are crib mates right now. Susan and I have had several conversations about that and it brings us comfort to know that they are probably together. On referral day I know Susan and I will be e-mailing and calling each other with joy in our hearts and excitement in our voices. For now we support each other ... When she is down I try to give her words of encouragement and when I am down she is always there with the right thing to say. Yesterday Susan was feeling down and we shared several e-mails back and forth, by lunch time I think she was starting to feel better. Then she sent me this message of inspiration and without even knowing it made my heart fill with love for her and for our daughters.. Thank you Susan your friendship and support mean more then you know. The fact that we have had the time to connect and for our relationship to grow has been a blessing and will only benefit Sophia and Lily Kate for years to come



"The time may be delayed, the manner may be unexpected, but the answer is sure to come.
Not a tear of sacred sorrow, not a breath of holy desire poured out to God will ever be lost;
but in God’s own time and way will be wafted back again in clouds of mercy,
and fall in showers of blessings on you, and those for whom you pray."