Said goodbye today. I'm leaving my heart here.

jillianmb

First of all thank you for your amazing comments on my last post and on my blog.  You ladies are awesome!  I love having your encouragement and support. 

Second, boy was today hard.  We have had an amazing week- beyond our expectations.  We love our little man with a depth that has shocked even us. We are amazed by him!  We left him today.  Our facilitator here in Russia seems to think we will get a court date in the end of September and then come back 5 weeks after that to bring him home.  That means he will be home for thanksgiving!!  

I am experiencing this crazy mix of joy and excitement but also sadness, having to say goodbye.  This is the hardest and the best thing I have ever done.

Any international adoption ladies out there have to leave your kiddo behind for a time?  How did you survive the wait??  

Dr.Loretta

No experience, but I'll be thinking of you today. Hurray for a tentative date!

kmkaull2

Oh, big hugs to you!  I love reading your blog.  Your son is beautiful and you two are wonderful parents already.

No advice.  No doubt you'll be praying a lot.  I would also be shopping, LOL!

Wishing you strength today and over the coming weeks!

 

 

Rachel Sonnier

No advice, but I am sure that is especially difficult. Good luck on your travels home. You guys are in my prayers!! :-)

Honeydew1894

I have so enjoyed following your story. Prayers for a quick homecoming for your sweet boy!

raecheleblue1

I can only imagine how hard it was to leave him.  Prayers that the time goes quickly until your next visit!  

firecracker8

What a beautiful story. I can't imagine your struggle as you leave your heart behind.

I am friends on Facebook with another Bumpie who also had to leave her sweet boy behind in Ethiopia and is playing the same heartbreaking waiting game. If you would like to be connected with her, let me know! The support and prayers from each other might be a blessing to you both at this time.

DaisyZH

I've been thinking of you, it has to be so hard to leave but I'm so happy that you will  be back this fall!  Your first Thanksgiving together will be such a precious event.  Prayers for you, your husband and your son during this difficult period of separation, I hope it is short and sweet and that you are in each others' arms again soon.  Have a safe and comfortable trip home!

Foster1Mom

I do not have any advice. I cannot imagine how hard it is to leave him there. Just remember you will have him home soon. Hang in there  

IRR

Hopefully you will get to pick up your heart soon. 

CaptainSerious

I haven't posted much lately, but you've been on my mind a lot.  I can't imagine how difficult it must have been to leave that little boy behind.  I wish you all the strength in the world to get through the next several months until you can hold him in your arms again.

cogbot

My husband just caught me bawling at the computer.  He was like "Holy Cow!  What's wrong!"    Then he thought I was completely crazy when I explained to him that I was just really happy for this random woman I know of via the internet.  I LOVE your blog

I have no advice for the wait, but I'm overwhelmed with joy for your beautiful family! 

summergirl79

Can't imagine how difficult this must be!  I too love following your story/blog.  Hugs, thoughts, and prayers coming your way....

Mrs.Slick

It's SO hard to leave them behind. And if you figure out how to survive the wait, let me know! 

Mrs.Slick

And ygpm!

meganalaire

Yay! I've been thinking about you and praying that your trip was safe.

I am so glad that you got to spend time with your little boy, and it's wonderful that you're expecting him home for the holidays!

I don't have any insight about leaving your little one (and your heart) behind, but I will continue to pray for strength and peace for you and your husband while you wait! I know that when that time comes in our process I will need lots of both!  

Robby6

Your DS is adorable!  I loved looking at the pictures on your blog.  After meeting my DS for the first time, I was not able to bring him home for 11.5 months.  I have to be honest, every day felt like torture.  

I do recommend using the time to prepare as much as possible.  I worked nearly every day on his life book/scrapbook.  Probably because I had so much time before he came home, I included tons of pages about his birth country- history, politics, traditions.  He now LOVES to look at it.  

Also take this time to go on lots of dates with your DH.  Maybe even a short vacation!  Seriously!  I flew to Seattle to visit my best friend 2 weeks before DS came home and I am so glad now that I did. 

MauidAims

Sorry no words of advice but wanted to say that he is a cutie! You all look soooo happy

BenandSuzy

We had 8 weeks between our first visit and our court date, and then had the 10 ay waiting period where we came home because we would not have been able to visit him in the orphanage during the 10-day wait.  Honestly, the 8 weeks waiting for a court date and trying to find out that all paperwork had been completed and all necessary steps were done in order to wait for a court date was hard, but I knew our little guy was where he was comfortable and familiar and he was taken care of.  

I have heard that many dislike such a long break because it is hard on these kids. They so much want a "mom and dad" and don't understand why you have left them.  But we spent time getting his room ready, shopping, and making sure everything was in order for when we would get the call to come back.  I don't necessarily remember the wait now, but I know in the few weeks before we got our court date I was bugging our agency for any information about where we were in the process.  You'll get there and it will all be a distant memory!  Just remember he is taken care of and is right where he has always been, so he is content for now.  

 I must say though our little guy didn't smile much in the orphanage.  On pickup day he didn't make a peep on the drive to the hotel.  By the time we got to our room, he smiled, laughed, and ate some cookies and was just a new kid.  It's awesome to see and I can't wait to hear about your experience.   Best of luck and let me know if I can answer any questions!! 

miss1180

I'll be praying for you!!! Our situation is pretty close. We are adopting from south Korea. We were matched with our son last August (yip! Just about a year ago!) and he's STILL not home with us, because of changes in Korean laws, etc. 

   We haven't met him yet, but we have been watching him grow up through the pictures the agency sends us every month. It's been heartbreaking!!! It's looking like we will go get him sometime this August, so we're nearing the end of our wait... But I'm not sure how we hung in there so long!

   My advice- keep busy!!! Whether it's with your job, or with friends, or with a vacation or volunteering or whatever. Keep busy so you're not just sitting around your house thinking about when he'll be here. Use the time to get any house projects done, shop for stuff for him, spend the last one-on-one time with your husband... And just get ready for the next great adventure! :-) good luck!! 

Art Teacher

I haven't been online much since we've been out of town.  Just got caught up on your blog -- your son is just beautiful! 

 I hope Thanksgiving gets here very quickly for you guys.