Why August 4th is the Most Important Date In My History
I'm sure most people feel the same way about their child's birth date. But this day many years in the making. Full of hope, despair, waiting and lots of forms and red tape.
After years of ups and downs, we'd finally been matched with a birth mother who was so in sync with us it wasn't funny. We had share so much of the same likes and ideals. And once matched it was a waiting game.
The game came to an end on August 4th...or actually late on the 3rd when she went into labor. A labor we were assured that would take a long time. And so after a peaceful night's rest (insert laughter here), Steve and I headed out on the road at 7 in the morning. We didn't tell our respective families (who'd so graciously and wonderfully helped us to "finance" this endeavor) what was happening until we were on the road.
I was prepared for a long 6+ hour drive to NY that morning. I was not prepared for a phone call only an hour and a half into it. Since these were the days prior to my having Sync in my car (which allows for speakerphone like chat), Steve was the one who did all the calling and answering while I focused on the road. While traversing up Rt 81 he answered the phone and found out that our son had been born. It was all I could do to just stay focused on the road. I kept driving. I just wanted to find a rest stop where I could try and wrap my mind around what had just happened. (OK, so it had happened around 5:30 that morning, but we were just getting the news 2-1/2 hours later.) I knew there was a rest stop somewhere in PA on Rt. 81, so I just kept driving and had Steve call the families and special friends and tell them the news. I kept driving. And driving.
And wouldn't you know it, the rest stop was CLOSED! So I kept going. I kept focusing on the road. Needed to get where I was going. After what seemed like an eternity, we crossed into NY and I found a rest stop. I gave myself five minutes to hit the ladies room and realize that I was now a mom. I sat on the sidewalk for a minute to try and let it sink in.
Then it was back on the road. Had to keep going. HAD to get to the hospital. HAD to see our son. On we went. Hour after hour. Until we finally reached the motel. Where our room was NOT ready. Sigh.
Steve MADE us stop for lunch. I know it was McDonald's. I don't know what we ate. I don't know if we ate breakfast. I know I wanted to get to the hospital ASAP. When we finally did get there, we stepped off the elevator and were face to face with our birth mother's mom. She got the social worker for us and the rest is a blur of talking with the social worker, with our birth mom and nurses before FINALLY getting to see our beautiful baby boy.
And he was beautiful. Gorgeous blue eyes (when they were opened...he did spend most of the day sleeping), a tiny little turned up nose and such a cute little mouth. Perfect in every way.
We spent the rest of the day holding him, feeding him, changing his and most importantly LOVING him. The moment we had been waiting for had arrived. It was surreal. It was incredible.
Everything changed on August 4th. A tiny little fuzzy head boy was born. Brought into our lives and made us a family. Our lives have been enriched by each other. And we may not have everything...we may not have what we want. But we have each other. We are a family.
After years of ups and downs, we'd finally been matched with a birth mother who was so in sync with us it wasn't funny. We had share so much of the same likes and ideals. And once matched it was a waiting game.
The game came to an end on August 4th...or actually late on the 3rd when she went into labor. A labor we were assured that would take a long time. And so after a peaceful night's rest (insert laughter here), Steve and I headed out on the road at 7 in the morning. We didn't tell our respective families (who'd so graciously and wonderfully helped us to "finance" this endeavor) what was happening until we were on the road.
I was prepared for a long 6+ hour drive to NY that morning. I was not prepared for a phone call only an hour and a half into it. Since these were the days prior to my having Sync in my car (which allows for speakerphone like chat), Steve was the one who did all the calling and answering while I focused on the road. While traversing up Rt 81 he answered the phone and found out that our son had been born. It was all I could do to just stay focused on the road. I kept driving. I just wanted to find a rest stop where I could try and wrap my mind around what had just happened. (OK, so it had happened around 5:30 that morning, but we were just getting the news 2-1/2 hours later.) I knew there was a rest stop somewhere in PA on Rt. 81, so I just kept driving and had Steve call the families and special friends and tell them the news. I kept driving. And driving.
And wouldn't you know it, the rest stop was CLOSED! So I kept going. I kept focusing on the road. Needed to get where I was going. After what seemed like an eternity, we crossed into NY and I found a rest stop. I gave myself five minutes to hit the ladies room and realize that I was now a mom. I sat on the sidewalk for a minute to try and let it sink in.
Then it was back on the road. Had to keep going. HAD to get to the hospital. HAD to see our son. On we went. Hour after hour. Until we finally reached the motel. Where our room was NOT ready. Sigh.
Steve MADE us stop for lunch. I know it was McDonald's. I don't know what we ate. I don't know if we ate breakfast. I know I wanted to get to the hospital ASAP. When we finally did get there, we stepped off the elevator and were face to face with our birth mother's mom. She got the social worker for us and the rest is a blur of talking with the social worker, with our birth mom and nurses before FINALLY getting to see our beautiful baby boy.
And he was beautiful. Gorgeous blue eyes (when they were opened...he did spend most of the day sleeping), a tiny little turned up nose and such a cute little mouth. Perfect in every way.
We spent the rest of the day holding him, feeding him, changing his and most importantly LOVING him. The moment we had been waiting for had arrived. It was surreal. It was incredible.
Everything changed on August 4th. A tiny little fuzzy head boy was born. Brought into our lives and made us a family. Our lives have been enriched by each other. And we may not have everything...we may not have what we want. But we have each other. We are a family.
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