Waiting for Leo

I know. It's the million dollar question of the day. Is he here yet? When is he coming? We get asked it every day. We ask ourselves the same questions. I can tell you what hoops we've jumped through recently, and that we hope that means we're closer to him coming home. CIS (California Immigration Services) finally corrected their paperwork (hoop #1) and now understand that we are adopting Leo, rather than Robert adopting me! ;/

After many days of then trying to get through to the US Visa folks who have one phone number for the whole country that usually is one never-ending busy signal, we got through to them at 11:45 at night the Friday of Labor Day weekend. Yes, that is what we are doing on Friday nights nowadays. LOL.

They told us that Leo's paperwork was indeed in their system. This is hoop #2 since it means CIS actually sent it to them. The wheels keep turning. The Visa folks also said they sent Leo's legal docs to the US Embassy in Seoul, Korea, which means there is nothing else to happen on our side of the world right now (hoop #3). It's in the Korean government's hands and that's where there is even more mystery to the process. Then we still need to arrange for the escort to bring Leo and travel arrangements. So when is he coming? NOT SOON ENOUGH!

Last night I had my first official dream about Leo. I guess it was a nightmare really. I was in this large, multi-story house with lots of rooms and people I knew who were there. There were scenes of me holding Leo and kissing Leo and walking around with him. Of course he wasn't Leo, but some similar looking boy at an older age. Strange. Then I was talking to some people in a sitting room and Leo was unaccounted for. I began to look for him, more feverishly, anxiety-ridden about where he was and what had become of him. That's how the dream ended. Me feeling helpless, worried, and inadequate. I think I thought, "It took all this to get him, and here I just lost him in an instant - he just disappeared into thin air."

I'm sure all mothers have these anxiety-ridden thoughts about keeping their children safe. And then I figure there's that added component of he's ours, but not here. Sort of the simultaneous belief and disbelief we feel. I think when we "find him" and are united with him, in person, it is going to be a HUGE relief. I told a friend in an e-mail today that Rob and I spent some time at the boardwalk in Santa Cruz recently and I felt like someone was missing. Funny how attachment forms. We know he belongs with us already.

Some people say I won't remember a time before Leo, once he's here long enough. Though, since Robert and I just celebrated the 10th anniversary of our first date, it's hard to imagine forgetting this wonderful decade! We've been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and support shown by friends, colleagues, and family throughout this whole process. Recently, some of my networking buddies got together at our realtor's house to celebrate Leo's arrival, and then Rob's workmates threw him a surprise baby shower at work (I was in on the ruse and present for the surprise). You can see the photos above. The bibs were hand-sewn by Robert's boss, especially for Leo. Thank you to everyone for everything. We appreciate it so much.

I'll continue to post as the mystery of the Korean-side of the process unfolds. We hope, of course, that we get a call every day. In fact, as I was writing this blog a call came through from Arizona. Could it be the call???? No - wrong number. And so we wait and hope and remain thankful that as hard as this is, he's healthy, loved, and on his way to be with us soon....