the beginning... or the middle, however you want to look at it.

So, let me preface this with the fact that I am not a blogger. In fact, to be completely honest, I have done my fair share of ridiculing the world’s bloggers. I know. I am not proud of this fact. However, as in most cases, I have been humbled and now find myself eating my years of taunting words and at long last entering the vast world of blogging. It is for a good reason. As many of you know, my fantastic daughter London and I are in the process of adopting an adorable little boy or girl from Haiti. I have already been down there once and finally felt like I should be documenting our experience. After all, it will most likely be a looong journey.

London and I have had an amazing little family for just over six years now. But, we have been wanting to add to it since London was about 2. She kept telling me to "go pick up a sister for me at Costco." I tried, but they were fresh out.

So, we began looking into International adoption. Well, I began looking into it, London was 2, she didn’t even know what International adoption was. So I will take credit for that part thank you very much. I quickly found out two things: #1. Adoption is EXPENSIVE, and #2. It takes FOREVER. Crazy, I thought, (and still think) when there are so many children growing up in orphanages all over the world, and families (like ours) desperate to bring more children into their homes. Still, I knew that when the time was right for us to adopt, I would know it and we would make it work.

I am happy to say that time has come. In fact, it may sound crazy, but I actually feel like I am pregnant (with the priceless advantage of not being sick). Yay.

It all began around mid-February of this year.... Haiti was probably the last place that would have entered my mind in thinking about where to adopt. China, Ethiopia, Cambodia, I had looked into adopting from at least a dozen different countries and had even been oriented with an adoption agency here in Salt Lake for a domestic adoption. But, the timing never felt quite right.

Then, early this year my good friend Ty contacted me, just after the January earthquake in Haiti. He was intensely involved in the relief efforts down there (still is, but I’ll fill you in on that later) after the little island was completely devastated by the natural disaster. I began looking through Ty’s photos of the orphanages that he was helping deliver supplies to and a lightbulb turned on. Not like one of those energy-efficient 100 watt light bulbs. No, it was more like one of those 18,000 watt metal hilide lighting systems used to light up Yankee Stadium. I knew it was the time, like, without a doubt. I really don’t know how else to say it. I think I pestered good ol’ Ty every day for a solid month-and-a-half until he found a relief trip where I could come down and help out, and at the same time meet with the orphanage director about my chances of adopting....

...and the adventure began.

(....this is where I leave you with an enticing cliffhanger to keep you coming back for more)

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