The Story Begins

Since every story must have a beginning, I think I will start there. In just a few short weeks, I will become a mom. It feels weird to even say that. After years of infertility and disappointment, I never thought this day would come. Soon, I will be traveling to adopt a baby girl. So what inspired me to start on this roller coaster of a ride in the first place?
I have always wanted to be a mom, but my life path had not allowed me to see that dream through. I had a wonderful family, great friends, a good job and my life was really comfortable. However, I wanted something more. I started researching adoption in 2005, but thought I couldn't do it alone.The decision to be a single parent is overwhelming... was it fair to the baby, could I manage her and work, would I be a good mom? Then one day I passed by a sign that read " Don't let your fears become the boundaries for your dreams" and in that moment I realized that I needed to make the first step~ that I would handle whatever challenges I came across.
So, in December 2005 I started my homestudy and decided to adopt from Kazakhstan. I was drawn to this country for an unexplained reason. Maybe it could have been that I learned how to spell it and thought that was a sign! But really is was the care they gave to the children that was most significant. Kazakhstan has a mandatory bonding period that helps create comfort between child and parent. Taking a deep breath, I signed on with my agency ~ KidsFirst ~ in February 2006.
It is now a year later and I have been through more than I can ever describe~ massive amounts of paperwork (the dossier), multiple delays, lost pieces of the dossier, fingerprinting by many levels of the government- 4x in all, notaries (thanks to Miss Pat!), apostilling and the waiting and waiting that comes with this process. That is nothing compared to the emotional roller coaster that is ever present. However, as I am nearing the end of my wait and the start of motherhood, it was an experience that I would gladly go through again. It is just like a pregnancy~ only on paper! It is not an easy journey, but it prepares you for the years to come...
As I complete one part of my story, I am now preparing to travel to Astana, Kazakhstan in the next few weeks to meet my daughter, Juliana. I am anxious for all of you to make this journey with me. I read a quote somewhere that read " Leap and a net will appear." Well, hold on, I am about to jump!