Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Five years ago today, we finally get a glimmer of good news...

On our way home ... Part One
Five Years Ago Today ... an Abby’s Road anniversary


            We spent the week after Abby was born moving to a new motel, feeding, changing and caring for our little daughter. But we were still a thousand miles away from family and friends. She had reflux, but by switching formula and giving her some medication she felt better. I wish we felt better...
            Starting at page 168:
            “Ronnie called us on Thursday, October 8th. The state of New York cleared us for interstate travel.
            “Woo-hoo!” I said, “We can take the train outta here tomorrow!”
            Nope. Illinois has to approve it, too. The paperwork is scheduled to arrive in Springfield tomorrow at 9:00 am.
            Um, wasn’t that supposed to have been done Monday?
             The timing could not have been worse. If the Department of Children and Family Services – or whoever would be in charge of such things – verbally approves our taking Abigail to Illinois Friday, we can go home.
            That Monday was Columbus Day. If they didn’t approve it on Friday, it will be Tuesday. Or later.
            One of my very best friends from law school works in Springfield for the Illinois senate. “Maybe we can call him and see if he can help,” Esther said. I said I doubted that he could. We didn’t call him.
            Esther got on Facebook and asked friends to pray the paperwork was on the top of the anonymous bureaucrat’s pile.
            I was more direct: “Everyone pray that we get verbal approval tomorrow. Pray! I SAID PRAY DAMN YOU!!!! Er, rather, we appreciate your prayers at this juncture...”
            I was desperate and angry. “Let’s go home.  Who’s going to know?”
            “We’re not doing anything that will get us in trouble,” Esther said.  She was right of course. And if it came to it I would have stayed.  I just felt like saying it out loud.
            That evening we ate at a 1950s-style diner. The waitress oohed and aahed over Abigail. An older couple came over to see her, as did a small child (Abby does that now – she’s done that ever since she’s been able to walk – babies love to look at babies).
            It was a wonderful meal. It was a wonderful diner filled with wonderful people.
            It gave us no joy.”
***

“Abby’s Road, the Long and Winding Road to Adoption and how Facebook, Aquaman and Theodore Roosevelt Helped” leads a couple through their days of infertility treatments and adoption. It is told with gentle (and sometimes not-so-gentle) humor from the perspective of a nerdy father and his loving and understanding wife.
Join Mike and Esther as they go through IUIs and IFVs, as they search for an adoption agency, are selected by a birth mother, prepare their house, prepare their family, prepare themselves and wait for their daughter to be born a thousand miles from home.

Copyright 2014 Michael Curry



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