Waiting With Excitement - by Patrick

Is it not breathtaking to see the seeds of your ideas come to fruition? Plans that you used to discuss in pubs and coffee houses- plans that awarded you the title of an idealist. That excitement that you felt before the reality of the conversation with your parents. But later, they were proud to see you could make those dreams come true. I remember when Killeen’s father visited us in Vermont, only a few months before we started our hike on the Appalachian Trail. I remember his eyes always wandering toward our kitchen that was filled with hiking gear and large boxes of trail food.

As our plans to internationally adopt a child begin, that excitement is so real again. While I am excited, I try to exercise caution. Five minutes into our hike on the Appalachian Trail, the 35lb weight on my back, the rain, and the pain in my knees were all a lesson in reality. They were a great counterbalance to the romantic visions I had about living in the woods. It was a struggle and it was real.

I am cautious because I know the reality of this adoption will make the Appalachian Trail seem like a weekend in Disney World. Through our process we have explored the struggles we will experience being a Transracial Family, working through attachment issues, living in a new reality where race is always applicable, and financially absorbing the towering cost of the adoption. These issues, which are certainly not an all inclusive list, require a lifetime commitment. While the road will be challenging, I have never questioned whether we should take this journey. I know in my heart that this adoption is the right thing to do, no matter how difficult.

*Please visit our online shop (link below) to see what we've been creating. Become a follower of this blog to stay updated on our path, and to learn about new items in the shop. We're just getting started, but after just one weekend of channeling the emotions behind this adoption into a tangable effort, we feel hopeful that we can make a difference for Acacia, and other babies just like her.

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