Three Years Ago Today

May 8, 2005 was Mother's Day. Why would I remember that? I was impatiently waiting for my TA, my last piece of paperwork allowing me to go to China to adopt Erin Joy. (We didn't need a LOA back then so TA came after LID...for those of you who know what these acronyms mean.)

When I started the process of adopting Erin Joy, I was told by my agency that I would probably travel in February or March. Various delay including lost fingerprints kept holding up my paperwork. That's how it is in adoption....nothing is ever certain...

I was so sure that I would have my coveted TA by Mother's Day. Nope. May 8, 2005 was definitely the worst Mother's Day of my entire life. I was too upset to go to church. I never miss church, but I couldn't bear listening to talks about Mother's Day. I couldn't bear the flowers that they give to mothers. WHERE WAS MY BABY???? I had been staring at her picture for so long and I was done waiting! I was so jealous of other families who had received their TAs and they were DTC/LID after me. It just didn't seem fair. If my TA didn't come in the next few days, I would have to wait even longer. The first week of May is a holiday in China. They celebrate a holiday similar to Labor Day for an entire week. Unless my TA was already in the mail, I would have to wait longer. And wait. And wait. And wait. I was very done waiting. 99 days waiting for my TA was far too long.

Why do I remember May 8, 2005 was Mother's Day? Two days after Mother's Day on May 10th, it came!!!! My TA for Erin Joy! All the pain I felt waiting was immediately replaced with joy. Erin Joy....a perfect name for the joy I felt at that moment. I even remember when the call came. I was teaching math. (Good things happen when I teach math. I received Rachel's referral on October 2, 2002 during a math lesson.)

I was very lucky to get a fast consulate appointment and I traveled the end of May to meet my daughter. I'll write more about that on May 29th.

These are my thoughts this Mother's Day.

I made a little movie with one of my favorite songs featuring all the mothers in my family. Happy Mother's Day to everyone!