The Big Call

Hello! I’m so glad to be back – I missed you! While our family was holidaying it up in the down-home rural parts of Arkansas, we got a very special phone call on Christmas Eve that I’m dying to tell you about.

Actually, it was a message on our old answering machine at home but it was special nonetheless.

The caller was one of the counselors at our adoption agency. She called at 4:03 p.m. and asked us to call her back that evening if we got the message. On Christmas Eve, that is.

Unfortunately, we did not get her message that night. But I did call in for messages (something I rarely do when we travel) two days later, on Wednesday.

I thought, “hmmm? what was that about?” just before my stomach did a flip flop motion.

I called the counselor right away. We played phone tag for a while, but when we finally spoke she gave me some interesting news.

A birth couple (as in, both a birth mother and a birth father) had met with her for a few months and were ready to choose an adoptive family for their unborn baby, due in February. They were looking at profile books and liked ours, as well as some others, and wanted to know if we were willing to have a phone interview.

Yes! Of course! A phone interview! Excitement bubbled up inside of me and I couldn’t wait to answer their questions and experience something that is rare for the adoption process: a conference call with five people (us, them, and the counselor). Yay! A phone interview!

But then, I thought, OH! my! gosh! A phone interview? My stomach did more flip flops with some extra twisty turns at the idea of answering questions during a phone interview.

Thank God we do not make decisions based on whether or not my stomach starts up an aerobics class because we are SUPER EXCITED that we said yes!

The phone interview was set up for the following morning at 11:30. I asked if there were other couples that would be interviewed, as well. The counselor answered, “you’re the first”, and then she went on about what a nice couple they were.

The next morning we waited for the call at Mike’s grandparents’ home, which is quietly surrounded by a dirt road, cow pastures, and in close proximity to a chicken house or two hundred. I love it there and felt very peaceful about the call. Our family kept any jitters at bay by starting a game of Mexican Train at the kitchen table, which kept us all distracted while we waited.

But when the phone rang we all jumped out of our skin. I hurried over to the living room, picked up the phone and gave Mike the other receiver. After some introductions, I moved into the other quiet room of the house so I could hear better. I could hardly hear the birth father’s voice and I really wanted to hear what he was asking. I didn’t want to miss a single word of this phone interview.

It turns out, though, that this was no phone interview at all. The birth father said there was a different reason for the call. It was an announcement. A surprise announcement that they wanted to make together, with us, on the phone. They were actually hoping to make the announcement on Christmas Eve, as a special Christmas present to us.

Here it is: They chose us to adopt their baby! [Squeal] They (as in, both the birth mother and the birth father) are making this decision together and are in counseling together and wanted to be the ones to call and tell us the good news!

They’re expecting a baby girl [squeal] and they are young and with their parents’ support, they want to give their unborn baby girl the gift of a forever family.

Us!

Us, us, us!

It’s the most special Christmas present we’ve ever received!

Stay tuned!