#courage

  Lauren and I have been patiently waiting for the next step to occur, but I think it's important to remember what that next step will be.

  In open adoption, we are on a list waiting for a birth-mother to choose us.  So when that phone rings, we could be either racing up to let's say Grande Prairie to meet a mother and her baby in the hospital, or setting up a meeting to have a casual and nervous drive to Calgary to meet a birth-mother in her second trimester.  It is going to be somewhere in Alberta, we just don't know where, and we don't know who we are going to meet.
  This person however, is going to be one of the single most important people that we have ever met in our lives.  Not just because she is going to possibly choose to let us raise her child, but because we think we understand the type of #courage and #strength it is going to take her to make that decision.  We understand it because of the seminars we attended years ago when we started this journey, in listening to people's stories, in researching open adoption, and in talking to our social worker and the adoption agency.
  We can't wait to meet her.  She will forever become a part of our family, and a part of our child's life.  Open adoption was such an incredible path for Lauren and I also because we will have that connection with her, in whatever way is agreed upon.  That link and connection for our child is always going to be so important in understanding who they are and their lineage.
 

  True courage is going to be her choice to put her child's life ahead of her own.  For any of you who have had children, could you make that sacrifice?  Can you imagine what kind of courage it is going to take?

  Over the years through our adoption journey, Lauren and I have met a number of people who surprisingly have told us they were adopted, or were part of an incredible adoption story.

  We were having coffee over at our neighbors house around Christmas time, and shared with them our story so far.  It turns out that years ago their daughter had the courage to put her baby up for adoption, and they showed us the picture of their grandchild.  The adoptive parents still had a connection, and sent pictures at birthdays and the like.  It was incredible to witness an open adoption story.

  

  Both Lauren and I are so weary from the wait, but we both know that our perseverance to endure, can only help in supporting the woman we are going to meet. 

  We can't wait for that next step, to meet you!.

  We want to share in your story and your pain.

  We will get through this together.

  What we're doing is something..  but what you are doing is everything.

  You have incredible, undeniable, and unequivocal - #courage.