Waiting

I have now been away from home for a week. We have to wait for permission from Virginia and Utah to take Willie home. I found an interesting blog that talks about the ICPC process.

The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children [ICPC], enacted in all fifty states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands, has come under mounting scrutiny by adoption practitioners and policy makers. The ICPC, ostensibly designed to facilitate the interstate placement of children while assuring the suitability of the families with whom they are placed, is being increasingly viewed as a hindrance, rather than a facilitator of adoption, and as a bureaucratic barrier, rather than a tool to promote children's best interests.

I am inclined to agree with this statement since Virginia has yet to sign and the papers can't be sent to Utah until they do. If Virginia doesn't sign tomorrow, we'll probably be here another week. I have heard of nightmare stories where families were stuck for three months. Fortunately for us, we have kind family and friends who have let us stay with them so we haven't been in a hotel the whole time.

David went back to Utah on Sunday to go to school so I was left with both kids. I am ashamed to say that I did not handle things as well as I thought I would. I became emotional and impatient, probably at least in part due to the fact that I am sleep deprived. Willie sleeps great during the day, but gets up about every two hours at night. Not only is he hungry, but more often than not he has also peed through his clothes and requires a complete change.

Poor Baylie has to wonder what happened to her Mommy and who this creature is that replaced her. I find myself crying without warning. David flew in on Wednesday and took Baylie home with him (gotta love flight benefits). That prompted more crying from me because I have never spent a night away from Baylie and I was sure he would fall asleep in the airport and she would be kidnapped. (I know, more morbid thoughts.) Having David fly in was just what I needed. Just having him around calmed me and gave me the support I needed. Plus he got up with Willie and I got some sleep.

Unfortunately for him and Baylie, they got bumped and spent nine hours in Houston (okay, sometimes flight benefits aren't that great). Fortunately, we used to live in Houston and some of our dear friends came and picked them up so they didn't have to be at the airport the whole time. I'm glad that Baylie will get to sleep in her own bed tonight.

One benefit of having Baylie gone is that today it has just been me and Willie. I have fallen head over heels in love with him today. I've been able to hold him more because she is not requiring my attention. I've been able to watch his funny little face scrunch up and watch his eyes move in opposite directions, occasionally focusing on me and I swear I've seen him smile a few times (I refuse to believe it's just gas). He is a snuggle bug and I am treasuring this time with just the two of us.