What you do while waiting

So I've tried researching how long this adoption process will take.  No one wants to provide a timeline. I'm okay with rough estimates and no one really wants to say that either.  Online research has likely been best and what I've found says best 'guess-timate' to be 9-12 months after you've made first contact (for us October 2011) you could expect an adoptive placement.  For us that would mean the possibility of a placement no earlier than July 2012 and hopefully no later then October 2012. However either of those dates is likely a best case scenario.  There are many variables along the way that we just don't have a lot of control over.  We will complete our MAPP (Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting) classes on March 26, 2012.  Sometime during MAPP training our home study will be started and we will do our best to complete our forms and do all that is required of us in a very timely fashion.  However, a great deal of home study and approval depends on how quickly other people do things on our behalf, fingerprinting appointments and results, how overworked our adoption worker is and what time he/she will have to spend reviewing our home study and so forth. Oh and this is just placement, finalization where we have officially adopted our son and he is legally our responsibility will take an additional 6 - 12 months following placement.  Then we'll have a big party - so says the daddy in this family.  :-)

All that said this is very reminiscent of being pregnant - the instinct to nest is strong and while at least we pretty strongly know we are "having" a boy he will not be a baby - no sense stocking up on diapers and onesies.  But what size will he be? He won't be mailable like an infant where we can put up pictures of baseballs and paint his room blue and assume he'll like it just like his dad.  We need to be open to his interests and find out what his favorite things are.  In the meantime I've taken to trying to be content in my favorite world of make believe where I live in a beautiful home surrounded by wonderful crafty things I've made, delicious foods and the lists go on.  Where is this magical place you ask? Why it's the wonderful world of Pinterest.  Currently my most active board is It's (going to be) a boy! I'm having fun pinning cute outfits, design ideas for his room, toy storage solutions and all kinds of cool boy stuff. I have included a link to my Pinterest board at the top of this blog feel free to check it out.  Until we meet our son and start to learn about his favorite things I will continue to spend time there daily.