So, this is the continuation from my previous post. It took a while to get to because I needed a good Myfanwy picture fix and to catch up on message boards, hoping for more good referral news (sadly there is none yet reported).
Note: I must apologize for my bad writing. Being a technical writer by trade, I am shocked and appalled at the inconsistencies of writing tense. I'm all over the place because it's mostly a pure stream of consciousnesses with little thought to editing.
About 1pm on Thursday, May 14, 2009:
After picking up David, I drive like the wind to the trendy, Kensington area office of my local agency, Adoption Options. (BTW, Mom's quick stop was at some store--she was in the neighbourhood at the time and thought she could be in and out quickly. The line up was longer than she thought and she was very apologetic for keeping me waiting. I forgave her.)
Aware I am driving under the influence of a referral, as Katy puts it (we share a referralversary date!), I am not speeding, but I do run a couple of yellow lights--and both times there is a police vehicle close by. Fortunately God is looking out for me on this day and they don't chase me down. Good thing, because if the Five-O had pulled me over I would have burst into some very messy, very loud, very wet, very embarrassing tears.
The weather is all over the place by now. After being sunny for a while, the clouds have come back and it has started to rain. And then it starts to hail little hail stones. Mom is fretting about getting her freshly coiffed hair wet. I tell her to use my brolly since I won't need it. I remark that I hope I can find a close parking space so we don't have far to dash inside the office. Then, SWEET!! A spot almost in front of the building. A rare sight in Kensington. I must have an angel on my shoulder. I pay the meter and we boot it inside and up the elevator.
About 1:30 pm on Thursday, May 14, 2009:
Vivian, the receptionist brings us some water and goes to get Liz. I hand David my camera and he takes a picture of me and Mom as we wait.
I don't introduce Mom and David to Vivian because I'll be damned if I can remember her name at this time. I told you I'm feeble-minded. After a couple of minutes, Liz comes out to meet us. We hug and I introduce her to Mom and David. We make small talk for a few minutes out there in the lobby. I am impatiently wondering "CAN. WE. GET. ON. WITH. IT. PLEASE?"
Liz takes us into a nice, private office. We all sit down and she turns to the file, which is a stack of photocopies. We talk some more. I am thinking, "Is no one else here curious except me??? Good Grief!! Open the file, for the love of God!" Liz apologizes for giving me heart failure earlier with her teasing call. We laugh, ha ha ha. I forgive her. Finally she does open The File. One. by. one. she goes through each page. I am impatient to see a picture of The Child but I bite my tongue and try to listen and memorize everything as Liz tells me about my daughter. On one of the first pages I see a name and ask "is that her name?" Liz says Yes. Oh My God.
We keep going. Liz turns to the next page and accidentally reveals the top of the following page. I suddenly see a glimpse of The Picture. Oh My God. My heart leaps but I say nothing and keep nodding my head as I hear about how she came into care.
FINALLY, Liz turns to the Child Referral Medical Exam page. At the top of this page is a wee, passport size picture of Myfanwy's upper half. From about the chest up. But missing the top part of her head. We assume she has one. You can see the staple marks from where the picture is attached to the original. The photocopy is a bit dark & blotchy, but I can make out most of her facial features and I am absolutely delighted. I was not sure how I would react to seeing her face for the first time, but I was much calmer than I expected to be. No tears, just real amazement and shock. A lot of shock that this is finally happening. I can't quite believe it. I am finally seeing her face!!!
As Liz rattles off some of the measurements and medical notes, I can't help but think Myfanwy looks a bit like me. I'm trying not to project that onto her face out of wishful thinking, but it's true. I haven't seen a baby picture of myself in years, but this face is very familiar to me. Her eyes are huge, and she has big, pouty, full lips. She's practically bald from what I can tell, but since I can't see the top of her noggin, she could have a mohawk for all I know. SHE. IS. LOVELY (not bragging that I was a lovely baby or anything...).
Her name begins with a Y. Her birthdate is January 25, 2009. She was 2 days shy of 3 months and 3 weeks old on the date I met her. She weighed 9.9 lbs on May 6th, which was the date of her referral exam. She was matched to me on April 1st! Obviously they had to wait to get all the lab results in before submitting the referral. That is practically all I can tell you at this point and I am not allowed to post her picture until we pass court. This makes me sad because I would love to share more with you.
Gazing at my daughter. My mummy heart is filled with love.After I get a good look at the file, I pass it around to Grandma and Uncle David.
Yes ladies - he is single!So, after more talking and going on, we finally leave. Outside the sun has come out and it's a beautiful day. We get back into the Jeep and I drive David home. Along the way I notice a parking ticket fluttering in the wind under my left wiper. WTF?? I paid $3 fair and square! Mom is able to open the window, reach around, and grab it. It's pretty soggy so it comes in 2 pieces.
Apparently, I was parked in a bus zone, so it's legit. 40 beans!! The officer even drew a diagram, which I haven't seen done before. How stupid of me--I never do that. So much for my luck. BUT, I don't care. At least the car wasn't towed. Besides, nothing can bring me down from the referral high that is glowing and growing inside me. This ticket will go into Myfanwy's baby book as a piece of her history :-)As I am driving, the excitement is growing inside me. I thump Mom on the thigh and shout "She looks like me!!" Mom and David say they were thinking the exact same thing when they saw her picture. She has our family eyes and David said she has my lips. How's that for a sign of the perfect match, eh? As time goes, we'll see if we are right. But I do know that Haregewain sure knows her stuff when she prays over the matches she makes.
I still have to write another post of all the great stuff that has happened since Referral Day. Stay tuned. I might just write it now.
