Finally a Referral!

It has been a long time since my last post but so far I am doing much better at this than my handwritten journal so... all is well! Life in the McMillan home has been very exciting. About 3 weeks ago I received a phone call from our adoption coordinator, I thought that for sure this was the referral call (we had been at #2 on the infant list for over a month). In fact she was not calling to give us a referral but to ask if we would be open to taking a girl under the age of 12 months. She explained that they had children waiting for medical reports that were close to being referred but none fit into our age range. Honestly I did not even need to think about it but wanted to ask Shane how he felt. He immediately said "yes"! So the type A in me jumped back into the paper chase. I had to have our home study revised and had to type a letter to the USCIS to have a new I600 A approval done for a name change. I know it all sounds complicated but it came together very quickly. We are still waiting for our I600 A approval but that is for a new post. Carter started school on August 20th (a day I will never forget). I had taken Jenson to buy school supplies at Target when my cell phone rang. I saw that it was my husband and knew he would be calling before he went golfing for the day. I answered and he said "Hi do you want me to make your day". I guess I wasn't thinking because I said "Shane what's up", very casually wondering why he was interrupting my shopping with such a trivial question. Sometimes when he has had a good day at work he will ask me the same question so I was expecting a work report. He then asked me the same question again. Then I knew something was up. He said "what could I possibly tell you that would make your day". At that moment the entire world stood still. I instantly knew that a referral had come in for our family. I said "SHUT UP" ( I know, not very polite but I didn't care), hit Jenson in the chest and began bawling in Target. Jenson was mortified that I was crying so hard and said "Mom people are going to think someone died". I could tell though that he was a bit teary himself. This experience has definately been a family affair. The kids were just as obsessed with the "wait list" as I was. I am trying to find a new wait list for us to be on so we all don't go through withdrawls (ha ha). I remember asking Shane how old she was (5 months). Then I said "I am coming right home". I practically ran to the checkout to pay, the cute girl behind the counter I am sure thought I was losing my mind, crying and laughing and saying "I can't believe it". She was trying really hard to hurry and get this crazy crying lady out of the store. I should of just told her I had a baby, I have told the entire world now but that would have only added to the hysteria and confusion of the moment. Shane called me again just as I had gotten a hold of myself in the checkout and said "I just saw a picture of her". "She is amazing"... Yep, I began bawling again! I picked Morgan up from cheer practice and called Carter's school to let him know he now has a baby sister, I then sped home to open the e-mail and see for myself. Let me tell you this, I have never known that I could fall so deeply in love with a picture. She IS amazing and so incredibly beautiful. I love her and so does her entire family. I can't yet share her picture on this blog (not until we pass court) but imagine Morgan (my oldest) with darker skin...that's Grace. Seriously she looks like a little baby Morgan - chin, eyes, sass and beautiful lips! Her Ethiopian name is Damot but her American name will be Grace Damot McMillan. I do not know her social history yet but hope to know more about her in the next few weeks. I am eternally grateful for this gift and can't wait to share more of the joy of this experience with you. I will post later on an update given to my of Damot by someone who is picking up her child from Ethiopia and what I have found out about her name...

For now I send Grace Damot love and light and ask that you do the same!