Oh boy... It's a boy!!!

Whenever I find a new adoption blog that I like, I immediately gravitate towards the the day when the family gets their referral.  I  read every word trying to savor it.  I make an effort to understand the emotion behind the news and to put myself in their situation.  Of course;  the main idea was to prepare to our day, so that the emotions wouldn't take us totally by surprise.  Well....all I can tell you about this "preparation" is that:  It doesn't work.  :)   Sorry..
As I came to understand yesterday, there is no way to prepare to the river, but not just any river... the Amazon river, or even better; the OCEAN of emotions happening. However, this must have been one of the coolest, most amazing days of my life and having no preparation made it even better!

So this is our referral day story: 

Once upon a time there was a normal day.  It was December 28th and it started like any other Christmas holiday break day:  late. We woke up at  about 8:30,  enjoyed the fact that didn't have to jump out of bed right away for about 15-30 minutes,  played being "quiet" - unsuccessfully by the way - so the dog wouldn't come to ask for food, realized the dog was smarter than that, and finally rolled out of bed. 
We had a very lazy morning and after a shower I somehow ended up opening baby Cristancho's Christmas present and getting it out of the box.  We had bought Fisher Price's baby farm, so I played with the little animals and quietly - and sadly- heard the cow, donky and horse sounds.  I say sadly because there was no way, I repeat, no way... we were getting our baby before the end of the year.  However, we would be getting our baby in 2011 and the hope and promise of that, was enough. 

I was deep in my thoughts when I heard Tavo's cell phone ringing.  I thought that was pretty weird but didn't make much of it.  Next thing I hear is Tavo screaming: "What? What?". Then I  hear his steps running up the stairs. He puts the speaker on his cel phone up and I hear my - very upset mom- saying that she's been trying to call me for like an hour!! (which in real time was probably 15 minutes),  and how I never answer my cel phone (which in reality is not more than twice since I own a cel phone) and.... this is where she gets my complete and undivided attention: that I should call the lady at the ICBF... because they have a baby for us.  And that's when the shaking started. - A what? a baby? a baby??

- Okay, Okay... what's the number I'm calling right now...  - Nervous, shaking me says. 
- 6 something, something ...  call me back as soon as you can - Angry, probably shaking mom answers.

She gave me the lady's number so that I can call her, we hang up, and  when I tried to dial the number... I forgot how to use the freaking phone!!!  Pause:  You might think an engineer has learned some time in her previous life to use the phone, but seriously... I just didn't know how to dial... "Tavo... how do I dial? how do I dial?".  Yes.  You could say I lost it.  :)

After Tavo (and I ) had a good laugh, we dialed the number and someone on the other end answered. Next thing that comes out of my mouth is: "Can I please speak to the lady that talked to my mom?" - Uh? Pause number two:  Ok people... really... I am normally smarter than that... but everything was short circuited and I wasn't making much sense... however, after blabbing some more about the adoption and the baby, and my mom, and the "lady", I got to speak with the right person.  She confirmed: We were asigned a baby boy and his picture and other information was already send to Tavo's e-mail.

Pause number 3.  Some important information about baby Cristancho (here I go with my lists again):

1. He was born on July 1, 2010.  - Yes! Canada Day. 
2. He loves to be bathed or showered.  - Good thing because we have like two dozen bath toys from ducks to Nemo ready for him.
3. He's sleeping through the night already but doesn't like to wear pijamas.  
4. He  likes to play with toys that make sounds like maracas.  - A future musician?

After we read the rest of the information we got the files with the pictures and that's when I got to meet my beautiful, chubby, smiley baby Cristancho.  I actually think he is the cutest baby boy I have ever seen and against all my self control I was just weeping and shaking.  I could just not stop looking, not stop shaking.

So after I regained control I call angry mom back. Angry mom wasn't angry anymore.  Angry mom had seen the picture I had just send and was on some kind of information overload. She managed to say: "He's beautiful" - long silence.  That was my cue to change the subject so that we could talk about the legal stuff and the process. 

Next step: share the happiness with the world. Called other abuelitos and abuelitas (grandmas & grandpas), uncles, cousins, adoption buddies and of course; published the news on the fastest network: Facebook.  By the way, thanks so much to those of you who have written messages or called... we've gotten answers from friends all over the world!! Needless to say,  everybody is ecstatic. 

I would love to share Baby Cristancho's picture with you today but Tavo and I decided to wait until the official documents get to Alberta Youth Services and go through the formal acceptance process.  Our plan is to pick up our baby in about a month, as soon as the legal process is done.  More to come. 

So for those of you who read my last blog about believing... I think I got my Christmas miracle, and my 2010 lesson.  Mental note: Things really do happen when you least expect them, all you have to do is to be patient and believe.  Just when you hit your low, something wonderful happens.

Oh boy!!! we have a boy!!!

Until the next post, 

Luz J.

PS. Santa rocks!!