The Waiting…

Tom Petty once sang, “The waiting is the hardest part…”
I’m pretty sure we know what that means. We returned home from Kazakhstan over five weeks ago. It was so nice to be back home, good food, our bed, not sharing a room with our four year old Jacob and best of all seeing Amber and Mitchell.

It took us almost two weeks get acclimated and recover from our trip. We thought when we returned it was all going to be down hill. We were wrong. It seemed every day has been slower than the day before. At the same time, every day has brought new worries. First it was getting through the Appeal period. A fourteen-day period where someone could contest the adoption. I anticipated some random family member making a claim on Dasha and we’d have to pay them off to go away. That was fourteen sleepless nights.

Next came getting a passport for Dasha. Dasha will not become a U.S. citizen until she touches U.S. soil, so she has to travel home on a Kazakhstan Passport. I’m a little unclear, but isn’t the U.S. Embassy considered U.S. Soil? Apparently not when I need it to be. So, we are at the mercy of the Kazakhstan government to get a passport done in a week. No way does this happen in the states, so how can the land of Borat do it?

Sometimes, God likes to remind me who’s driving. As it turns out, the passport appeared exactly one week later (right on time).

The Visa was the next issue. You may or may not remember, but we had gone to the embassy and set up the travel visa while we were in Kazakhstan. I’m not sure what happened, and may never know, but there was a delay. As communication was limited with Vera (our coordinator) we were going crazy not knowing what was going on. Just like the passport, the visa seemed to just show up. It may have been best I don’t know the details.

Originally, we had thought we’d mapped Dasha homecoming to be around the 30th of October. We thought we were conservative.

As we waited, and time moved (slowly) along, airfares began to skyrocket. At one point we were looking at $5,000 a ticket. I don’t want to sound cheap, and if I would have had to pay that much, I would have paid it, but holy-cow! We spoke with the airlines, pleaded our case, and they didn’t care, or maybe they just couldn’t do anything about?

If I was wise, I would have started taking anti-anxiety medications, maybe Valium, Xanax or whatever I could get my hands on. Instead, we rode out the storm with the occasional glass of wine.

We all cope differently. I would have to detach myself from the situation. It would have been impossible to focus on work, so I made myself focus on work and try not to think of my new daughter. It really wasn’t that effective. I think Kim went through the same thing. Jacob has been a trooper. He has been on an emotional roller coaster. Everyday he asks, when is Dasha coming home? I miss her. Daddy, why can’t you go get her? There really isn’t an easy answer to give such monumental questions.

We’ve spent the time creating a Princess room, that Kim, Pam and Amber have decorated and filled with clothes, shoes and toys. I am so proud of Jacob and Mitchell, as they’ve sacrificed having their own room, so Dasha could have her own room. The boys are now sharing a room to make room for the new princess in our house. The boy’s room is now a sports theme room. They seem to be happy, but I know they made the sacrifice for their new sister, with no objection, just enthusiasm.

Now, the waiting is almost over. As I write this Dasha is somewhere in the sky, on her first plane ride, on her way home to her new life. We will pick her, Vera and Medet up from the airport tomorrow at 3:30 pm California (Pacific Standard Time). As time literally inches along, I find myself wondering, what is she thinking about? Is she excited? Scared? Is she sad to leave her friends at the orphanage? Will she remember me? What will her reaction to us be tomorrow? I can no longer detach.

Our weekend is already planned out. Friday we come home, Barb (my mom) and Pam have planned out Dasha’s first American dinner. Saturday, we go to the beach. Dasha has never seen the ocean. We had asked her if she knew how to swim, but she couldn’t comprehend it, and said she’d taken baths. In our house, we go to the beach. One day, I hope to paddle out on my surfboard with all four kids paddling ride along side (a father’s dream). Saturday night, we’ll have the family over, with all of the cousins, uncles, aunts and grandparents. I’m not if we can keep them away any longer, as they are all very excited about meeting the newest Werkmeister.

Sunday, as promised, we go to Disneyland. At this point I suspect and hope Dasha blows a fuse with excitement. I can’t wait to experience her reaction to this new world. No more Soviet trains, crazy drivers just Mickey Mouse and Autotopia.

We’ve had such a great response from so many who’ve read our blog. Tonight, I ask for prayers. I pray that I am worthy of this gift God has given us. I pray that her new life is that of a princess and that she knows joy, comfort, security and most of all Love.
Please pray that Dasha safely arrives home. The last word we have, is that she is still clutching her house key…

One more sleepless night, I wish I could get Tom Petty out of my head, only one more day.