Pt. 1

It was an ordinary Saturday.  And by ordinary, I mean I may have still been in my pajamas even though it was the middle of the afternoon.  No one had brushed their hair.  I think we'd been looking at music or books - something insignificant - and the kids were playing.  The conversation came up like it always had over the past two years, abruptly, awkwardly and accidentally.  What were we going to do next?  And when?
But for whatever reason that Saturday, the shadows of every other conversation unresolved were chased away by the comfort of decision, and the extraordinary pleasure of complete unity.  As much as we could plan it, no more babies for us.  But yes to more children.  Adoption.  International adoption.  And our country was India. 

Although we had for a long time and for various reasons felt a cultural affinity for India and supported social justice causes there, we didn't know what the adoption landscape looked like.  But we knew adoption was possible, and that it took a long time, so logically we should get cracking...  So from music and books to searching about adoption from India and within 15 minutes we had more information than we could absorb.  But we could tell even at first glance this was going to get interesting real quick.  India, notoriously bureaucratic at the best of times, had halted all new dossiers in an attempt to clear a backlog of cases and introduce a new, more stream-lined process of adoption throughout the country.  What timing we had!

I was mildly bummed, but we both felt compelled to keep pursuing however and wherever it may lead.  If this was a worthy pursuit, the way would be made clear.  In just a few days our search for an adoption agency narrowed, and our perspective started to change...