We were matched with our son’s birthmother on December 13^th.  We have been waiting since then.  We drove many hours yesterday to get the city where our son will be born – lots of waiting in the car.  Now we’re sitting at the hospital waiting.  Waiting, waiting, waiting.

There are so many big things and little things that we don’t want to forget about waiting, because it’s such a special gift.  We’ve been packing for three weeks, and now that we’re here, we have all the things we need for each stage of this wild journey.  The sun has been out for two days, and that has been glorious.  Yesterday it was 75 degrees in the Midwest!  What a gift during the gloomy, often gray winter months.  Today it’s 35, but nevermind that. 🙂

We have been given a room at the hospital, and that is a gift.  We have space.  When Darby was born, we had to hold, feed, and care for her in the common nursery area.  We did skin-to-skin in front of a bunch of strangers.  It’s amazing to have this “private” space, and to know that he will be here soon enough and we’ll get to care for him in this awesome room.  The last 24 hours have been wild and stressful and messy and beautiful.  And we keep looking at one another and saying things like, “I love seeing you get so excited”, and “I love watching you be a mom”.  In the busy-ness of the toddler years, we sometimes forget to pause and share the positive thoughts we have about one another as people, partners, and parents.  These 24 hours have offered that airtime.  What a gift!

Laura’s parents have both made their presence abundantly clear – and they are watching over us from above.  There has been a lot of grace in the little things that could have been so hard, and it feels wonderful to share all of this with them both, even while they are on the other side.  We’re grateful they are looking out for all of us.

Our son’s birthmother is going through induction right now and making steady progress.  We’re sending her all the good vibes we can from the other side of the Labor and Delivery floor.  In an interesting wrinkle, she tested positive for Covid today.  We’re not yet sure what kind of risk that might create for our little man, but we’re ready to hold and love him just as soon as we’re able.  Lots of unknowns on this one.

Thanks for all of the loving, amazing, supportive messages over the last couple of days.  We are so grateful for the love in our lives.  And for my sister and niece, who have put her own lives on hold to be with our daughter. We are grateful for Darby’s very own in-house celebrities, her grandparents, Gaga and Papa, who visited her today and will again tomorrow…she adores them so much.  

Darby asks every single time we talk to her, “Is Baby Dax here yet?”.  We promise, Darby, you’ll be our first “face call” when he is. 

More to come…