“And as the dawn breaks and the clouds clear, in an open space, together we will run.”
-Steffany Frizzell
Suzanne and I hit another estate sale Friday morning. Two, actually. The first one was in Deer Creek, a neighborhood about 15 minutes from ours. I’m still giddy about the ($20) painting I found in the kitchen…
…and the ($3) purse I found in one of the bedrooms…
…but what I really want to tell you about is my chicken. I found him on a card table in the screened-in porch.
I knew he would be for sale that day, because I saw a photo of him listed on the EstateSales.net site a few days before. There was a sticker that read “$8” stuck to his chest, and I was absolutely smitten with his (inexpensive) farm-style self. I texted Suzanne about Mission: Chicken on Thursday night, and when I woke up on Friday, this was the first picture that popped up in my Instagram feed:
One of the fellow adoptive mamas in our Three Angels group had posted it. She and her husband have since flown back home to Ohio, but at the time, they were in Haiti meeting their daughter, who also lives at our son’s orphanage. I quickly left her this comment on the photo…
…and then I raced to get ready, and dashed over to the estate sale house to meet up with Suzanne. When I saw that Insta-photo, I was REALLY determined to get that chicken! 😀 By the time I arrived at the house, a long line had formed up the sidewalk that led straight to the front door. Suzanne joined me in line a few minutes later, and we both noticed there was a much shorter line over on the side of the house, near the garage. Right as the clock struck 9am, we decided to scoot over to the shorter line, in hopes that it would be a quicker route to the screened-in porch…wherever that was. As we all moved forward, (fighting the urge to run- ha!) some folks decided to stop and check out what was for sale in the garage, but Suzanne and I kept walking toward the rear of the house. When we turned the back corner, we spotted the porch. A few people had already overflowed into it from inside the house. Those estate sale shoppers are fast! I did a quick scan of the floor (because that’s where I had seen the chicken in the photo on EstateSales.net), but he was nowhere to be found. I circled back around and scanned the top of the table next to the door we came in through. There he was! Right on top, next to an identical chicken that was painted bright red. By this time, there were several more people in the porch with us, so it was a bit of a challenge to get to the my chicken without bumping into someone. And isn’t it funny how when you’ve got your heart set on something like that, you’re positive that everyone else around you is there to scoop up the same thing? LOL! 😀
Suzanne and I met up with her mom at estate sale #2 a little later that morning. I found the perfect ($14) like-new rug for Sweet P’s bathroom, and Suzanne picked up an awesome old console table for her entry way. I can’t wait to show it to you. We need to modify it a little, and then after we decorate around it I’ll post some pics.
When we were done wandering around that house, we walked out to Suzanne’s mom’s car. We were loading some things into the back when my phone started ringing. I pulled it out of my pocket and saw the word Lifeline lit up on the screen. It didn’t surprise me because we usually hear from our caseworker (Meredith) on Fridays. For 62 Fridays, she has had to call (or email) and tell us that there hasn’t been much movement with our son’s paperwork. Updates on Fridays have been tough for the past 434 days, and I know reaching out couldn’t have been easy for Meredith either.
She asked me if Kevin was with me. I told her “no, I’m at an estate sale with my friend, Suzanne and her mom“. I rambled on and about how much fun we were having, and about how much I was hooked on estate sales now, yada yada yada. Anything to keep the conversation light-hearted so she didn’t have to feel bad about giving me another “no movement” update…and to protect my heart from possibly having to hear another one, I guess. She giggled about my estate sale ramblings, and then asked if there was any way to get Kevin on the phone. That’s when I felt my brain-brakes come to a screeching halt. “Oh! There’s an UPDATE-update? Like, a REAL update?“, I asked. “Yes. There’s a real update“, she replied, with a smile, I could tell. I wanted to hear it right then and there, so I told her she could just tell me and that I would call Kevin and share it with him as soon as we hung up.
Y’all.
We got the last signature.
THEY WANT US TO FLY TO HAITI AND BOND WITH OUR BOY!!!
My legs turned to spaghetti as the words came out of Meredith’s mouth. I dropped down to the curb and slammed my left hand over my mouth. Tears streamed as I half-listened to Meredith for the next minute or so- my brain-brakes in wide open mode at this point…a thousand thoughts racing every which way inside my head: “Is this really happening? Am I really getting THE phone call? I can’t wait to tell Kevin! I have to board a plane again. I get to hold my baby! The date my Grandma showed was 2-26…will we be there then?”
I called Kevin as soon as I hung up, and when I got home, we hugged and danced and cried and smiled our faces off. 🙂
I’m not exactly sure when we’ll travel yet, but it’s looking like late February. Can you believe it?
It won’t be long now, Sonny boy. The dawn is breaking, the clouds are clearing…and SOON, in an open space, TOGETHER we will run.
I wasn’t going to cry. I was certain I wasn’t going to cry. I was going to smile and be very happy for y’all. But I couldn’t help it. I had such a visual of you getting this update. So, I cried. Got so choked up in happiness and wonderful anticipation for the future of a family of THREE!!! Yay!!!!
I am so happy for you and Kevin. A thousand congratulations.
Wonderful news Layla! I’m rejoicing and crying with you. God Bless you all!
I should not have read this while I was sitting in the waiting room at the doctor’s office. Maybe folks will think I am all teary-eyed from pain. But it is actually pure joy. I am so happy for you! Praying that you are together with your son very soon!!!
And…..I’m sure God is smiling a great big SMILE as he sees your happiness at His gift….All good things come from the Father above!
So happy for your adoption news! As you know, every adoption story has two sides. As the true “birth mother-hen” of your newly-adopted chicken, I can’t tell you how egg-static I am to see that the famous Layla will now cluck over that sweet little gray chickee that missed the cut in my recent flurry of feathers & nest de-cluttering. I can now live with that hard decision knowing he (she??) has found a new, cool, cottage-y coop complete with a loving mama-hen, daddy-rooster AND soon another little chickee!! True story: when I took my boxes of stuff to Ann Sheeren for her estate sale in Deer Creek, never in my wildest chicken-brain imagination did I expect to see my little chick on your blog! I knew he was cute…..just couldn’t find the right spot for them, he and his poor red-feathered brother! So happy to see where he landed….Cock-a-doodle-do from Lake Martin!
I find myself checking my email everyday to see if there is a post about your baby boy. My heart was so full when I read your post yesterday. He needs you and Kevin so much, and the sooner he is in your arms, the better.
Layla, I live about 90 miles southwest of Houston, Texas and have been reading your blog for a while now. I have been reading of your adoption journey and praying for you and Kevin. I know exactly how much anxiety and apprehension goes along with the waiting.because I have been where y’all are. When I was a younger, in my 20’s, I lost a full term little boy when he was a day old. No reason could be found and I was heartbroken. I could not understand why God would allow other people to abuse and neglect their beautiful children and permit my child, who would be loved and cherished, to be taken from me. I felt horrible every time I saw a baby or a pregnant girl. I thought I would never get to have a child. But, God, in His infinite wisdom and grace, blessed me with two beautiful little boys. It taught me a valuable lesson: God has His own plan and His own timing. I have so admired your trust in His timing and I am so happy for you. I know “Sweet Pea” will have great parents. Best of wishes.
Layla and Kevin and sweet P, a whole family together at last very soon. My sweet P came home to us from far away almost 18 years ago…all the years of waiting disappear the second you hold your meant to be darling. I share and revel in your deepest joy. Blessings all three I’d you, congratulations, suzanne
Wonderful news, and I am so thrilled for you. I remember your posts last Feb and I know that it was hard when things didn’t happen as you hoped. God works in his own time and I am so happy to hear that good things are happening.
Thank you, Prairie Wife! That’s what was so interesting about the last time 2-26 rolled around though…it came and went, and I felt such a peace about it. I’ve always been very careful not to hang too much on that dream, or that date, but it is pretty wild that it’s looking like it will be the week we first hold our Sonny boy! 😀 #PTL
how funny- I was thinking about you guys this morning and thought I’d check and see how adoption stuff is progressing- WHAT GREAT NEWS!
could not be more thrilled for you! praise God!!!
Just reading this and I am grinning and giggling all over again. So excited.
This is my first time to visit your blog, but this incredibly happy story fills me with so much joy for you & Kevin already. This journey you are on must not be easy, but look at how far you have come! The end of February is nearer than you think! Congratulations, Layla!
Numbers became important in our adoption story too. We were originally scheduled to meet our kids on the 22nd of October (got rescheduled because that is their foster mother’s birthday), they moved in with us 22nd of December, turns out both of their birthdays are on the 22nd, of January and September, and our adoption was finalized on the 22nd of July a year an a half after they filled our home.
We’ve accumulated a few more 22nd dates on our list – bought our current house on 22nd of November and moved our stuff in last 22nd of June.
Now every time the date comes up well all wonder if some new memory will be created – especially in February, March, April, May or August; we want to fill in the rest of the calendar. 😀
Layla.
It has been busy for me, and although I hadn’t had the time to read the blog, I saw the Subject line..and a smile broke out and I did a little happy dance in my heart for you both.
Since I live in Canada, it took awhile to get to you 😀
Now that I have read your blog..words fail but prayers are answered. Hallelujah! We all are so anxious for these days to come, and your Sweet P to come “home.”
When I read the quote, I thought back to the summer days, when my boy, our dog, and I chased each other in the big grassy park, laughing and loving.
Those days are just around the corner..can you see them coming?
Happy tears for you and Kevin! Prayers that you’re all together soon!!
I love your blog, your beautiful home, and reading about your adoption journey. So happy for you and I can’t wait till he comes home with you and you start posting pictures of him!
So excited for you guys! Hugs!
I just teared up reading this post. Looking forward to the day we get the travel call. Congratulations!