Referral Week

On Tuesday afternoon, during my last period of the day, I received an email from the HS agency in Austin. The gist of the email was to tell me that they had tried to call me, there was a referral, and would I call them as fast as possible. My phone was at home with Frig, long story, so I went on a mad hunt for a land line.

My room is located very close to two offices, and my very well behaved class was highly engaged in a project. I thought I would ask someone from one of the offices to watch my class real fast while I called. Both offices were closed. My mind is spinning. I know one of the teachers on my hall is off a fourth period and room to her room hoping it was the right day. I say something super fast and nearly incomprehensible "I need to make a phone call and I have a class but there's a referral." Her reply "What does that mean?" me "BABY! She actually just cam back from maternity leave herself. We went to Lanier together as kids. She picks up the papers she is grading and comes to my room.

When I finally make it to the second floor lounge I realize I can't call long distance. More running. Into the office and panicking as I tell the principals secretary that I NEED to call Austin. She gives me the code, no questions asked, and suggest I use a phone in an empty space off the main office. VOICEMAIL! ARGH!!!! Try again, try again, and finally walk back to my room still very excited but dejected as well.

It wasn't long before a second email came with five pictures and all of the child's other confidential information. I realized Frig was on the phone with the women. That has happened to me more than once in the past. I open the first picture and the baby looks so sad. He had obviously been crying. He was older in the next two sets of pictures and no longer sad but so very, very cute.

He does have a grade 3-4 heart murmur. At first Frig didn't want to get everyone's hopes up because we want to get details from a doctor, but by the following morning (5 AM) he had changed his mind. We call both sets of parents, I thought it was worthy of waking mom at 6 AM, to tell them the news.

I have an appointment with the International Adoption group at Texas Children's Hospital today at 4 PM. After the appointment we will hopefully be able to say that this child will be our child in 4 to 6 months.

Of course we already feel like he is our child right now so this better doctor better give me some good news!