Jump Right In

Dave sez,

Hi! We're Cathy and Dave! This is our adoption journey.

When Cathy and I were connected with Justin, I knew it was answered prayer. I knew it. I had committed. Cathy already was. I finally came on board, and I committed to that desire and I said, "I want to be a dad." More importantly, I asked for a child. I wasn't really sure what I was asking for really, since we had been through a number of different programs over the years. Most of the programs we had been in were for infants and newborns. That's where we wanted to start: at the beginning. One program at the longest had a waiting time of four years for a newborn. We were just one couple among at least eighty or more couples. We explored the county's foster-to-adopt program; we explored international adoption from China and Vietnam. In every program, Cathy and I kept coming to one child. So, when we heard that there was this boy, Georgiy, who was looking for his forever family...

I thought, Cool! That was it! We're done! Mission accomplished! Splash down! Ticker tape parade! Movin' on.

You have to remember, I wanted - and want - to be a dad. I committed. I said I wanted to become a dad.

Now, we can get all semantical - which is where I've been for a while now - I didn't specify my request. Maybe I should have.

I said I wanted to be a dad. I didn't specify how many kids I wanted to be a dad to.

The question I've come to - the question I've had to answer is: How open am I?

I'd reached a point where I'd given up hope and I was ready to give up on the idea of being a dad. I was looking for different ways to define myself, different accomplishments...different mountains to climb.

And then, Georgiy found me. Yeah, he found both Cathy and me. He found us both.

But he found me. He introduced Cathy and me to his brother, Shani. Who introduced us to Mahsa.

There's a story in the bible about talents, pounds and minas.

Now, since we believe that there is a God in heaven directing our journey...a Master Potter...then, How open am I? I don't think we've been saddled or dealt a bad hand. Of course I'm excited and challenged.

Boys are easy. Girls...not so much. I know the boys challenge Cathy. I get them. I was a boy. I know where they get the stuff they come up with.

I think being Masha's dad is going to be more of a challenge than being Ethan and Justin's. The boys and I will always have soccer and basketball.

The only way to know if we're ready for it, is to jump right in. I'm ready.