Why Blog?

When Pablo and I first made the decision to dive into the adoption process, we were hopeful and excited, but also somewhat scared and overwhelmed by the process ahead of us.
I'm sure other waiting families can relate: we had no idea even where to start!

So we researched on the web and found some good information on government web sites and on forums. I read some blogs to get a feel of what to expect. We were soon sailing along, one wave at a time, figuring it out as we went. But a million times, we had questions. How do we do this? What happens if? Is this required? Can I trust these people? And I have to admit, at times, it was frustrating.

On top of that, there really was not much specific information on Sri Lankan adoptions on the web.
And that's how I decided to blog.
I wanted to lay out the process for everyone to see: the requirements, the steps to follow, the what-ifs, the how-to's, the costs. I was hoping that people would have their questions answered by stumbling upon this blog. And it still is the main reason I'm blogging, although there really hasn't been any new information since the program closed out...
But I also stumbled unto something I didn't expect: there is a community, out there!
Pretty soon, I was in touch with a bunch of prospective, waiting or current adoptive parents. Some in Canada, others abroad, adopting domestically or internationally, even a few adopting from Sri Lanka.
There was S., who is raising a little girl from Sri Lanka and answered my questions over the phone. There's Tina, my Friend for Adoption, who makes my day when she sends out an email just to say hi. There is M., who is also waiting to adopt from Sri Lanka and has given me the first heads up that something was wrong with the program, back in December. There is Chamari, who doesn't even know about me, but is spreading Sri Lanka culinary culture in our family. There is Elizabeth, whose emails have sometimes helped put things in perspective, as she is hoping to adopt as a single mom. There is also Gina, who works with the same agency as us to adopt her Congolese child and met me for a very fun coffee yesterday morning. There are all the encouraging comments people have left on my posts. And there are so many more families whom I feel like I know after following their blogs for so long.

Thinking about starting a blog? Go ahead! You'll find a lot more than you had hoped for!