My Adoption Story - Part 4

[A blogger recounts her journey in trying to adopt a child from Pakistan as a single woman. This is the fourth entry in a several part series. Read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.]

I am one step closer to my adoption dream. After spending countless hours surfing the Internet for airline deals, I have purchased a "best-price" ticket to Karachi, Pakistan. Suddenly, the road to international adoption is closer than ever.

My initial plan is to stay in Pakistan for one month, visit the Edhi Orphanage daily, and spend time getting to know Mrs. Edhi, the orphanage caretaker. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, things work very differently in Pakistan. It's not about placing your name on an adoption list, and waiting patiently for your turn. It's about meeting Mrs. Edhi, sharing your desire to be a parent, and giving her the opportunity to get to know the "real" you. She places babies based on her intuition and reaction to you. I've spoken to several parents who been through the process and their advice has been simple and straightforward: just be yourself. If I am placed with a baby during my initial one-month visit, I will remain in Pakistan for up to a year. That's the time it will take to navigate my way through the Karachi court system, obtain parental guardianship, the baby's identity documents, and apply for a Canadian visa for the baby so that we may return home. With a schedule as "open-ended" as this, it's been difficult making arrangements with my business, my clients and my home. Try telling a long-standing client that you "may or may not" be out of the country for a year - you'll be met with quizzical looks, concern and a great deal of confusion. I've also had to work tirelessly, putting aside enough money to ensure that the household bills are paid during my lengthy absence. It's been a long road.

As the days pass, I can feel the nerves bubbling just beneath the surface. Unlike any other trip I have taken, this one has the potential to change my life in a truly meaningful way. From relationships with family and friends, to my career, my finances, interests and the types of trips I take - everything will change. My life will never be the same again. It is exciting, and frightening at the same time.As I double-check my to-do list, everything seems to be accounted for, but I can't seem to "quiet" the worries that rattle in my mind. One minute, I'm frantically calling my adoption practitioner for reassurance; I need to know that he's supporting me, and believes that I'm going to be placed with a baby. Next, I'm calling my pediatrician, asking her to repeat (for the tenth time) the list of immunizations that I'll need to get for the baby. Next, I'm off to the local drugstore, picking up cartons of lactose-free formula, and preemie diapers, both difficult to find in Pakistan.

As my departure day gets closer and closer, I roll up my sleeves and get ready to do some serious packing. My main point of focus: one overstuffed suitcase, or two? I may be in Pakistan for a month, or almost a year, depending on what happens. So, as far as I'm concerned, that's carte blanche - or a "free ticket" to pack as much as I want.

After several rounds of careful packing and unpacking, I am ready for take-off, fingers crossed. I will write my next blog posts from Karachi. I will share my initial thoughts on the city, my first meeting with Mrs. Edhi, and visits to the Edhi Orphanage.  

Upcoming: In Part 5, our blogger has planned for everything in her quest to adopt a child, but there's one thing she couldn't control - the Canadian government.