This time last year.

I just went back and read through our blog from April of last year. Seems at this time last year we were excitedly finishing the final bits of paperwork, and then sending our Dossier to Nepal. (I remember tracking it on Fed Ex online every hour.)

It's hard to believe we've been waiting for "the call" for a year now. We'll continue to wait, our hearts ebbing and flowing with every tidbit of news that comes from Nepal. 

We have a shrine in the baby's room, on which we're keeping fresh flowers now that it's spring. 
Namaste.

Blessings to all.

It seems things are moving again with the Nepal Adoption program!

We are very happy for those we know who have received matches with children, or travel approvals.

We hope, we meditate, we wish, we send positive thoughts and we pray with all that we are, that we will someday soon meet our child.

Namaste

Waning Crescent

Nepal is the land of high mountains - and land of many festivals. More than 50 festivals are celebrated in Nepal every year. In the US, our holidays (festivals) have fixed dates. In Nepal, astrologers use the lunar calendar to set dates for religious festivals. I find that fascinating – after all, the moon has so much power over so many things here on earth! I think we sometimes forget to go by the rhythms of nature, rather than the calling of the clock.

I sure hope we can celebrate these festivals with our child someday soon!

Namaste.

Helping women & children in Nepal

Take a moment to look at Namlo International. This tiny organization based here in Colorado builds schools and empowers women and children in Nepal and Nicaragua. I've done a bit of volunteer work with them in the past and plan to do more - they're amazing people who do a lot with very little.

If you have a bit of time or money to contribute - please consider contributing to Namlo. Since we hope to have the honor of giving a home to a child from Nepal, we think it's important to support the country in other ways while we wait.

Namaste.

Good News!!

Wonderful news - it sounds like a few referrals have been released - after such a long quiet period.

We're hoping these children will be joined with their families soon! And we're grateful to the government Nepal for their commitment to the Adoption Program and to the children of Nepal.

We are so excited for the day we get to travel to see this amazing country, and to meet our child.

Namaste for now.

Going Dark.

I'm considering taking this blog private. If you'd like to be invited to view, please send an email to amcstone@gmail.com with your email address. Thank you, and Namaste.

This place of "unknowing".

The longer I’m on this planet, the more familiar I become with this place of “unknowing”. But, while unknowing has become more familiar, it’s not any more comfortable. And I certainly have not grown to like it. (And believe me, I’ve had  p  l  e  n  t  y.)

A main concept of Buddhism is that the cause of human suffering is grasping – or desiring. In the Christian religion it is recognized that human happiness is temporary and dependent. It lasts only as long as the thing that provides the happiness.

I’m no expert, but it seems to me that we could allow this place of not knowing what’s happening in Nepal or with our child overshadow everything else in our lives. We could overlook the happiness and goodness that we DO have in our lives by focusing on what we don’t yet have in our lives. And yep, some days I do just that…I get pretty focused on our baby-to-be.

But every once in a while I attempt to focus on what IS right now, rather than what we want or desire right now. Maybe just a minute a day. Maybe sometimes more. Sometimes less. But, as far as I can tell, this is about the only power I have in this whole process, so I might as well use it.

So, right now, we have each other and our sweet dog, we have our families and our friends. We have a beautiful home in a beautiful place. And we have the great new friends we've met through this process. I don't know what we'll have tomorrow or next month. I only know what we have right now, which is all we every really have anyway, isn't it?

Namaste for now.