Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Esteban Joel and I live in Cali, Colombia. I was just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill kid. Cute as a button, slept a lot, wet and pooped myself on ocassion... you know, A kid! Just like all of the millions of other kids out there. Well, there was one thing that was a little different about me... I needed a mom and dad. So what's a kid to do? There's only one thing to do...
Adopt.
Friends, the international adoption process can be a very taxing and scary process. Especially when you're 11 months old, toothless and unemployed. Now, a lot of you may be asking yourselves; what's a Colombian single guy with novela good looks like me doing adopting parents from the US? Well, to be honest, I never saw myself as the kind of person that would ever strive this badly to be somebody's kid. I just figured I'd live my life and if it happened it happened, and if not... no biggie. Call it a mid-month crisis or whatever you want but ever since the decision was made to adopt, I've never wanted anything more in my life. It became an obsession. I thought it would be the ideal win/win scenario. I would get the privilage of a mommy and a daddy and they would get the privilage of paying for my college.
I thought it would be a relatively simple process. I spoke to other kids who had adopted or who knew somebody who had adopted. They all made it seem like they were just handing out mommies and daddies on street corners in other countries. But it doesn't work that way. It's a very long and frustrating road. I've been waiting a long time. There were many times during that wait when I thought about giving up and just resigning myself to the fact that not every kid was meant to have parents. My friends were all very positive. They'd all say the same things. "It would be ok... It's not the end of the world... I wasn't the only one in the world with this problem"... bla bla bla. Whatever. Anyway I sliced it, bottom line was that I was always going to be that kid. You know the one. The one everyone talks about in hushed tones. "Ay, pobrecito"... "He's been trying for so long"... "If anyone deserves parents it's him"... and my personal favorite: "The saddest thing of all is that he would make such a great son."
How sad... how dramatic... how pathetic.
So what do you do? You adjust, you overcome. You brace yourself for another dissapointing holiday season when suddenly, out of the blue... (drumroll please)... They found them. My mommy and daddy! They're Americans... sort of. Mommy is from Puerto Rico and Daddy is from Laredo. They found out that I adopted them while they were on a camping trip. The word on the street is that my room is all ready and waiting for me back in Miami. Is that really possible? They just found out about me. Is my mommy really that motivated? And what about daddy? I wonder what his deal is.
So that's why I started this blog. I wanted there to be some sort of official record of this in case they turn out to be weirdos... or space aliens. My posts won't usually be this long. I'll be too busy breaking them in. Mostly pictures and stuff like that. Rumor has it that they might be coming for me as early as this week. Some people say that they are trying to get me by Father's Day, others say that they won't come until right after that. I really don't care...
As long as they're coming.
Below is the video of mami and daddy finding out that they have been adopted. It is mostly audio because the video is dark and shaky. I guess that's what happens when you go camping and leave your lighting crew behind.
Doing the happy diaper dance!!!! OMG what awesome news....SO VERY HAPPY FOR YOU BOTH....GOD BLESS!!!
ReplyDeleteWhoops forgot to say....CONGRATS...Rose and Lenny and Josie Zafonte
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. We also are waiting to travel to our daughter in Cali. Is Joel @ Chiquitines? Our GG is. We received our referral on June 1st, and we are hoping to travel by the 1st of August. We also have a blog. It's whatweareherefor.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteGod Bless!
Ok, me puse a llorar por que se lo que esto significa para ustedes. Se que nunca te veo Traicy, pero u know you touched my heart, y he rezado mucho para que les llegara este momento! Disfrutenlo y que Dios los llene de bendiciones.
ReplyDeleteDear Esteban, Congratulations!!!!!!! I have known your mami and papi for a while now and can tell you that you are in great hands but buckle up you are in for a fun and wild ride!!!!!! First things first, remember to take charge of the situatiom early on, show them who is boss and when you think that they have reached their boiling point, flash them one of your mega watt smiles, they are suckers for it and will be putty in your hands. I look forward to meeting you soon and would love to set up some play dates and help make any social itroductions needed. Until then please keep me posted on how the new parental unit is coming along. Enjoy, with love Tio Kiko and Tia Sylvia
ReplyDelete