Emerging From Hibernation

As winter approaches each year, I joke with my neighbors, "See you in the spring!"  The sad truth is that when it's too cold to linger outside, we see a lot less of our neighbors.  When we're not spending large chunks of time hanging around outside tending our gardens or playing with the kids on the sidewalk, we're simply less likely to run into our neighbors, and if we do, often we exchange little more than a wave and a hello as we dash in the door or out to our car.  Snowstorms are actually good for neighbor interaction, because it's a chance to catch up with a neighbor while shoveling your walk.

I look forward to spring, not just because I'm usually sick of winter, but because I'm anxious to hear what everyone has been up to.  I remember running into a neighbor at the grocery store at the tail end of winter one year and upon seeing me, she flung open her bulky winter coat to reveal that she was pregnant.  If I hadn't run into her in the produce aisle, she might have given birth before I even learned she had been expecting.

We were granted an early spring this year and on one particularly glorious weekend day, we spent as much time outside as possible.  Chris took Oliver, Soren and Kiera to the park while Matteo napped.  Once he woke up, we headed outside to join them.  I noticed our neighbors sitting on their front stoop a couple houses down from us and decided to walk past their house on the way to the park so I could stop and chat. (And pet their ridiculously cute 110-pound Bernese Mountain Dog, because after not seeing him most of the winter, I was experiencing withdraw.) I thought it was common knowledge in our neighborhood that Chris and I were adopting even if they weren't sure of the exact details.  However, as we got closer and closer to our neighbors, I could see the looks on their faces growing more confused and I realized that they had no idea who Matteo was. This is what I mean about neighbors going into hibernation over the winter.  Spring comes and you find out that your neighbors went to China and came home with two more children!

I introduced Matteo and they were giddy with excitement and wanted to hear all about our trip and our new son.  As I talked, they were grinning ear-to-ear when suddenly they blurted out, "We're adopting too!"  It was my turn to be surprised.  They said they're planning to adopt two children from Guyana and I volleyed a surprise right back at them.  That's when I told them about Kiera and they nearly fell off their stoop.  The final surprise of the evening was when we learned we're using the same adoption agency in Texas.

I'm obviously thrilled my neighbors are adopting.  Although they're not adopting from China, adoptive families, regardless of country, share common experiences.  I think it will be a blessing for  our children to have another family right on our street that was formed through adoption.  They have a long, unpredictable road ahead of them, but I am excited to follow their journey.