Irish Heartbeat

The first time we went to Ireland was in 2001. A few days before we left (we bought non-refundable tickets) we heard through our adoption agency that Annie's Birthmother Patricia wanted us to parent her baby. It was our first "nibble" in the nine months we had been waiting. What a thrill! Only we still hadn't heard from her. Not a call or any signal from her at all. So it seemed like a vague possibility, and one with high risk factors. One of which, it was still unknown whether or not Annie's Birthtfather was going to agree to the adoption. So we went to the West of Ireland. We wandered. We explored. We were healed and renewed by the enormous amount of green. We walked. We ate. We breathed. We absolutely loved it. We also wondered...is our baby on it's way to us?

We arrived home on Presidents Day weekend. We met Patricia that Thursday. She was 39 weeks pregnant. We (Bill & I & Patricia) knew immediately that it was right. The following Tuesday we were in labor. Ten hours after that we had a daughter. We cut the cord. We came home. We became a family! We had grafted a whole new branch onto our family tree.

Then three years later, we took Annie back to Ireland for her third birthday. My Sister Fran Fran and Aunt LaLa Pat came too. We rented a cottage in Dingle bay together and had a wonderful time!

This time of year reminds me of Ireland.

We'd go back in a heartbeat!

(Photos from the top)
Me in the garden behind the cottage we rented in Sligo.
Annie the morning of her birthday.
Annie and I in Doolin.