On Tuesday, November 26, as I was getting ready to start on my second patient at the dental office that afternoon, I checked my phone and noticed I had missed a call that came from an Oklahoma phone number (the past couple of weeks I literally felt like I checked my phone incessantly in anticipation of baby boy's arrival).
Originally, we had thought the due date was on the 23rd, but in actuality it was the 26th . . . what's 3 days anyway? . . . to me it felt like an eternity. However, realistically she could actually go past her due date.
I nervously dialed the number and our birth father answered.
He told me they had been to a doctor's appointment that afternoon and the doctor was sending them to the hospital to start an induction!
Say what?!
I tried to sound calm and not too over anxious.
I think my brain went into overload mode. I hung up the phone in a mind-numbing daze, and told my co-workers what was going on.
I finished my patient as calmly and efficiently as I possibly could (ha!), then raced out the door to head home.
There were so many preparations that had to be made and I could not even think straight.
Plane tickets to be booked, hotel, rental car, call the attorney, finish packing.
Someone had to pick up Brody from the babysitter.
I needed to let my parents know so they could come and pick up Brody to take him to their house (he stayed with them through the duration while we were gone).
And on and on and on. . .
And on and on and on. . .
Preparations continued on throughout the night. We savored our time that evening with Brody knowing we would have to leave our 3-year-old behind for 1-2 weeks and that thought tore at our hearts. He had been our ONE and ONLY for the past 3 years and 8 months, and we were now eagerly preparing to make room in our hearts and family for his soon-to-be brother. We made sure we got in some extra snuggles that night. My parents arrived and decided to stay the night and head to back to their house with Brody in the morning.
Our flight was booked for the following morning, scheduled to leave SLC at 6:15 am.
Our flight was booked for the following morning, scheduled to leave SLC at 6:15 am.
After Brody was asleep, we hurriedly finished packing and left around 1:30 am to begin the 3 hour drive to the airport.
With it being the day before Thanksgiving, the busiest travel day of the year, we would need plenty of time at the airport.
As we drove, we discussed the list of names once again.
Months prior, I had narrowed down my list of 30+ boy names to the following top top ten:
(Yes, I said 30(+)--Since we had such a long wait before starting our family, my list of names has grown perpetually throughout the years).
A few weeks prior to that we had narrowed it down to just TWO names.
Mason or Ryker.
And early on, we had decided on Rich as a middle name (my dad's middle name). We went back and forth between
Mason Rich
or
Ryker Rich
Then another loop was thrown into the equation when our birth father called and reverently asked if they could choose a middle name.
We graciously and respectfully accepted their request and eagerly awaited to hear their choice.
We debated whether to just throw "Rich" out all together or give him two middle names--
Something I said I would never do.
As we drove, we finally decided on a first name. . . It would be Ryker.
Little did we know, our Ryker made his debut into the world as we drove to the airport that morning at 2:30 am, Wednesday, November 27th.
We didn't find this out until we landed in the Dallas airport later that morning when we checked his birth parent's Facebook page.
As I pulled up their profile--
I saw his beautiful face for the first time and tried to hold back tears in the airport.
He was gorgeous.
I also had a FB message from his birth parents letting us know he was here and asking us to call their room at the hospital.
We spent the next 30 minutes before our connecting flight texting family members to let them know the news!
We landed in Texarkana around 11:30 am, picked up our rental car, and drove the remaining hour to Idabel,Oklahoma to meet this sweet baby boy. . . our SON,
and his beautiful birth family.
We also had a request from the adoption coordinator to pick up pizza-- everyone was starving!
As we pulled up to the hospital, my palms were sweaty and my heart was racing.
We had not had the opportunity of meeting his birth parents in person yet (we had spent the 5 previous months communicating through phone calls and texting).
I knew that what we were about to do would be a highly emotional, yet reverent thing.
We entered the hospital and rode the elevator in silence to the labor and delivery floor with pizza in hand.
Brent and I stood outside the door to their room for a moment in hesitation, exchanging nervous glances before we knocked.
We were amiably welcomed inside by Namo, Ryker's birth father. We made our introductions but it felt to me as if we had already known one another.
I was struck by how beautiful Loriann, Ryker's birth mother, was.
I scanned the room, looking for a tiny bundle but didn't see one.
Namo explained that the baby was having trouble keeping his body temperature up and as a result his heart rate was also low, so they were monitoring him in a warmer.
He offered to take us to see him.
We anxiously followed him down the hallway
and we met him for the first time.
and we met him for the first time.
We savored the moment admiring all 6 lbs 10.8 oz of him, wishing we could pick him up and snuggle him.
It was easy to fall in love with him.
It felt like a dream.
After awhile, we returned to his birth parents room and spent some time visiting with them.
They were beautiful, warm, wonderful people.
Loriann was very sweet and very shy, and smiled sweetly.
She does not speak English and how I wished I were able to communicate with her.
Their 20 month old daughter was adorable and Ryker looks just like her.
We asked what they had chosen for his middle name and were told it would be Clenton, after Loriann's father.
Our conversation turned to an emotional one as Namo tearfully told us this (the adoption) was not initially what he wanted, and we were all brought to tears as we discussed the circumstances of the adoption
and hopes for his future.
Bitter-sweet is the best way to describe adoption.
We knew the happiness and joy we would soon experience as we would welcome this baby boy to our family, yet at that moment we placed that aside.
Our hearts were breaking for them as we sympathized with the pain they were experiencing. The sacrifice on their part was great. It was obvious their love for their son was deep.
However, despite their pain they had such a positive, optimistic view of this adoption.
They knew this was best and they wanted the very best for him.
Namo told us he knew this was God's plan for all of us and we wholeheartedly agreed.
We thanked them from the bottom of our hearts, but it felt insufficient.
How do you thank someone enough?
I don't believe it is possible.
They are a blessing to us,
and this baby boy is a blessing to all of us.
We briefly discussed our plans for our future with an open adoption.
Later, we said our goodbyes. We were careful not to overstay our welcome.
We wanted to respect the precious time they had at the hospital with their baby boy.
It was their time together.
We had forever to look forward to.
We said our goodbye's and Brent and I left to check into our hotel, get some groceries and we tried to get some sleep since we were approaching 48 hours with no sleep. . .
Coming soon. . .
Placement Day (Ryker's Story Part 3).
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