Winds of change

On Sunday July 22nd, Grey and I landed in scientific Mecca.

Since my childhood, "Boston" has always passed people's lips with a sense of awe when talking about opportunity. For a brief period of time, I dreamt about what it would be like to wander through this town as more than a tourist. Those hopes were dashed, though, as it was very uncommon for anyone to leave the midwest. In high school, many of my classmates attended universities/colleges that were only a few hundred miles from home. Following receiving their degrees, the same crew moved home to begin families. In a way, it makes sense. But, because of this, few break the mold.

Following my college experience, I moved home to live with my parents. Like many, I found work and quickly settled back into a post-college life-style. Though I talked continually about this being a temporary situation, I don't think many believed that was the case. And as the weeks went by, I quickly became comfortable with the security associated with not breaking the pattern established by so many.

On October 3, 2001, I was given a choice to break the mold. A friend-of-a-friend was moving to the Pacific NW to start a new life. I remember looking into graduate school options, wondering if I had a chance to get in. I'll be honest and say that my family was about as supportive as they could be, but I also believe they didn't presume that too much would come from this. In their minds, Pacific NW journey was suppose to be round-trip, with me returning after a year or two. So they patted me on the back and gave me the "we'll see" grins.

Still, I had hope. As we drove towards the setting sun, chasing a dream, I prayed that somehow this would all work out.

Fast forward 11 yrs. And all that has changed.

Neither Grey or I were never suppose to come to Boston seeking employment. The institutions here were suppose to be unreachable. And yet, Grey and I are acclimating quickly to the city. I have an interview and Grey is utilizing his contacts. The heat and the sunshine have been healing to us both. We both can sense an opportunity for change.

It's not about prestige or pomp. It doesn't matter if we simply traveled back to the midwest. What this is about is doing something many, MANY people have told us we could never do. That we shouldn't dare to dream and should simply live with our lot. And it's hard not to wonder, as I prepare for my interview on Wednesday, if we can do this again. That our non-traditional way of life for our careers is also how we are suppose expand our family. All the naysayers are once are trying to talk us out of this simply because they are hiding their own fear or failures.


That maybe this is a sign that we need to be a lot more creative with the adoption process. That we need to try things that aren't as well charted, finding the path that has been less traveled.


Who knows. Because it is very likely that everything can come crashing down. That we could very well walk away from all of this, never to return and with dreams dashed once again.


But there is change in the air. That energy I felt so many years ago as this friend-of-a-friend and I chased the sun across the North Dakota plains. And with that whiff of change comes the promise of hope.  And though desire/hope is the root of despair, it also gives us strength. Because that one time it all works out, especially when it's been worked towards for so long, is like seeing fireworks for the first time. It's like falling in love all over again.


Wish me luck.