One Step at a Time

This week I attended a coffee tasting at work, not an uncommon occurrence, but our sVP hosted and shared a story that really resonated with me, and got the blog-wheels turning this week. 
Allow me to digress for a moment and set the scene--I swear this is connected:

This leader is highly charismatic. His presentation style feels conversational and relatable, a welcome departure from some of our leader's "execu-speak". He recounted a personal story about a scuba-diving trip with his sons. It was a new adventure, and he wanted to put on a courageous face in front of the boys. As he began to descend underwater and adjust to breathing through the regulator, he panicked, and realized he could not do this. The dive instructor swam over to him, framed both hands around his goggles in order to stare him straight in the eyes --fully connected--and said "You are okay. Breathe. You are okay." 

Eventually, staring into the instructor's eyes, he was able to calm, slow his breathing,

in...
out...
in....
out...

and descend.

Because he had someone with him, telling him that he was supported and to take it one step at a time, he was able to center himself and keep going. He was able to set aside his innate (and, in my opinion, totally reasonable) fear of being underwater--seemingly alone in the depths--and just be.  

I have not been scuba-diving before (I will happily stand on land and hold onto this rational fear, thank you very much), but I've watched a few episodes of Planet Earth in my time. 
I can only imagine the inimitable beauty that unfolded under the water, while gliding slowly through that great serene unknown. Knowing all along that there is support alongside you, as long as you take it one breath at a time.

The journey to adopt can feel a bit like those murky depths (see, here we are, tied back!): mountains of paperwork to complete and notarize; documentation to gather; and research, research, research. Oh, and not to mention making a decision in which country our child will be found. This beginning process is seemingly endless, and one mis-step can set us back (both in time and in money). But, I'm told the next step--the waiting, the lack of control as we depend on the trusted authorities to do their work--feels even more helpless.

All that said, Justin and I are certainly not the first to feel overwhelmed, uncertain, and a little bit scared of what is to come, nor will we be the last. We've each committed to completing 30-minutes of work each day: reading an article or completing a webinar, writing in our autobiographies or parenting resource plan, gathering dossier documentation making appointments...the options are endless.

And when the weight of this work begins to press down on me, and I cannot catch my breath, I have to try to remember to pause, pray, and breathe. There is great beauty ahead of us. We will get there one step at a time.

And, we need you to look us square in the eyes and remind us that this will all be okay.