Perfect Moment(s)

I have finally decided (to get off my butt and) hop on board Lori's Perfect Moment Monday. Well, I'm way too late for this week's PMM since today is, uh, Thursday, but let's just say I am early for next week. Kay?

There were a series of what felt like Perfect Moments to me this week.

1. On Tuesday I was rocking my son in his room, reading him stories and getting him ready for bed. I had left the tv on in the other room with the volume turned up so I could hear what was going on with the election. As I was taking in the gorgeousness and warmth and perfection of quietly sitting there with my son in my arms, I could hear CNN in the other room--calling the election for Barack Obama. Excitement surged through my body and I wanted to shout, but I just looked at my son and hugged him tight. I was so excited that his world had just changed for the better, along with the rest of the country.

2.The next morning, after dropping my son off at daycare, I took a few moments for myself and turned on the tv to catch up on the local ballot measures I was still waiting to hear about. I flipped through the stations and stopped when I saw the lovely Maya Angelou being interviewed about the election. It was amazing to hear her speak about the election and all it means to her, (and the world), but the most amazing moment was when she did an impromptu recitation of "I Rise." Tears, chills, love, hope, gratitude. I was so happy I caught that moment.

3. A totally personal Perfect Moment. My son grabbed my hand and pulled it up to his chest. Not to show me something, lead me somewhere, get my attention or ask for something--just to have my touch. He held my hand like that for several moments. Just 'cause.

Ahhhh...

In other news:

1. I have started the arduous process of moving out of my studio. I have a lot of crap! I rented a huge storage unit and have started moving stuff over. It's really weird. Especially since I don't know where I'll be in the spring. I hate Limbo. Keeping my fingers crossed something amazing and perfect comes along to fill this gap.

2. Halloween was fun. We (Handsome Man and I) went into the City and to Mister's office in costume. They had a very informal Halloween party and almost everyone was dressed up. (We decided not to do the trick-or-treating thing this year since we are not giving Handsome Man candy--yet. Lord help me.) Also it was raining.
Handsome Man was a train engineer, incase it's not obvious. Mister was a surgeon. No, he does not usually wear scrubs to work.

3. Mister's company is changing their insurance plan. There is a tiny allowance for Infertility coverage. Basically, 2,500.00 lifetime max for treatments, and the same for meds. I know, it doesn't get us very far, but it's something. We are talking about next steps and right now it looks like this time NEXT year, if all goes well, we'll dive in to the murky waters. IVF here I come. Unless of course, some miracle happens, and I get pregnant on my own before then, haha.

4. October 25th was our 5-year wedding anniversary. Holy crap. I mean, Yay! (Where does the time go?). We have yet to go out and officially celebrate. Anyone wanna babysit?

5. Our Thanksgiving plans this year include Handsome Man's birth-family. "Uncle Mark" and "Aunt Patty"* (aka Eryn's parents), Eryn, and her brother, Ethan, will all be driving out from Boise to celebrate Thanksgiving with us. I am very excited. We had a vacation together with Mark and Patty last fall, though I didn't really talk about it here on this blog. I mentioned we were vacationing with friends. I think at the time I was still keeping this relationship under wraps a bit. Why? I'm not really sure--maybe I was still feeling vulnerable because our adoption wasn't finalized yet. I know that doesn't make sense, but I didn't tell a lot of people. Anyway, it was a wonderful vacation, and we really had the time to get to know each other even better, and became very close. It is very wonderful and special that HM will get to have this relationship with his birth-family. And, Mister and I are excited to have a relationship with them, too, because they are just cool. Anyway, this will be the first time Eryn has seen HM since we left Boise after HM was born. Her dad tried to get her out here in July for a visit. I was all ready, and at the last minute she cancelled the trip. Why? Because she wanted to spend the weekend with Matt (HM's birth-fater)**, because Matt has been working off and on out of town, and she wasn't going to be able to see him again for a month. Well, my feelings about it were: yes, but you haven't seen HM for over a year! And he's never going to be this age again, etc. Grr. But, it was her decision. Let's just say I was disappointed. But, I am hoping this time she will make it. I think it will be good for HM to start knowing who she is, in person, so that "meeting his birth-mother" won't ever be some strange, emotional, or potentially stressful event in the future. It will just be normal. I'd like to be able to have a visit with her once a year. I want it to just be part of our family, normal, tradition. Of course, if it feels right as we go forward to meet more often I am open to that, too. But let's just get this first visit on the books, shall we?

*Mark and Patty picked this 'label' rather than birth-grandparents. It just felt right to all of us. Especially since Mark and Patty are really not that much older than Mister and I. And, because we all agreed that Mister's parents and my mom are THE Grandparents. This is what works for us.

** Matt has not yet expressed any interest in visiting Handsome Man, but we are open to the possibility. However, our relationship with Matt's family is nothing like our relationship with Eryn's family. So, we will have to proceed with that situation more carefully. I am not really able to "go there" mentally yet. I just feel lucky that our relationship with Mark and Patty has just happened so organically.