Surprised by Joy...

I have stolen the title of this post from my favourite Shakespearean sonnet...though saying this makes it sound like I regularly read Shakespearean (or other) poetry, which I don't - I just remember a few from university days past, and this was one of my favourites.

I've been thinking about Monday's news from Imagine and processing how I feel about all of the drama of the past number of months.  I can't yet comfortably think about the days immediately following the bankruptcy announcement - it's too painful.  But when I think about the first creditors' meeting shortly after the announcement of Imagine's bankruptcy and experienced the wonder of that vote in favour of restructuring Imagine, my overwhelming feeling was hope; this feeling persisted through to receiving the official news that familes had approved the restructuring plan at a second creditors' meeting.  When the new agency opened its doors on October 01st, the feeling that pervaded was relief;  relief that we'd progressed to the point of seeing concrete realization of our hope.

This past Sunday, anticipating news from the Board about the future of Imagine Adoption, I was curious to know what I would feel upon receiving good news.  I knew that I would feel good - a renewed sense of hope and relief.  What I didn't anticipate was the depth of the other feelings that would run through my veins once the news sunk in.

I am surprised by the joy.  The joy of knowing that the hard work and determination of so many people has offset the damage done by a few; joy in the confidence that we will yet realize the dream of seeing the faces of our long-awaited Ethiopian-born children.

Joy has infiltrated me.  I cannot even imagine how I will feel when we actually see the faces of our children and know that our family is finally complete.  I can hardly wait to capture those feelings.