Update number 6 - A Post Lock-down Update

 

Butterfly wings for Bunny and her doll

First I start with an apology. I have just seen that my last post and update on here was in April, I'm sorry for my lack of correspondence. There have been many times that I have thought of writing a post but really wondered what I would say... Covid has stalled a lot of things as I am sure you are all aware. I feel very blessed to live in NZ though. In speaking to my friends in the UK we are very, very lucky.

The news on the adoption front is that I am still waiting to be matched. It feels a bit odd writing 'still waiting' as I know that this will be for much much longer and 'still' sounds impatient but what I mean is that I am continuing to do the thing that I was doing before. I contacted CARA, which is the Indian adoption authority, and they told me that the earliest I can expect to be matched is December next year. This was quite a blow at the time but now I am enjoying having a timeline of sorts and a clearer idea of time to save and things to tick off before then.

Two bits of great news:

My friends who were on their way to bring their girls home in March and had to be turned back due to Covid were able to bring them home in August! There was a small window of opportunity and they were able to do what they called a 'grab and go.' They have assured me they are all doing well, although life is very busy now :)

The second good news is that I have found a lady in Canterbury (the region that I live) who has adopted from India as a single person. We have been in contact over Messenger and we hope to meet up one day soon. In fact it was in reading her blog that I thought it really was time to update. Being able to learn from other people's experiences and have support from people who have walked this crazy journey is invaluable. They have a unique wisdom and understanding of things.

During Covid I began working on many crafty pursuits that I hadn't put much time into recently. The joy of lockdown was more 'spare change' to spend on fabric as I wasn't going out for coffee with friends. I finished re-furbishing the hobby horse that I bought from a second hand shop and made almost 20 children's  aprons to raise money for Bringing Bunny Home. If you are interested in purchasing one please get in contact.

Since Covid I have continued some sewing projects. I made some re-usable masks which taught me more about myself than mask making. I downloaded three patterns from the internet, tried them all and then decided to adapt them. With over 10 different prototypes (and blood, sweat and tears shed) I finally created a pattern that I was okay with. By this time I was so over making masks, I was worried about what people would think of my masks and had a realisation that perfectionism isn't always helpful.

Bunny's Teepee with
rabbit and 3D flowers

I decided to work on something for Bunny, as those pursuits I find exciting and restful (most of the time). As I showed a friend my new creations they said, "I hope she likes pink, and bunnies.' I started thinking about this and realised that it didn't matter whether she did or not. Making these things, although they are for a little girl to play with, is actually more about entertaining me during this waiting.

My recent projects have included butterfly wings for Bunny and her doll, a play bag with doll dress ups and creating embellishments for her teepee. I've taught myself how to make fabric flowers (quite easy to do) and how to 'draw' with my sewing machine (slightly more difficult.)

Last week I also sent off papers to have a double-glazed door and window put into my house. I have been putting away a small amount all year to pay for this and need full replacements due to the state of my windowsills. The window is in 'Bunny's room' so feels like another step closer. I am currently storing Bunny's bed at a friends garage but they need the space, so that may be put into 'Bunny's room' soon. I must admit it is a bit scary. I have told myself I am not allowed to set the room up until I am matched. I have read enough adoption stories to know that things can change in a moment and the first match isn't necessarily the child you are able to bring home. Please keep praying. My little girl is out there somewhere and needs all the love and protection she can get. And please pray that I can continue being okay in the waiting and hopefully I can find enough sewing projects to keep me entertained! I love you all and I couldn't do this crazy, wonderful journey without a loving community around me. xx