It all started with a phone call from Rachel Janes on Sunday December 2nd. I had 15 relatives over for brunch when the call came for me to write down a phone number of a young woman who wanted to give her baby up. I had to keep it a secret until all relatives left and we could collect our thoughts around what to say.

How awkward yet liberating to talk to someone directly about the possibility of caring for her child! I was very nervous! Everything went well and we spoke a few days later to give time to think of more questions to ask. We didn't talk again until after the new year.

Linda was due to come to Iqaluit on a Friday, January 6th, so I called that Monday to determine her status. Thursday night came and she still wasn't sure where she would stay once she got to Iqaluit. She hadn't seen a social worker yet either. We got a little nervous!

We heard from Linda the following Tuesday night. She was at a friend's house. It was then that we learned that Jimmy, the birth father, had reservations. The rollercoaster of emotions had begun its decent. We waited until Friday to give the birth parents time to talk and come to a decision. We didn't sleep well that week but we knew the prayers and positive energy were flowing in support of our journey! The adoption agent in Nunavut kicked into gear at this point.

Monday came and we were going to explode, hoping that no news was good news, and dreading making a call. Linda bet us to the phone call with good news that everything was a go and I could fly out on Thursday!! We had a great chat and the baby was kicking hard that night.

Tuesday January 17th was a great day of planning and shopping for we hadn't purchased anything, erring on the side of caution. And while I was blissfully shopping, I was oblivious of the flurry of activity going on both in Iqaluit and PEI!!

Our baby had been unexpectantly born on this day at 4:26 am after a 2 hour labour! No one knew how to contact either Brian or myself at work, so Rachel Janes thought to contact all my prayers out there on the internet in hopes that someone would contact us for her. Adrian Smith managed to get hold of Brian by halling him out of a basketball practice. Brian found out the news around 4:30 pm and I found out as I walked in the door of our house at 6:30 pm. Rachel had been to the hospital to provide us with proof of our gift.

Wednesday was a blur in that I can't remember what I did that day, but it was a painfully long day knowing that our baby was thousands of miles away and I wouldn't see him until Friday.

I am with him now in Iqaluit and a new journey has begun, well actually two.... Brian and I can't find a name we both like, or that suits our boy! What's up with us and names??

Stay tuned for more on our journey!