Life in a whirlwind…

Ming – the boy behind the mask

Today we had a home study follow-up report about how our adoption is going. It is conducted by the local government and is important documentation.

So they got a REAL insight to our world, because we FORGOT. Oops.

Yep, the house was in top chaos form, the kitchen was overloaded, the doors were hanging open, Jonas had taken Astrid to the doctor with Ming following along, and I was laying on the couch with a bag of frozen peas on a twisted ankle from the front yard when…

Ding-dong. I didn’t even recognize her.

Then I did. OH. NO.

Quick call to Jonas at the doctor’s office who promptly hangs up on me saying that they are just going in now. (Drop-in hours…how fun.)

So after washing my dining room table and pushing some chairs back up while hobbling around and offering something to drink, we started the interview. Of course, she wanted to see Ming’s room…which was also in prime form.

Jonas and the kids came 35 minutes later. And Ming…

Well, he was an absolute gentleman who shook our social worker’s hand. Wow!

So I guess we survived.

And in the end, it was simply hilarious.

Pura Vida Costa Rica

Living the “Pura Vida” in Costa Rica now.

We have a tropical garden, listen to the ocean waves, pick bananas from the garden, and hear howler monkeys daily (not to mention a new little rooster nearby – ahum!)

Astrid is in a fantastic new school called La Paz and making new friends. Her English is growing phenomenally and she gets a bit of Spanish too!

We are also part of La Paz’s community and hope to meet many new families also in the many play dates to come.

It’s rainy season so there are very few tourists. Little commotion. Lots of mosquitoes.

Gunnar is in Nairobi having the adventure of a lifetime! We are proud beyond words and listen for all small details. His safari, camping adventure, school lessons and more info on why there are 3 girls to every boy there… It is a good year for him. He deserves this chance to be himself. To grow and live life to the fullest.

Ragna is soon on her way here. Astrid is talking about her constantly and planning to share her bed. Soon Ragna will start her big adventure volunteering around the world. How fantastic! What a great step of independence for her! We are so excited and proud to watch this new adventure. Again, we are proud.

Sigrid is just landing again from her whirlwind tour of Europe with some girlfriends from her Australia travels. She continues to travel and explore while contemplating life, her world, where she is and who she is becoming. It is amazing (and sometimes exhausting) to see all of her ongoing energy. We simply nod our heads in approval and admiration. And more pride here also.

Meanwhile, we are working and tweaking the business. Expanding and such.

I am fighting plantar fasciitis and focusing on me, my feet, my heart and my place in life. Attempting to look inwards. Never an easy feat. Thus, I take small steps in all areas… Careful to tread lightly and consciously in both my physical and spiritual awareness.

Jonas is taking Spanish and learning quickly. He’s also trying to dance salsa. Give him encouragement as he discovers his hips and such. It’s fun to both dance and watch!

And adoption…

Oh yeah. We are still waiting.

And waiting…

Nothing has happened.

Nothing.

We sent our papers in March to the adoption organization with the expectation of them delivering them to the National Adoption Committee in 30 days (as written in the protocol…) But, well, that didn’t happen. They have been backed up since last September. In July they asked for some additional info before transferring our application (we truly hope) to NAC in August.

We are just one of MANY families in a hold pattern. Truly there is nothing we can do.

Wait or quit. Those are our options.

Instead we choose option 3 – Pura Vida.

We will focus on the here. The now. The family we are. The family we are becoming. The family that continues to grow and love and strengthen with each day.

All of this in hopes that we will someday be blessed to join another small being’s family. To come to their world, their life and their culture. To join them.

Meanwhile, we are learning to adapt here. It is a beautiful life. One must simply keep their eyes open.

Love to all! Call us! Email! Stop by!

Starting a new chapter…

We are moving to Costa Rica!

We are starting yet another new chapter in life. A chapter that will simply unfold as we travel the path and create the story. Life truly is that way – it’s just that right now we are setting our compass in a whole new direction.

Personally, I feel the need for space – a huge pause – from Sweden. This little bubble of “perfection” (The Borg as I like to call it when in a funk) has me way too confused and frustrated. I need to escape. I need to see a more diverse world with a variety of people, interests, and real adversity. I am tired of hearing luxury problems (of which I am jealous) and kitchen renovations. I want Astrid to live in a world where an iPad and mobile phone are not on her very sincere 4 year-old wish list. There are so many things from which I simply need a break. So back out into a more real world…

Now we have officially booked our new home in COSTA RICA! Check out our new home HERE! After you take a look, let us know when you are coming to visit! We will stay in this home all of Sept and Oct.

Nordström Family Update:

We have enrolled Astrid in school at Guanacaste International Academy.  Here she will attend school in both English and Spanish. Plus, they have a half-hour of combined German and French Daily. (Why not!?) She will learn chess on Fridays. A fantastic environmental and experiential education. Woohoo!

Jonas has researched volunteer work in the region. We hope to see plenty of sea turtles and other wildlife.

JoEllen has found both a surf school and yoga center. It is TIME! Time to be strong and get back to the ocean! Time to focus energy on the inner and less on the outer world… Time to rebuild from within…

Gunnar is flying to Nairobi independently to attend school at the Nairobi Svenskaskolan. We are sooooo proud of him. He has decided to journey out into to the world on his first big adventure – SOLO! We hope to catch up with him soon as a family. Until then – “Good job, Gunnar!!!” As my first adventure was at 17 to Sweden and the USSR, I know how amazingly eye-opening and life-changing this can be. His determination and independence really shines! He is becoming such an amazing young man.

Ragna is also off on her first big solo adventure. She will volunteer with PeaceWorks. She will spend 9 months traveling around the world volunteering. Currently, Ragna is considering Costa Rica (so we can meet her there!), Tanzania (not far from Kenya!) and another program in Asia. WOW! How fantastic for her. It feels like this is the independence that she so needs and desires in life. I am sure she will shine.

Sigrid has just returned from her own big adventure to Australia with her boyfriend Fredrik. You can read a bit on Sigrid’s blog as she continues to add travel writing to her repertoire. Now she creates her next chapter in life. We don’t know if that is school, work or more travel…or a combination of all 3. All is yet to be determined. It just feels as though she got a much needed break. And that is great! Now, I am waiting for all the fantastic stories and pictures from Oz!

Kenya adoption remains on hold. No news. Meetings from the National Adoption Committee (NAC) are unannounced and unconfirmed. We think our papers are in the hands of the appropriate people but we have no confirmation. Barnens Vänner’s phone calls and emails are supposedly unanswered when/if made to Little Angels Network (LAN). Who knows what is going on? We don’t.

What we do know is that families are slowly being approved and this past month we have seen several Swedish families get their referral. We hope to join that group within the next year.

However, we have decided not to simply sit in limbo.

We choose to set sail on a new adventure.

We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. – Bertha Calloway

Out of Control…

What I never would have predicted…

Life, results, achievements…sometimes we simply are not in control. What you get is what you get.

This thought process – this acceptance of only controlling so much in life – it’s a learning process. It’s humbling.

It’s surrender.

I’m trying to accept surrender to the unknown and simply focus more on the now.  Because right now I can choose to be present. To see joy.  And to find happiness in what I have and not necessarily what I want or hope to achieve. And the bonus of focusing on now is that it distracts me from the past. What I didn’t get or what I didn’t achieve. That’s another form of surrender and acceptance. More humble pie.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not being pessimistic…or feeling defeated.

I am trying to speak the truth to my heart so it will sink in and feel ok.

And I stand in a different reality right now from many others…but only in the awareness that life simply is whatever it is. My life path has taken some major twists and turns. Some amazing, unbelievable successes in love and business, and now some eye-opening disasters with the death of an infant and then infertility. Things that can crush a soul’s will. I am swaying between these experiences. Life’s wins and losses.

In this unpredictable storm, I can only make daily choices now that I hope will create the outcome I desire in the future. To think that my hard work will necessarily “work out”, “pay off” or “achieve success” would be rather silly after facing death and the truly unpredictable. I have learned that I am not in charge.

So we are hoping to adopt while actively planning to move to Nairobi for the next year. The adoption may happen – or not. We are not in control here. We will do our best. We will try our damnedest. We will rent our house, buy tickets and explore Kenya. That is our plan. It may fluctuate a bit but our adventure awaits.

Perhaps the waiting is the hardest.  But in the meanwhile, I will focus on the now. The present. I will try to fully engage and enjoy what I have. An amazing daughter, a loving husband, a strong community with those I love, and time. I will simply indulge in the time that I have right now.

Life, results, achievements…sometimes we simply are not in control. What you get is what you get. And that’s not all bad if you look around…