No pictures tonight- there will be some tomorrow- Uncle D. is coming into town and he is bringing the Little Bug a belated birthday present.
So, on to another thing that has been rolling around in my brain for a while. In the adoption proces, the trip to go and bring home your child is called "the pick up trip". I intensely dislike this term. Having worked in retail for a large number of years, it reminds me too much of picking up an item at the store. Little Bug is not a commodity, he is not some item that I was going to get, like "I am going to the store to pick up some milk". He is a person, a pecious gift, a wonderful child, more precious than all the money in the world, he is a blessing.
When a parent goes to the hospital to bring home a child and wife (assuming that this is a couple), the person driving does not say " I am going to the hospital to pick up my child and wife", they do not say, years later, "I went to the hospital to pick you up" when talking to their child, they say "We brought you home", or " I am going to the hospital to bring home my child". Why is it any different for those of us adopting. We are going to (insert country) to bring home our child, not to "pick up our child".
I have decided to call the trip, "our homecoming trip". Little Bug was coming home to our house (no my house, our house).
There is more behind this, but I can't quite articulate what I am thinking- so I will sort of lay it out. A "homecoming" allows for all emotions to be present- there is happiness at the new life, sadness for what was left behind, anxiety for the unknown, peace at was known, joy in discovery, grief in parting, etc. A "homescoming" is so much richer than a "pick up trip", it is so much more encompassing for everyone involved.
On 01Jun2007, Little Bug and I came home from our homecoming trip- a trip that started 16Aug2005 and was, in the fact, the last step in the homecoming trip, but the first step in our life as a family.
Welcome home Little Bug, Welcome Home!!!
Love to you,
Momma Bug
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Pick up trip or something else?
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3 comments:
We celebrate our boys "Homecoming Day" every year. Carter's homecoming day is 2 days after his birthday, and this year we lighted a candle for his birthmom in remembrance of her. As the boys get older, we are going to pull out their life books and talk about how much joy they have brought to our lives. They will also be able to pick their favorite restaurant as a celebration!!
ps. You're right- "pick-up" trip just doesn't sound right!!
Love the term "Homecoming"! That is what we are using.
I'm with you on the whole distaste for the term "pick-up trip" but not sure what else to use that people will understand.
A and E
He Deb, finally catching up on your blog. But we also didn't like some of the terms they used like "Gottcha Day" we call it our "Together Forever Day". Since we had not be able to visit S prior to us bringing him home, we felt this saying was best. Because once we touched him there was no chance in the world that he would be taken away from us. I also do like the Home comming trip. Much more appropriate than the pick up trip. In fact you may want to mention that to the agency.
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