Motherhood Continues

kathy azar
by kathy azar
04-Oct-2010
 

About 8 years ago I posted a short on this site about going to Iran to adopt a baby... well here we are almost 9 yrs later. On that fatefull trip, i met a 3 month old little boy named Sohail, which today I call my son! He was tiny, pale skinned, but smiled at me when I first held him that first time. It was a hard journey to bring him out of Iran, and call him our own, but compeletely worth every tear, and heartache. Adopting from Iran is not for the faint of heart, but for those filled with the love of being parents.

I wanted to post something that had nothing to do with the "politics" of Iran. I know my journey to becoming a mother for the first time, and that of many of my friends, and its all the same. You meet a man (or you don't) fall in love, create a home, work a career, then this urge/ nagging feeling hits you out of nowhere! A feeling so powerful, consuming that you will undergo any medical treatment, days of injections, an emotional roller coaster, hours of pain... for that end result, to hold a baby in your arms and someday have someone call you "mommy".

My story was a little different. I met a wonderful man in my twenties that I fell madly in love with, tried to have his baby for 8 years, suffered 2 miscarriages, and finally decided at his urging that it didn't matter "how" we became parents, that we just "became" parents and loved a being other than ourselves, and thats how we ended up in Iran....

Sohail is the light of our lives, and he lives up to his name. He is truely our morning star. It hasn't been easy, but being a parent never is. Today he is a big brother to his twin brothers (which I had all by myself, biologically!) and loves his nintendo, his friends, grandparents and just life in general. So you see it all works out in the end somehow, and we all have to think of the "bigger" picture which is being true to ourselves and the country we so love!

Balatarin
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Monda

Lucky both of you

by Monda on Thu Oct 07, 2010 07:17 AM PDT

Kathy jan I got teary eyed readıng your wonderful story of adoptıng your son.

Around the tıme when Sohaıl came to your lıves, I too was desperate to mother at least one of the chıldren who had lost theır parents durıng the Bam earthquake. However, restrıctıons were many, even though I had found one strong contact ın the system. The problems ıncluded but not lımıted to my beıng over 40, marrıed to a European man, havıng one chıld of my own and two step chıldren. After some tıme and numerous phone and emaıl contacts -I/ we accepted the heart break.

If couples can take off from theır jobs and lıfe here to spend at least 6 months ın Iran, runnıng through the adoptıon procedures, ıt ıs an ıncredıble blessıng. Thank you for spreadıng the beautıful word.


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Maryam Hojjat

Thanks, Kathy for sharing

by Maryam Hojjat on Wed Oct 06, 2010 05:23 AM PDT

your beautiful and humane story.  I wish Iranians who have not have children learn from you to adopt children and give them a warm and loving home.


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divaneh

Truly fascinating

by divaneh on Tue Oct 05, 2010 02:44 PM PDT

Thanks for sharing.


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kathy azar

Adoption from Iran

by kathy azar on Tue Oct 05, 2010 11:30 AM PDT

We adopted Sohail from Iran, almost 9 years ago. The process is much harder now, but not impossible. Its considered an international adoption, so you'd go through the steps as you would with any other country. Once in Iran, you're on your own though. You have to go through the courts there, get the child adopted, and get permission to leave the country. We got Sohail's "green card" issued to him by the American Embassy in Turkey, but there is no US support on getting the child out of Iran, so that part is all your responsibility. Good Luck, its totally worth it.


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Mona 19

A home where a child is welcomed and loved ...

by Mona 19 on Tue Oct 05, 2010 11:08 AM PDT

...is the happiest home anywhere.

Kathy,wishing you & your family a lifetime filled with love, health, and happiness.

Mona ;)

 


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Anahid Hojjati

Dear Kathy, what a story.

by Anahid Hojjati on Tue Oct 05, 2010 09:55 AM PDT

Dear Kathy, it is great that you were able to adopt "Sohail".  Now with "Sohail" and the twins, you must be very busy. I am a twin myself and experience of having a twin is a great experience that your kids will have. Thanks for sharing your good news with us.


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Cost-of-Progress

My hat's off to you

by Cost-of-Progress on Tue Oct 05, 2010 08:12 AM PDT

Adopting a baby is probably the biggest thing someone can do in their lives. It takes a big heart and a couragous person to adopt. Unfortunately and speaking in general terms, in Persian and most Eastern cultures, adoption is viewed as a taboo subject. I am glad you did what you did and hope that more people can do it as well. Given different circumstances, I would have loved to do it too.  

Sohail is a lucky boy and I like the Persian name.

Best wishes to you and your family.

____________

IRAN FIRST

____________


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Flying Solo

Wonderful

by Flying Solo on Tue Oct 05, 2010 05:40 AM PDT

Thank you so much for sharing this.  Such a heart warming story. The journey to motherhood is worth the prize!


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amirkabear4u

yes it does

by amirkabear4u on Tue Oct 05, 2010 02:37 AM PDT

and glade it worked out for you too.

Just as a matter of interest did you have difficulty to get visa for him. You did not mention what country. The reason is because I may need some visa information for someone else's kid. Was it USA?

Thanks.


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