It's a wonderful time of year! The NCAA basketball tournament is in full swing. College basketball seems to deliver more high-stakes games superior to professional basketball. Unfortunately, my team rarely makes it to the big dance. For the uninitiated, teams are split up into four regions and seeded from No. 1 to 16 in each region. In the first round of each region, No. 1 plays No. 16, No. 2 plays No. 15, and so on.
One of the crazy statistics of the game is the No. 12 team beating the No. 5 team (this pairing is famous for producing upsets). According to ESPN, "A 12 seed has defeated a 5-seed outright in 18 of the past 21 seasons, and the series is tied 8-8 over the past four NCAA tournaments." There is just something magical about this matchup, and more often than not, the underdog comes out on top.
The other fun thing to watch during March Madness are the Cinderella teams. These teams overcome insurmountable odds, and these stories garner much attention from both the media and the fanbase as they move closer to the championship game. Many times these teams are ranked lower than their opponents, but against all odds, they seem to find a way to victorious.
The madness of March does not only apply to my tournament bracket breaking after the first round (I don't have good luck filling them out, but I also do not invest much time filling out a bracket!), but also the adoption process. We are in the midst of applying for grants, and some of the applications are almost as intrusive as background checks. Some ask for financial information, reference letters, statements of faith, cover letters, tax forms, and other things. The gathering of all this information takes much time and requires some minor alterations grant to grant. I thought the major paperwork was over, but that is not the case!
To make the connection between basketball and adoption (just go with me here!), I think Cassie and my story could be considered a Cinderella story. Her stroke could have derailed our marriage, but it did not. Her stroke may have ended any chance of Cassie finishing college, but she persevered through multiple semesters and obtained her bachelor's degree. It could have put an end to our hopes of starting of family, but it has not. The odds stacked against us could be considered insurmountable. At times, we both have felt the incredible burden with the many unknowns yet to be, and what we have already endured. But we persist. We endure. And I know that in the end, when the time is right, we will win the day.