Hi everyone!
I just added a poll feature, of who thinks we will get placed with a girl and who thinks we will get placed with a boy. I hope all of my 5 readers will vote! heehee!!! As you may be able to tell from the color I am typing in... I have a gut feeling that we are going to be placed with a girl!!! Lee doesn't seem to have a feeling on this one way or another; however, he does consistently refer to our future child as "he", so I think he is willing the universe to give him a son!
I have always thought I would have boys or be a better mother to a son, but since the adoption process I've been having these strong feelings that I am going to have a daughter! I have also been drawn to the adorable stretchy headbands for newborn baby girls and have had to slap my hand from buying them...literally.
Anyway... Lee and I would love your opinions!!! And this is one premonition that I won't care if I am right or wrong about... I WILL BE ABSOLUTELY THRILLED WITH A BOY OR A GIRL!!! hmmmm... or maybe we'll be blessed with both...twins maybe???
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Update...
So the update is…there is no update! As of last Friday the 11th (officially a month after being placed on the prospective list) we have not moved a smidge…we are still # 7!! Argghh!! Ahhhh the injustice of it all!!! I did find out some good news though. On a positive note the families on the Active list that have already been matched with a birthmom will stay on the Active List until they are officially placed…so once those babies are born and if the placement goes through they will be moved off the active list….so it all could happen very quickly. I am really trying to relax and stay positive and in reality the first month did go by fairly fast… I was actually surprised it had already been a month!
Lee and I have actually just been having a great time… we went through a few weekends where we put together the crib and changing table and I started the border around the room (I didn’t get very far…I forgot how shaky my hand is with a paint brush) but the last few weekends we have just been having a great time going on “dates”. We have been going to the movies and out to dinner and on “double dates” with our best friends C & C and their one year old little boy C. I love that they are all C’s! heehee! We have decided to make the most of our remaining couple time and really enjoy those moments together. Looking back… we have spent so much time focused on getting to our baby that because of that determination we forgot just to relax and have fun! Now with all of our “work” behind us we are free to just Let go and Let God!
Additionally, I have also started working out almost daily! I am addicted. I have always loved to be active, but the fear of jostling things around and ruining a potential pregnancy had me becoming a lot lazier than I liked. And because of the ridiculous heat out here in AZ I have been doing my Turbo Jam videos rather than outdoor activities! The high energy, totally ripped, mother of two somehow does not annoy me, rather I look forward to her silly motivation! I have been doing the videos for about 3 weeks now, and I normally don't weigh myself...but I GAINED two pounds... ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? I am telling myself it is muscle...but who knows. Regardless I feel better and have more energy, so I guess that is all that really matters!
So that is the update…regardless of my impatience I have to say I am still “happily” waiting! The sleepless nights and dirty diapers will come soon enough…for now I am enjoying hitting the snooze button on Saturday morning until at least 9am!!!
Lee and I have actually just been having a great time… we went through a few weekends where we put together the crib and changing table and I started the border around the room (I didn’t get very far…I forgot how shaky my hand is with a paint brush) but the last few weekends we have just been having a great time going on “dates”. We have been going to the movies and out to dinner and on “double dates” with our best friends C & C and their one year old little boy C. I love that they are all C’s! heehee! We have decided to make the most of our remaining couple time and really enjoy those moments together. Looking back… we have spent so much time focused on getting to our baby that because of that determination we forgot just to relax and have fun! Now with all of our “work” behind us we are free to just Let go and Let God!
Additionally, I have also started working out almost daily! I am addicted. I have always loved to be active, but the fear of jostling things around and ruining a potential pregnancy had me becoming a lot lazier than I liked. And because of the ridiculous heat out here in AZ I have been doing my Turbo Jam videos rather than outdoor activities! The high energy, totally ripped, mother of two somehow does not annoy me, rather I look forward to her silly motivation! I have been doing the videos for about 3 weeks now, and I normally don't weigh myself...but I GAINED two pounds... ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? I am telling myself it is muscle...but who knows. Regardless I feel better and have more energy, so I guess that is all that really matters!
So that is the update…regardless of my impatience I have to say I am still “happily” waiting! The sleepless nights and dirty diapers will come soon enough…for now I am enjoying hitting the snooze button on Saturday morning until at least 9am!!!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Long Overdue Update
I can’t believe it’s been since March that I have written anything…wow- guess I am not as much of a writer as I thought I was… Or it could be that I was too busy filling out all the applications and paperwork that goes along with the adoption! J I honestly didn’t think anybody really was looking at this, but I just got an email from a dear friend that said they have it book marked, so now I feel obligated to update it! So… let me take you through the last few months….
Well, we did in fact turn in all of our paperwork on March 17th and then we waited as the agency spent the next few weeks contacting our listed references (BIG Thank You by the way to those who were targeted!!). After our references dutifully lied for us (just kidding), we then awaited getting assigned to a social worker who would conduct our Home Study. For those of you that I haven’t verbally explained this to…the Home Study is when the social worker scrutinizes every aspect of your life, personality and habits to determine if you are suitable to be a parent (don’t you think everyone should have to go through this???). Anyway…so by the end of April our Social Worker (I will refer to her as “R”) contacted me to introduce herself and let me know that she’d be scheduling our first appointment over the next few weeks (more waiting). So Lee and I had our one on one interviews with “R” on Monday, May 19th. They went really well…and apparently we filled out our paperwork SO well that she barely had any questions or blanks to fill in for us! I also want to say that “R” is probably one of the coolest chicks and is so easy to talk to! After our one on ones with her we assumed that our House Visit (when they come to inspect your home) would be a few weeks later…. Ours was scheduled for that FRIDAY!!! Yikes! So I immediately took off from work on that Friday (luckily I have the most understanding and flexible boss in the universe) and cleaned our house top to bottom- of course the puppies were following me around looking quizzically at the cleaning supplies wondering what in the world I was doing. But, the house looked fabulous – if I have to say so myself!!! So “R” arrived and went to meet our dogs first, who were initially penned up but once released carried on by jumping and wiggling at her in excitement…LUCKILY – she didn’t mind! She then proceeded to glace around the downstairs and commented that it was “very nice”, we than gave her the tour around and she again said “very nice”. I almost challenged her to bend down and check the baseboards for dust…but I thought better of it!! We then came back downstairs and sat at the dining room table to wrap things up… Not to say that I wasn’t happy to have a clean house, but I was secretly hoping the inspection would be a little more in-depth to pay tribute to my earlier cleaning spree! Oh Well… so we ended up just chatting nonchalantly about pretty much nothing for about 15 minutes when she got up to go. Here is where the excitement begins… “R” opened our front door to leave and we were following behind her to walk her out to her car. Well the pups took the opportunity of a wide open front door to also exit. Initially we weren’t worried because they usually stick close by, especially when there is someone new to jump on and around… but the little sh*ts took off down the sidewalk. I called them and they stopped for a minute….but then took off like bats out of h-e- double hockey sticks. Lee and I then left our befuddled social worker standing on our porch as we took off in a full on sprint down 4 blocks trying to catch them before we cornered them in the garage of one of our neighbors!! As we were carrying them back down the street, just imagining what would have happened if they had run out onto the street instead of staying on the sidewalk we saw “R” by her car laughing… She said we exhibited “great teamwork” and it reminded her of what it takes to roundup a couple of toddlers!! So… luckily the fact that our dogs ran crazily as far away from our house as possible did not reflect poorly on us!!
After this visit, it was now on “R” to finish her report and send it in to the Superior Court of Arizona for approval! She worked quickly and turned it in the following Tuesday! And as most of you know we received the official word that we had been approved on Tuesday June 10th!!! WOOHOO!!!
While we were waiting for the few weeks in between our first visit with “R” we also had to start our “Dear Birthmother” letter. This is HUGE!!!! Being that it is the only source that the birthmother has to “get to know us” prior to deciding to meet us, it was a big undertaking. We were told it was important to have a FABULOUS front cover picture…so we chose the one that I put here on the board (the one with me in the blue shirt and Lee in the white shirt- and yes we did get it professionally taken) – hopefully everyone will agree that it is a pretty good picture of us both?????? Please???? And our entire “profile letter” (as it is also called) ended up being 10 pages. Long, yes, but we do have photos on every page and 3 whole pages are just a photo montage. So all in all not too long!
So, now that the letter is done and we are certified, we are now on our agency’s prospective waiting list. This is the waiting list for the actual waiting list. The way our agency works- it only allows 30 families on the active list at a time, so you have to wait on the prospective list until a spot on the active list opens up. We are #7 on the prospective list…UGH!!! I have been told though that this can move a lot quicker than you would think, but it still seems like a long way off to wait just to wait! There is still the possibility that we could be shown even though we aren’t on the active list…like if the birthmom requests a younger couple (we are one of the younger couples- a lot of them are in their late 30’s or 40’s). But we will likely be waiting for at least a few months to be moved to the active list!!!
Regardless of the potentially long wait, we have allowed ourselves to get super excited and make a few purchases of some of the essentials. We have the car seat, pack and play, crib, changing table and crib bedding! I have also attached a picture of the bedding we chose… our nursery will be a Beach theme!!! I have likened the feeling of being officially certified to that of seeing a positive pregnancy test (I have never seen one, so I can’t be sure). But it is a HUGE sense of accomplishment and OVERWHELMING JOY!!!! This is absolutely the best feeling in the world to know that we are approved and that dirty diapers and a screaming baby are impending!!! We have decided to slowly but surely start getting the nursery together and I am going to hand paint a border of fish and bubbles around the room to match the bedding! Supposedly preparing the nursery helps pass the time… so if we have to wait a LONG time the nursery is going to be seriously decked out!!!
So here we are… waiting…Lee and I joke every time the phone rings that we “better get it, it could be our baby”… but I am sure the reality of that will set in a bit more once we are actively being shown to birthmoms! And I am sure I will start freaking out more and more with every passing day.
I also think about the woman out there that could potentially be the “tummy mommy” to our child and say a prayer for them, realizing that something that would bring us sheer happiness is currently turning their world upside down and forcing them to make a life altering and completely self sacrificing choice. I hope that God is with them guiding them and giving them peace throughout their pregnancy and in the choices they are making.
On that note… we will just be here waiting for our little someone to join our family. I will try and write more updates as something new happens or as we move farther along with the nursery I will have to post pictures!
Signing off for now, and I will try not to let so much time pass in between posts!!!
Well, we did in fact turn in all of our paperwork on March 17th and then we waited as the agency spent the next few weeks contacting our listed references (BIG Thank You by the way to those who were targeted!!). After our references dutifully lied for us (just kidding), we then awaited getting assigned to a social worker who would conduct our Home Study. For those of you that I haven’t verbally explained this to…the Home Study is when the social worker scrutinizes every aspect of your life, personality and habits to determine if you are suitable to be a parent (don’t you think everyone should have to go through this???). Anyway…so by the end of April our Social Worker (I will refer to her as “R”) contacted me to introduce herself and let me know that she’d be scheduling our first appointment over the next few weeks (more waiting). So Lee and I had our one on one interviews with “R” on Monday, May 19th. They went really well…and apparently we filled out our paperwork SO well that she barely had any questions or blanks to fill in for us! I also want to say that “R” is probably one of the coolest chicks and is so easy to talk to! After our one on ones with her we assumed that our House Visit (when they come to inspect your home) would be a few weeks later…. Ours was scheduled for that FRIDAY!!! Yikes! So I immediately took off from work on that Friday (luckily I have the most understanding and flexible boss in the universe) and cleaned our house top to bottom- of course the puppies were following me around looking quizzically at the cleaning supplies wondering what in the world I was doing. But, the house looked fabulous – if I have to say so myself!!! So “R” arrived and went to meet our dogs first, who were initially penned up but once released carried on by jumping and wiggling at her in excitement…LUCKILY – she didn’t mind! She then proceeded to glace around the downstairs and commented that it was “very nice”, we than gave her the tour around and she again said “very nice”. I almost challenged her to bend down and check the baseboards for dust…but I thought better of it!! We then came back downstairs and sat at the dining room table to wrap things up… Not to say that I wasn’t happy to have a clean house, but I was secretly hoping the inspection would be a little more in-depth to pay tribute to my earlier cleaning spree! Oh Well… so we ended up just chatting nonchalantly about pretty much nothing for about 15 minutes when she got up to go. Here is where the excitement begins… “R” opened our front door to leave and we were following behind her to walk her out to her car. Well the pups took the opportunity of a wide open front door to also exit. Initially we weren’t worried because they usually stick close by, especially when there is someone new to jump on and around… but the little sh*ts took off down the sidewalk. I called them and they stopped for a minute….but then took off like bats out of h-e- double hockey sticks. Lee and I then left our befuddled social worker standing on our porch as we took off in a full on sprint down 4 blocks trying to catch them before we cornered them in the garage of one of our neighbors!! As we were carrying them back down the street, just imagining what would have happened if they had run out onto the street instead of staying on the sidewalk we saw “R” by her car laughing… She said we exhibited “great teamwork” and it reminded her of what it takes to roundup a couple of toddlers!! So… luckily the fact that our dogs ran crazily as far away from our house as possible did not reflect poorly on us!!
After this visit, it was now on “R” to finish her report and send it in to the Superior Court of Arizona for approval! She worked quickly and turned it in the following Tuesday! And as most of you know we received the official word that we had been approved on Tuesday June 10th!!! WOOHOO!!!
While we were waiting for the few weeks in between our first visit with “R” we also had to start our “Dear Birthmother” letter. This is HUGE!!!! Being that it is the only source that the birthmother has to “get to know us” prior to deciding to meet us, it was a big undertaking. We were told it was important to have a FABULOUS front cover picture…so we chose the one that I put here on the board (the one with me in the blue shirt and Lee in the white shirt- and yes we did get it professionally taken) – hopefully everyone will agree that it is a pretty good picture of us both?????? Please???? And our entire “profile letter” (as it is also called) ended up being 10 pages. Long, yes, but we do have photos on every page and 3 whole pages are just a photo montage. So all in all not too long!
So, now that the letter is done and we are certified, we are now on our agency’s prospective waiting list. This is the waiting list for the actual waiting list. The way our agency works- it only allows 30 families on the active list at a time, so you have to wait on the prospective list until a spot on the active list opens up. We are #7 on the prospective list…UGH!!! I have been told though that this can move a lot quicker than you would think, but it still seems like a long way off to wait just to wait! There is still the possibility that we could be shown even though we aren’t on the active list…like if the birthmom requests a younger couple (we are one of the younger couples- a lot of them are in their late 30’s or 40’s). But we will likely be waiting for at least a few months to be moved to the active list!!!
Regardless of the potentially long wait, we have allowed ourselves to get super excited and make a few purchases of some of the essentials. We have the car seat, pack and play, crib, changing table and crib bedding! I have also attached a picture of the bedding we chose… our nursery will be a Beach theme!!! I have likened the feeling of being officially certified to that of seeing a positive pregnancy test (I have never seen one, so I can’t be sure). But it is a HUGE sense of accomplishment and OVERWHELMING JOY!!!! This is absolutely the best feeling in the world to know that we are approved and that dirty diapers and a screaming baby are impending!!! We have decided to slowly but surely start getting the nursery together and I am going to hand paint a border of fish and bubbles around the room to match the bedding! Supposedly preparing the nursery helps pass the time… so if we have to wait a LONG time the nursery is going to be seriously decked out!!!
So here we are… waiting…Lee and I joke every time the phone rings that we “better get it, it could be our baby”… but I am sure the reality of that will set in a bit more once we are actively being shown to birthmoms! And I am sure I will start freaking out more and more with every passing day.
I also think about the woman out there that could potentially be the “tummy mommy” to our child and say a prayer for them, realizing that something that would bring us sheer happiness is currently turning their world upside down and forcing them to make a life altering and completely self sacrificing choice. I hope that God is with them guiding them and giving them peace throughout their pregnancy and in the choices they are making.
On that note… we will just be here waiting for our little someone to join our family. I will try and write more updates as something new happens or as we move farther along with the nursery I will have to post pictures!
Signing off for now, and I will try not to let so much time pass in between posts!!!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Done with our 2nd class!!!
We are officially done with our Adoption classes. WOOHOO!! our next step is to turn in our official application packet, and I am VERY happy to report that we will be doing so on the 17th!! We have two things left on our checklist: our fingerprinting, and Lee's doctor's report. Both of which will happen on the 17th! Once we turn in our packet the agency will send our references (you know who you are) the reference questionnaire and once those are returned we will begin our visits with our social worker. I haven't really thought about it, but YIKES I better start getting my house all nice and neat! After those three visits our social worker writes up our report to send to the courts/judge for approval. Hopefully by July we will be certified and be on the waiting list to be matched with our little one!!! It is kind of surreal to think there is a possibility that we will have our baby before we would if I were to get pregnant right now. There is also the reality that we could be waiting for several years (although most people in our agency wait less than a year). In the meantime I am allowing myself to look at this time as our pregnancy and therefore letting myself get excited at the definite reality of one day having my child in my arms. Well I better get going... our next project is working on our profile letter and our scrapbook to present to birthmothers! and oh yeah... cleaning the house!
Monday, February 18, 2008
Adoption Class #1
Hey! Well we've officially completed our first adoption class! WOOHOO!! It was all day on Saturday 9am-4pm... but it went by really fast and was really good. We received our official Application packet (I think this will be the 3rd application we've filled out so far!) heehee! It is quite large and indepth and I of course already started making my to-do lists based on what information we need to gather.
We met some other really great couples that are in the same boat as us, and that of course is really neat too! We were really lucky to have some guest speakers come in to speak to the group. We had three birth parents speak to us about their experience and one adoptive family (actually the family that adopted the baby of one of the birthmothers that spoke). Both sets of birthparents have an open adoption with their adoptive families and it was really great to see how well that works out for everyone involved. We'll have to talk a bit more about Closed vs. Semi-Open vs. Open when I have more of an opportunity to write...
Anyway... just wanted to let everyone know that the 1st class was awesome and we are continuing on our way!! VERY EXCITING!!!
I know I have been a real slacker with the posts...but jeez time is flying! I hope to write some more soon on the topics of Domestic Infant Adoption and what that entails...
More to come....
We met some other really great couples that are in the same boat as us, and that of course is really neat too! We were really lucky to have some guest speakers come in to speak to the group. We had three birth parents speak to us about their experience and one adoptive family (actually the family that adopted the baby of one of the birthmothers that spoke). Both sets of birthparents have an open adoption with their adoptive families and it was really great to see how well that works out for everyone involved. We'll have to talk a bit more about Closed vs. Semi-Open vs. Open when I have more of an opportunity to write...
Anyway... just wanted to let everyone know that the 1st class was awesome and we are continuing on our way!! VERY EXCITING!!!
I know I have been a real slacker with the posts...but jeez time is flying! I hope to write some more soon on the topics of Domestic Infant Adoption and what that entails...
More to come....
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Your Prayers are Working...
I just wanted to update all of you that have been praying for my cousin, her fiancee and his family...
Things are really looking up as he has made incredible progress over this last week! He is no longer day by day, he is stable, breathing on his own and is able to nod yes or no to questions... and BEST OF ALL... he is recognizing his family and Sarah and is comforted by their presence with him!!!
It is amazing the strides he has made in just a week, and it is so inspiring to see what a fighter he is! He has a long road ahead of him for rehabilitation, but if the last week is any indication of his drive and strength I have no doubt he will triumph! Please continue to keep he, Sarah, and his family in your thoughts as there are still many hurdles to overcome.
Thanks Again!! Love you all!!
Things are really looking up as he has made incredible progress over this last week! He is no longer day by day, he is stable, breathing on his own and is able to nod yes or no to questions... and BEST OF ALL... he is recognizing his family and Sarah and is comforted by their presence with him!!!
It is amazing the strides he has made in just a week, and it is so inspiring to see what a fighter he is! He has a long road ahead of him for rehabilitation, but if the last week is any indication of his drive and strength I have no doubt he will triumph! Please continue to keep he, Sarah, and his family in your thoughts as there are still many hurdles to overcome.
Thanks Again!! Love you all!!
Friday, February 8, 2008
Prayer Request
I am going to take a break from "all about me" for a moment and put out there a request for a prayer chain.
Please keep my cousin Sarah and her fiancee Derek in your prayers.
Derek was working with his father building his and my cousin's future home, when he fell two stories into the concrete basement and broke his fall with his head. He has been in Critical Care in a well known NY Neurological Hospital since last Wednesday, and is making baby steps of progress. They were just able to do the CAT Scans yesterday and I have not heard the latest prognonsis yet. He comes from an extremely loving and religiously strong family that has turned their trust over to God in this time of crisis.
I had just received a letter from my cousin in the mail last Monday that was seeping with excitement for the life that she and Derek are about to begin with eachother and now she is faced with the possibility of losing him forever. My heart is breaking for her and Derek's family and I am hoping that all of you will join me in prayer (if your not religious-than positive thoughts) for Derek's recovery and for strength and peace for Sarah and Derek's family.
Sarah - I LOVE YOU and Lee and I are here for you!!!
(Isaiah 40:29-31) He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Please keep my cousin Sarah and her fiancee Derek in your prayers.
Derek was working with his father building his and my cousin's future home, when he fell two stories into the concrete basement and broke his fall with his head. He has been in Critical Care in a well known NY Neurological Hospital since last Wednesday, and is making baby steps of progress. They were just able to do the CAT Scans yesterday and I have not heard the latest prognonsis yet. He comes from an extremely loving and religiously strong family that has turned their trust over to God in this time of crisis.
I had just received a letter from my cousin in the mail last Monday that was seeping with excitement for the life that she and Derek are about to begin with eachother and now she is faced with the possibility of losing him forever. My heart is breaking for her and Derek's family and I am hoping that all of you will join me in prayer (if your not religious-than positive thoughts) for Derek's recovery and for strength and peace for Sarah and Derek's family.
Sarah - I LOVE YOU and Lee and I are here for you!!!
(Isaiah 40:29-31) He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
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