Would we jinx the whole thing by saying this will be the year!?!?!


Jan. 4th, Friday:

 

Tara is rather antsy! Maybe a bit more than "rather", she is really anxious to hear anything at all from the Provincial Coordinator(that everything was received, perfect and processed then sent to Georgia) or the agency that they have received our dossier and we've been entered into the pool. I know, I know, it is the Holiday Season. The Provincial Co. took a well deserved vacation and I'm sure there has been time off at the agency as well.

We are sooo excited about adopting and knowing it will eventually happen. It will be incredible that Paul will be able to take 35 wks. of parental leave! We have been thinking and planning for the babes room. We were going to move Parker and give her the new room but that idea didn't go over well when the reality of "change" hit Parker. We rearranged her room after Christmas and she didn't take well to the idea. It took a few days for her to ease into the idea. SO, the spare room will now be the nursery. In all honesty, we are tore about working on the nursery. Do we want to have it all prepared and look at an empty room day after day. That's a cruel reminder. We will finish clearing it out, paint and lay the flooring. NO purchasing of baby things. Paul really doesn't want to buy things yet. Where we will have 6-8 weeks after the babe is born before he/she comes home, we'll have plenty of time to pull everything together. Plus that will be a good way of keeping "occupied" so the wait doesn't drive us nuts!

Tara emailed the Provincial Co. yesterday in hopes that she may be back from vacation. We feel like a pain contacting others but have found it's the only way to keep things going and informed. She is super so I'm sure she will get back to us upon her return.

The reality of the adoption has hit our family. It is amazing to hear family members talking about it without us brining it up! To know that they are thinking about it and talking with others, that is a blessing in it's self. The only way to describe it is, it feels super! Tara's Mom is being asked by friends and co-workers if we(the family) have that babe yet and how long will it be. Tara's sister has spoke of her friends mentioning how great it is and wonderful for us. Tara's father is still a bit concerned about something that costs so much but talks about the things he'll do with the child. Over Christmas it was a great time to get others thoughts that we wouldn't have thought of. Like Tara's Gram and her boyfriend. They are older and well, a bit more close minded than our generation when it comes to a transracial family. We are encouraged that everything will work out and our family will be wonderfully accepted.


Jan. 7th, Monday evening:

 

We sent an email to Betty at TOD this evening. Just a quick little note to inquire if she has received our Dossier from the Province(Dept. of Family Services) yet. I know, we're anxious to know aren't we.

We are keeping busy. Knowing that eventually our family will expand to four! The spare rm. door has been left open last week. You know, it is a great feeling to know it will be used in the future. Another room done up for another little person .. will it be a theme for a boy or a girl??? Tara contacted a friend today to see if she would be interested in selling her "baby things" next month. We are going to try and prepare a bit. We also have an appointment with the Bank of Montreal on Friday to see about the adoption loan. Wish us luck! We hate doing those "bank things".


Jan. 8th, Tuesday:

 

The Provincial Coordinator is back from vacation! Unfortunately, she did not receive the original homestudy we had sent prior to her vacation. She emailed us this AM and will get the documents legalized within the next couple of days & then it will be sent via courier to The Open Door in Georgia. Then we will be in the waiting pool of parents!!! YAHOOOOOOO!


Jan. 10th, Thursday: NEWS! NEWS! NEWS!!!

The agency called at noon(12:01) today. Tara saw the number come up on the phone and knew who it was right away. It was great to hear Betty's voice. She began that she hadn't received our dossier yet and asked a couple questions. Were we open to either gender and all races? Yes, of course Tara replied and then she continued to let us know that a little AA boy had been born yesterday. She didn't know the specifics yet regarding him and his bmom. They were going today for the bmom to sign the surrender(parental rights). She was adamant about placing her child even though her mother has there last night trying to sway her to parent. That causes a bit of concern for us. Will it really happen??? He appeared healthy and had some trouble with spitting up so they put in the little tube(Parker had a feeding tube so we know what she is referring to) and that his milk will be switched to Similac. They think it was just a bit of mucus. Parker had trouble with the same thing(choking).

We are anxious to hear how the surrender went and the specifics.

May this be God's hand at work, extending our family! In the state of Georgia, after the consent is given, the bmom has 10 days in which to change her mind. After that time, we could continue to proceed with the adoption. It is hard not wanting to get to excited and "attached" to the idea of this little one. When Betty hung up she said to just pretend she didn't call. We are very aware of all the unknowns and things that could happen inbetween the next 10 days. Both of us have this feeling that it will not be the last call like this. Is it just our own preception that nothing happens like this and so quickly. We will know within a couple of weeks for sure if we can begin planning for a son.

Betty requested that we have the homestudy faxed to them so Tara called the Prov. Coordinator(12:52) and left a msg. Then half an hour later remembered that she didn't leave the fax number! ~laugh~. She called again this time speaking to the coordinator. She had sent something(not sure if it was the entire dossier or just part) off yesterday for legalization and hoped to have it back today. When that returns, she will courier everything to Betty. In the mean time she will fax the entire thing commenting on how much faxing and pages that would be. Hopefully it is all done and sitting on Betty's desk.

Tara is going to drop an email to Betty to let her know the dossier has not been sent yet and that it will be faxed. If she does not receive the fax, we'll give her the name and number of the coordinator to get ahold of.

CROSS ALL YOUR FINGERS, TOES AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN THINK OF! Please keep our family and this situation in prayer.

We heard from Betty, the bmother signed the surrenders. That is promising! All Betty needs is our dossier to read and approve so she can show our Life Book! ALSO, there are three birth mothers who will be delivering full African American babies due within the next week or so. WOW! Surely out of four situations, our family will be selected by one. We are SOOOOO HOPEFUL! You can imagine all the thoughts and emotions running through us right now!


Jan. 12th, Sat:

 

Betty emailed us to say that the homestudy was faxed. Part of the fax did not come thru clearly so we faxed her the copy we have here. She also told us that the bmom changed her mind and decided to parent. We were kinda expecting that since her mother was strongly urging against the placement. It is disappointing but not the end of the world. We didn't know his specifics or anything on the birthfamily.

On another note, our Profile/Life Books are out there to be display now! Even though the situation this week didn't work out, it is so nice to finally be in this part of "the game". There are three other ladies expecting within the next week or shortly after so we're very hopeful.

Now we wait ...


Jan. 14th, Monday:

 

Our loan was approved! That sure takes a load off!

It has been snowing and blowing like mad!! It's the middle of Jan. and this is our first snow storm. We've have had a wonderful winter so far. It has been more like Fall. Roughly 15 inches of the cold white stuff was deposited on our area.


Jan. 21st, Monday:

 

Last Thursday evening we went shopping for flooring(spare rm.) Saturday morning we were up early and out for breakfast with Tara's parents. We purchased a couple extra things needed for installing the flooring and spent the rest of the day working at it. Paul and I hadn't worked together like that since buying our house almost nine years ago! It was time well spent together which I really enjoyed. One more thing that we were doing to make our house "our home" and preparing for our next child. The maple floor looks real nice with only a couple little errors ~laugh~. Man oh man, are we ever two sore people! Who would have thought that type of work would be such a workout! We ran out of underlay so with more supplies, the job will be finished tonight. IF we can get our backs and knees to agree to that bending thing!

It feels incredible to be preparing the house for another child. We'll post pictures of the project as we go. Parker now thinks she will want to switch rooms. The room will have a Fairy Tale theme with the look of cement block walls(to look like an old castle wall) and then painting(steciling) to suit either a boy or girl. That's the idea we have anyway ~laugh~. We looked for borders and color schemes but didn't see anything that really stood out to us so we'll work on our own idea/theme.


Jan. 21st, Monday:

 

The flooring for the spare room was completed tonight. We plan to get the paint Thursday evening. It still seems "odd" to refer to the room as a nursery. Isn't it strange how we try to "protect" ourselves from possible "let downs/heart break". If you have been through infertility or the loss of a pregnancy, unfortunately, you'll know that feeling. It's like being afraid to jinx things, to the extreme. I remember my pregnancy with Parker. I kept waiting for something terrible to come. We didn't prepare much due to that fear. I guess it comes from years of those "negative" tests instead of the big " + " sign. And wondering of the possible miscarriage. If you're a psychiatrist and reading this, please let us know ~Laugh~.


Jan. 24th, Thursday: ~!MORE NEWS!~

After receiving an email from a fellow adoptive mom(Thanks Pam!) who had worked with the same agency, Tara called to inquire about an upcoming possible situation which Pam had brought to our attention(Twins -boy/girl). Betty was super as always and tried to tell us about a situation without actually saying it. There is already something in the works for us! Betty had contacted Family & Community Services to let them know about the possible situation for our family(they have to be the ones to let us know and all of the details). They are not to contact us until the surrenders are final. Once the birthmom signed the surrender, she has 10 days(within the State of Georgia) in which she can revoke the decison and decide to parent. That 10 days will be up next Monday at midnight! So, we'll known by Tuesday morning(the 29th) if this is to be our child!!! A boy or a girl, we'll know *hopefully* on Tuesday!!!


Jan. 28th, Monday:

 

We emailed the agency yesterday. Where we weren't suppose to know about the possibility until after the surrenders are final, we requested that if the bmom had revoked or does so within the alloted time frame to please let us know. That way we wouldn't be waiting to hear from anyone on Tuesday. Betty emailed saying that after she speaks with our agency(FCS)today, she has some photos to send to us! HOPING they will come via email as well as snail mail! It looks like we are to be the family for a little babe out there! Tara is SOOOO ANXIOUS to find out all the details and the gender!!!

IT'S A BOY! CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR ALL THE DETAILS AND INFO. ON THIS LITTLE FELLOW AS WELL AS HIS PHOTOS.


Jan. 30th, Wed: