Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Our profile was shown...TWICE!

We got our April update a day early from a caseworker...our profile was shown twice in the month of March!

We don't know any details. We just know that it was shown to 2 separate expectant mothers on two different days. We weren't selected by the expectant parents, but we at least know we were "seen."

I'm so excited! Our caseworker had told us that we probably wouldn't be shown at all during the first 6 months. (If an expectant mother comes in and asks for us specifically or asks to see a profile of couples that match what she's looking for, then we might be shown. Otherwise, if she doesn't have anything specific in mind, waiting couples who have been waiting the longest are shown first.) So us being shown TWICE is pretty exciting!

Just wanted to share our news!!!

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Agency updates

I checked our agency's waiting families list yesterday. It looks like there are two new couples listed, and 2 couples that are now matched with expectant mothers. I'm glad that there's been some activity!

I think we're due to hear from our caseworker the first week of April (if I'm remembering right.) I hope that we hear some news at that point. It would be nice to hear that our profile has been shown.

In other news...One of the couples that is using the same agency is someone that I grew up with (well, I grew up with the wife...J and I grew up across the street from each other.) She and her husband (along with their son and both sets of their parents) are in Ethiopia right now. The couple is adopting again, and they just arrived. I keep checking their blog for updates. It's so exciting! I'm really happy for them. I know they have had a long wait. This is their blog if you want to read about their story: Journey to Ethiopia...Again!

So, that's about it. I've been trying to think of other things to write about...other adoption-related topics. If anyone has any suggestions, you can throw them out there! :)

I did find one cool thing earlier...The Hallmark Channel has web versions of their adoption stories. (I'm assuming it's a tv show, too, but maybe it's just online.) I only watched one so far, but I want to eventually watch all of them. Seems like a really good thing to check out: Hallmark Channel Adoption Stories. There's a season one and two, so there's lots to watch.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

He Takes Me the Way I Am

Do you know the song, "The Way I Am," by Ingrid Michaelson? I bought her cd yesterday, and I just love that song:

If you were falling, then I would catch you
If you need a light, I'd find a match

'Cause I love the way you say good morning
And you take me the way I am

If you are chilly, here take my sweater
If your head is aching, I'll make it better

'Cause I love the way you call me baby
And you take me the way I am




With all that's been going on with us, especially the waiting, Steve and I have been trying to do date nights at least once a week. He knew that I had a rough week this past week. (Thank you again to everyone who left comments for me...just had to deal with a lot of different things all at once.) He brought flowers home for me on Monday. We keep calling them miracle flowers because they still look just as pretty as the day he brought them home:



He is just such a good guy. I am so lucky to have him as my husband. He really does 'take me as I am.' He loves me and is there for me, no matter what. He tries his best to understand why I'm upset or sad and he always wants to fix it and make me feel better. He's just such a good person. On Thursday night we had our official date night. We went to a bookstore that we love and hung out for a while. We both love to read and it's fun to wander around to see what's new. I did have a book in my hand, but then I saw the title of the cd I mentioned above, and I knew I really wanted to hear the title song. It's called "Be Ok," and I felt like I kept telling myself all week long that I was going to be okay - I just needed to get through the long week. I bought it, and we listened to almost the whole cd on the way home. I really felt better after hearing it. (Hope that doesn't sound hokey.) I just think music (and art) have a way of healing and making you feel better.

Well, yesterday I came home from work and decided to check our agency's website to see if there were any changes. Every Friday our agency updates the links to our profiles. That's when they add new waiting families who have completed their home studies. They also highlight couples that have been linked with a birthmother or have had a baby boy or girl placed with them. I check the site every Friday to see if there are any changes. Last week there were no changes, but this week one new couple joined and two baby boys were placed with waiting couples. Over the past two months there have been quite a few babies placed (I think it's up to 9 right now.) They have had quite a few new birthmothers and waiting families sign up with the agency, too.

We've been so happy to see more and more couples matched and more babies placed. I guess it makes me feel more optimistic, especially since a few months ago, our agency was really struggling and things didn't look so positive.

We are hoping that our agency has shown our profile since our first update from our caseworker. I think our next update will be the first week of April. We also spent a lot of time over the past 2 weeks working on a grant application to send to an organization that helps families that are adopting. We figured it's worth a shot. Every little bit helps.

I had a nice moment the week before last...Someone who is working in my building told me that they have been going through a similar thing. She had heard that we want to adopt and she wanted to share her story with me. She had also been through infertility treatments and has dealt with loss. She and her husband chose to adopt after many years. She said they found their daughter's birthmother through an acquaintance of her mother. She said she really believes it's important to tell everyone you meet that you want to adopt. She said you never know who will know someone who is considering adoption. She also said that she and her husband are trying to adopt a second child right now. She offered to talk to me whenever I need to talk. It was really nice to meet someone who has been there before.

I hope this post doesn't ramble quite as much as I think it does! Things feel better today; I guess that's the main thing.