For those who don't know, I am a chiropractor. In my profession, I come into contact with so many different people and I am continually blessed (and sometimes when I least expect it). Last week, I had a new patient who is only in town for a few months. A first impression would tell you that he is a "rough" man who has seen some tough times. He was coming in for some back pain, and he was ready to do what it takes to truly heal his body. As I was looking over his paperwork, his family history section was crossed out and the word "Adopted" was written across all of the lines.
As I took his history, we came to the family history, and I said, "I see that you were adopted."
He replied (in his thick Southern accent), "Yep, no family history for you."
For whatever reason, I decided to share with this man whom I just met five minutes before, "My husband and I are actually in the process of adopting a baby."
All at once, the tone of his voice changed and he said, "God could not have found better parents for me and I know it will be the same for any baby that enters your family. You will be a blessing in any child's life."
I seriously almost cried. God has granted us so many blessings and sometimes they come from the most unexpected places.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Friday is Active Day!
Our profile was complete on Monday. However, we need to sign our activation paperwork in front of a notary (together) and Matt can't take off work this week. So, Friday afternoon (Matt is always off on Friday) we are going to the bank to sign the papers and then we are hand-delivering them to the agency. This actually works out great because we can then pick up the video camera and instructions to work on our video profile. I believe our profile will go active on Friday when we drop off the signed papers (and the $2000 activation fee).
We weren't planning to do the video profile, but they are encouraging all of their new prospective adoptive parents to make them now. So, we are doing it. It will actually be a great weekend to video some family activities. We have Lexi's soccer game, the Easter carnival at church, Easter egg dying with family, and Easter celebration itself. So, hopefully we can get lots of great footage this weekend.
We weren't planning to do the video profile, but they are encouraging all of their new prospective adoptive parents to make them now. So, we are doing it. It will actually be a great weekend to video some family activities. We have Lexi's soccer game, the Easter carnival at church, Easter egg dying with family, and Easter celebration itself. So, hopefully we can get lots of great footage this weekend.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Pictures
Here is a slideshow of the pictures we submitted for our profile. They won't all be used in the profile, but I wanted to give you all a peak at our lives.
Friday, April 15, 2011
The Profile Proof. . .
. . . came today. We e-mailed back a few changes that we would like made. More progress. . .
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Conversation with Lexi
As we were pulling out of the driveway today, Lexi said, "I wish I could drive my own car."
I said, "Well, you have to be a little older to drive your own car."
She excitedly replies, "Oh! When I'm a big sister I will get to drive my own car."
"Well honey, you have to be 16 to drive your own car."
She thought about that for a few seconds and replies, "So, you're sixteen mommy?"
Everything is so literal to a four-year-old.
"No Lex. I'm not sixteen. You have to be sixteen or older to drive your own car."
"Oo-oh. So, you have to be at least sixteen."
"Yes."
"Well, I'm only four."
Sure enough.
I said, "Well, you have to be a little older to drive your own car."
She excitedly replies, "Oh! When I'm a big sister I will get to drive my own car."
"Well honey, you have to be 16 to drive your own car."
She thought about that for a few seconds and replies, "So, you're sixteen mommy?"
Everything is so literal to a four-year-old.
"No Lex. I'm not sixteen. You have to be sixteen or older to drive your own car."
"Oo-oh. So, you have to be at least sixteen."
"Yes."
"Well, I'm only four."
Sure enough.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Non-Committal
Let me start by saying, "I am NOT feeling non-committal about the adoption." We are fully committed to growing our family through adoption. It is just everything else is hard to commit to when you never know what might happen with the adoption process. We could get a call about a baby already born the day we become active. We could wait months. It could be anywhere in between those two things. Only God knows for sure.
So, we know now that it may be up to 14 business days before our profile is done and active. We've got two weeks here where we know we won't have a baby. What can I commit to in two weeks? I can help with Easter services at church. I can bring snacks to Lexi's soccer game. I can take long showers. I can plant a garden and take long walks with Lexi and Matt. I can learn to relax and sleep in a little on Saturdays.
Now after those two weeks, it is so hard to say what I can do. There are lots of things I want to do, but I want a baby so much more. I want to be available for whatever timing God has in store for us. I hear waiting potential adoptive parents (PAPs) say that you can't put your life on hold and I absolutely respect that idea. However, I feel like every time I try to commit to something I have to have this long disclaimer.
"Would you mind hosting a get together for a bunch of friends sometime this summer Amanda?"
"I would love to (Really!), but you must know that I may have to leave on short notice and stay out of the state for two weeks or more and then be back home with a newborn and . . . "
"Would you be willing to teach Vacation Bible School in June?"
"I would love to (again Really!), but I may have to be out of state on short notice for 2+ weeks. Aaaa-nd, I'm not sure if I can take more time off of work when I already will be taking a lot of time when the baby comes, but we don't know when that is."
"Let's plan a canoe trip and go camping!"
"OK, I seriously would love to, bu-ut. . . "
You get the idea. I also have this ever-looming guilt about actually leaving my practice for 2+ weeks, which I have never done. The fact that we may have to leave on short notice with no ability to actually plan that out. . . well. . . it's . . . mind-boggling actually. Even just working 1-2 days a week seems so do-able to me, but 2+ weeks with no contact with my patients is a little overwhelming. I love taking care of these people!
My loving husband is much calmer about the whole thing. I love him for it. He says if we can't go camping and canoeing, we'll just pitch a tent in the backyard and roast marshmallows over our little pit fire. I told him that when he figures out a way to simulate the canoe trip in the backyard, I'm all ears. He also said that God might have really great timing and I'll already be off work with the baby during VBS time, so then I'll only have the excuse of having a newborn to keep me from working with a bunch of elementary children. God has a sense of humor.
Our pastor actually shared with the whole congregation on Sunday that he and his family are also in the adoption process. He didn't share a lot of details, but he did share that it is hard to fully trust God during the process. I wholeheartedly agree, yet deep down inside I do trust Him. I know that all of these seemingly important concerns (in my mind anyway) are just a speck of sand to an all-knowing God. To that belief. . . I am committed.
So, we know now that it may be up to 14 business days before our profile is done and active. We've got two weeks here where we know we won't have a baby. What can I commit to in two weeks? I can help with Easter services at church. I can bring snacks to Lexi's soccer game. I can take long showers. I can plant a garden and take long walks with Lexi and Matt. I can learn to relax and sleep in a little on Saturdays.
Now after those two weeks, it is so hard to say what I can do. There are lots of things I want to do, but I want a baby so much more. I want to be available for whatever timing God has in store for us. I hear waiting potential adoptive parents (PAPs) say that you can't put your life on hold and I absolutely respect that idea. However, I feel like every time I try to commit to something I have to have this long disclaimer.
"Would you mind hosting a get together for a bunch of friends sometime this summer Amanda?"
"I would love to (Really!), but you must know that I may have to leave on short notice and stay out of the state for two weeks or more and then be back home with a newborn and . . . "
"Would you be willing to teach Vacation Bible School in June?"
"I would love to (again Really!), but I may have to be out of state on short notice for 2+ weeks. Aaaa-nd, I'm not sure if I can take more time off of work when I already will be taking a lot of time when the baby comes, but we don't know when that is."
"Let's plan a canoe trip and go camping!"
"OK, I seriously would love to, bu-ut. . . "
You get the idea. I also have this ever-looming guilt about actually leaving my practice for 2+ weeks, which I have never done. The fact that we may have to leave on short notice with no ability to actually plan that out. . . well. . . it's . . . mind-boggling actually. Even just working 1-2 days a week seems so do-able to me, but 2+ weeks with no contact with my patients is a little overwhelming. I love taking care of these people!
My loving husband is much calmer about the whole thing. I love him for it. He says if we can't go camping and canoeing, we'll just pitch a tent in the backyard and roast marshmallows over our little pit fire. I told him that when he figures out a way to simulate the canoe trip in the backyard, I'm all ears. He also said that God might have really great timing and I'll already be off work with the baby during VBS time, so then I'll only have the excuse of having a newborn to keep me from working with a bunch of elementary children. God has a sense of humor.
Our pastor actually shared with the whole congregation on Sunday that he and his family are also in the adoption process. He didn't share a lot of details, but he did share that it is hard to fully trust God during the process. I wholeheartedly agree, yet deep down inside I do trust Him. I know that all of these seemingly important concerns (in my mind anyway) are just a speck of sand to an all-knowing God. To that belief. . . I am committed.
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