More...Meeting & Crib

Good morning.  Over the weekend mom came down to paint the crib and put it together.  We spent 1 whole, extremely hot day painting the crib.  We primered the crib, then painted it a milk chocolate brown (2 coats) and lastly painted it white (3 coats).  The next day we put it together and sanded down some of the edges to show the brown through the white.  Here are a couple pictures:

It was hard work, but we completed it.  Thank you mom!!

Mike and I met with Sarah Jensen from the Adoption Center yesterday for a couple hours.  The meeting was for Sarah to get to know us better, learn about our family pasts, how we met, and learn more about our relationship.  She gave us a contract to take home, review and sign.  This morning I'll be calling in to make our next appointment to return the signed contract, pay 1/2 our adoption fee, and have a special education session covering:  a) understanding the details of independent, open adoption and b) preparing the "Dear Birthmother Letter" for potential birthmothers.  Sarah also gave us a book called, "The Open Adoption Experience" by Lois Ruskai Melina and Sharon Kaplan Roszia.  We're going to read it together.

I want to close with this loving scripture from Romans 8:28. 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

XOXO

Meeting & Crib

Hello All,
I'm sorry for not updating the blog recently.  Things have been pretty quiet recently and Mike & I just returned from vacation.  Here is a picture of us in Park City, UT.  (We did a lot of hiking.) :)

While on vacation we received a call to schedule our next appointment at the Adoption Center.  So, we go in on Tuesday, September 28th to meet with the director for 2 hours.  This will be our first in-depth and one-on-one meeting for the adoption.  I'll fill you all in on that meeting next week.

In the meantime, Mike and I sanded down a crib that we had purchased.  This is the crib sanded and in pieces.

Mom is coming this weekend to paint the crib with me.  We're going to paint it a chocolate brown and then antique white over the brown.  Then in certain areas we'll sand the white to show the brown to make it look shabby chic.  When it is all put together I'll post a couple pictures.

A friend was going to come this Saturday to paint the tree on the nursery wall, but she is not able to come until mid-October. 

Things seem to be moving along at a comfortable speed.  I will try to post more often.

Love,
Brenda

Not-So-Update

Hi All,
I spoke with the Adoption Center today and they just received our last reference letter earlier this week.  They will be reviewing the letters and calling us early next week to make an appointment.  Not much else to report at this time.  :)
Love,
Brenda

Nursery

Good morning!
We had the nursery painted last week and it looks great.  Here are a few pictures of the walls and the antique pieces of furnature.

This is the wall we're going to have a white tree painted.

This will be the changing table

Here is the dresser

I will be polishing the dresser and changing table soon.  They need just a little bit of love.

All the referral letters have been sent in, so the next step is for the Adoption Center to call us to make an appointment for our Pre-Adoption Session.  I'm waiting by the phone.  :)

Have a wonderful day!

Love,

Brenda

Referral Letters and More

A few small updates for you today. 

The Adoption Center sent us the referral letters to forward out to 1 family member and 2 non-family members.  We chose Grandpa & Grandma Bock, Carlos & Nora (Carlos used to be a co-worker of ours and now their whole family is next to family to us) and Darryl & Denise (our wonderful neighbors).  Once those letters are returned to the Adoption Center, then our next step is the Pre-Adoption and Application Sessions.  That will consist of a 2-hour session with the director and a separate session with a counselor.

Mike and I purchased a couple furniture pieces at a local antique shop for the nursery.  I just love them.  The tall one is the dresser and the shorter, longer piece (bad picture because it's stuffed in our garage for now) will be the changing table.  Once we begin putting the room together, then I'll polish them up and change out the hardware on one of them.

One of Mike's soccer friends does painting and work has been slow for him, so Mike hired him  topaint the nursery tomorrow.  I'm really excited.  Here is a picture of how the room looks now and a picture of the color the room will be painted (green).

We're enjoying this process so far and I'm so glad we get to share it with all of you.  :)

Love,

Brenda

Correction

Since my last posting I found out new information.  I thought our next is the application processing and readiness session, but I stand corrected.  The next step is for us to send out referral letters to have completed by some close family and friends for the Adoption Center to review.  Once Sarah at the Adoption Center receives and reviews all of the letters, then Mike and I go in for the application processing and readiness session.  I should be receiving the letters to send out this weekend.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Brenda

Orientation

I would have blogged sooner, but I've been glued to the couch being sick.  Feeling better, but this cough is going to be tough to kick.

Our orientation was Tuesday night and it was beneficial.  We met 5 other nice couples looking into adoption also and the director of the Adoption Center of San Diego, Sarah Jensen.  She has worked in adoption for numerous years and has a lot of great knowledge.  We did have to leave a little early because I was feeling terrible.  But here is some information we learned:

** Birthmothers don't see their baby as a gift, they see the adopting parents as the gift.  Also, they don't GIVE UP their baby for adoption...they PLACE their baby in a home of their choice.

* The average age of birthmothers that come into the Adoption Center are 18-25 years; however, they've had 1 mother as young as 13 and 1 as old as 44 years.

* Birthmothers and birthfathers (presumed, not alleged) have 30 days once they sign the adoption papers to change their mind.  But Sarah Jensen said that it's rare that happens.  Typically, if a birth parent is going to change their mind, then it will be before the baby is born.

* Information that we'll be provided when a birthmother chooses us: medical history of birthmother (Adoption Center gets a medical release from the birthmother), birthfather (if known), medical history of the family, drug and/or alcohol history, hobbies, school, personality traits, information on birthgrandparents, etc.  It's about 10 pages of information.

* Once a birthmother chooses us, then we begin to build a relationship with her and her family.  We do this by:  spending quality time with them, invite her/them to our family gatherings, go to prenatal appointments and have open phone conversations.

Next up!
We filled out a questionnaire that is reviewed by the Adoption Center to find out if we are good canidates.  If we are, then our next step is the Application Processing & Adoption Readiness Sessions.  Please keep us in your prayers that God allows us to be accepted.

I can tell this adoption process will include a lot of "hurry up and wait".  Here is a perfect scripture that a friend sent to me in a card recently:

"These things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed." Habakkuk 2:3

We hope to have more information to share with you soon.

Love & hugs,
Brenda