This blog is awesome. Awesome that it encompasses both infertility and adoption so well. I'm reminded that while becoming a parent will fulfill our ache for children, it will never take away the sting of infertility. I haven't had a lot of time to read a lot of her posts, but these are two that resonated with me. Since I haven't had a lot of time to write lately, I'll let her speak for now!
http://www.amusingmaralee.com/2013/01/how-to-support-your-infertile-friend/
http://www.amusingmaralee.com/2013/01/feeling-forgotten-infertility-hurts/
Monday, February 10, 2014
Sunday, February 9, 2014
balloon manor
Col saw this news article about Balloon Manor, and we took our niece to go see it. This year's theme was Jack and the Beanstalk. It is amazing what they can create out of balloons! We had fun going up each level to see it from each perspective.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Gilmore Girls reading challenge - the start
I'm an avid, long-time Gilmore Girls fan since I started watching it in high school. A little while ago I came across a book list of all the books that are mentioned throughout the 7 seasons. I am officially embarking on tackling the list, which includes 344 books, with my friend who now lives in Nashville. We are going to start with a book a month but alter it depending on the type and length of each book. This could take us 30 years!
Want to join in? Let me know in the comments, and I will send you the list. Read on!
Want to join in? Let me know in the comments, and I will send you the list. Read on!
February 2014: Little Women
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
two year blog-iversary
This blog has existed for two years now! Wow! It's had some great posts and some weeks of nothing, but I continue to love the outlet. It will also never cease to amaze me hearing about people who read my blog. And so, I'm happy to continue to share our journey on this crazy roller coaster ride of life!
this year's top 5 most read/popular posts:
-puzzle fundraiser
-[adoption] not for the faint of heart
-our news :)
-our whirlwind week
-we need your help!!
my 5 favorite posts (excluding any of the above):
-adoption faq's
-[learning to] gain patience
-in honor of our first apartment
-supporting adoptive families
-meet Mendon
this year's top 5 most read/popular posts:
-puzzle fundraiser
-[adoption] not for the faint of heart
-our news :)
-our whirlwind week
-we need your help!!
my 5 favorite posts (excluding any of the above):
-adoption faq's
-[learning to] gain patience
-in honor of our first apartment
-supporting adoptive families
-meet Mendon
Saturday, January 25, 2014
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Thursday, January 23, 2014
opening up to out of state
Recently we called our family advocate social worker just to check in and see if there was anything we could do since the phone has been silent. She said that sometimes it's just like this, which makes sense, because it all depends on how many birthparents they are working with and where they are in the process. She reassured us that our grids are all pretty open so there isn't much to change, but that the one thing we could update was to open ourselves up to out of state referrals.
When we first filled out our grids, more than six months ago, we decided to only be open to cases in NYS because out of state can get a lot more expensive with the travel and needing to stay in the other state for a while (you have to be cleared to cross state boundaries). We decided that if we were still waiting after a year, we would consider out of state. Our advocate told us that they had a few cases from out of state recently and that the costs were about the same as some of our previous calls. So we thought about it, both agreed that we didn't want to wait until the year mark that we had previously set, and decided to open ourselves up to it. Why not? I don't feel as scared of the possibility as I did before, and we also have the option to say no to a case if it unfortunately is not feasible for us.
The other night we sat down with the grids, and because they have been re-vamped, we re-did them all. We checked the box "will consider" for out of state, and now we'll see what happens! I feel like this step was one of faith and renewed trust that God has every single piece of this journey in His control. Now we have less to limit us by, so God can work!
When we first filled out our grids, more than six months ago, we decided to only be open to cases in NYS because out of state can get a lot more expensive with the travel and needing to stay in the other state for a while (you have to be cleared to cross state boundaries). We decided that if we were still waiting after a year, we would consider out of state. Our advocate told us that they had a few cases from out of state recently and that the costs were about the same as some of our previous calls. So we thought about it, both agreed that we didn't want to wait until the year mark that we had previously set, and decided to open ourselves up to it. Why not? I don't feel as scared of the possibility as I did before, and we also have the option to say no to a case if it unfortunately is not feasible for us.
The other night we sat down with the grids, and because they have been re-vamped, we re-did them all. We checked the box "will consider" for out of state, and now we'll see what happens! I feel like this step was one of faith and renewed trust that God has every single piece of this journey in His control. Now we have less to limit us by, so God can work!
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
advice on how to support "the wait"
A friend that we met through adoption (one of the first families we got together with to talk to before applying to our agency) linked this blog post on Facebook recently. I love it and even though some of the content leans toward international adoption, I still think that it's extremely relevant. Yes we have made it through #3 so far, but we still have a little of #1, will always need #2, and are right now smack dab in the middle of the struggle of #4.
After reading the introduction, I am extremely grateful for all of you, our family and friends, who have supported us thus far in every way possible. I never dreamed we would lose loved ones throughout this process and thankfully we haven't, but I still recommend giving this blog post a read as we muddle our way through "the wait."
A favorite line from section #4: "Remember the way you felt when you heard your child's heartbeat for the very first time, or witnessed the kicks and wiggles on an ultrasound machine? That overwhelming desire to protect, and nurture your child with every fiber of your being before you had even physically met her? It's the exact same thing. But we don't have the privilege of watching our bellies expand and feeling the reassuring wriggling inside of us. We just have this stretched out heart.....We don't have the privilege of knowing that our wait will be just nine months - a definite ending point when we will see our child's face. Instead our timetable is very much indefinite, we get no guarantee of when he will arrive, and that is hard. It is so hard."
We applied to our agency and began the process with them right away in March. We have passed the 9 month mark from that point. We became a waiting family at the end of July. It's been 6 months. So yes, sometimes this difference in the length of time compared to a pregnancy is hard for me.
Thanks for loving, for supporting, for being there for us. This journey may be very long, so thank you in advance for still asking and checking in, even if we are learning to love "the wait" years from now (but hopefully we aren't...only God knows)!
After reading the introduction, I am extremely grateful for all of you, our family and friends, who have supported us thus far in every way possible. I never dreamed we would lose loved ones throughout this process and thankfully we haven't, but I still recommend giving this blog post a read as we muddle our way through "the wait."
A favorite line from section #4: "Remember the way you felt when you heard your child's heartbeat for the very first time, or witnessed the kicks and wiggles on an ultrasound machine? That overwhelming desire to protect, and nurture your child with every fiber of your being before you had even physically met her? It's the exact same thing. But we don't have the privilege of watching our bellies expand and feeling the reassuring wriggling inside of us. We just have this stretched out heart.....We don't have the privilege of knowing that our wait will be just nine months - a definite ending point when we will see our child's face. Instead our timetable is very much indefinite, we get no guarantee of when he will arrive, and that is hard. It is so hard."
We applied to our agency and began the process with them right away in March. We have passed the 9 month mark from that point. We became a waiting family at the end of July. It's been 6 months. So yes, sometimes this difference in the length of time compared to a pregnancy is hard for me.
Thanks for loving, for supporting, for being there for us. This journey may be very long, so thank you in advance for still asking and checking in, even if we are learning to love "the wait" years from now (but hopefully we aren't...only God knows)!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
"I will cast my cares on You, the Almighty..."
Today's sermon was partially about 1 Peter 5:7. At the end of the service, they showed this video and then transitioned into playing it live. I've never heard the song before, but the artist has a great back story that really drives the lyrics home. Click on the link below for the video, posted originally on our pastor's blog.
http://www.davidwhiting.org/my_weblog/2014/01/cast-my-care-song-from-sunday-a-video.html
http://www.davidwhiting.org/my_weblog/2014/01/cast-my-care-song-from-sunday-a-video.html
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