babies

I see babies everywhere and I really want one.

Agencies

Sam and I have narrowed it down to two agencies:


http://www.mmhome.org/


http://www.lsss.org/

We are looking at domestic adoption, perferably a wee baby. I know folks that were adopted from MMH back in the day (70s) and a couple that adopted a baby from LSS. So I know that both are good. I feel comfortable with both agencies. One "fits" with us better, but we will be on a "waitlist" for the waitlist. (kinda crazy) The other we could start showing our profile in Jan 2011. Do I go with one that will get us showing quicker or one that feels more right? Oh, the decisions. Sam's vote.. MMH. We went to an info. meeting and he liked their straight forwardness. Also, he thought they seemed more about the families; meaning all of us: birthparents, adoptive parents and kid.

Deep Thoughts

"There is only one good reason to adopt, just as there is only one good reason to bear a child: Your desire to be a parent is greater than your fear."
-----You Can Adopt: An Adoptive Families Guide

stroms and contacts

Two things:

#1: So did y'all experience the storm with high winds on Wed night? Evidently there were 65 to 85 mile an hour winds. In fact the wind ripped a tree from our backyard and threw it into the adjourning neighbors fence. Luckily our neighbors were once in APO, which I advised briefly. Rock and roll.
After the storm when trees were all jacked upall over Oxbow and debris was all over the street and no electricity I decided grandma might be in trouble. So I ventured out to find her. Sam pointed out she survived the dust bowl and depression and regular twister activity in KS and she was probably fine. When I arrived she was kicking it on the front porch talking about how everything smelled so fresh and new. She was totally fine. In fact she drove through the storm coming home from choir practice. Hard core.

#2: I met a women on the internet through one of the adoption forums I joined and she is adopting and is from San Antonio. She is more organized than me and has been to some local agency orientations already. She liked Gladney as well and is attending their orientation soon. She is looking at the ABC program, too. I am excited to have this person to talk to through this journey.

Inspirations

Sandra: I "borrowed" this issue from the dentist office and read it and then became very inspired by her story and also her baby is super cute. Love him....
http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20364464_20364639,00.html

Rooms: This is a dreamy room. Maybe one day if I have a little girl...
http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/nursery-tours/nursery-tour-josephines-lovely-lost-and-found-031082

Shirt: just cute and I love narwhals...
http://shanalogic.com/item.php?item_id=2901

new plan

So Sam and I have decided not to adopt from Ethiopia. The travel rules have changed and Sam can not get enough time off to travel and be home (while earning income.) So we are looking at domestic adoption. In the begining, I think we were afraid of this choice, thinking it would be too complicated and worried about birthparents changing thier minds, etc. I think as we read more we realized that open adoption is a good thing and that we can move forward even if folks should change thier mind. I realize knowing your birthfamily could be a positive thing as far as idenity development. I guess Sam and I are just more open now. Seeing a friend's adoption and how sucessful it was is also encouraging to us. So we are now on a new journey to adopt from this program through Gladney:

http://adoptionsbygladney.com/html/abc/index.php

Hair

Today someone thought my hair was naturally red. Cool.

people are good

http://www.giveallforlove.com/

*hearts*

I've re-discovered the public library and am in love. Last time I had a library card was easily 10 years or more. A LOT has changed. Self check out is awesome! Anyway, I *heart* you library.

http://www.mysapl.org/location.aspx?id=igo

Changing lives

These people are cool:

http://thepeppereater.wordpress.com/

Ethiopian blogs I like

Sam and I are looking into adopting from Ethiopia. These are some of the blogs I have been reading on the expereince:


http://aroundtheworldand2kids.wordpress.com/

http://happysagers.blogspot.com/

http://endsofthenile.wordpress.com/

cute kid

Follow the link to the bottom to see the very excited girl with books. I just love her joy. This is genrally a cool blog, too.

http://karenrussell.typepad.com/my_lifejust_not_on_the_ro/2009/08/library-cards.html

trains

The Brackenridge train is still fun even when you are 35!

Waiting Child Webinar

So Sam and I attended a Waiting Child webinar on Tuesday evening. After going through it we decided it was not for us. This means the plans for China are officially over. (Waiting Children are kids with special needs or healthy kids over six.)
Ethopia is looking to be the best bet as international adoption requirements become stricter and stricter. The adoption process moves quickly, so we need to save the money up front. My estimate is that it will take 2 and a half years. This includes saving the money and then the waiting. We are also able to request an infant and travel once. We are now looking at two agencies Gladney in Dallas and Great Wall in Austin for the adoption. Both seems organized and cool. One has 4 years expereince the other just started Ethopia adoptions. Both have been doing other types of adoption for decades. So at this point its wait and save....

I love this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdpQ8B1j3Vo&feature=player_embedded#

Awesome

http://www.weezer.com/raditude/

The Oscars

Get Ready....

http://oscar.go.com/nominations/nominees

Adoption agencies

So it turns out that Holt is not accepting an application for Korea unless you have adopted through them before, have Korean heritage,or will take a special needs kid.

It also turns out that if you take a special needs kid from China you can go over there in a year and a half versus the 4 years for the regular adoption. Evidently, special needs in China are things small or fixable in the US. I still would want an infant so we will see what the waiting child list is like. Sam and I have signed up for a webinar next week through this group http://www.gwca.org/wc_webinar

If we go with Ethiopia this agency looks promising: http://adoptionsbygladney.com/html/ethiopia/index.php
They are in Dallas.

Really?

Overheard from student up front regarding add forms:

"You mean I have to do this all by myself?"

Yes, that is what being an adult means, especially when you wait until the last mintue and end up doing add forms.

Rain Boots

These boots are entirely cute and fun!

http://www.dsw.com/dsw_shoes/catalog/product.jsp?index=1&sort=&category=dsw10cat70019&prodId=189856&brand=