Saturday, January 9, 2010

Still Around

Yes, I'm still here! :) It's been a lovely winter break, and we've been enjoying our time off these past couple weeks. But, Monday we go back to work!

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What's new on the adoption front?

We've paid our "sign-on" fees and are currently in the process of putting together our profile materials. It's our goal to have them completely finished during this upcoming week so we can mail them off and get our profiles live ASAP. That's right -- profiles... there are three different websites and two resumes. So, what does that entail?

-Photos: We need approximately 50-60 photos of us looking lovingly at each other, doing fun activities together, doing fun activities alone, our pets, and our house. We currently have about 8 such photos. A common problem it seems, with others completing their profiles, is that we don't get many photos taken of the two of us together. Usually, one of us is manning the camera. So, our together shots are taken at arms length... too close. And, we aren't usually doing anything all that exciting. So, we're planning a photo shoot. We're going to stage some shots of us doing the things we love -- (puzzles, reading, soccer, etc.). This is the biggest hurdle. Once we get the pictures taken, it's smooth sailing.

-Questionnaire: We have to answer a bunch of personal questions for one of the websites we will be marketed on. We've already answered some of them. It's not a difficult task... just time consuming. And, we've answered most of these questions verbally during our homestudy interviews, so it feels very redundant.

-Birthmother Letters: We have to write two. So, I will write one and Nick will write the other. This is the most difficult task to begin. I want to choose just the right words... but it is tough. What do you say to the woman who is about to give you the best gift you will ever receive that will also cause her so much grief?

Once we get these things done, it will take up to 3 weeks for the profiles to be created, and then we begin the long wait. Well, hopefully it won't be too long.

As far as the homestudy goes... we're almost done! Can you believe it???!!! We just have to get CPR certified and have our TB tests done. We are registered for an online CPR class and should be certified within a week or so. We'll have to schedule a TB test... but otherwise, that's it!

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It's been a great couple of weeks! Things are moving right along. We've relaxed. Planning for Spring Semester is over. Christmas was pleasant.

And! I can't believe I didn't mention it until now! Nick's brother and sister-in-law just had a baby! We're an aunt and uncle again! And, my sister is due in February, so we're about to do it all over again! :)

I'll do a post on our niece in the next couple days. Until then, enjoy your weekend! Be safe in the snow!

3 comments:

Kelly said...

Congrats on getting so much done already! Yes, finding pictures was SO hard, we included a lot of our family shots, even if we weren't in them, that way our birthmom could see the entire family that would be loving our little one, not just us... The letter was THE HARDEST part of the entire process, yes what do you say? My first draft of our letter was 8 pages long, single typed...I ended up getting it down to 1 full page, no margins, single spaced, size 10 font, it can be done! Praying for you!!!

Jennifer said...

Congrats om getting so much done. Chris and I JUST finished getting the last photos off to our facilitators (this after a series of e-mails between husband and facilitator looking for more photos...) Good luck with pulling together all of your photos and writing the letters. You can do it!

Best and peace.

Jacksmom said...

Wow, you guys sure have gotten alot done. I think the thing I was most worried about when we were all set to being this process was the birthmother letters. I know most of them hate being called birthmothers, so we were going to say "Dear Expectant Parents", and we were just going to be honest and tell them about ourselves. I've heard multiple birthmoms say that it wasn't a gift they were giving to adoptive parents, but to their child. They'd also say that their life wasn't necessarily going to be better, just different. It's so hard. I wish you the best of luck!!!