Behind-the-Scenes: October & November 2015

You may have noticed, that since mid-October, it’s been VERY quiet here and on my other blog, jennie’s journey.

There are a couple of reasons for that -- the first of which is that my middle sister’s two children came to live with us in late September. 

I quickly learned that when you are caring for three children, ages 3 1/2 (our son), 2 1/2, and 7 months, you don’t have time to shower most days, let alone write blog posts. 

Your days are filled with potty training and formula making, diaper changing and separating (the two toddlers). And of course, lots and lots of playing. 

By late October, just as it felt as if we were settling into our "new" normal, Brian came to me with a proposal: Let’s take all three children to Disneyland in November.

I immediately shot him a “Have you lost your ever loving mind?!” look. 

He smiled, but it was clear to me that he was serious about this idea.

"Oh, I just don't know" was all I could muster initially.

In the days that followed, numerous discussions ensued -- I had lots of concerns about taking three kids under four to Disneyland -- namely, what if we lost a child?!! -- and was definitely more in favor of a beach vacation. But Brian was ever-so-persistent, and in the end, I agreed to his ideal trip:

2 Days of Disney (Th/Fri)

2 Days of Beach Time (Sat/Sun)

And so it was.

I could write a whole post (or two) about our adventures in Disneyland and at the beach, but suffice it to say, we had A LOT of fun and created some sweet memories.

I am ever so grateful to our good friend, Jason -- our beloved "manny" -- for accompanying us to the parks on both days and carrying the youngest in the hiking backpack, so Brian and  I could take the bigs on rides. Jason also captured footage of us with a little Go Pro like video camera, and then surprised us with an awesome video of our time in the parks. Thank you, Jason! (If you know me, you know how much I love documentation!)

I took along my big camera, too, and snapped a few shots.  

Zoey was SO excited to meet Elsa.

 And both Noah and Zoey loved the rides!

I had fun shooting at the beach, too, particularly as the sun set. (We had a blast spending time with our oldest niece who lives in Southern California.)

On Monday, November 23, after two days at Disneyland and two days at the beach, we packed up our car and headed for home. Although we had had a GREAT time in Southern California, I was looking forward to being back at home. Back to our own beds, our own kitchen, our own non-creaky wood floors. Back to our dogs and chickens. Back to our daily lives.

And then, my cell phone rang.
It was our adoption attorney calling.

She said a little girl had been born earlier that morning, and her birth mother was wanting to place her with an adoptive family.

Without a moment of hesitation, I answered YES!! when our attorney asked if we wanted to be presented. 

However, I didn't get my hopes up, knowing we'd likely be one of a dozen or more profiles shown to the birth mother. 

Out of curiosity, though, I did google How long does it take to drive from Santa Clarita to Santa Maria? The answer: 2.5 hours.

After hanging up with our attorney around 11:30 am, we decided to pull off the freeway in Santa Clarita to eat and play and use the restrooms at McDonald's.

Forty-five minutes later, while standing in the play place watching the bigs play, my phone rang. 

It was our attorney delivering the news I'd been waiting TWO years to hear: Jennie -- The birth mother chose you and Brian.  

To be continued...

Photo by Kathleen Galloway Photography

Adoption Update | Summer

Two Thousand Fifteen.

That's what is emblazoned in white letters on the front of my bright pink monthly planner. (I totally scored it in the $1 section at Target!)

At the beginning of each month, I open up this calendar and jot down my blog post goals. On the left page, I write down the number of blog posts I want to write for The Life and Times of Jennie Rose (my original blog). On the right page, I note how many posts I want to write for jennie’s journey (my new Wordpress blog). Then, I jot down post title ideas and/or topic ideas. 

In May, I wrote four suggestions on the left hand page:

1. Currently
2. Adoption Update | Spring
3. Documenting Your Every Day 
4. Motherly Love

May came and went and I had written numbers 3 & 4 only.

There was no adoption update that month.

Or the next month.

Or the month thereafter.

Why?

Well, the truth is, I kept crossing it out, and moving it to the next month because I didn’t know quite what to say. I was procrastinating big time because I didn’t have anything really exciting to share. No "We've matched with a birth mother!" or "Our baby girl is due in _______!"

  

But there has been a little bit of activity behind-the-scenes, if you will...

At one point, we were one of three families being considered by a birth mother. (We were originally one of five, so when we learned that there were only three families left, we were ecstatic!) But then the birth mother suddenly stopped coming to her appointments at the agency, and ultimately never chose a family.

And then there was a call from our attorney about a birth mother on the East Coast, and we said we were interested, but the birth mother decided she wanted an adoptive family from the state in which she lives. 

We also have two birth mothers following us on Adoptimist, but neither one has reached out to us via phone or email. 

In the past few weeks, it became clear that I couldn't continue to put off the adoption update. (My last adoption update was published in March.) Numerous people kept asking me the same question over and over: Any news yet?  You know, on the adoption?

And each time I would tell them no, I'd see a look of disappointment and sadness on their faces.

And believe me, I feel the same way…times about five or six. 

As hard as it is to field the same question over and over again, I know in my heart that you -- our family and friends and neighbors -- are asking because you genuinely care.

I know these inquiries are made with love and concern.

You’re clearly rooting for us. (And that is just so darn cool.) You want to see us achieve our dream. You want to witness us love a little girl like we love and cherish our not-so-little-anymore boy. 

And for that, I’m so grateful. So thankful.

I’m also thankful that you’re still sending up prayers for us. Thankful that you’re thinking good thoughts. Thankful that you’re continuing to spread the word about our adoption dream by sharing our video with friends and family, giving our pass along cards to nurses or doctors you know, and tacking up cards on community bulletin boards. (By the way, if you know of any college students who would be willing to post a few of our pass along cards on campus bulletin boards, please email me at brianandjennieadopt@gmail.com.)

As for me, I, too, will keep praying and waiting and remaining hopeful.

I'll keep cherishing the time I have with our 3 1/2-year-old son who loves to wear boots every single day of the year -- regardless of the weather -- and play at a local indoor playground where socks are required, but shoes must go into the cubbies. 

Speaking of shoes, I’ll keep buying adorable baby shoes (I swear this little girl is going to have more shoes than I do!) and decorating the nursery little by little.

And I'll keep visualizing myself holding our baby girl for the first time. Fighting back the tears like I did when Noah was first placed in my arms.

For I truly believe these words written by William Arthur Ward, "If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you dream it, you can become it."