"Onward, Ever Onward..."

YAY! We are moving onward with our adoption process! We have scheduled our interview and joint interviews with our caseworker for Wednesday December 3rd at 3:00. This is one important step forward, and we are so excited about the fact that this is going so quickly. It's like I've been beating my head against a brick wall for the past year and a half. But then, when we finally realized we were heading down the wrong path (i.e. trying to have children biologically) and turned the other way (i.e. adoption) things just opened up! Every step we just feel a confirmation in our hearts that this is the way we are going to find the right baby for our family. Because, as we've said before, we don't want just any baby, we want to find our baby. I'm trying not to get too anxious though. I am fully aware that we might have to wait quite a while before we get chosen, and I'm prepared for the long haul. But, man, does it feel good to celebrate our progress!

Thankful for a Trial

Today I was in a small car accident.

Now don't freak out, it was just a fender bender. To make a long story short, I was turning left out of my apartment complex, and a guy who was parked on the same side of the street as I was pulling out from started backing up without looking. He didn't see that I was pulling out and so he just kind of plowed right into the front passenger side of my car. The car is still driveable and it didn't affect the door of the car. There is a pretty good dent, a bunch of flaking paint, and some scrapes. Anyhow, I spent the morning hassling with insurance claims and whatnot so my day was pretty crazy. We have recently been considering purchasing a new car, and now it seems like we might have to get serious about the idea.

However, as I sit contemplating the events of my day, I just have to be so thankful for the blessings I have. My husband and I are healthy and safe, and although we aren't rich by any stretch of the imagination, we have sufficient for our needs and even some of our wants. We are progressing towards adoption, my husband is practically receiving a free PhD, and we have great family and friends. Most of all, we are so thankful for the gospel in our lives.

So, it might sound funny, but today I am thankful for a car accident that made me pause in my busy life and put things in perspective.

Very Touching

I found this poem on my friend's blog. Her name is Erin and her husband is adopted. Her post really reminded me that adoption is not just a blessing in the life of the adoptive family, but also in the life of the adopted child. Anyhow, I thought this poem was so touching that I wanted to share it with you all.

He Is Mine by Valerie Kay Gwin

I tiptoed into your room one night.
I watched you sleeping there.
Your tiny body looked so snug
Wrapped in peaceful slumber's care.

I thought of how you came to be
The child we'd longed to know.
I wondered at the sight of you:
"How could she let you go?"

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I
Felt the pain she must have known.
For I will have to let you go
Some day when you are grown.

A mother I might never meet
Had given me her son.
Yet, surely as you've filled my heart,
A piece of hers you'd won.

"How could she let you go?"
The question kept returning.
And in the depths of my own heart.
A question kept on burning.

"How can I ever let you go
When years have come and gone?"
I stood there by your crib until
The nighttime turned to dawn.

And as the sun peeked through the shades,
The voice of God broke through.
"I trusted her to give him life
And now I'm trusting him to you.

"To show him what is right and wrong,
to love him and to be
The one who teaches him the way
To come back home to me.

"He wasn't hers to give, you know.
And he's not yours to own.
I've placed him in your life to love
But he is mine … on loan."

Help Save My Hubby!

So.... each week I find myself making the same exact meals over and over and over again. I think it just might kill my husband if I don't come up with something different. :) So I'm wondering what dishes you guys make that I could try. Thanks in advance!!!

November is National Adoption Month!!!

So, my friend posted this on her blog, and I thought I would too. Thanks friend!!!

In 1976, Governor Mike Dukakis of Massachusetts proclaimed Adoption Week to bring awareness to the need for adoptive families for children in the foster care system. President Ford followed this proclamation by announcing the first National Adoption Week. In 1990, this one-week was extended to the full month of November. Throughout the Nation, different states and organizations have a plethora of activities, campaigns, and observances. Amidst the month long celebrations there is an actual National Adoption Day (this year it is November 15, 2008).

Each year there is a specific theme and focused promotion of a particular need or topic in adoption. One year it may be a focus on Special Needs adoption, or adopting teenagers, or domestic adoption, or foster parenting, or intercountry adoption, etc.. This year's theme is: "Answering the Call - You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent. There are thousands of teens in foster care who would love to put up with you."

This month is a month to get active in educating ourselves and others about adoption and about issues surrounding adoption. It is also a time to get active in advocating and promoting laws that will help adoption (ex: a friendly adoption workplace, etc). It is a month to collect donations, volunteer, sponser children who need to be adopted or support a family who is currently in the process of adopting. It is a time to celebrate multicultural families, develop new traditions, and give thanks for our families. For a month full of activites to celebrate National Adoption Awareness go here. For more information on the history of this month, activites, resources, and ideas go to adoption.com or google National Adoption Awareness month. I would encourage each of you to be aware of the adoption scene.

There are millions and millions of children - more than 130 million - both domestically and internationally, who need a home, security, and love. All of us can help in some way, some form, some how. Let's give a hand to adoption.

Voting Day!

Tomorrow is voting day, and I want to personally encourage ALL of you to get out and vote! Regardless of which party you choose to affiliate yourself with, it is a privilege to live in a country where we have the freedom to make these decisions for ourselves.

Plus, this is my opinion...

IF YOU DON'T VOTE, YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PRESIDENT'S ACTIONS!!!

All I can say is, I'm proud to be an American. Sure our country has its problems, just like any other country. But I'll be doing what I can to take care of those problems by voting. Will you?

I Can See the Light at the End of the Tunnel!

So I really think the paperwork process for adoption is like the "labor" part that adoptive parents go through. But, we are proud to announce that almost all of our paperwork is complete! We have turned in almost all of the hard copy documents that are required. We just have to get them a copy of our temple sealing certificate. We have completed the entire pre-home study online application, and now we just have to create our profile! This is the part I'm nervous about. It's hard to know what to say. There are no words adequate enough to express our love and respect for the men and women out there who consider placing their children for adoption. And I'm just nervous that I won't say the right thing or something. This is the point where we just have to pray and ask that Heavenly Father will guide our words.

Now we just keep working, and waiting for our caseworker to arrange the home study. Then all we have to do is wait for our background checks to come through, and we'll be APPROVED! It's like seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. But of course, after approval, the real fun begins: the waiting game. But we've decided not to use the word "waiting." We prefer to use the word "finding." By that we mean that we're going to do everything within our power to find the RIGHT baby for our family. I hope all of you out there are willing to help us work to find our baby!

Corn Maze and other Halloween Fun!

This past Friday we had a super fun double date with my brother and his wife. We went to a corn maze/haunted hallow/Halloween extravaganza! We go to one every year, and this year we went to one that we haven't been to before. It was awesome! Just enough haunted to be slightly scary, but not pee-your-pants scary. Hubby likes that kind of stuff, but I guess I'm not that adventurous. Anyhow, here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure. So I need your opinion, do you think we should use any of these for our adoption profile?