The Latest

I have lots to share with you all today!  I suppose that likely means that I should be posting more often, but hey, in order to have things to write about you have to get off of the computer and experience them right?

We've been working on finishing touches for the nursery and starting baby registries and trying not to get too excited over the last couple of weeks.  All that sort of flew out the window on Thursday night when we realized how truly unprepared we were.  D called us and said she had been having contractions all day and ended up at the hospital that night.  We went up, but it turned out to be a false alarm.  On one hand, I'm glad because it was sort of a wake-up call for us to really get ready.  On the other hand (which definitely has the winning edge), I'm bummed because it felt like we were so close to finally welcoming home our child.  Sigh.

So now we are officially less than 2 weeks from the due date and her body is apparently getting ready for the big day.  Also, there is some comfort in knowing that they called us right away when these things were happening.  It was a good thing to share in that with them.

Now, here is something we've all been waiting for . . . it's a boy!!!  No - I'm just kidding.  You all knew that.  Even better though - here's his adorable face!

They had a 3D ultrasound done at the end of May and we were able to get our hands on the pictures!  I told Brandon last night as I looked at one that I've placed on my nightstand how much I want to allow myself to fall in love with that little face, and yet how scared I am that I will get my heart broken if I do.  Oh, how we long for the day when we'll meet him in person!

I also finished the bulk of my sewing for the nursery today!  Hooray!  Brandon has been making frames for the letters of baby's name that will have the colors on the opposite wall as their background.  There are as many letters as there are colors so it worked perfectly (today's name clue!).  We also created a light fixture for the corner with some Japanese lanterns that turned out pretty cute.  I think I'm going to wait until my Mom comes to visit to make the curtains so she can help with that!  Here are some pictures of his little room!

All that's really left is the windows and the frames that will hang above the bed

The dresser colors match the wall and you can see the beginning of the bear collection

Yay for finished homemade bedding!!!  Now I'm a sewing junkie!

My how far we've come!

Baby-moon

I surprised Brandon with a little "Babymoon" last weekend before the little one arrives.  I've been super-sneaky planning it out for at least a month and we finally got to go!  It was so nice to peel him away from work for a while and just relax in the little town of Excelsior Springs at the wonderful Inn on Crescent Lake.

The Casbah Room

Our babymoon surprise - those strawberries were amazing!

Our room had a red clawfoot tub.  I just couldn't resist.

This was the ice house for the estate.  They would harvest the ice from the lake and store it here!

Our lovely Friday morning walk after a nice rain storm

Bet you'll never guess what we wished for on the "Wishing Vine"

You have to do what it says right?

We were paddling so fast you could have water skied back there!

Last day sitting on the porch at the inn.  Do you see Davis?

Davis made a new friend while we biked at Watkins Mill State Park

Only about three more weeks to go!!!

All the little blessings

This has been a week that has continually affirmed God's plan and his hand on our lives.  It all started last week when we went to the Royals game with D & S.  On the way, S (baby's birthfather) asked what we had been learning about in church that day.  I replied that we were studying Matthew 7 in our class.  He responded that there was a verse in Matthew 7 that he really liked, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened."  Brandon and I were a bit taken aback and replied with a bit of awe that this was the very verse we had been discussing that morning.  I felt like the Lord was telling us, "I'm here and I'm in this with you."

On Friday, I had the pleasure of spending the evening at the mall with D.  We talked about so many things both related and unrelated to the adoption.  I learned about her love of candles and her favorite scent at Bath & Body Works, her childhood pets, her favorite Disney movie, the things that she enjoys cooking, etc., etc.  It was such a special time for me to continue to build relationship with this woman who is carrying the child she intends for us to raise.  When we took a moment to sit, I mentioned how this weekend presented a unique holiday experience for the two of us.  She agreed and said, "You must be so excited!"  It allowed me to further realize that perhaps maybe I could be.  We also talked about how she planned to handle naming the baby, to which she replied "I thought you would probably name him - he's yours"!

Today is the first time I have attended a Mother's Day church service in at least two years.  The first one I attended after we realized we were having difficulty getting pregnant blind-sided me, and I felt I needed to avoid them out of self-preservation after that.  This year, we are the closest we have ever been to our dream of being parents and for today, I'm going to allow myself to enjoy it.  D even called this morning to leave me a message and started with "Happy Mother's Day!  Well, almost anyway . . . "  Yes, she's right.  It is a happy mother's day.

Play Ball!

Today we had the pleasure of taking the baby's birthparents to a Kansas City Royals game!  It was COLD for May 1st, but we endured and cheered the team on to a win.  It was special for D (the birthmother) because she hadn't been to a Royals game since she was too young to remember.  I was reminded how much I enjoy sharing this pastime with my hubby.  He's converted me - just not to listening on the radio!  I'm excited by the thought of his being able to share this passion with his son someday.

Tomorrow, I will get to join D at her first appointment with the doctor who will likely deliver the baby.  She has asked me if I'd be able to come along because she's not particularly fond of hospitals and of course I'm honored.  Of course!!!

Some big news!

Now that everything is official and I have been on the job for almost three (very fast) weeks, I thought I should update the blog.  I am now the Volunteer & Events Manager at our Symphony!  How great is that?

This is such a great opportunity for me to blend so many areas that I love into my work and I am immensely grateful for the opportunity.  I have been busy meeting all of our amazing auxiliary volunteers and have my first event tomorrow!  No reason to wade in slowly, right?

We are still in the waiting stages of our adoption and continue to pray for the mother and child that will become a part of our lives someday.  In just a few months it will be necessary for us to update our homestudy if we have not yet been matched.  It feels like it was so long ago that we went through that process now.  I hope the renewal is easier than the original!  Yikes!  Surely there is a LITTLE bit less paperwork.

Brandon is steadily working away at his job and we are both looking forward to the return of warm weather.  I'm anxious to try gardening again for the second time.  He's looking forward to getting back on his bicycle.  We're both looking forward to weekends at the lake.  Here's to warm weather and the beginning of Daylight Savings Time!

Interview Time

We drove over to Manhattan yesterday afternoon for our interview with Life Choice.  It was a great experience and she really helped us understand their process.  I am really looking forward to working with them and you can tell that they are really passionate about what they do.  Their average wait for an adoptive family is 1-1.5 years, but she cautioned us that our profile could also be the next one to be chosen.  You just never know!

We also got the opportunity to catch up with some of my college professors before we left town and it was so good to see them.  They are amazing about remembering people and details and staying in touch.  Brandon commented about how fortunate I was to have such a wonderful couple behind me as I got my education.  I sincerely agreed!

More Nursery Progress

As we've mentioned before, Brandon and I have been slowly working on the baby's nursery for a while.  We've painted and purchased the crib and now his Mom is helping me learn to sew while we make the bedding.  It seems that locating gender-neutral bedding in the stores means that you are either getting safari animals or ABC's and neither of those went with our color scheme!  So far, I've made a fitted sheet, bed skirt, organizer, and diaper stacker.  Only the bumpers and quilt left to go!

We also sent off our final paperwork to LifeChoice Ministries in Manhattan to be put on their list of adoptive parents!  We go in for an interview in the next couple of weeks and then they can match us with a birth family if one chooses us.  Please send lots of prayers!  :)

Before the Morning

 I was spending a lazy day reading on the couch Saturday and this song came on the radio.  I don't think I've ever really listened to the words before, but they struck me that day and gave me a sense of peace about where we are in this journey.  I wanted to share them in case they minister to you too.

Before the Morning by Josh Wilson

Do you wonder why you have to,
feel the things that hurt you,
if there's a God who loves you,
where is He now?

Maybe, there are things you can't see
and all those things are happening
to bring a better ending
some day, some how, you'll see, you'll see

Would dare you, would you dare, to believe,
that you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain you've been feeling,
can't compare to the joy that's coming

so hold on, you got to wait for the light
press on, just fight the good fight
because the pain you've been feeling,
it's just the dark before the morning

My friend, you know how this all ends
and you know where you're going,
you just don't know how you get there
so just say a prayer.

And hold on, cause there's good for those who love God,
life is not a snapshot, it might take a little time,
but you'll see the bigger picture

Would dare you, would you dare, to believe,
that you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain you've been feeling,
can't compare to the joy that's coming

so hold on, you got to wait for the light
press on, just fight the good fight
because the pain you've been feeling,
it's just the dark before the morning

Once you feel the way of glory,
all your pain will fade to memory
once you feel the way of glory,
all your pain will fade to memory

Would dare you, would you dare, to believe,
that you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain you've been feeling,
can't compare to the joy that's coming

Family Time

I had a lovely time with my Mom and brother last weekend.  It's so nice to to spend time with family and be surrounded by their love.  We spent the day on Saturday taking in some of the sights in our charming city - including the Nelson Atkins Art Museum.  There was a photography exhibit about the early days of Egyptian exploration that I wanted to see before it was done and then we also got to view the new permanent Egyptian exhibit.  My Mom hasn't been to the Nelson yet during her visits here and it turns out she's a lot like me in thinking the building is just as impressive as the art inside it.  I think I also got my interest in Egypt from her if the truth was known!

Then we met up with my brother and took in the movie "Despicable Me" in 3D.  It was such a cute flick - love those little minions!  And it of course has an adoption theme which is such a fun thing about my life right now.  There are so many songs, movies, bible verses, and books that remind me about the joy of this process and before we got started I think I might have totally overlooked them.  Now I get to experience these moments with the joy and anticipation of someone who at least partially understands the journey.

Wrapping up the Vacation

I have to say that it's nice to be home.  We spent some time in Manhattan this weekend for a reunion and visited Life Choice Ministries while we were there.  I had to chuckle when I realized that it is the crisis pregnancy center that my apartment was directly over the top of when I was a senior at K-State.  My how life comes full-circle!  We have to fill out more applications and have an interview and then if all that goes well, it will be another place where birthparents can find our profile.  We are also celebrating with another couple from our adoption small-group who have been chosen as parents this week.  God is good!

I came home to some happy little veggies growing in the garden too.  I decided to pull all the carrots and go another round with new potatoes.  My last plant got destroyed by rollie-pollies.  Who knew they were such vicious little creatures?  And hungry too!!!