Painfully approved.

I had been in this same room many months earlier, and remember feeling tremendous hope at that time.

Now, this same room seemed dimmer, smaller, colder.

As I flipped through the 25 pages of our personal homestudy report at our local Department of Health & Human Services office, I felt a wave of panic.  Who would ever want a family like ours? Who would ever choose us?

When you read a personal account of your 30-some years on Earth, from a complete stranger, it's an odd experience.  Harsh.  Objective.  Judgmental.  Devoid of any emotional connection to the life that I actually lived.  And, since it's not trying to be an award-winning autobiography, it also lacks a sense of cohesiveness that feels like you're reading a story.  Instead, it feels like you're reading an indictment.

As I read through phrases like "Britney dresses with flair," and "Britney is assertive," and "the Colton's efficiently run home life doesn't leave much room for children breakdowns," I felt . . . exposed.  Vulnerable in a way I'd never felt before.  (Now, I don't even know what "dresses with flair" means, except it harkens me back to the movie "The Office," and Jennifer Aniston's work uniform suspenders decorated with buttons). 

I also didn't like how I was presented in this report.  I closed the last page feeling, Is this really how people see me? I felt like I came across as Cruella Deville.  Assertive?  Would she use such an adjective describing a man?  It took everything in me to bite my tongue and not say, "Dear caseworker, in my professional world, people return phone calls promptly.  People respond to emails promptly.  Simply following up on an unanswered phone call or email categorizes me as assertive?" 

But, of course, I didn't say anything.  I didn't want to be assertive.

So, instead, I bit my tongue and marveled at how anyone would ever want to subject themselves to the last 12 months that we've been through with this homestudy process. 

Delay upon delay upon delay.  Unanswered emails.  Unanswered phone calls.  Countless meetings, pages of notes, all culminating in a 25-page report that labeled me, in my opinion, as someone I would not want to be friends with.

As our caseworker politely explained that this is her job - all reports look like this - we're a "good family," I thought back to a sign I had seen walking into the building that day.  It was a poster taped to the receptionist's desk.  It read, "147 children today are waiting in foster care to be adopted.  Will you be the family they've been waiting for?"

I had to chuckle.  Really? That sign insinuates that the child is waiting for a family to decide to adopt.  Instead, the truth is that the child is waiting for the State to have more resources, more caseworkers, and more time for probing into the lives of decent families. 

Those 147 children are not waiting on families like us.  They are waiting for the State to get out of its own way and remove the bureacratical blockades.

As I feel my blood pressure start to rise just writing this, I realize it's time to close.  And, just as anti-climatic as it felt yesterday hearing the words from our caseworker as we left the room ...

Our homestudy has been approved.

Birthfamily visit #4

We had our annual birthfamily visit with Brae's birthfather and his side of the family.  I've said this each year, but they really do keep getting better and more comfortable.

We met at a local amusement park and the kids had a blast going on all the rides and into all of the little venues. 

Brae knew more about his birthfather this time around, mostly just from being more able to understand.  I had tried to tell him that his birthfather, along with his birthmother, had helped create him and loved him very much.  And then his birthmom pushed him out of her tummy, right into Mommy and Daddy's arms.  It was an act of selflessness, love, and sacrifice. 

Knowing all of this, as soon as we got to the park and met the birthfather's family, Brae immediately said, "Ok! So which one of you pushed me out of your tummy?!"  It was the ideal icebreaker.

Brae and Sienna both hammed it up the whole visit, putting everyone in stitches.  Sienna being her usual hostile, spunky self, and Brae just willing to do anything for a good laugh. 

We didn't get personal until near the end of the visit when the birthfather's grandmother mentioned that Brae's birthfather still had a hard time with the adoption.  Of course, he was grateful and happy Brae was in such a good, loving home, and that all had turned out just fine, but still just mourning it all.  She asked if we'd be willing to speak with him sometime about how he was feeling.  Absolutely, we said. 

It hurts my heart that he feels that way.  I just don't want to see him hurting.  And, I cannot imagine the pain that he has endured during it all. 

I'm sure that pain never goes away.  The hope is that with open adoption, the pain of the unknown is somewhat diminished.  And, that over time, a relationship between the two of them can develop. 

At the end of the visit, as with all the other visits, they had early birthday presents for him.  And, very sweetly, they brought gifts for Sienna as well. 

We left with full hearts. 

Until next year!

Brae and his birthfather

 

Birthfather's family

 

Getting his Leapfrog "ipad"

 

Sienna walking off with her loot (a new backpack)

EA in the news!

I stumbled across this great article that made national headlines this last week.  What I love about this EA mom's story is just her sheer bravery to open up a very personal part of her life to the public.  A public that can be very harsh, especially about things they know not much about. 

And yet, while it is awesome that this is a national news story, it still baffles me that it is even a news story.  Perhaps it's because I'm connected to such a great EA community that it's hard to remember that EA is still relatively unknown. 

But, I love that it's being talked about, in a very non-judgmental and open way.  Hopefully this article will just continue to spawn discussions about people looking to grow their families, and those looking for options for their frozen embryos.

http://news.msn.com/science-technology/long-frozen-embryo-brings-joy-to-adoptive-parents

Scenes from a Family Vacation: Part II

Highlights of the summer:

Brae: 1) First loose tooth and 2) Riding a bike with no training wheels!

Sienna: 1) Speaking short sentences and 2) Using the potty - albeit only when she wants to

Enjoy!

Scenes from a Family Vacation: Part I

We just returned from an awesome 12-day family vacation.  We started off at Eagle Crest (Central Oregon) for 8 days with my side of the family, and then 4 days at Black Butte (also Central Oregon) with Tygh's side of the family.

And since pictures are worth a thousand words...

Waiting for Prince Charming

This last weekend was one of my best girlfriend's bachelorette parties.  I'm also a bridesmaid in her wedding, along with two of my other closest friends.  It is indeed cause for great celebration.

And as we drove off in the Barbie-pink extended Hummer limo (oh, yeah), I got to thinking about my precious Sienna. How one day, she may be all dolled up, with a .75 cent plastic crown from Dollar Tree on her head, heading off for an afternoon of wine tasting with her friends in celebration of finding her Prince Charming.

Is Sienna's husband even born yet?  What will he look like? Will she choose a man of integrity, honor, and humility?  Will he love and respect her like she deserves?  What will her new last name be?

I remember Tygh's dad telling me after Tygh had proposed that he and his wife had been praying for their son's wife since he was a little boy.  What an honor to think that I was in response to their prayers.  Wow.

I have not yet specifically set out to pray for Sienna's husband on a deliberate and regular basis, but this last weekend convicted me that perhaps I should.  My dear friend has found her Prince Charming, but she indeed had to kiss a lot of frogs (don't we all).  Do I pray that Sienna will be spared the same heartache?  Do I pray that she won't, in the hopes that it will promote endurance and produce character in her?

It's tough being a mom of kids, period.  But I feel a particular responsibility being the mom of a girl.  In a lot of ways, this world is a lot rougher on girls than it is on boys.  (And yet, I have to say my son cries a whole heck of a lot more than my daughter). 

It's a lot to shoulder, but also a proud and mighty burden to bear. 

Too much to take in during just an afternoon of wine tasting with the girls, but the grape is starting to grow on the vine. 

Fearless.

You probably know by now that I have a daughter, who recently turned 2. Her name is Sienna.

God has blessed her in many, many ways.  She is genetically gifted (she's gorgeous).  She's funny.  She's spunky.  She's pugnacious.  She's tall (over 3 feet).  She loves to eat.  She loves to sleep.

But what you may not know is that this girl is f.e.a.r.l.e.s.s. 

This point has been driven home as of late.

Some recent examples:

1) She insisted on going down a 50' spiraled water slide, by herself, head first, the very first time we took her to the pool.  She went completely underwater, bobbed right up, with her toothy smile, and shouted, "Again!"  And then she climbed out of the water, and marched right over to the long spiraled staircase, elbowing the older kids out of the way to get to the top.  I just stood in the pool, at the bottom of the slide, aghast. 

2) At her gymnastics class, she does belly flops into the foam pit, while the older kids delicately climb in.

3) At her tumbling gym, she climbs head first into a tall bucket, no idea what's inside the bucket.  Her little legs sticking straight up in the air. 

4) At the park, if you look away for even a second, she has run into the forest, and lain down in the brush so you can't see her.  And when you find her to try and scold her, she just looks up at you, giggling amongst the weeds. 

5) If Brae so much as breathes wrong on her, she kicks her foot into his face.

6) She prefers to drink water from the dog's bowl.

7) She eats bugs.

8) She rolls in dirt.

9) During snacktime, when another kid isn't looking, she has traded her empty milk carton for his full one, and has taken a bite of his sandwich. 

10) She puts on her shoes, throws her sparkly doggy purse over her shoulder, and walks out the front door without even saying 'goodbye.' 

I know that, channeled correctly, these are envious traits that will serve her well in life.  However, as a toddler, my fearless daughter has stricken fear into the heart of her mother.  It makes me wonder, Did 10 years frozen in a test tube incite this balls-to-the wall zest for life?  I may never know.

Notice the bruises and band-aids on her legs.

                      At our friend's bbq, she went straight for the tractor and tried to start it.

An unexpected closure

I received an email yesterday that provided me some unexpected closure in a certain area of my life.

You may recall that with Sienna, we had backup donors.  They had four "top grade" embryos.  Since we were doing open adoptions, I got to know not only Sienna's donors, but our backup donors as well.  We actually became friends and have remained in communication for nearly two years now.

After our success with Sienna, we decided to lovingly return the backup embryos to NEDC.  It was an excruciatingly difficult decision.  As badly as I wanted to adopt them, my husband and I were just not at the same page at that time with keeping them.  We felt that until we were unified in that decision, the right thing to do was to return them in the hopes they would be released from limbo.

Months went by and these embryos still were not adopted.  That puzzled me, because I knew they were of such a high grade, but I also know that open adoptions are less common than anonymous, so perhaps that was the reason.

About a year later, the embryos were adopted.  They were again the "backup embryos."  And, again, the couple got pregnant with their "first try" embryos.  And, again, that couple lovingly returned the backup embryos to NEDC. 

After I learned this, I approached my husband again with the possibility of adopting these embryos back.  And that's when he told me that he just did not feel led to do that, and instead felt led toward adopting through our state. 

Heartbreakingly, I told our backup donors that it was just not meant to be for us, but that I would continue to pray over these embryos, and their fate.

During all this time, these backup donors remained steadfastly positive about the fate of their precious embryos, knowing that they would be released at the right time, and to the right couple.

A few months ago, they were adopted by a third couple.  Recently, the four were thawed, and three survived and were transferred. 

No pregnancy resulted.

I'm shocked. 

I'm shocked because it's just a simple reminder that God is in control of life from beginning to end.  Not even the very best in medical technology, science, or the most brilliant and careful doctors and staff can ensure the beginning of life.  Life remains the province of our Creator. 

I also feel a sense of comfort and peace.  Comfort for our backup donors that they now feel some rest, knowing the fate of those children.  Comfort that God, as painful as it was, steered us away from re-adopting those embryos, which, knowing their fate, would have caused us more heartache and pain.

And peace, knowing that for that third adopting couple, while they no doubt are experiencing the heartache and pain of a failed attempt, that God still put this desire in their hearts, and He will be faithful to fulfill it, or take it away.

Homestudy: Part VI - The best yet

Yesterday was what we hope is our sixth and final homestudy (apart from maybe a brief follow-up visit or two).

It was the first time that Tygh and I actually got to be together for the homestudy since the first visit, many months ago. 

Again, the caseworker just wanted to fill in holes that she had in her report.  She mostly asked about our differing parent styles.  I'm much more laid back, and Tygh is more of the "iron fist."  She also wanted to ask more about our children and their personalities. 

Now, if you know me, I could go on and on and on talking about my kids.  But, I quietly deferred to Tygh.  It was so fascinating hearing his responses, and watching him as he responded.

When he spoke of Brae, his chest puffed up, and he sat up straight.  His voice was strong and proud.  He talked about how Brae is his shadow, how intelligent and willful he is, how he's "all boy," and how Brae owns me (great).

When he spoke of Sienna, his chest kind of caved in, he relaxed his posture, and sat back in the chair.  His voice was softer and more relaxed.  He talked about how she's shy when she first meets someone, but then she warms up quickly and is a social butterfly.  How she loves to take care of things and people, and how she can stand her own against her big brother.

And then, he spoke about me.  He spoke about how great of a mother I am.  How when I'm with the kids, I'm 100% with the kids.  How I'm driven and persistent in reaching my dreams, and also loving and compassionate (tears).

And then the caseworker said something that really surprised me.  Mind you, most of my interactions with my caseworker, while I really like her, have been a bit prickly.  I know that's just part of the process.  I've gotten the impression she thinks that I'm this tightly-wound woman who needs to take a chill pill.  Come to learn, she thinks quite the opposite.

"You know, Britney, you're actually a big softie.  You come across, and I think most people would think that you are this rigid professional woman who has to have her life all in order, which is what I initially thought.  But I've come to learn that you are not this way.  You actually have a very big heart and are quite a big softie."

That lit up my day.

So, next steps are that we have to finish a couple little things around the house (get a new fire extinguisher, get a safe for our medications, etc.), she writes her report, comes to do one final house walk-through, and then we are allowed to read our report (gulp).

As much as I want this homestudy process to just be over with, and have been pushing to just get it done, I truly trust God's sovereign plan with how and when this next child will come.

For now, it seems, we are at least off the roller coaster, and waiting for the next ride.

Homestudy: Part V

It's hard to believe there is actually a fifth chapter to this saga. 

Last week, I had my fifth interview with our caseworker. 

Our caseworker is in the process of writing up our report, and had some holes she said she wanted to fill in.  Particularly, she wanted to hear more about my childhood.  More about my parents' divorce.  More about my parents' re-marriages to my stepparents, and my three stepbrothers.  She wanted to hear more about my high school and college years.  More about my romantic relationships. 

In all, I'm not sure I've ever told one single person as much information as I've told this virtual stranger.  It's an exhausting process.

And, at the end, of course, she had comments.  In a nutshell, she said that I appear to "minimize the trauma in my life." 

Her concern was that we may be placed with a child who has had some trauma in his/her life, and it could be a trigger for me, and what was I willing to do about it?

I told her that I have been on several missions trips to very impoverished parts of our country, and our world.  I have witnessed children who do not have shoes on their feet, running water, and struggle for every morsel of food.  I have mentored children whose fathers have abandoned them, who have been physically or sexually abused, and neglected. 

In comparison, my childhood was a piece of cake. 

I'm not trying to minimize divorce, and the profound impact it has on children, including me.  Looking back, that one incident was a catalyst for a lot of unpleasant experiences in my life. 

However, I do not compare it to being beaten, raped, or starved.

So, forgive me if I tend to shrug my experience of divorce off.  In comparison, it was not that bad.  My parents each re-married, and have been re-married for over 25 years.  I've seen beauty rise from the ashes that divorce creates.  Including myself.

Of course, I told her that if a child we bring home causes a trigger in me, I will not hesitate to seek counseling.  And, I mean that.

We hope to have our next (and final!) homestudy visit in the next week or so, and then we wait for the final report to be written.

It will be so nice to have this part of the process behind us.

Brae-isms

It's been a while since the last round, so there are a few more than usual.  As always, I'm so proud to be the Mommy of this little one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1)     One evening, Brae and I were saying prayers before bed.  Brae said that he wanted me to pray, while he held his precious sticker book in his hand, and closed his eyes.  I was praying, thanking God for all our blessings, when Brae whispered, “Mommy, tell God that I have super hero stickers.  Thank him for those, too. ... Oh, and tell him to not ever send us to jail."

 

2)     Brae and Tygh made brownies one evening.  Brae loves brownies.  He put a special one on a plate, and said he wanted to save it for after school the following day.  Regrettably, I ate that brownie (don’t get too mad – there was a whole plate full of other brownies, but I ate the special one).  When Brae got home and realized his prized brownie was missing, he said, “Mommy, where’s my brownie?”  Guild-ridden, I said, “I’m so sorry, honey.  I ate it.  Were you looking forward to eating it?”  “Yes!” he proclaimed.  “I was looking forward to it….. and behind, and to the side!”

 

3)    Brae: “Mommy, I want some juice and chocolate milk.”    “No, Brae, you can’t have both,” I said.  “Pick one or the other.”  (Long pause)  Brae: “Other.” 

4)    Brae and Sienna went to Grandma and Grandpa’s house recently while Mommy and Daddy went on vacation.  Apparently, Brae’s picky eating habits continued even at grandparent’s house.  One evening, my sister came over to see the kids.  In front of Brae, Grandma said, “Brae is a p-i-c-k-y e-a-t-e-r.”  Brae got upset.  “No, I’m NOT,” he said.  “I’m B-r-a-e.” 

 

5)   At the park Brae and a little boy were playing. Suddenly, the other little boy started throwing dirt in Brae's face. Dirt got in his eyes. The other boy's mom came rushing over, apologizing. Brae just shrugged and said, "It's ok. It was my fault. I didn't turn my face fast enough."

 

6)   "Mom, my light saber broke. ... Now it's just a flashlight."

 

7)   Recently, we "met" our housecleaner for the first time. We got home earlier than usual, and she was still there. I walked in and saw a little boy sitting quietly on the couch. I realized he didn't speak English. Brae ran in, saw the boy sitting in Brae's spot on the couch, went right up to him and said, "Hi! Wanna watch ninjas with me?" The boy beamed. Love that he has yet to meet a stranger.

 

8)   I walked in on Brae going #2 in the bathroom. He had poop on his hands. I said, "Brae! Why do you have poop on your hands?" He said, "Because, Mommy. I want to always remember this poop being in my bum."

 

 

Friends with our donors

I am now Facebook friends with our donors.

This may seem like a silly thing on which to write a blog, but it actually means a lot to me.  I have a friend who is pregnant with twins through EA, and recently became "friends" with her donors, and was raving about how much she loved it.

Spurred on by this, I texted our donors to see if they wanted to be "friends."  I was delighted when they responded that they absolutely would. 

It has been such a treat to be Facebook friends.  I'm able to see all the pictures of Sienna's genetic siblings, get to revel in the humorous and insightful posts they make, and am able to establish a tangible link between our two families. 

Another bonus has come out of this growing relationship is that Sienna's genetic sister, who will be in 5th grade, has started responding to some of the text messages I send to our donors.  It is beyond a blessing to me to be able to have forged this relationship with Sienna's full-blooded genetic sister. 

For me, this is just part of the beauty of open adoptions.  With the advent and growing popularity of the Internet, our world is getting smaller.  To some, that is scary.  To me, it is comforting. 

I want Sienna to be able to know her genetic family.  I want her, when the time is right, to ask any questions she wants to.  I love that her genetic family is open and receptive to this.  I am not threatened in any way by this openness.  I long for it.  Brae has it with his biological family, and we believe Sienna should have it with her genetic family. 

Some reading this may not understand or relate to this, or even agree with this decision.  I get that.  It took me a while to get to this point, so I do understand the resistance and uneasiness. 

Ultimately, however, I'm doing this for our daughter.  In all of our adoption trainings (and we've been through a lot), there really is no such thing as a "closed" adoption anymore.  (There are exceptions, of course).  Most adoptees, at some point, hunger for information about their past, and with, again, the growing inner circle of our culture through social media, it is becoming easier to connect to our past.

For me, I feel blessed and honored to be able to have access to a wealth of information that, when the time is right, I can provide to Sienna. 

To those of you out there, including my dear friends, who have adopted internationally, have more traditional "closed" adoptions, or who chose anonymous EA, I hope you take this post in the spirit in which it is intended.  Your children also needed forever families.  A child is not eligible for adoption simply because it would be an open one.  So, I applaud your bravery and willingness to engage in that part of the adoption adventure.  I suspect it is equally as challenging, and rewarding.

Homestudy: Part III

Sigh.

Groan.

Ugh. 

That about sums up my last homestudy visit.  It was a 1:1 with just me and our caseworker.  I really do like our caseworker, but I very much dislike this homestudy process.

Going through the state, or at least through our state, is essentially an investigation to dig up dirt.  The caseworkers are required to find every possible red,  yellow, purple, pink, polka-dot flag they can, and talk about it.  It's very unlike private adoptions.

I actually brought this up with our caseworker at this last visit, and she agreed.  Private adoption homestudies tend to be shorter, less interrogatory, and put a polish on the family's life.  By contrast, public adoption homestudies are extensive, intrusive, and there is nary a glimmer to be found once the caseworker has gutted the family's life. 

I'm trying not to over-exaggerate.

It makes it difficult, however, when a family with a private homestudy is "competing" for a child with a public homestudy.  One showcases the family's successes, accomplishments, everyone has pearly white teeth, etc.  The other one highlights the family's struggles, skeletal closets, and everyone has missing teeth.

It's not fair.

I know, I know.  God has the right child already picked out for us.  No one can take our child.  I know all of the platitudes.  But it is still frustrating.

At the end of the homestudy visit, I asked our caseworker if she saw any red flags.  She said "no," but that there was an area about me that intrigued her the most and she wanted to learn more about it.

My need for control, she said.  I'm assertive, she said.  I'm the "squeaky wheel," she said.  And, I'm a permissive parent.

I gaffawed. 

Not because any of that is necessarily untrue, but because they were presented as negative traits.

I'm a wife, mother of two, and full-time professional.  Yes, I have a need for some control in my life.  Wouldn't you? Yes, I'm assertive.  Yes, I can be a "squeaky wheel."  No one is going to care more about my best interests than me.  No one is going to care about my children's (or future child's) best interest more than me.  And, yes, I've been told I'm a permissive parent.  (I've also been told in the same breath that I'm a natural "love and logic" parent).  I'm the mom who will let her kids run in the mud puddle (and have), and will take them to preschool naked if they refuse to get dressed (and have).  So, yes, I am each of these things, under the right circumstances.

So when our old caseworker didn't return our calls or emails, after several polite nudgings, yes, I contacted her supervisor.  These tactics apparently labeled me in the caseworker world as "assertive," "controlling," "squeaky wheel," and "trying to steer the process." 

All the while, our child is out there, somewhere, waiting for his/her forever family, while I wait for paperwork to be filed, emails to get sent, phone calls to get returned, and people to label me as controlling and assertive and permissive. 

So, I will wait, and I will take the heat.

Because there is a child out there waiting for us, who has already taken a lot of heat.

Sienna's 2 year stats

We had Sienna's 2-year check up last week, and these were the results:

1) Height = Smidge over 3 feet tall.  That is technically in the 97th percentile.

2) Weight = 29.1 pounds.  That is the 95th percentile. 

3) Head is in the 50th percentile. 

Sienna is now potty trained at school, and will go at home if I take her, but she does not let me know ahead of time. 

She is becoming much more verbal, and I can understand her about 75% of the time. 

She is extremely independent, considers herself self-sufficient, and marches to the beat of her own drum. 

She's a fantastic eater - and regularly will eat off of Brae and Daddy's plates once she's done with her own.  She is not into sweets. She prefers water to anything else, and salt to sugar.

She's also an amazing sleeper - about 10 hours at night straight, and then 2-3 hour naps. 

She's very into her baby dolls, putting them to bed, feeding them with a bottle, etc.

She's also easy to discipline.  You just look at her with a raised eyebrow and she falls straight into line.  Every once in a while, she'll throw herself on the floor in a full-out tempertantrum, but she wears out easily.

She is fearless.  She is not afraid to try anything.  She will climb, jump, run, belly-flop, in just about any environment. 

And, she's a lover.  She loves to cuddle, snuggle into your neck, and say "lub eww." 

To my daughter, on her 2nd birthday

Dear Sienna,

Whenever you read this, whether it's ten years from now reading it for the first time, or seventy years from now, after I'm long gone, I want you to know these certain truths about you, and never forget them. 

1.  I love you.  I love everything about you.  From how your eyes turn into crescent moons when you smile big, to the frown on your brow when you don't get your way.  I love it all. 

2. You will never lose my love.  I know there will come a day when you slam the door in my face, when you curse my name, and maybe tell me you wish I wasn't your mom.  I've steeled myself for that day, and I want you to know now, before it even happens, that I will love you still. 

3.  You are wanted.  Mommy and Daddy longed and ached for you, for years.  God moved mountains to bring you into this world, to create you, and to bring you to us.  So when that first boy breaks your heart, or you get that first grade you didn't deserve, or you don't get the job of your dreams, know that you will forever and always have parents who want you still. 

4.  Your brother loves you.  You are his favorite play thing.  You two were meant to be siblings.  He adores you.  He always asks about you.  He gets the biggest smile whenever you are around.  He wants to steal your toys just as often as he wants to share his food with you.  He wants a reaction out of you - whatever it is.  He delights in you.  Just remember that the next time that he makes you angry. 

5.  You are beautiful.  You are a gift.  A treasure.  You are a child of God, on loan to us. 


Daughter, we will do our best to raise you in these truths.  Please know that although we will mess up in raising you, we really are trying, and we really do want the very best for you. 

You are my child.  My firstborn daughter.  My beloved.

Happy birthday, honey pie.

Love,

Mommy

Homestudy: Part II

We had our second homestudy visit last week.  Apart from a few awkward moments, it went well.  The caseworker interviewed Tygh separately, and "observed" our children.  She later told Tygh that our children are "perfect."  (What parent doesn't love hearing that?)

This time around is just very different than our other homestudy visits.  Every word, gesture, glance seems scrutinized and, dare I say, judged?

I understand why.  Unlike domestic adoption or embryo adoption where the birth/genetic family get to choose, here the State is choosing.  And, also unlike domestic adoption or embryo adoption, there likely was not much willingness on the part of the birthfamily that caused the relinquishment/termination of parental rights.  So, in a sense, the stakes are higher. 

But, it is still really uncomfortable to have a 360-degree analysis of your family and your lifestyle. 

Next up is my one-on-one visit with the caseworker, followed by one more "family observation" visit.  Still hoping the report will be complete, and we'll be officially a "waiting family" by August.

One very cute and heartwarming moment happened right when the caseworker arrived.  Brae greeted her at the door with the following exchange:

Brae: "Hi.  I'm Brae.  B-r-a-e.  I'm adopted.  I'm special.  When are you going to give us a baby?"

Caseworker: "Hi.  Yes, you are special.  It's going to be a while."

Sigh. 

Moms... who ride in limos.

This last weekend we celebrated a good friend's 30th birthday.  Bonus was that our other good friend was able to come as well.  We are all great friends who have known eachother for close to a decade.  Our husbands are each friends from either elementary school or college.  And, we are each moms, with two kiddos apiece. Safe to say we've been through a lot together.

Our friend's husband went above the call of duty and actually rented a 25-person, white, stretch Escalade limo.  It's the largest limo in the state. 

Needless to say, we were tickled.

The night was so much fun (restaurant hopping, against the backdrop of PG-rated 90s rap music), but probably the most fun is that us moms got to peel out of our sweats, throw on some makeup, and actually curl our hair.  We were determined to not let anyone think we had lost our mojo simply because we were now moms.  So, to that end, our dresses may have been a tad shorter, and the lips a shade redder, than normal.  But, I'm proud to say that we mingled with the best of them.

And, the only evidence of our mom status was the fact that we quietly slinked out, and were in our beds, before midnight. 

Brae's commercial!

Here's a (draft) copy of Brae's commercial!  There are two versions.  I'm the gal in the white coat, and Brae is in the puffy jacket with the ladybug and magnifying glass.

Family pictures!