Deserving an Update

You all have quickly become an encouragement and our prayer team.  I thought you deserved an update, so here goes!  :)

Still planning on an update about our meeting with J and her mom.  I sit down to do it and then get sidetracked.

Also, planning on an update about how God has brought this all together.  I have it written in my head.  Just need to get it on paper, well, the blog.

I debated about this for a while, but in the end, I got a pay-as-you-go phone, allowing J to have a phone number where she can reach us and contact us.  It makes me less stressed, knowing that she can let us know if something is happening.  We have been texting back and forth and it's been a blessing.

While meeting with her and her mom, she asked me if I would go to an appointment with her.  I said yes!  So, this Thursday, Dave and I are going with her to her weekly appointment.  She's super excited about us going with her, and that brings me even more peace, knowing that she wants us there.

She calls us his parents and calls him "your little man".  She even asked "Daddy", what she calls Dave, to cut "his son's" (again, her words) cord.  We'll see if he gets up the nerve to do that.

We took some things over to her today, now that she's moved into a rental house.  She's been having a pain in her side and is so ready to not be pregnant.  She's dropped A LOT since we saw her last and wow, N is getting huge.  She was having contractions the entire time we were there and one even brought her to tears.  He might be here before we know it.

His official c-section date is the 18th, so I changed the bottom ticker to reflect that.  She said that they might change it when we go in on Thursday, but for now, we'll go with the 18th.

We have plans to do something special with her, her mom, and her kids this weekend.  Looking foward to spending time with them.

Okay, I think that's a pretty decent update.  Off to bed!  :)

Question #24

Question #24:  In the beginning, you mentioned that N might have some health concerns.  Are those still an issue?


Yes, those health concerns are still an issue.

I'm not really going to go into detail, but basically, J has been on medicine that was given to her by her doctor while being pregnant with N.  N has the chance (a high chance) of being addicted to this drug after he is born.

Basically what will happen is that the doctors and nurses know about this possible addiction.  When N is born, they will watch him for signs of going through withdrawal.  If he does have these symptoms, he will basically spend extra time in the hospital until those symptoms are not present any longer.

This was part of our decision when we decided to move forward with this adoption. We've done a lot of research and talked with some people who could give us their honest knowledgeable opinion.  This addiction is not something that causes long term effects or concerns and because of that, we decided to move forward.

Today's Prayer:  We are actually taking some things over to J today and I pray that again, everything will be positive and encouraging.  I don't expect anything different, but it's always nice knowing that you guys are praying even before it takes place.

I think I'm officially out of questions!!!!!  If you have anything you want to know, just let me know.  :)

A Special Something

Over the last few weeks, Dave and I have been working on a special something for N's room.

I have been interested in sign language for a long time and actually got my associates degree in that in college.  I took pictures of my hands in the letters for N's name.

Dave is a big drawer.  He's pretty good at it.  He took the pictures of my hands and drew them.

We picked up frames last night and painted them and hung them today over his crib.

Want to see???????

Question #23

Question #23:  How do we think the dogs will react to the new baby?  

First, thought I'd share pics of our dogs for those of you who don't know about our pups.

Annabelle is 5 and is our little dog.  She's a West Highland Terrier and loves to be the life of the party.  She thinks that she's as big as the big dog sometimes and likes to boss him around.  

   

This is our big dog, Roscoe and he's 7.  He's a mixed bread and he loves to snuggle.  He would be perfectly happy to sit with you all day if you would let him or you'll be his forever friend if you play tug of war.  You just have to be careful because he's super strong.

I think that they will be fine.  Yes, it will be an adjustment, but thankfully, they have been around kids and babies and haven't had a problem yet.  They, of course, will be curious, but I don't expect any problems. I love my pups.

Today's Prayer:  Pray that things will continue to move forward as planned and that, before the big day, Dave and I can enjoy our last days of "us" time.

Tomorrow's Question:  In the beginning, you mentioned that N might have some health concerns?  Are those still an issue?

Updated Nursery Pics

Here are a few pics to show you some of the things that have been added to the nursery!  :)

We now have a mattress and sheets.  Bedding is supposed to arrive sometime this week.  

I was able to get this bookshelf from school and spent last night painting it.  

His collection of stuffed animals.  I got these 3 collapsable bins from Walmart for $3.00!  :)

N got this sweet lovie in the mail from his Aunt Angela and Uncle Allen!  

Question #22

Question #22:  How confident are we with J's commitment to move forward with the adoption plan?


We are pretty confident in J's decision to continue with the adoption.  


In the beginning, we both felt very good about this.  I remember having a conversation with Dave after we met J for the first time about how sure we were and what percentage we thought J would stick with her decision.  I remember thinking that I was at 90% sure, but I didn't want to sound too high, so I told Dave to tell me his.  He said 90%!  :)  


Over the past few weeks, our meeting with J and her mom, and talking more with J, that percentage is higher.  I am feeling pretty confident.  We both are.  


Today's Prayer:  We're getting closer and closer to his arrival.  Pray that all continues to be positive.  


Tomorrow's Question:  How do we think our two dogs will react to a new baby in the home?  

Question #21

Question #21  What items do we have for N?

We have quite a few things, thanks to friends and family.

We have a crib, dresser, glider, swing, various toys, tons of blankets, stuffed animals, a stack of books, pack-n-play, car seat, and more.  We have quite a few clothes (and more are on the way) in the 0-3 month range, thanks to friends and family.  We also have more things headed our way, including a boppy, bouncy seat, etc.  :)  I was telling J how awesome it was that N is already getting packages in the mail almost daily.

Dave and I have picked up a few outfits, but mainly, the ones we have are from people.  We did pick out a coming home outfit.  It's nothing super special, but it was something we both liked and that's good enough for me.

We went tonight and got a mattress for the crib and thanks to a friend, we have super comfy sheets on it already.

Today's Prayer:  That I can get everything together that I need to before N arrives.  I know that I will never be 100% ready, but I'm the type of person that likes to be prepared and with teaching and knowing that I'm going to be taking time off, I'm doing my best to have things done in advance.  Sometimes, it's overwhelming.

Tomorrow's Question:  How confident are we with J's commitment to move forward with the adoption plan?

Question #20

Question 20:  Do I plan on taking time off when N arrives?


Yes, I will take some time off.  As to how much, that all depends on when he arrives and how things go.  If he waits until the 17th/18th for the c-section, then some of my time off will fall on my spring break, which would be awesome.  We'll see.

I'm also taking time off from my nanny job for a while, but thankfully, a good friend is filling in for me.  It's going to be so weird to not see E & A (the kids I nanny for) every week.

Today's Prayer:  J's appointment went well on Monday and N is looking great!  :)  Still growing and getting ready to make his arrival.  Pray that he continues to grow strong.

Next Question:  What things/supplies/baby stuff do we have for N?

Super Quick

Super Quick

That's what this post will have to be.  I was exhausted last night and decided to take a bath and go to bed early, with the intention of getting up early and taking care of some things.  Well, when I woke up this morning to realize that I'd gotten up 40 minutes later than my last alarm, I knew that plan had been thrown out the window.  Oh well, right?

Everything with J is still going wonderfully!  :)

I'll try to give you guys a better update later tonight or tomorrow.

Pics of N's Room

Here are the latest pics!!!

Question #19

Question #19:  After we bring N home, do we have to have the social worker come to our house?


Yes, after we bring N home, we will have to have two post placement visits from our social worker, the one that did our homestudy.  These visits just check to see that we are being good parents and taking care of him.  I'm not worried about this at all, well, all except for the money that they cost.  haha


Today's Prayer:  Gonna try to set up a time to meet with J and her son.  We're thinking about meeting them at the zoo one day, so I'm hoping that we can get that all worked out.


Tomorrow's Question:  Will I take time off when N arrives?  

Question #18

Question #18  Do I plan on continuing to blog after N arrives?

Yes, I do.  Now, I'm sure that my days (and nights) will get pretty busy and I'll have less "me" time, but I do plan on keeping with it.  With our families so far away, it will be a great place to share pics and updates.


Today's Prayer:  J will not be stressed with the move and that N will continue to grow and be healthy.

Tomorrow's Question:  After we bring N home, do we have to have the social worker come to our house?

Pics From N's Room

Well, we finally finished with the painting and the carpets look dark in this picture because I just finished steam cleaning them!  :)  

Question #17

Question #17  Will J be able to hold N when he's born?


Yes.  Because she cannot sign papers until 48 hours after he's born, he will technically be hers until then and she gets to make that call, not us.  It will totally be up to her.

When we met with her, she mentioned that she wanted to get a picture with N and her other children, and it was almost like she was asking our permission, so it's possible that she's not planning on holding him too much.

Today's Prayer:  J is moving out this weekend into a rental home.  Pray that all goes well and the move is easy and not stressful for her.

Tomorrow's Question:  Do I plan on continue this blog after N arrives?

Introducing.....

Look at the huge belly!!!

Most definitely a boy!

He's looking right at the camera.  

He's going to have huge feet!

Sweet, sweet profile!

Then, the weird 3D crazy picture.  

Just a Small Preview

Please ignore the mess!!!  haha

Our Meeting

Just a quick update:

Our meeting was wonderful!  :)  I even have pictures of N.

I already know you're going to hate me for this, but....for tonight, I want to enjoy my memory of the meeting and thank God for all that He's done.

I promise to share more later and show off my little man.  

Question #16

Question #16  Are we planning on having a baby shower?


We have had many people us about having a shower and yes, we plan on having a baby shower, but due to the nature of adoption,  I think we're going to wait until after he has arrived and papers have been signed before we do.

Today's Prayer:  That our meeting with J and her mom today will go well!  Lots of people have asked me if I'm nervous and I'm more excited than nervous.  This isn't a meeting to see if J wants to move forward with us, but rather a time for us to get to know each other better, making it less stressful.

Tomorrow's Question:  Will J be able to hold N after he's born?

Meeting

Thanks for all of your continued prayers. 

Dave and I are set to meet J and her mom tomorrow!  :)  Looking foward to getting to spend more time with J and I'm super excited about meeting her mom, especially since, in the words of J, her mom is 150% behind her on her adoption plan! 

And yes, I will post pictures of the nursery when it gets more "finished". 

And, just for the record, TW, we went with a lighter color.  haha

Paint Stinks!

The first coat of paint went on the walls of N's room last night!  Pretty exciting!  

Looking at it in the morning light, it looks wonderful and I'm even thinking that we may not need a second coat, which would be awesome. 

Color, you might ask?  It's a light khaki color.  Once that color is finished, we're putting two stripes around the room, one light blue and one lime green!  

I can't wait to get it finished.  :)  

Question #15

Question #15  Are we planning on registering?  

Yes, just this past weekend, we registered at both Target and Babies R Us.  We would have just done one place, but Target just didn't have some of the things we needed (wanted).  For example, because of some things we know about J and N, we would like to have the baby monitor that comes with a part that you put under the mattress to monitor breathing, something Target did not carry.  If breathing stops for a certain amount of time, an alarm goes off.  It's just something that will give us peace of mind.

What's really funny is watching people as they are looking at us when we were registering.  You can see them notice that I'm clearly not pregnant, especially not 8 or 9 months pregnant as talk about him being here in March, and trying to figure out what's going on.  haha  Oh, the joy in the little things.

Today's Prayer:  Continue to pray for J as she makes plans to move out today.

Tomorrow's Question:  Are we planning on having a baby shower?

Talk with J

I got to talk with J today.  I was able to test out the *67 thing and it worked, so I was able to call from my cell phone without any problems.

We talked for about 5 minutes.  N is doing well, growing and is, they think, close to 6 pounds!!!!!! The c-section right now is still planned for either the 17th or 18th of March.  (She's having to transfer all of her stuff to another hospital, one that is actually closer to us, so that is why it is taking a while to get a date pinned down.)  She said that he's head down and the doctor said he looked great.   If he makes it to his c-section, they think he might even make it to 8 pounds.  Gonna have to take back the premie clothes.

She's been having contractions each day, about 15-20 minutes apart.  This means that he could come a lot sooner rather than later.

She also had a good laugh and said that we're going to have our hands full.  Apparently, he likes to sleep during the day and be wide awake and very active at night.  Oh boy, what are we getting ourselves into!  haha

She said she has sonogram pictures for us and that it looks like he's looking into the camera in one of the pictures.  I can't wait to see pictures of him.  :)

We're looking forward to meeting her mom and are possibly going to do so on Thursday.  Going to find out tomorrow when and where.

So....things are still very much a go.  :)

Question #14

Question #14 :  Is there something special you can share about this match?


There are lots of special things about this match, things that remind me that only God could have made this happen.  I've got a special blog planned to include some of them, because I don't want to forget them.  


Here's something that I think is "cool" about this match:


In January 2010, we learned about N, who at that point was just know as the March baby, and had given our profile to the attorney.  


I had gotten up on the morning on January 19, 2010, thinking about the baby that we should have had, the baby that would now be 4, the baby that I lost through a miscarriage.  You see, on January 19, 2005, I had miscarried the only baby that, up to this point, has ever grown in my body.  On that Wednesday, the baby's heart stopped, the little heartbeat we had seen at the doctor's office just the day before, and we said goodbye to our August baby, the one that was due August 23, 2005.  I had dreaded this date this year, knowing that it would mark 5 years since I had been pregnant, since I had held the promise of a baby.  I went to work and had a normal morning and at my break, I happened to look at my phone and realized that I had a missed call.  I called the number, realized that it was the attorney's phone number, and found out that we had been matched with J!  I even got to talk with her on the phone for a few minutes.  I can't tell you the joy and happiness that I felt and still continue to feel.  :)  It's pretty awesome that God turned a day that I was dreading, a day full of bad memories, into a day now filled with joy!  :)


Prayer Request:  Pray for J.  She has to move out of the place that she is staying this week and I'm praying that it will all go smoothly.  


Tomorrow's Question:  Are we planning on registering anywhere?  

Later Today

Today's answer post is going to have to be answered after I get home tonight, probably after 8.  :(  Not enough time this morning.

I'm going to attempt to call J today, so please say a prayer that all goes well and that we can set up a time to meet her mom, hopefully sometime this week.

We bought the paint for N's room, but we had to patch some of the nail holes, so hopefully, we can get started on that asap.

Everything seems to still be moving along without any problems.  The c-section ticker is officially in the 20's.  I feel like I can't breathe, sometimes, knowing that the days are ticking away so quickly and there is still so much to be done.

Anybody?

Does anyone know how to block your phone number when making a call?  I've heard *67 does the trick, but I've never tried it before.  Also, does it cost money?

J mentioned that she wanted us to meet her mom (who is very pro-adoption, by the way) and I called the attorney on Friday to find out when the best time to get together would be.  The attorney called today and gave me J's phone number, in order to set up a time to meet, and mentioned that I might want to block my number when calling.

Truthfully, I hate being so secretive.  If she were in another city, I think things would be different, but the fact of the matter is that she is here in Jacksonville and not far from us, making things more complicated.

Any suggestions?

Holy Cow!

HOLY COW!!!!!

The c-section ticker says 30 days until N's arrival!!!!!!!!!!!

Time is FLYING!

Still so hard to believe that this is actually happening. :)

Question #13

Question #13  Will N know that he's adopted?


Well, if you haven't read some of my previous questions, then you might need to.  If you have, you will know that, sooner or later, he will realize that his skin color doesn't really match up with ours.  :)  It's not like we can keep that a secret forever.

We do plan on letting him know about his adoption.  It's an awesome story of how God had it planned out for him to be a part of our family, how we loved him even before we knew he existed.  We want him to know about J and her love for him and her desire for him to have more than what she can provide.  We have no intention of hiding his story from him.  He has the right to know, to know about the ways that God worked for him to be our son and to know about the many people that prayed for him.

At the same time, I won't walk around introducing him as my adopted child, just as a mother wouldn't introduce her son as her biological son or her c-section son.  When he becomes a part of our family, he will be our son, just as if I had carried him for nine months in my own body.  He is not our last resort option, or second best.  God just had other plans for us when it came to adding to our family than the normal old fashioned way and that other plan was a perfect plan that only He could put together.

Today's Prayer:  Pray that we will hear from the attorney soon and get a c-section date.  J is transferring her medical info to the hospital (that's closer to our house) and that is why it is taking a while to get all of the specifics nailed down.  

Tomorrow's Question:  Is there something special you can share about this match?

For the First Time

On Friday, I got an email from a contact I had made with an adoption agency in Tampa.  She had sent me two possible situations, one baby due in March and one due in September.  

In the past few months, when I would receive those emails, my heart would start to race and I'd try my hardest to not get excited, but it was pretty impossible.  Id' think about the possibilities and try to get as much information as possible about the situations.

For the first time in a while, I was instantly not interested.  My heart did not race, my mind did not race with possibilities, and I was able to send an email back to her, thanking her for contacting us and letting her know about N.  It feels good, to know that I'm content with N and already in love with him, even though I've never seen him or touched him.  

I can't wait to meet him.  

Question #12

Question #12  How can we afford this adoption?

We were able to take out a loan in order to pay for this adoption.  Did I want to have to do that?  No, but it's the only way possible to make it happen.

Also, we have had some wonderful, loving people give us some money, which will help.  We've had some people donate here on the blog through the chip in (on the left).  As my grandma said, "One drop in the bucket doesn't make that much of a difference, but many drops in a bucket can make it overflow."  :)

I hate the fact that adoption is so expensive.  I hate that it feels like we're buying a baby.  I hate all the money stuff.  I try not to think about it too much.  I know that God will provide and all will be well, it's just hard to do sometimes when I see how much money we owe.  

Today's Prayer:  That we won't stress about the money.  That we will find ways to pay off the loan ASAP!

Tomorrow's Question:  Will N know that his is adopted?

Question #11

Question #11  Will we be at the hospital when N arrives?


When we met with J, she actually asked us if we would be there.  She wants us there when N makes his arrival!

So, yes, we do plan on being there.  Thankfully, the hospital where N will be born is very close to our house.  J is planning on having a c-section and I know her mom will be there with her, so I'm not sure that we'll be allowed to be in the room when he's born.

Tomorrow's Question:  How can we afford to pay for this adoption?

Prayer Request:  J is having to move out of the place that she's staying sometime this week.  Pray that her move will be smooth and easy.

Question #10

Sorry about not updating this morning.  I got up later than planned and after school, we had to get a few things done before heading to church to serve at the Valentine's Banquet at church.  Sounds like fun, huh?

Question #10:  What type of adoption is this:  closed, semi-closed, open?  How much contact will J have with the Little Man?

This adoption would be considered a semi-open, I guess.  J lives here in Jacksonville and will actually be delivering N at the hospital close to our house.  She knows that I'm a teacher and that Dave is a youth minister, but she does not know the names of the places we work.  She also does not know the location of our house or even what area of Jacksonville we live in.  She does not know our last name.

Because she is so close to us (in location), all communication goes through our attorney.  Once N is a part of our family, letters and pictures will be sent to the attorney and J will be able to access them through the attorney.

Tomorrow's Question:  Will we be at the hospital when N arrives?

Update and Negativity

A Quick update:

J's appointment went well.  N is weighing in at 5 lbs. 2 oz.  :)  Still haven't gotten word about the c-section date, but all is still good and I plan on calling the attorney tomorrow of Monday to get more info.

We got two packages in the mail today, both full of items for N!  It's super fun getting packages.

As for the negative comment I got yesterday, just gonna ignore it and move on.  Not worth the time or effort.

Question #9

Question #9  What happens to our profile that we had at the local adoption agency?


Basically, our profile will be put on hold for the moment.  If something were to happen and we did not come home with a baby in March, we could them put our names back on the list for future adoptions if we desired to do so.

If we do come home with a baby in March, then eventually, we would need to make a new profile including our new child, if we wanted to adopt again in the future.

Update:  We have not heard anything about J's appointment yesterday, but that's okay.  The attorney usually stops by to see her on her way home and I'm sure we'll hear something today or tomorrow.

Also, I got my first negative comment about my blog yesterday.  I didn't allow it to be published, due to the rudeness of the comment, but I do plan, at some point, to address it here on the blog.  I only wish that the person would have had the guts to attach their name to their comment so that I could further discuss it with them.

Tomorrow's Question:  What type of adoption is this:  closed, semi-closed, open?  How much contact will J have with the Little Man?

Prayer Request:  Pray for J's oldest child, who is struggling with this adoption.

Question #8

Question #8  What are J's reasons for putting the baby up for adoption?


J loves this baby and if things were different, she would probably not be considering adoption.  It's not that she doesn't want him or doesn't love him.  She is just in a place in her life where she cannot afford to support a third child.

When we met with her, she said that she wants more for this baby than what she can provide. 

It's a sad, sad situation.  :(

Tomorrow's Question:  What happens with our profile that we had at the local adoption agency?

Today's Prayer Request:  J has an appointment today and I'm hoping all goes well, that N is behaving and growing, and that we can finally get a c-section date.  :)

Question #7

Question #7:  Does N have any siblings?

Yes, N has two siblings, a brother and a sister.

I would love to go into more details, but I just don't think it's something that needs to be put on the blog.

Tomorrow's Questions:  What are J's reasons for putting this baby boy up for adoption?

I know that so many of you guys are praying for us and believe me, I can't tell you just how much that means to me.  I was thinking last night, while trying to fall asleep, that it may help if each day I put a more specific prayer request up on the blog.  So, here's todays:

Prayer Request 2/9/10:  Prayer for peace for J today.  We know that she is solid on her decision to give up this baby, but I'm praying that her decision in choosing us brings her peace that little N will be loved and taken care of just as if I had given birth to him myself.

Question #6

Question #6:  Do we plan on decorating a nursery, and if so, what colors are we using?


To be truthful with you, I never thought I would do this.  Yes, I have always wanted kids and knew that somehow, we would make this happen.  What I mean is that I never thought I'd have a strong desire to decorate while being matched.

So much is up in the air when it comes to adoption.  Yet, I feel confident in J's decision to place.  Yes, I believe her when she says that this is her decision and she's not going to change her mind.  But.....we still have to be realistic and know that things can change.

I always thought that I'd get a few things together and then really decorate when the baby was finally in our home.  When we had the possibility of adopting K's baby this past October, I guess I knew in the back of my mind that A would never be ours.  I didn't want to set up a nursery and have to look at it if things didn't work.  This whole way of thinking has been thrown out the window.

Yesterday, I cleaned out the closet in N's room and moved all of our baby things into the closet.  N already has stuffed animals, toys, books, and various other things.  I moved all of our baby clothes and blankets into the dresser in his room and we moved the desk out of the room last night.  Besides moving a few pieces of furniture out (the bed, a tv stand), the room is ready to be painted.

Now, to the color part......we thought we had decided, but I'm just not sure.  Gonna try to convince Dave to go look at paint tonight.  :)  We do know that lime green (maybe a stripe) will be incorporated in some way.

Tomorrow's Question:  Does N have any siblings?

Help Jonah

I know that many people read my blog, so I wanted to include a link to Jonah's EB auction.  Will you please help raise money to help babies like Jonah?

Jonah's EB Auction

Question #5

Question #5  What do we know about the birthfather and what are his rights?


Before I answer this question, I just wanted to give you guys an update.  Things are still looking good!  :)  Everything is still a go.

If you notice, there are two "tickers" on the left side of my blog.  The top one is for N's due date, March 23.  The bottom one, the one with the baby floating, is for his c-section date.  As you can notice, the days are going by pretty quickly.  It's hard to believe that we have less than 40 days before we get to see him for the first time.

Okay, now for the answer to the question:
While birthmothers have to wait for 48 hours after the birth before they can sign the papers to terminate their rights, in the state of Florida, birthfathers can sign over the parental rights before the baby is born.

For us, we don't have to get a birthfather to sign over rights.  N's birthfather was Jamaican and died of a cardiac arrest in November.  Even though the exact reason for his death is not known, they believe it had to do with a complication from a surgery that he had had a few weeks prior.

While this is sad, because N will never be able to meet his birthfather later on in life, it helps us.  We do not have to worry about two people having to sign over rights.

Tomorrow's Question:  Are we going to decorate a nursery and if so, what colors are we using?

Just bought some paint samples for N's room! :)

Question #4

Question #4  What race is N?


N will be a bi-racial baby!  :)  His father is Jamaican and his mother is caucasian.  We couldn't be happier.

His mom J is very fair skinned, has dirty blonde hair, and is about the same height as me.  She is very pretty.

Can't wait to see him for the first time!!!  :)

Tomorrow's Question:  What do we know about the birthfather and what are his rights?

Question #3

Question #3:   What rights will the birthmother have when the baby is born?


**These answers are for the state of Florida.  All states have different rules and regulations.**


Birthmothers are not allowed to sign papers until after the birth.  They can sign papers saying that they agree with the adoption plans, but they cannot terminate their rights until after the birth.  Birthfathers can terminate their rights before the baby is born.  For the birthmothers, this means that they have the right to change their mind after the birth of the baby, a very scary thought that I try not to think about.  


In this situation, J will deliver the baby at one of the local hospitals.  Once Little Man has arrived, she has to wait 48 hours before signing papers.  Sometimes, it can be longer if she is dealing with lots of pain medication.  It can also be shorter than 48 hours if the hospital discharged her before the 48 hours is up.  For us, it will be the full 48, because J is planning on having a c-section.  


Once papers are signed, the baby is ours!  There is no turning back.  The only way for her to fight the decision would be if she could prove that she was forced to sign the papers or fraud was involved, neither of which will be the case.  


Tomorrow's Question:  What race is Little Man?

Question #2

Question #2

Do we have a name picked out for Baby VBK and if so, what is it?


This question is one that I really struggled with when trying to decide which questions I could answer and which were best left unanswered.  It's not that I don't want you to know his name or that we're trying to keep it a secret.

One reason for not posting it is that it's scary.  It's scary to think that this may not happen, to get ourselves ready for him to come and then the birthmother to change her mind.  Letting his name be known will make it harder if we come home empty-handed, but I've come to the conclusion that I can't let that scare me from preparing for him.  I can't let that fear take over.  I must believe that this is really happening, that we will not come home empty-handed.  I must prepare to be a mom in just two short months.  Women carrying biological children don't hold back on naming their children, even though there is a chance that something could happen during the pregnancy or delivery and the baby could die.  That chance is probably the same chance that we have of coming home without a baby.

Another reason for not posting is due to the birthmother.  She does not know our last name, where we live, or our places of employment, but when all is said and done, she will know the baby's name.  I know that the chances of her finding this blog with just three names, ours and the baby's, are very, very slim, but it's still a risk.  So....I figured I'd post it for about a week, week and a half, and then delete his name from this post.

So.....here we go.  Our name for Baby VBK is........



















........ (If you want to know, please email or message me.) 

It's part of Dave's middle name, a family name on my dad's side, is easy to pronounce since it's going to be with our last name, and it means "gift of God".

As for a middle name, you'll just have to wait until he's born for that one!  hahaha

Tomorrow's Question:  What rights will the birthmother have when the baby is born?

Question #1

So, I'm going to start answering one question a day starting today.  So far, I have 24 questions to answer, but if you think of any, let me know.  It will help me pass the time.

Question #1

When is Baby VBK's due date?


Baby VBK is officially due March 23.  J is expecting, though, to have a c-section a week prior to this due date, so I guess his official arrival date would be sometime around the 17.  Here's the thing, though.  Due to some factors in this situation, we are expecting him to arrive even earlier.

J had false labor on Sunday night and went to the hospital.  Thankfully, Baby VBK has some more time to "cook" before arriving, but they did some tests and he's looking great.  Lungs look wonderful and he's right at 5 pounds.

So, needless to say, we have LOTS to do before he arrives.


Tomorrow's Question:  Do we have a name picked out for Baby VBK and if so, what is it?

Oh Yeah!!!

It's hard to believe that I actually get to add one of these to my page!


I have a lot of questions from people, so I wrote them down tonight and I'm going to start answering one a day starting tomorrow!!!

We Decided!

We met with the attorney today and we made our decision.  We are both at peace and feel that God has led us to this.



We decided to.........





















......make it official!

 We are planning on adopting a baby boy due March 23, 2010!!!!!!!!


We've started the paperwork and are looking forward to being a family of three.

Meeting with the attorney today at 4! :)