We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! With the Christmas season quickly approaching us we are quite excited to see what is in store for us as far as the adoption goes. Jonathan emailed in about 90% of the paperwork that was due to the adoption agency this morning. It was a lot to fill out and get turned in. Thank you to everyone who has been patient with us during this process. We know you are all just as excited as we are and it can make you impatient and wonder "why is it taking them so long to turn it in?" It was a good amount of paperwork and data that we had to get together for the agency. Heck, we still have a lot that needs to be sent in in way of forms IE vet shot records on the babies, physicals, health insurance verifications, and life insurance verifications.
We also have to finish our autobiographies which should be done by the end of the week and create our photo album for the birth mother to view. Please keep us in your prayers for these items.
This is a short update and I hope more updates will be coming soon!
Jonathan and Shelly
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Jigsaw puzzle fundraiser
I was trying to think of another way to raise money that everyone can be a part of. Something that represents every person and would forever be a part of our child's life. I have been doing some research on this topic and I kept coming up with a jigsaw puzzle. The idea is to sell a puzzle piece to people who want to be a part of our child's life for $5 a piece. Individually the piece is just that... a piece of the puzzle. Don't they say it takes a village to raise a child? Hopefully, in the end the puzzle will become the big picture. A picture of family, friends, and acquaintances holding this child that is coming into this world.
My idea is that once all of the pieces have been purchased for $5 a piece then it will be glued together and hung in the nursery for the child to have forever. Forever knowing that he/she was loved before he/she was even born. By everyone.
If one piece is missing the picture will not be complete. That is why we need your help. If you want to buy a piece of the puzzle for $5 please contact me. The puzzle is a 750 piece puzzle. Please spread the word.
“They are the children God has graciously given your servant.” Genesis 33:5
My email: Shelly.Hollon@gmail.com
Thank you so much for all the love, prayers and encouragement that we have been given during this process. It still amazes us the many blessings that we have been given. All of this ultimately the work of God through you all. Thank you!
My idea is that once all of the pieces have been purchased for $5 a piece then it will be glued together and hung in the nursery for the child to have forever. Forever knowing that he/she was loved before he/she was even born. By everyone.
If one piece is missing the picture will not be complete. That is why we need your help. If you want to buy a piece of the puzzle for $5 please contact me. The puzzle is a 750 piece puzzle. Please spread the word.
“They are the children God has graciously given your servant.” Genesis 33:5
My email: Shelly.Hollon@gmail.com
Thank you so much for all the love, prayers and encouragement that we have been given during this process. It still amazes us the many blessings that we have been given. All of this ultimately the work of God through you all. Thank you!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Adoption Orientation part 2
As I stated yesterday there was SO much information that was given at the orientation that I thought it was only fair that I gave it to you in two days as well. I forgot to mention yesterday that we are the first orientation to get all forms on a flash drive. Thats right, after 50 years of paper Christian Homes has gone paperless. Good for them and I am glad to be a part of the process. It really has been a pleasant experience so far. Its all in a PDF file. Just fill it in and email it back to them. (By the way we are over half way done with ALL the paperwork :) )
We were asked to be back at Christian Homes by 8:15 Saturday morning. That was an early time for us as we did not make it to bed until around 11:30. We were filling out all of the paperwork and doing as much as we could before we passed out from the day. Luckily for us Christian Homes is only about 10 minutes from the Marriott hotel we were staying at in Abilene. I feel I must add that it was 46 degrees in Abilene on Saturday morning. Very strange but also very nice. I like to think the Lord was giving us a "cool" start to Saturday and maybe the rest of our lives.
We arrived at Christian Homes as 8:15. Christian Homes attorney Paul, wish I could remember his last name, came to speak with us about legal matters and what to expect. In Texas the birth mother has a mandatory 48 hour time frame to sign over her rights after the baby is born. Again this is mandatory. She can choose to have us in the hospital room giving birth OR she can choose to have those 48 hours to just her and the baby. That seems a little non-negotiable. We can have input, but that is up to her. Now, the father issue can be a whole new bag of worms according to Paul. There can be three types of fathers. The first one is when the birth mother does not know who the father is, second one is the father is known but does not want to be a father, and the third is when she knows who the father is but he will not respond to written request to come forward for the baby. The first and the last types of fathers get 30 days in Texas to contest the adoption. That is if the first father finds out that she is pregnant with his baby. Do not hold me to all the above information regarding fathers. It was thrown at us so quickly. That is what I understood at least.
After Paul was finished we got to meet a panel of 3 women who were all adoptees. I will omit their names for their privacy. They were all great and told us their stories. They did not hold much back. Open adoption was a main key that we kept running into this weekend. If we decided on open adoption we would work out a gentlemans deal with the birth mother that we can all live with. Examples would be a yearly photo and letter, or a monthly photo. They usually deal with photos. It is not legal and binding that we send pictures or letters but its your word which means something to us. Most of these women had open adoptions and they seemed happier that way. There was one woman who did not have an open adoption and that seemed to still plague her to this day. Why did the mother or father not want to be in her life? Of course she may never know the answer to that, but I pray she finds closure one day. It was an eye opening panel and I am appreciative we had that time with the three ladies.
The agency also brings in birth mothers to speak with us. Unfortunatly, only one showed up. We will refer to her as Miss J to keep her privacy. She continues to go to the orientations to tell her story. Miss J is a beautiful women who looked all of about 21. When she told us she was really 38 my jaw dropped. By the way, Miss J is a different age than 38, but I did not want to give her true age out as that may be another identifying way for some. What I am trying to convey is that she was really about 20 years older than she looked. She told us her story which had me in tears and in love with her within 5 minutes of hearing her speak. I know Jonathan was too. Miss J had a very terrifying life experience that I hope noone will ever have to endure. We will continue to pray for Miss J as she continues on her journey.
The over all experience was awesome and one that we would do again. It was an unbelievable weekend. I am so glad that we were able to share this information with you all.
We were asked to be back at Christian Homes by 8:15 Saturday morning. That was an early time for us as we did not make it to bed until around 11:30. We were filling out all of the paperwork and doing as much as we could before we passed out from the day. Luckily for us Christian Homes is only about 10 minutes from the Marriott hotel we were staying at in Abilene. I feel I must add that it was 46 degrees in Abilene on Saturday morning. Very strange but also very nice. I like to think the Lord was giving us a "cool" start to Saturday and maybe the rest of our lives.
We arrived at Christian Homes as 8:15. Christian Homes attorney Paul, wish I could remember his last name, came to speak with us about legal matters and what to expect. In Texas the birth mother has a mandatory 48 hour time frame to sign over her rights after the baby is born. Again this is mandatory. She can choose to have us in the hospital room giving birth OR she can choose to have those 48 hours to just her and the baby. That seems a little non-negotiable. We can have input, but that is up to her. Now, the father issue can be a whole new bag of worms according to Paul. There can be three types of fathers. The first one is when the birth mother does not know who the father is, second one is the father is known but does not want to be a father, and the third is when she knows who the father is but he will not respond to written request to come forward for the baby. The first and the last types of fathers get 30 days in Texas to contest the adoption. That is if the first father finds out that she is pregnant with his baby. Do not hold me to all the above information regarding fathers. It was thrown at us so quickly. That is what I understood at least.
After Paul was finished we got to meet a panel of 3 women who were all adoptees. I will omit their names for their privacy. They were all great and told us their stories. They did not hold much back. Open adoption was a main key that we kept running into this weekend. If we decided on open adoption we would work out a gentlemans deal with the birth mother that we can all live with. Examples would be a yearly photo and letter, or a monthly photo. They usually deal with photos. It is not legal and binding that we send pictures or letters but its your word which means something to us. Most of these women had open adoptions and they seemed happier that way. There was one woman who did not have an open adoption and that seemed to still plague her to this day. Why did the mother or father not want to be in her life? Of course she may never know the answer to that, but I pray she finds closure one day. It was an eye opening panel and I am appreciative we had that time with the three ladies.
The agency also brings in birth mothers to speak with us. Unfortunatly, only one showed up. We will refer to her as Miss J to keep her privacy. She continues to go to the orientations to tell her story. Miss J is a beautiful women who looked all of about 21. When she told us she was really 38 my jaw dropped. By the way, Miss J is a different age than 38, but I did not want to give her true age out as that may be another identifying way for some. What I am trying to convey is that she was really about 20 years older than she looked. She told us her story which had me in tears and in love with her within 5 minutes of hearing her speak. I know Jonathan was too. Miss J had a very terrifying life experience that I hope noone will ever have to endure. We will continue to pray for Miss J as she continues on her journey.
The over all experience was awesome and one that we would do again. It was an unbelievable weekend. I am so glad that we were able to share this information with you all.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Adoption Orientation Part 1
I will be telling you about the orientation in two parts. There is so much information packed in and this weekend was the same way. It was such an awesome opportunity and we are so thankful to have done it.
The adoption orientation was great. I have never met a greater bunch of individuals. When we arrived we were greeted by Sharon, the receptionist, at Christian Homes. She showed us the room we would be in for the orientation. We were ushered into a large room with 2 1/2 walls full of 8x10 photos of all of the children that have been adopted through Christian Homes. Most of them were later in life photos and some were baby pictures. It was neat to see the "extended family" of the agency. The room had tables in the shape of a giant horse shoe. At every table sat 1 couple, and there were 10 couples present for the orientation. Everyone looked different some were older, some were young, and many different ethnicities. Jonathan and I sat down at the first table on the left of the podium. That was one of the only tables left by the time we got there which is fine by me as I like to sit in the front anyways. After a couple minutes the Christian Homes staff started walking up and introducing themselves to us. It was refreshing to see how easy it was to talk to them all. There was never an awkward moment and the conversations just kept flowing. A few minutes later Bob Parkhill, VP of Christian Homes, walked up to the podium and called the orientation to order. After a quick prayer, he told everyone he would like us to introduce themselves. It was very cool to see and hear the dynamics of the other couples that were there. Bob said something that really stuck with both of us. He said "do not size up the other couples; we are all on the same team not opponents." I could not have agreed more. I was not looking at the other couples in the room and thinking "who is going to be getting our baby?" Instead, I was looking at them all as potential support systems. As we started going around the room we learned that there were couples from all over the United States. 1 couple from New Mexico, one from Arkansas and one from North Carolina (whom I will get to more about later). WOW, couples that committed to travel across the U.S. to work with Christian Homes. What a beautiful picture and made us feel very blessed to live within driving distance of this wonderful organization. The introduction portion of the orientation made everything already worth it.
The next thing on the agenda was for us to learn all of the wonderful things that Christian Homes has to offer birth mothers, the community and the adoptive parents. We listened to a few of the staff members speak about the adoption process. Marketing is a HUGE part of the agency. They advertise at Planned Parenthood's, OB/GYN offices, colleges, Seventeen magazine, and many other popular magazines. Bob let us in on an interesting fact; did you know it takes Christian Homes $6,000 in marketing fee's for 1 baby? Now, Christian Homes does not JUST help birth mothers who are giving their babies up for adoption. They help all mothers who come through the doors no matter if they are giving their babies up or not. We think this is a huge ministry that is lacking in todays society. Some of these mothers who come in to the agencies are just scared or are not sure. I can not remember the exact numbers but about half of the mothers that come into the agency for help are actually putting their babies up for adoption. That is a lot of women who need help. Help with groceries, rent, phone, water etc. Christian Homes will help with what the can. Not only financially, but emotionally as well. They have a therapist on staff at all times or at least one close by.
We also went through how to write birth mother letters, and the photo albums we have to come up with. The photo albums can be no longer than 10 pages (front and back), and stapled in the upper left hand corner. We were very excited to actually see some examples of adoptive parents albums and to hear some reasons why birth mothers chose or did not choose those families for her baby to go to. A birth mother could see a potential adoptive mother wearing a Dallas Cowboys sweater and say "I love the Cowboys" and choose the adoptive family based off that one shirt. Bob told us of a story of a young birth mother, 17, who was reading Gullivers Travels at school. When it came time for her to find the adoptive family she opened an album and the adoptive family had a dog named Gulliver. She chose them. Isn't that neat? SO, it is very important that we be true to ourselves and you never know what will jump out at these women. By the way I do not want you to read this as me saying all of the girls are young. In the next blog I will tell about a birth mom we met who was 38 when she put her baby up for adoption.
The last thing we went over on Friday was outreach programs that we had to do to adopt through Christian Homes. They had 10 different ideas but you had to choose three to do. This seems more like a marketing/research for ourselves out in the community or maybe to make sure we are good about being open about our adoption with our friends and families. In case you were wondering YES this blog does meet one of the requirements. So does my Cupcakes for Our Cupcakes Facebook page, coming, and my adoption group through church with Kathryn. We are more than good on these three things.
That ends part 1 of the blog about the adoption orientation. Please check back tomorrow where I hope to tell you all about the birth mothers, adoptee's and birth parents who have already adopted through Christian Homes. What a awesome weekend!
The adoption orientation was great. I have never met a greater bunch of individuals. When we arrived we were greeted by Sharon, the receptionist, at Christian Homes. She showed us the room we would be in for the orientation. We were ushered into a large room with 2 1/2 walls full of 8x10 photos of all of the children that have been adopted through Christian Homes. Most of them were later in life photos and some were baby pictures. It was neat to see the "extended family" of the agency. The room had tables in the shape of a giant horse shoe. At every table sat 1 couple, and there were 10 couples present for the orientation. Everyone looked different some were older, some were young, and many different ethnicities. Jonathan and I sat down at the first table on the left of the podium. That was one of the only tables left by the time we got there which is fine by me as I like to sit in the front anyways. After a couple minutes the Christian Homes staff started walking up and introducing themselves to us. It was refreshing to see how easy it was to talk to them all. There was never an awkward moment and the conversations just kept flowing. A few minutes later Bob Parkhill, VP of Christian Homes, walked up to the podium and called the orientation to order. After a quick prayer, he told everyone he would like us to introduce themselves. It was very cool to see and hear the dynamics of the other couples that were there. Bob said something that really stuck with both of us. He said "do not size up the other couples; we are all on the same team not opponents." I could not have agreed more. I was not looking at the other couples in the room and thinking "who is going to be getting our baby?" Instead, I was looking at them all as potential support systems. As we started going around the room we learned that there were couples from all over the United States. 1 couple from New Mexico, one from Arkansas and one from North Carolina (whom I will get to more about later). WOW, couples that committed to travel across the U.S. to work with Christian Homes. What a beautiful picture and made us feel very blessed to live within driving distance of this wonderful organization. The introduction portion of the orientation made everything already worth it.
The next thing on the agenda was for us to learn all of the wonderful things that Christian Homes has to offer birth mothers, the community and the adoptive parents. We listened to a few of the staff members speak about the adoption process. Marketing is a HUGE part of the agency. They advertise at Planned Parenthood's, OB/GYN offices, colleges, Seventeen magazine, and many other popular magazines. Bob let us in on an interesting fact; did you know it takes Christian Homes $6,000 in marketing fee's for 1 baby? Now, Christian Homes does not JUST help birth mothers who are giving their babies up for adoption. They help all mothers who come through the doors no matter if they are giving their babies up or not. We think this is a huge ministry that is lacking in todays society. Some of these mothers who come in to the agencies are just scared or are not sure. I can not remember the exact numbers but about half of the mothers that come into the agency for help are actually putting their babies up for adoption. That is a lot of women who need help. Help with groceries, rent, phone, water etc. Christian Homes will help with what the can. Not only financially, but emotionally as well. They have a therapist on staff at all times or at least one close by.
We also went through how to write birth mother letters, and the photo albums we have to come up with. The photo albums can be no longer than 10 pages (front and back), and stapled in the upper left hand corner. We were very excited to actually see some examples of adoptive parents albums and to hear some reasons why birth mothers chose or did not choose those families for her baby to go to. A birth mother could see a potential adoptive mother wearing a Dallas Cowboys sweater and say "I love the Cowboys" and choose the adoptive family based off that one shirt. Bob told us of a story of a young birth mother, 17, who was reading Gullivers Travels at school. When it came time for her to find the adoptive family she opened an album and the adoptive family had a dog named Gulliver. She chose them. Isn't that neat? SO, it is very important that we be true to ourselves and you never know what will jump out at these women. By the way I do not want you to read this as me saying all of the girls are young. In the next blog I will tell about a birth mom we met who was 38 when she put her baby up for adoption.
The last thing we went over on Friday was outreach programs that we had to do to adopt through Christian Homes. They had 10 different ideas but you had to choose three to do. This seems more like a marketing/research for ourselves out in the community or maybe to make sure we are good about being open about our adoption with our friends and families. In case you were wondering YES this blog does meet one of the requirements. So does my Cupcakes for Our Cupcakes Facebook page, coming, and my adoption group through church with Kathryn. We are more than good on these three things.
That ends part 1 of the blog about the adoption orientation. Please check back tomorrow where I hope to tell you all about the birth mothers, adoptee's and birth parents who have already adopted through Christian Homes. What a awesome weekend!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Adoption orientation...
We are so excited that the orientation has finally arrived. We have been waiting for this for over 2 months. We are working hard to get all of the paperwork and tests completed so that we can just turn in our packet for acceptance to Christian Homes. Please keep us in your prayers. I will have a full write up next week on our time at the orientation.
Also, we are having another garage sale on 10/15/11 in Watauga at our house. If you have any items you would like to donate towards the cause please let me know.
Hope you all have a blessed day!
Also, we are having another garage sale on 10/15/11 in Watauga at our house. If you have any items you would like to donate towards the cause please let me know.
Hope you all have a blessed day!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Garage Sale
The Garage sale was a HIT! We are so blessed to have so many wonderful friends and family members who are eager to help us fundraise to help offset the cost of the baby. Thank you to all who helped. BIG thank you to Damon and Kate Cunningham. They offered up their house and time for this great cause!
We are already planning the next garage sale. It will be in October sometime so please start helping gather things from friends. It will be a lot cooler then and hopefully more people will be able to help run the sale.
Hope you all have a blessed day!
We are already planning the next garage sale. It will be in October sometime so please start helping gather things from friends. It will be a lot cooler then and hopefully more people will be able to help run the sale.
Hope you all have a blessed day!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
This is not a diary...
I had an epiphany today with the help of a good friend. I have been writing to this blog for about 2 months. The original reason for this blog was for educational purposes for family, friends and even people I do not know from far away. As I began this journey I was not sure where God was going to lead me or how He was going to use me. It started to become clear to me as everywhere I went there seemed to be someone who was interested/looking to/considering adoption but just did not know where to start. I started thinking "What stage can I use to help people with adoption questions?" Then I met Kathryn at church. She works in the adoption world and knows the in's and out's. We formed a team and are working on setting up a group at church that meets quarterly to discuss adoption. We are both very excited about this endeavor. So, that kinda fixes my need and want to help people with adoption.
Everytime I write a new blog I send our family members and close friends an email that just lets them know a new blog has been written. I also make a posting on Facebook so our friends can look if they want to. I do this because this blog is probably not something most people check daily. I have been wondering why the comments, questions, and messages suddenly stopped about 6 weeks ago. It was brought to my attention that this blog could be seen as a diary. Most people do not know what to say or write if they think its a diary. I did just want to be upfront and honest and let everyone know this is not a diary/journal/private deal. This is meant for everyone to enjoy, document, learn, and fellowship with. Please send us your comments, prayers, and questions. To me the biggest need, other than prayers, are encouraging words. Sometimes this journey can have its up's and down's. We need all the encouraging words we can get. :)
I hope that after September 30th this blog will start becoming more interesting with start of the real deal: Home Study. We are excited to get this going, but we have a lot to do before then.
This is one of my favorite Bible verses and my personal favorite book of The Bible.
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." Ephesians 4:2
Everytime I write a new blog I send our family members and close friends an email that just lets them know a new blog has been written. I also make a posting on Facebook so our friends can look if they want to. I do this because this blog is probably not something most people check daily. I have been wondering why the comments, questions, and messages suddenly stopped about 6 weeks ago. It was brought to my attention that this blog could be seen as a diary. Most people do not know what to say or write if they think its a diary. I did just want to be upfront and honest and let everyone know this is not a diary/journal/private deal. This is meant for everyone to enjoy, document, learn, and fellowship with. Please send us your comments, prayers, and questions. To me the biggest need, other than prayers, are encouraging words. Sometimes this journey can have its up's and down's. We need all the encouraging words we can get. :)
I hope that after September 30th this blog will start becoming more interesting with start of the real deal: Home Study. We are excited to get this going, but we have a lot to do before then.
This is one of my favorite Bible verses and my personal favorite book of The Bible.
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." Ephesians 4:2
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Garage sale 8/27/11
Our good friends Damon and Kate wanted to help raise money towards the adoption and we came up with the idea of a garage sale. Why not have a HUGE garage sale and get people to donate items for the sale with all proceeds going to the adoption? Sounds easy enough. The donations have been rolling in and as of right now I have a car full of stuff that was donated today by co-workers. Damon and Kate have stuff for the garage sale and people they know are willing to help as well. I just can not believe this is going to happen. We are so blessed to have people in our lives that truly care.
If you or someone you know has items to donate please let us know. We can meet you somewhere or come to your house to pick it up. The garage sale is Saturday August 27th starting at 7:00 AM in Grand Praire. Damon and Kate have graciously offered their home up for this awesome fundraiser.
I have people willing to pick up if you live in North Fort Worth, Saginaw, Bedford, Keller, Grand Praire, Irving, and Carrolton. We can arrange meet up's in between too. Please let us know if you can help. Every little bit helps. Thank you!
If you want cupcakes please let me know. I will have some out there for sale. I am not sure of the number of cupcakes, but I will at least have 50 unless people order in which case I will have more.
Thank you!
If you or someone you know has items to donate please let us know. We can meet you somewhere or come to your house to pick it up. The garage sale is Saturday August 27th starting at 7:00 AM in Grand Praire. Damon and Kate have graciously offered their home up for this awesome fundraiser.
I have people willing to pick up if you live in North Fort Worth, Saginaw, Bedford, Keller, Grand Praire, Irving, and Carrolton. We can arrange meet up's in between too. Please let us know if you can help. Every little bit helps. Thank you!
If you want cupcakes please let me know. I will have some out there for sale. I am not sure of the number of cupcakes, but I will at least have 50 unless people order in which case I will have more.
Thank you!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Being "In On It"
Back in one of my first blog posts I put a book called In On It: What Adoptive Parents Would Like You to Know About Adoption; A Guide for Relatives and Friends. I have "liked" the Adoptive Families page on Facebook and they posted a quick run down of the book by the author. I call it the Cliffs Notes. If you have not read the book this is a great run down for you all. I am not a big reader, so I appreciate little things like these. If you have any questions please let us know. We know that both of our families have dealt with adoption in the past, but it may have been awhile. I get questions everyday about adoption and "Why are you adopting? Can you not have children of your own?" even down to "Are you culturally able to have a bi-racial child?" You may think that is a personal question and IT IS! I find that people have more nerve to ask such personal questions more than they should. So its great to read things like this. I hope you all read below.
5 Things You Need to Know If Your Kids Are Adopting
When my husband and I announced to our parents our decision to adopt our first child, their reactions ranged from, "Great, when can I babysit?" to "Why would you want to do something like that?" The less-than-enthusiastic responses surprised me at the time, but I understand them better now. After all, my husband and I had had years to embrace this path to parenthood, while these soon-to-be grandparents were reacting – honestly – to something that was new and unfamiliar and, for one or two of them, a bit uncomfortable. Whether you're immediately thrilled by the news of an impending adoption, or feeling some cautiousness – or even reluctance – about your adult child's decision, you're likely to have some questions.
Here are five important things every new adoptive grandparent needs to know:
1. Adoption has changed
Consider how adoption used to be practiced. There was an emphasis on separation, even secrecy. You may have once known a pregnant girl who "went away" and came back months later, childless and expected to resume her life where she'd left off. Some children were never even told they were adopted. Parents who adopted transracially were counseled to try to minimize or ignore the child's differences as much as possible. These practices were once considered best for everyone.Today, the values of information and communication, for all participants, are paramount. Adoption is almost never a secret. Birth cultures, birth families, and birth countries often have an ongoing role in our families. Parents who adopt transracially are encouraged to acknowledge differences and to try to support a child's ethnic identity. These are significant changes, and they may be unfamiliar to people whose concept of adoption is based on past practices or media portrayals. It makes sense to have questions and concerns.Try to educate yourself about contemporary adoption. Read books and articles, visit websites, or attend information meetings. Gathering up-to-date, accurate information not only makes you better prepared; it's also a way to demonstrate your interest and support for your loved ones – even if you still have reservations.
2. You may need time to get comfortable with adoption. Adoption may be new to you – just as it was at one point to the new parents. You may need time and space to prepare for an unexpected path to grandparenthood. It's not at all uncommon for grandparents or other family members to have imagined and anticipated a very different child or experience. We adoptive parents typically need time to get comfortable and ready for adoption ourselves. The lengthy process – paperwork, training, decision-making, and waiting – helps to prepare us. As grandparents, you may need to (gently) remind your loved ones to extend to you the same time, education, and preparation that they, as adoptive parents, had. Many of your questions or concerns no doubt stem from feelings of love and an urge to protect the adoptive parents. But even the most enthusiastic and supportive grandparent can benefit from more information. Explain this to your loved ones. Then have some discussions with them about their adoption plans, asking and listening in equal measure.
3. You will be asked questions, too. One morning, as my mom was taking a walk with my daughter, her neighbor approached her and asked, "How'd she get so brown?" When my mom told me about the incident later, she said that when my husband and I adopted, she'd figured we'd get plenty of questions and comments about the children and about adoption. But she hadn't expected to be answering questions herself. It hadn't occurred to me, either, that other people close to my family might find themselves speaking on behalf of adoption and our children. They deserve to feel prepared to do so.You, too, may find yourself fielding unexpected questions or comments at preschool pick-up or while walking through the grocery store with your new grandchild. Over time, your adopted grandchild may approach you with questions or a desire to talk about his or her adoption. You need information and guidelines to do so. Discuss with your grandchild's parents the kinds of questions people ask about adoption (How much did she cost? What is she? Is she adopted?) and how they'd like you to respond. Understand the family's boundaries regarding privacy – especially the child's. Remember that the most important listener is always the child. Frame any comments for the child's benefit above all.
4. You can have a role.Relatives of adoptive parents often ask how they can help or show their support. It's a good question. Since so much of the adoption process can only be completed by the adopting parents, much happens independent of other family members who might otherwise be very involved in such a life-altering experience. Even that most traditional of ways we welcome a child – the baby shower – gets complicated when age, size, gender, language, and arrival date may still be a mystery. But even though some aspects of this path to parenthood look different, adoption still can be very much a shared experience.Practical ways to help include: donating air miles for adoption-related travel; offering breaks and babysitting to the new parents; making donations to child welfare or adoption organizations; or simply discussing current events from a child's birth country. More personal ways to help include seeking out other perspectives on adoption, especially those of birthparents and adult adoptees, and acting as an ambassador for adoption through your own words and attitude. Remain positive and engaged. Listen without judgment to your child, who is in the midst of a challenging personal experience. These demonstrations of love and support will be welcomed – and remembered.
5. You have a lot to look forward to.I sometimes think of adoption as being in on a really good secret. Whenever I see a family like mine, I'm always tempted to approach the parents and whisper something like, "Can you believe this? Isn't it great?" And I can tell from the pleased and proud faces of doting adoptive grandparents that this insight usually extends to them, as well. To participate in an adoption is a privilege. There are particular experiences and insights to which you will now be privy. Like any worthwhile experience, adoption will challenge you and even change you. In the words of one adoptive grandfather: "Every child gladdens your heart. What happens after a child comes into the family is just as important as how they arrived into it." This is where you, both a parent and grandparent, come in.
5 Things You Need to Know If Your Kids Are Adopting
When my husband and I announced to our parents our decision to adopt our first child, their reactions ranged from, "Great, when can I babysit?" to "Why would you want to do something like that?" The less-than-enthusiastic responses surprised me at the time, but I understand them better now. After all, my husband and I had had years to embrace this path to parenthood, while these soon-to-be grandparents were reacting – honestly – to something that was new and unfamiliar and, for one or two of them, a bit uncomfortable. Whether you're immediately thrilled by the news of an impending adoption, or feeling some cautiousness – or even reluctance – about your adult child's decision, you're likely to have some questions.
Here are five important things every new adoptive grandparent needs to know:
1. Adoption has changed
Consider how adoption used to be practiced. There was an emphasis on separation, even secrecy. You may have once known a pregnant girl who "went away" and came back months later, childless and expected to resume her life where she'd left off. Some children were never even told they were adopted. Parents who adopted transracially were counseled to try to minimize or ignore the child's differences as much as possible. These practices were once considered best for everyone.Today, the values of information and communication, for all participants, are paramount. Adoption is almost never a secret. Birth cultures, birth families, and birth countries often have an ongoing role in our families. Parents who adopt transracially are encouraged to acknowledge differences and to try to support a child's ethnic identity. These are significant changes, and they may be unfamiliar to people whose concept of adoption is based on past practices or media portrayals. It makes sense to have questions and concerns.Try to educate yourself about contemporary adoption. Read books and articles, visit websites, or attend information meetings. Gathering up-to-date, accurate information not only makes you better prepared; it's also a way to demonstrate your interest and support for your loved ones – even if you still have reservations.
2. You may need time to get comfortable with adoption. Adoption may be new to you – just as it was at one point to the new parents. You may need time and space to prepare for an unexpected path to grandparenthood. It's not at all uncommon for grandparents or other family members to have imagined and anticipated a very different child or experience. We adoptive parents typically need time to get comfortable and ready for adoption ourselves. The lengthy process – paperwork, training, decision-making, and waiting – helps to prepare us. As grandparents, you may need to (gently) remind your loved ones to extend to you the same time, education, and preparation that they, as adoptive parents, had. Many of your questions or concerns no doubt stem from feelings of love and an urge to protect the adoptive parents. But even the most enthusiastic and supportive grandparent can benefit from more information. Explain this to your loved ones. Then have some discussions with them about their adoption plans, asking and listening in equal measure.
3. You will be asked questions, too. One morning, as my mom was taking a walk with my daughter, her neighbor approached her and asked, "How'd she get so brown?" When my mom told me about the incident later, she said that when my husband and I adopted, she'd figured we'd get plenty of questions and comments about the children and about adoption. But she hadn't expected to be answering questions herself. It hadn't occurred to me, either, that other people close to my family might find themselves speaking on behalf of adoption and our children. They deserve to feel prepared to do so.You, too, may find yourself fielding unexpected questions or comments at preschool pick-up or while walking through the grocery store with your new grandchild. Over time, your adopted grandchild may approach you with questions or a desire to talk about his or her adoption. You need information and guidelines to do so. Discuss with your grandchild's parents the kinds of questions people ask about adoption (How much did she cost? What is she? Is she adopted?) and how they'd like you to respond. Understand the family's boundaries regarding privacy – especially the child's. Remember that the most important listener is always the child. Frame any comments for the child's benefit above all.
4. You can have a role.Relatives of adoptive parents often ask how they can help or show their support. It's a good question. Since so much of the adoption process can only be completed by the adopting parents, much happens independent of other family members who might otherwise be very involved in such a life-altering experience. Even that most traditional of ways we welcome a child – the baby shower – gets complicated when age, size, gender, language, and arrival date may still be a mystery. But even though some aspects of this path to parenthood look different, adoption still can be very much a shared experience.Practical ways to help include: donating air miles for adoption-related travel; offering breaks and babysitting to the new parents; making donations to child welfare or adoption organizations; or simply discussing current events from a child's birth country. More personal ways to help include seeking out other perspectives on adoption, especially those of birthparents and adult adoptees, and acting as an ambassador for adoption through your own words and attitude. Remain positive and engaged. Listen without judgment to your child, who is in the midst of a challenging personal experience. These demonstrations of love and support will be welcomed – and remembered.
5. You have a lot to look forward to.I sometimes think of adoption as being in on a really good secret. Whenever I see a family like mine, I'm always tempted to approach the parents and whisper something like, "Can you believe this? Isn't it great?" And I can tell from the pleased and proud faces of doting adoptive grandparents that this insight usually extends to them, as well. To participate in an adoption is a privilege. There are particular experiences and insights to which you will now be privy. Like any worthwhile experience, adoption will challenge you and even change you. In the words of one adoptive grandfather: "Every child gladdens your heart. What happens after a child comes into the family is just as important as how they arrived into it." This is where you, both a parent and grandparent, come in.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Bullet Point Updates
I have not blogged in about 10 days about what is going on. The whole reason for this blog is to update family members, friends and to document this whole process. Plenty has happened, but I just need to write it all down so you know what is going on. I will bullet point some things I would like to share.
* I was baptised on 7/17/11! I was very nervous because there were a lot of people at church that day. I had about 20 people come to my baptism and that is not even including our life group. I am so incredibly blessed to have so many people who love and care about me.
*Jonathan left on Monday for San Antonio. He received the call from his boss and he had to leave immediately. I kind of expected that would happen. I really miss him, but it gets a bit easier as time goes on. Right now its just me and Harley. He really is a good friend to have as he always listens, never talks back, and makes me laugh. Harley is doing better by the way.
*I have been convicted to mission to couples in our church using education on adoption to help couples who have questions on the subject. Kathryn and I met with a church leader at 121 CC, Diane Lee, regarding it. Kathryn is the director of the agency that we are going through and also goes to our church. She knows so much about adoption! What a great team. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
* Another mission I am working on is local. A friend from Life Group set us up to go to a local Senior Citizens home in Bedford called La Dora. We will be going there at least twice a month to talk to the people who are there who may just need a friend to talk to. This Friday will be our first trip. Many of the elderly just want a fresh face to talk to or hear what is going on in the outside world. This is an excellent opportunity to take time out of our busy schedules to go and make someones day!
*We have a lot of things left to do on the check list before we do our orientation with the agency. Please keep us in your prayers that these things get done and with ease. It is a very large amount of work including an online class that we BOTH have to take, and CPR/FIRST AID certs for both of us. Luckily, my employer gets us certified every 2 years so I have mine. Jonathan will have to go get his, but we have all the information on a class that is the second Saturday of each month for $30. Not to shabby.
*My sister and I will be working on the back room this weekend that will become the nursery. We are removing everything but the bed. That way when Jonathan gets back from Dallas Cowboy training camp we can paint and decorate. We have decided on Owls as the theme for nursery. That is gender neutral and SUPER cute. Here is kind of what I am thinking: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=owl+nursery&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4GGLG_enUS307US307&biw=1360&bih=478&tbm=isch&tbnid=oca-xYyCTnjc-M:&imgrefurl=http://www.creative-baby-nursery-rooms.com/owls-and-alphabet-nursery.html&docid=9J0u7dqcjVKMvM&w=300&h=400&ei=N10xTrfYJMi3tgeD8I3pDA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=219&page=6&tbnh=156&tbnw=117&start=73&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:73&tx=97&ty=63
Hopefully I can find things that would look cute in the nursery. Goal is to have it completed or near completion by 9/30/11. We both would like it done before the home study. SO very excited.
*Names for the baby have been a big topic around the Hollons of Watauga house. We both have very different tastes when it comes to that. Jonathan likes the traditional names, while I like the different out of the norm names. We have a few names that we love for a girl, but not so much for a boy. We have agreed we like the name Pepper for a girl. I have since fallen in love with that name, and it is a perfect name for Jonathan to add the sweet nickname of Peppy to her list of nicknames. Yesterday I was trying to think of a middle name for Pepper. Nothing sounded right at all. I came across Katrice. Its greek for pure. Tori said "that is super cute, you can call her P.K." How cute right? P.K.! Jonathan liked the list of boy names I sent him via email since he has been in San Antonio. Eli, Evan, Timothy, Perry and Lawrence. I am sure we will come up with the perfect name.
* I was baptised on 7/17/11! I was very nervous because there were a lot of people at church that day. I had about 20 people come to my baptism and that is not even including our life group. I am so incredibly blessed to have so many people who love and care about me.
*Jonathan left on Monday for San Antonio. He received the call from his boss and he had to leave immediately. I kind of expected that would happen. I really miss him, but it gets a bit easier as time goes on. Right now its just me and Harley. He really is a good friend to have as he always listens, never talks back, and makes me laugh. Harley is doing better by the way.
*I have been convicted to mission to couples in our church using education on adoption to help couples who have questions on the subject. Kathryn and I met with a church leader at 121 CC, Diane Lee, regarding it. Kathryn is the director of the agency that we are going through and also goes to our church. She knows so much about adoption! What a great team. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
* Another mission I am working on is local. A friend from Life Group set us up to go to a local Senior Citizens home in Bedford called La Dora. We will be going there at least twice a month to talk to the people who are there who may just need a friend to talk to. This Friday will be our first trip. Many of the elderly just want a fresh face to talk to or hear what is going on in the outside world. This is an excellent opportunity to take time out of our busy schedules to go and make someones day!
*We have a lot of things left to do on the check list before we do our orientation with the agency. Please keep us in your prayers that these things get done and with ease. It is a very large amount of work including an online class that we BOTH have to take, and CPR/FIRST AID certs for both of us. Luckily, my employer gets us certified every 2 years so I have mine. Jonathan will have to go get his, but we have all the information on a class that is the second Saturday of each month for $30. Not to shabby.
*My sister and I will be working on the back room this weekend that will become the nursery. We are removing everything but the bed. That way when Jonathan gets back from Dallas Cowboy training camp we can paint and decorate. We have decided on Owls as the theme for nursery. That is gender neutral and SUPER cute. Here is kind of what I am thinking: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=owl+nursery&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4GGLG_enUS307US307&biw=1360&bih=478&tbm=isch&tbnid=oca-xYyCTnjc-M:&imgrefurl=http://www.creative-baby-nursery-rooms.com/owls-and-alphabet-nursery.html&docid=9J0u7dqcjVKMvM&w=300&h=400&ei=N10xTrfYJMi3tgeD8I3pDA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=219&page=6&tbnh=156&tbnw=117&start=73&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:73&tx=97&ty=63
Hopefully I can find things that would look cute in the nursery. Goal is to have it completed or near completion by 9/30/11. We both would like it done before the home study. SO very excited.
*Names for the baby have been a big topic around the Hollons of Watauga house. We both have very different tastes when it comes to that. Jonathan likes the traditional names, while I like the different out of the norm names. We have a few names that we love for a girl, but not so much for a boy. We have agreed we like the name Pepper for a girl. I have since fallen in love with that name, and it is a perfect name for Jonathan to add the sweet nickname of Peppy to her list of nicknames. Yesterday I was trying to think of a middle name for Pepper. Nothing sounded right at all. I came across Katrice. Its greek for pure. Tori said "that is super cute, you can call her P.K." How cute right? P.K.! Jonathan liked the list of boy names I sent him via email since he has been in San Antonio. Eli, Evan, Timothy, Perry and Lawrence. I am sure we will come up with the perfect name.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Cupcakes for Our Cupcake
We have been very blessed by everyone contributing to our adoption. I can not believe the amounts that are coming in from everyone around my job. It is so cool to know that everyone believes in what we are doing and are giving during hard times like these.
I just wanted to say Thank You to everyone who is helping out with our cause and every penny counts. We are so excited!
Please see the pictures on the right side of the page of the cupcakes I am making. I will add pictures as I can to show you what is going on in the cupcake world.
Love you all.
I just wanted to say Thank You to everyone who is helping out with our cause and every penny counts. We are so excited!
Please see the pictures on the right side of the page of the cupcakes I am making. I will add pictures as I can to show you what is going on in the cupcake world.
Love you all.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Excellent News
We were preliminarily accepted yesterday morning by Christian Families and Home Services in North Richland Hills. We are registered to attend the 2 day orientation at their home office in Abilene at the end of September. This is SUCH a huge blessing and we are so happy that we have finally found the right agency. God really did show us the way. Dont they say when a door closes another one will open? Well, this door swung open full force! We are so excited. :)
There is lots to do for both Jonathan and I before we go to orientation. Wish us luck that we can get some of it done. It does not ALL have to be done, but the sooner we do it the sooner we can adopt. I am so excited for this all to take place. Jonathan was very excited when I gave him the good news too.
Cupcakes for Our Cupcake is in full swing on my end. I have not heard from any other Angel Bakers on their progress but maybe soon I will. Donations seem to be coming in from everywhere and we have been blessed already in so many ways. Thank you to everyone who has helped with that already. I pray that it continues to grow and prosper.
Hope you all have a wonderful day!
There is lots to do for both Jonathan and I before we go to orientation. Wish us luck that we can get some of it done. It does not ALL have to be done, but the sooner we do it the sooner we can adopt. I am so excited for this all to take place. Jonathan was very excited when I gave him the good news too.
Cupcakes for Our Cupcake is in full swing on my end. I have not heard from any other Angel Bakers on their progress but maybe soon I will. Donations seem to be coming in from everywhere and we have been blessed already in so many ways. Thank you to everyone who has helped with that already. I pray that it continues to grow and prosper.
Hope you all have a wonderful day!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Changes Ahead
Change: a variation or deviation
I am a book of changes. Have you ever heard that before? Well, I am here to tell you that with this adoption process there are many questions I am learning to ask agencies, and people regarding adoption. It seems like there is something new to learn just about everyday.
We have changed our minds regarding the agency in Austin. They only had 2 adoptions last year and 5 active families. We fear that we will be waiting for many years for a baby if we go that route. We were at a fish fry on Saturday with some fellow 121 Community Church members and one of the staff members over heard me talking about our struggle with find the right agency. She told me about a women who is in her small group who is the driector of Christian Family and Home Services in North Richland Hills. That is about 10 minutes from our house in Watauga. Jonathan and I were actually able to meet with her at our church on Sunday just after service. It was so nice to actually speak to someone face to face rather than through a phone or email.
We shall see what this new place brings us. We really feel this is where we should be going. Its so hard to make a decision, but it is what is best for our family.
Cupcakes for Our Cupcake update:
I started my cupcake fundraising at Riata Therapy Specialists here at my job in Bedford. I am bringing fresh cupcakes on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. It appears to be working out thus far. Thank you to all who have donated. Your donations are greatly appreciated. Thank you to Riata for allowing me to have my fundraiser.
Love to you all!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Cupcakes for our Cupcake
My friend Tori shared with me a link today about a writer named Julie Gumm. She wrote a book called Four Plus More. This book shows you how to adopt debt free. If you may or may not know adoption is not cheap and in this day and age every penny counts. Did you know that adoption can cost in between the range of $20,000 to $30,000 to adopt domestically? Insurances do not help with adoption planning like they do with maternity or family planning, but the government does give a 1 time $13,100 tax credit for adoption per child. Dave Ramsey interviewed Julie Gumm about her book and she gave some great advice in her interview. Here is the link if you would like to read it. One of her ideas is a fund raiser. That got my wheels turning. What can I do to fund raise? Where can I use my skill set to help offset costs?
With that being said, Jonathan and I were talking tonight about this. We started tossing back ideas and he came up with a glorious idea. Cupcakes for Our Cupcake. Well, I added the "our" part. ;) Had to throw that in. Its in the beginning stage of development, but basically since I can not legally sale cupcakes out of our house; sanitation and safety problems, we would take orders for cupcakes and accept donations for them. I have asked a few peoples advice on it and also asked for some help for web marketing, but we will see if this will be a fruitful endeavor. Maybe it will, maybe it will not, but at least I will be having fun making cupcakes.
Do I have any volunteers for making cupcakes? These will be your basic chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, red velvet etc cupcakes with icing. If you want to add more flair that up to you. We would be grateful for any volunteers wishing to help or anyone who would like to donate their time to help make cupcakes.
Please leave me your feedback on the subject. I would love to hear your opinions on the subject.
Til next time!
With that being said, Jonathan and I were talking tonight about this. We started tossing back ideas and he came up with a glorious idea. Cupcakes for Our Cupcake. Well, I added the "our" part. ;) Had to throw that in. Its in the beginning stage of development, but basically since I can not legally sale cupcakes out of our house; sanitation and safety problems, we would take orders for cupcakes and accept donations for them. I have asked a few peoples advice on it and also asked for some help for web marketing, but we will see if this will be a fruitful endeavor. Maybe it will, maybe it will not, but at least I will be having fun making cupcakes.
Do I have any volunteers for making cupcakes? These will be your basic chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, red velvet etc cupcakes with icing. If you want to add more flair that up to you. We would be grateful for any volunteers wishing to help or anyone who would like to donate their time to help make cupcakes.
Please leave me your feedback on the subject. I would love to hear your opinions on the subject.
Til next time!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Change
There are a lot of changes that people can got through during life. Changes from child to adult, change of clothes, change cars, and maybe even change friends. Jonathan and I have had this bucket in our room, well really its an old milk jug that has part of the top cut off. Somehow it turned into the "change bucket". I have always tossed pennies, nickels and such into when I find money while cleaning over the years. I have never really looked into the change bucket. I looked into it on Saturday and realized that there is actually a lot of money in there. Some quarters, some nickels, but lots of pennies. LOTS of pennies. Some people may think that pennies do not add up to a lot, but they really can. Over time, and if we continue to feed the bucket, it will add up. Every spare penny, dime, nickel or quarter I have I throw in that bucket. You never know it could add up to a lot just when we really need it. I just had a random thought this morning about it while getting ready for work, I wonder how much will be in that change bucket by this time next year?
Friday, June 24, 2011
Patience
Patience is the greatest of all virtues. -Cato the Elder
I hate to admit this, but I am an impatient person. I am sure most of us are, but when something exciting and new comes along I cant help but jump for joy and get immediate satisfaction. Are we not all that way? Maybe, but I for one need to learn to be patient during this time. I was reading another persons blog about her adoption process and on one of her children she called it the "conception" period. Conception meaning from start of adoption; IE applications and meetings, to placement of the baby. Her "conception" period for her first child was 19 months. WHOA! That sounds like a long time right? Not really in the eyes of adoption agencies. We are doing a private infant adoption which can take awhile to be matched. By awhile I mean 12-24 months. I am going to pray for a quicker match but I understand that patience is a virtue.
The next step is to get the application back to the agency. I am hoping that the application is in the mailbox when I get home. I will work on that this weekend and send it back on Monday.
We are working on the house to get it ready for the home study we will have to do eventually. Jonathan has been hard at work on the living room. He has been painting and making it beautiful. I need to clean out the closets and get rid of a lot of stuff. Organization will be key and I need to get organized. GO US! ;)
I promise to update this blog with information as soon as we receive it and I will email you all when I do make an update so you can check in with us.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Pictures needed
One of the many things we have to have ready is a family album. This is for the birth mother to aid her in finding the right family for the baby. I am working on this album this week and I sent out emails to the people I would like to add in the book.
Other items that will be included in our book are hobbies, our other babies (Harley, Hatchet and Chaos), pictures of our house, the park near our house and our church.
I am so excited to start working on this tonight. Please get those pictures to me as soon as possible.
Til next time!
Other items that will be included in our book are hobbies, our other babies (Harley, Hatchet and Chaos), pictures of our house, the park near our house and our church.
I am so excited to start working on this tonight. Please get those pictures to me as soon as possible.
Til next time!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
The Process
The process... well Dictionary.com defines process as a systematic series of actions directed to some end.
When we first started talking about adoption I was very much against it. I felt like I wanted a biological child first. I very much resisted the whole adoption process as anyone can probably tell you. I was not walking around screaming it from the roof tops, but I was very open about my feelings on the subject. That is until about 2 weeks ago when my life totally changed. My Grandmother called to tell me that my 8 year old cousin, whom I have never met, was in Child Protective Services because my aunt could no longer care for him. My heart ached for this little boy, who we will call "P" from here on out for his privacy, whom I have never even met let alone sent a birthday card or Christmas card too. I really did not even know he exsisted until 2 weeks ago. Something in me changed. God really was talking to me and I needed to listen. My heart really softened to the idea of adoption. There are so many children out there who need good homes, and Jonathan and I can give a child a really good home. I found this Psalms quote on another blog and I thought it was beautiful: He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD. Psalms 113:19 I read the bible every night. At least a chapter or two. I have read this before, but I never put it into the context it was meant to be in. How beautiful and fitting for me right now.
After speaking with family members and case workers regarding "P", it is not reasonable for Jonathan and I to foster him. This is due to his circumstances and his parents. We have said that we would like to be contacted should he be put up for adoption, but the case worker seems to think that he will most likely be reunited with his birth father. That is awesome and I wish him the best. For now, Jonathan and I will resume with the adoption process.
This leads me back to that word process again. I have looked into 5 adoption agencies across Texas. 2 have told me they are not accepting new infant adoption applications due to the huge demand for infant adoptions. I narrowed it down to 2 agencies. One in Waco and one in Austin. I am praying for God to tell me which one is best for us. The adoption process has really been a pleasant experience thus far. I have started reading adoption books for families, and really started to be vocal about our plans. Please keep us in your prayers and check back often. I will update as often as I can. This is a first for me. I have never blogged about anything before. This should be a blast.
When we first started talking about adoption I was very much against it. I felt like I wanted a biological child first. I very much resisted the whole adoption process as anyone can probably tell you. I was not walking around screaming it from the roof tops, but I was very open about my feelings on the subject. That is until about 2 weeks ago when my life totally changed. My Grandmother called to tell me that my 8 year old cousin, whom I have never met, was in Child Protective Services because my aunt could no longer care for him. My heart ached for this little boy, who we will call "P" from here on out for his privacy, whom I have never even met let alone sent a birthday card or Christmas card too. I really did not even know he exsisted until 2 weeks ago. Something in me changed. God really was talking to me and I needed to listen. My heart really softened to the idea of adoption. There are so many children out there who need good homes, and Jonathan and I can give a child a really good home. I found this Psalms quote on another blog and I thought it was beautiful: He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD. Psalms 113:19 I read the bible every night. At least a chapter or two. I have read this before, but I never put it into the context it was meant to be in. How beautiful and fitting for me right now.
After speaking with family members and case workers regarding "P", it is not reasonable for Jonathan and I to foster him. This is due to his circumstances and his parents. We have said that we would like to be contacted should he be put up for adoption, but the case worker seems to think that he will most likely be reunited with his birth father. That is awesome and I wish him the best. For now, Jonathan and I will resume with the adoption process.
This leads me back to that word process again. I have looked into 5 adoption agencies across Texas. 2 have told me they are not accepting new infant adoption applications due to the huge demand for infant adoptions. I narrowed it down to 2 agencies. One in Waco and one in Austin. I am praying for God to tell me which one is best for us. The adoption process has really been a pleasant experience thus far. I have started reading adoption books for families, and really started to be vocal about our plans. Please keep us in your prayers and check back often. I will update as often as I can. This is a first for me. I have never blogged about anything before. This should be a blast.
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