Today we had another profile showing. At first, the birth mom did not have any preferences other than she did not want to look at anymore than 10 profile books. When this happens, the agency picks the families who have been waiting the longest. So even though it's frustrating we have been waiting so long, in this situation it ended up being a good thing! We were one of the 10 books that were shown. The bad news is right when she sat down, the first families she eliminated were families with biological children :/ Apparently this is a common trend right now....eliminating families with biological children. Very frustrating to say the least.
Our new social worker came to meet us tonight and we like her a lot. Mostly because she seems as upset as we are that we have only had two profile showings! She says she doesn't understand and wants to reverse that for us this year. I am hopeful with a new social worker, new eyes on our case, we will have more "looks" this year. I am excited for a new year and hopefully can start to get more positive on the situation!
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for us! We know our time is coming and are remaining faithful that we were lead to adoption for a reason!!!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
Homestudy renewal paperwork...done!!
Today the renewal paperwork went in the mail! It was my #1 goal for my week off this week so I was thrilled to put it in the mail box today. We will have to wait for approval again but I don't see why there would be any reason we wouldn't get approved..nothing has changed!
I read this on another adoption blog and it brought tears to my eyes. God is faithful even during the waiting process! This also reminds me of Nolan and all his questions on the baby. He has been asking more frequently when we will be getting a baby and told me that I need to ask God louder because he probably just can't hear me :)
Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate ,
And the Master so gently said, "Wait."
"Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.
"My future and all to which I relate
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to WAIT?
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign,
Or even a 'no' to which I can resign.
"And Lord, You promised, that if we believe,
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
And, Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
'I'm weary of asking! I need a reply.'"
Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate,
As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."
So, I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut
And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting... for what?"
He seemed, then, to kneel,
And His eyes met with mine,
And He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.
"All you seek I could give and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want-----
But, you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint;
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint;
"You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there;
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me;
When darkness and silence are all you can see.
"You'd never experience the fullness of love
When the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove;
You would know that I give and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.
"The glow of My comfort late into the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight,
The depth that's beyond getting just what you asked
Of an infinite God, who makes what you have last.
"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that, 'My grace is sufficient for thee.'
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
But, oh, the loss, if I lost what I'm doing in you.
"So, be silent, My child, and in time you will see
That the greatest of gifts is to truly know Me.
And though oft' may My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still, Wait."
-Wait by Russel Kelfer
We talked with our social worker this week and she gave us the news that she is leaving the agency. As saddened as we are by this, we understand her decision to leave and wish her the best in the future. I pray we get a replacement for her soon! Also, as our 1 year of waiting approaches we feel that we need to "market" ourselves a little more so I will be working on an adoption facebook page, slide show of pictures, and an adoption website. I've now seen a few people who have had successful adoptions by opening their lives up to the world wide web! As scary as it sounds, I think after the first year of nothing happening, it's something we need to at least try.
Monday I am back to work at my new job! Excited for a change but also nervous for everything to go well. Prayers are greatly appreciated!
I read this on another adoption blog and it brought tears to my eyes. God is faithful even during the waiting process! This also reminds me of Nolan and all his questions on the baby. He has been asking more frequently when we will be getting a baby and told me that I need to ask God louder because he probably just can't hear me :)
Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate ,
And the Master so gently said, "Wait."
"Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.
"My future and all to which I relate
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to WAIT?
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign,
Or even a 'no' to which I can resign.
"And Lord, You promised, that if we believe,
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
And, Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
'I'm weary of asking! I need a reply.'"
Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate,
As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."
So, I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut
And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting... for what?"
He seemed, then, to kneel,
And His eyes met with mine,
And He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.
"All you seek I could give and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want-----
But, you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint;
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint;
"You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there;
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me;
When darkness and silence are all you can see.
"You'd never experience the fullness of love
When the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove;
You would know that I give and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.
"The glow of My comfort late into the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight,
The depth that's beyond getting just what you asked
Of an infinite God, who makes what you have last.
"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that, 'My grace is sufficient for thee.'
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
But, oh, the loss, if I lost what I'm doing in you.
"So, be silent, My child, and in time you will see
That the greatest of gifts is to truly know Me.
And though oft' may My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still, Wait."
-Wait by Russel Kelfer
We talked with our social worker this week and she gave us the news that she is leaving the agency. As saddened as we are by this, we understand her decision to leave and wish her the best in the future. I pray we get a replacement for her soon! Also, as our 1 year of waiting approaches we feel that we need to "market" ourselves a little more so I will be working on an adoption facebook page, slide show of pictures, and an adoption website. I've now seen a few people who have had successful adoptions by opening their lives up to the world wide web! As scary as it sounds, I think after the first year of nothing happening, it's something we need to at least try.
Monday I am back to work at my new job! Excited for a change but also nervous for everything to go well. Prayers are greatly appreciated!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Changes
Well now that it's official, I can finally post it! I got a new job! I've been interviewing with this company since May so it's been a long time coming. I will be working for an insurance agency out of Winona, doing the exact same thing I do now except from the comforts of my own home! Super excited to have more flexibility with the family, especially with Nolan going into Kindergarten in a year. I was starting to really stress out about what to do with him after school. Now, he will be able to get dropped off at home afterwards. I prayed so hard to either get a job more flexible for my family or be able to have the means to quit my job and stay home with the kids and out of no where this job came to me. How often do jobs come to you?? I truly believe this was not a random occurrence but an answered prayer. (and a sign I am not ready to stay home...)
This job, since it's remote, will be much more flexible for when Baby Burau arrives. I always wondered how it would work with my current employer and how maternity leave would work. I feel a huge stress off my shoulders and a true sense of relief about this now. Get me trained into this new job and then Baby Burau you can come any day! :)
We have been working diligently on completing our home study renewal and most of the larger items are complete. I plan to take next week off between jobs and plan to spend a whole day gathering the rest of the information and sending it off to the agency. I will be ready to put the 2nd home study to rest and pray we never ever have to do another one!
A lot of people have asked how we get through the actual waiting of this process. To be honest, the waiting sucks but I think it's extremely important to stay busy during the process. Sitting and dwelling about it isn't going to make the time go any faster. My IT band injury is almost healed so I have been spending any free time I have training for a September half marathon. In between that and work, we have been spending oodles of time at the cabin, soccer field, and maybe too much time at dairy queen & cherry berry! (I swear you totally get paper pregnancy cravings! :) We are also surrounding ourselves with wonderful friends and family and reminding ourselves daily that we have been blessed and when God is ready to bless us some more, He will and on His time!
We received an update recently on the Mothers that are due in December/Januaryish and the update wasn't as positive as most of the Moms are now considering parenting. I pray these Moms come to peace with their decision and pray they make the decision that is the best interest for the child.
Thank you everyone for the outpouring of support and love!
This job, since it's remote, will be much more flexible for when Baby Burau arrives. I always wondered how it would work with my current employer and how maternity leave would work. I feel a huge stress off my shoulders and a true sense of relief about this now. Get me trained into this new job and then Baby Burau you can come any day! :)
We have been working diligently on completing our home study renewal and most of the larger items are complete. I plan to take next week off between jobs and plan to spend a whole day gathering the rest of the information and sending it off to the agency. I will be ready to put the 2nd home study to rest and pray we never ever have to do another one!
A lot of people have asked how we get through the actual waiting of this process. To be honest, the waiting sucks but I think it's extremely important to stay busy during the process. Sitting and dwelling about it isn't going to make the time go any faster. My IT band injury is almost healed so I have been spending any free time I have training for a September half marathon. In between that and work, we have been spending oodles of time at the cabin, soccer field, and maybe too much time at dairy queen & cherry berry! (I swear you totally get paper pregnancy cravings! :) We are also surrounding ourselves with wonderful friends and family and reminding ourselves daily that we have been blessed and when God is ready to bless us some more, He will and on His time!
We received an update recently on the Mothers that are due in December/Januaryish and the update wasn't as positive as most of the Moms are now considering parenting. I pray these Moms come to peace with their decision and pray they make the decision that is the best interest for the child.
Thank you everyone for the outpouring of support and love!
Monday, July 9, 2012
29
Today is my 29th birthday! I L-O-V-E birthdays!! Even at 29 years old, they are still fun! Today I plan to get off work early and do some "Me" shopping and then the boys are going to take me out to dinner.
I have high hopes for this year being the last year before the big 3-0. I always said I wanted to be done having kids at 30 and hoping God lets me stick to that plan!
Here's to another great year. May it be the best year yet!!
I have high hopes for this year being the last year before the big 3-0. I always said I wanted to be done having kids at 30 and hoping God lets me stick to that plan!
Here's to another great year. May it be the best year yet!!
Sunday, July 1, 2012
One Year Homestudy Update
We received information on our homestudy one year update last week and I have to admit, I was a little taken back by the amount of paperwork and items we need to complete to be compliant with our homestudy again. There are about 15 items we have to get done and they want these all done in 3 weeks or less. Everything from updated financials, background checks, fingerprints, medical forms, self studys, essays, employment verifications, etc. I remember getting this almost exact stack of papers over a year ago and being so excited to complete all of the items. This time around, it's not as exciting. I've been staring at the paperwork for 4 days now and haven't checked off even one of the items.
Asking for prayers as we complete the stressful process of paperwork once again and keep hanging on to the hope that all this paperwork will be worth it one day. It's sometimes hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's even harder to get the motivation to complete these items when I feel like we just got done completing them.
Asking for prayers as we complete the stressful process of paperwork once again and keep hanging on to the hope that all this paperwork will be worth it one day. It's sometimes hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's even harder to get the motivation to complete these items when I feel like we just got done completing them.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
May Updates
We received our monthly "update" email from our social worker today. Looks like they are currently working with two moms due in December and one mom due in January that are all planning on making an adoption plan but have not looked at profile books yet since it's still so early in the pregnancy. I could handle a Christmas baby :) It gives us some hope that there is some more activity at the agency though.
Our agency also is doing a large marketing campaign this summer. They will be doing ads on KDWB, visiting high schools in the fall, and sending out marketing materials at the U of MN. This has been a big push for them to get their name out and available to parents looking to make an adoption plan. I'm excited to see the results they get from it!
That's really all the updates we have for now! Summer is sure keeping us busy so don't expect too many updates from me unless we have a profile showing or something drastic happens.
Happy Summer!
Our agency also is doing a large marketing campaign this summer. They will be doing ads on KDWB, visiting high schools in the fall, and sending out marketing materials at the U of MN. This has been a big push for them to get their name out and available to parents looking to make an adoption plan. I'm excited to see the results they get from it!
That's really all the updates we have for now! Summer is sure keeping us busy so don't expect too many updates from me unless we have a profile showing or something drastic happens.
Happy Summer!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Not our time
We got a call Friday night from our social worker that our profile was shown,unfortunately a family was chosen and it wasn't us. We didn't receive any other feedback other than the birth mom felt she had a connection with the family they choose.
We are feeling a few different things right now. First, being the obvious feeling of rejection and sadness and second the feeling of happiness as prayers were answered for a family that night. I can only imagine the joy the family who was chosen feels right now. I am truly excited for them and wish them the best as they move forward in the adoption process.
We are at complete peace knowing it wasn't our time and when the time is right...it will be perfect!
We are feeling a few different things right now. First, being the obvious feeling of rejection and sadness and second the feeling of happiness as prayers were answered for a family that night. I can only imagine the joy the family who was chosen feels right now. I am truly excited for them and wish them the best as they move forward in the adoption process.
We are at complete peace knowing it wasn't our time and when the time is right...it will be perfect!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
