Infant training class

Today we had our first class. I was under the impression that this was going to be a parent training class... Not the case at all! Most of the morning consisted of going over the home study process... AGAIN... I don't want any of you to think this is not important information but my goodness. We have been over it so many times I could probably quote it word for word. Thankfully after the morning break we moved on to a video that was really interesting. It is called "A struggle for Identity". It was all about trans-cultural adoption. The video consisted of a group of adoptive adults that had been adopted by white parents. It really caused some good conversation about our adoption, what we want, the motivation behind adoption of a child of a different race, and how important it is to be educated about our future child's heritage. 

After we got back from the lunch break we talked about openness in adoption. I think when Brent and I first started this process we had the idea that once we had been matched and our baby was born that we would run out of the hospital and never look back. However, after listening to what was talked about today I feel very differently. As apart of the openness training they had a panel of  individuals that have been touched by adoption in someway. It was fascinating to listen to all the different perspectives. It also caused me to feel better and not so scared of open adoption. I want my child to be loved by all of our families and friends. Also by their birth family. This class caused me to have a greater respect for birth parents! My child's birth parents will have a special role in our child's life. Not sure what that will be at this point but I am looking forward to exploring this. Over all it was a great learning experience. Now to get the letter to the birth parents finished and the profile!

Parenting Class and Updates

Today is our very first parenting class. We are both really looking forward to it as it means we are that much closer to being done with the home study process. Our parenting class is about infant training. I will write more after we go. We have completed almost all the home study and had our home visit. For any of you who know about the adoption process this has to be the most nerve wrecking part of the whole thing. Even more so then telling a stranger everything about you! However, our home visit went very well. Christy didn't even really look at the house. Little did she know I spent three days straight cleaning and organizing in preparation. All in all we both felt it went well! Thank the Lord that is OVER!!! 
We got some very sad news last week. We had be talking with a potential birth mother for about a two and a half months and she let us know that she decided to keep her baby. This is just one in a long line of disappointments and we both took it hard. I do wish her the best in her decision. It opened my eyes to many things and how I want the adoption process to work. I do believe everything happens for a reason and I know that God has our baby out there somewhere. A good friend of mine told me that once. I believe that there is a baby out there it is just a matter of time. So we wait.

Great News!

I spoke with our adoption coordinator Christy. She had great news for us... She let me know that we are able to start the home study process! This means Brent and I have lots of writing to do. We have to write all about ourselves, our families, our friends, our parenting style, and lots of other things... I am super excited to get this process started! We made the decision that we will be doing domestic infant adoption. With Brent going back to school we are okay with it taking some time. We want it to be right. If it happens quickly we are great with that too though! Please keep us in your prayers and pray for the baby that God has for us.

There is a first time for everything

So as promised here is an update. We met with our adoption coordinator for the first time today. Her name is Christy and she seems very nice. She was very understanding as we asked her a million questions. She was patient with us and was able to give us much needed insight. She told us in detail about both the international program as well as domestic infant adoption. Both are wonderful programs but we still have lots of praying and thinking to do about which one is best for our family. She let us know that we are the next couple to get put on the "wait list". This means that we will be waiting for our child! We have so much to accomplish before this happens however... We have LOTS of paperwork to fill out, a home study, a nursery to decorate, adoption education classes, LOTS of money to save and so much more! That money part is the part I am the most stuck on... How in the world does a 29 year old (I can still say that for another month and a half) and a 28 year old come up with 25-45,000 dollars???? Guess if there is a will there is a way. We shall see what is to come. Please keep Brent and I in your prayers as we need guidance during this time.

Adoption Can Be A Long Journey With A Wonderful Destination. By: Diane Armitage

Different trips to the same place.
Deciding to have a baby is like planning a trip to Australia. You've heard it's a wonderful place; you've read many guidebooks and feel certain you're ready to go. Everyone you know has traveled there by plane. They say it can be a turbulent flight with occasional rough landings, but you can look forward to being pampered on the trip.
So you go to the airport and ask the ticket agent for a ticket to Australia. All around you, excited people are boarding the places for Australia. It seems there is no seat for you; you'll have to wait for the next flight. Impatient, but anticipating a wonderful trip, you wait- and wait- and wait.
Flights to Australia continue to come and go. People say silly thinks like, "Relax. You'll get on a flight soon." Other people actually get on a plane and then cancel their trip, to which you cry, "It's not fair!"
After a long time the ticket agent tells you, " I'm sorry we're not going to be able to get you on a plane to Australia. Perhaps you should think about going by boat."
"By boat!" you say. "Going by boat will take a very long time and it costs a great deal of money. I really had my heart set on going by plane." So you go home and think about not going to Australia at all. You wonder if Australia will be as beautiful if you approach it by sea rather than by air. But you have long dreamed of this wonderful place, and finally you decide to travel by boat.
It is a long trip, many months over many rough seas. No one pampers you. You wonder if you will ever see Australia. Meanwhile, your friends have flown back and fourth to Australia two or three more times, marveling at each trip.
Then on glorious day, the boat docks in Australia. It is more exquisite than ever imagined, and the beauty is magnified by your long days at sea. You have made many wonderful friends during your voyage, and find yourself comparing stories with others who also traveled by sea rather than by air.
People continue to fly to Australia as often as they like, but you are able to travel only once, perhaps twice. Some say things like, " Oh be glad you didn't fly. My flight was horrible, traveling by sea is so easy."

You will always wonder what it would have been like to fly to Australia. Still, you know God blessed you with a special appreciation of Australia, and the beauty of Australia is not in the way you get there, but in the place itself.

The last year in review

I have been realizing that I have badly neglected our blog. To say that I have been a little busy is a rather LARGE understatement. So here we go... I will do my best not to bore you with too many details.
Over the last year we have had a few accomplishments and we have experienced some losses. To start off I finally have finished my master program! Well I say that with the caveat that I still have to complete comprehensive exams in November and will be taking my licensing exam in September. It has been a hard last two years but I am so thankful I did it! I will be participating in graduation in May of 2011. I want to thank anyone who supported me through my program. Along with finishing my program I also completed an internship at St. Luke's Meridian Hospital. I worked as an intern in the Emergency Department. I completed 516 hours and most of them were completed at night! My typical shift was from 5:30pm to 2am or 3 and at times 4am or later... This was a struggle as I tried to hold down my job with the hospice company and carry a full load at school. But thank the Lord I did it! My supervisor Alissa Lyon made it a wonderful experience. She challenged me and taught me so much. I am forever grateful to her for all she has taught me. I can only hope to one day be as good of a social worker as she is. She is amazing!
Brent continues to work as a Developmental Specialist for A New Leaf here in Meridian. He enjoys the children that he works with and has been able to utilize his Masters and training as a Behavior Analyst often. Recently the state of Idaho has change some of the rules and it is looking like Brent is going to be able to use his Masters a lot more!!!! This is a huge answer to prayer. We will have to wait and see what will actually happen but we are hopeful. In addition to this exciting news Brent applied for the MSW program at NNU. He is interested in furthering his education and experience. Really he has seen how awesome Social Work is from his wife and wants to join in on the fun! This will be a great addition to his already fantastic resume. He will start classes September 9th!
Over the last year we bought our first home. This was only accomplished by the wonderful financial program through Love INC. Long story short Brent and I signed away a year of our life to getting out of debt and learning how to work together to manage our money. I can proudly say that we accomplished part of this goal. We paid off all of our credit card debt! In the program we were assigned a financial counselor. Dan was a gift from God! He was able to meet us where we were at and worked with us diligently. In fact Dan was the one who suggested that we invest in our first home. I would like to say a BIG thank you to Dan. He was an amazing source of support for us in so many ways.
The home we are now living in is in Meridian Idaho and we are so happy to finally be settled. It has five bedrooms and two & 1/2 bathrooms. Its a little big for just the two of us but we hope to not just be the two of us for much longer. This brings me to the next part of life over the last year.
Brent and I started trying to have children about five years ago. As anyone can tell our prayers for a child have not been answered. In October of 2009 we were referred to a clinic in Boise that provides treatment to people that have fertility issues. This was a great step in the right direction. In December of 2009 we had our first of several fertility treatments. Alas we still have not had our prayers answered. After the most recent attempt that did not work we have come to the decision that we are going to pursue adoption! Brent and I have thought and prayed about this decision long and hard. We feel that we want to have a family and we are looking forward to the day that we will bring home our first child! We hope that you will pray for us as we embark on this new journey. We are very excited to get the process started. I will keep the blog updated more often and update you on our adoption journey.
I feel like I am missing somethings but this is the main points from the last year. This brings you up to speed on Brent and me.