I came home from clinicals today to a message on our answering machine from Becky (SW). Her supervisor has signed off on our home study and we are "officially" approved. YAY! It's not feeling quite real yet for me. When I see our picture and birth parent letter on the waiting family page maybe... We've made a few changes to our portfolio and I just need to print out a couple more pages. I think it looks really good (thanks again mom!). Our portfolio really is a family project. My mom helped with the layout and design of the pages. Mark's mom is going to make some covers for the portfolios themselves.
So... you may be wondering what exactly is an adoption portfolio? This is a 3 ring binder that the birth families can view to get to know us a little bit. The first page is a "profile" of Mark and I (age, profession, hobbies, salary, etc). Then, we have page 1 of our "dear birth parent" letter - kind of giving an introduction to who we are. This is followed by pics and some info about us, our family, home, community, life, travels, activities. After that, there is more of our letter, talking about our journey to adoption, plans for parenting, etc. We ended with kind of a fun page, "Mark and Melanie in Twenty Questions." It is probably my favorite page in the whole portfolio. It has a picture of us very light in the background of the page. Not sure if there is a way to post a link to it or not... I may have to experiment.
In the middle of my day today, I all of a sudden had this peaceful feeling come over me and a quiet "voice" that seemed to whisper, "I have the perfect child planned for you." Now, don't get me wrong - I know that our child will not be perfect! Believe me... my parents are probably hoping for a little bit of "payback" for the child (and teenager) that I was. Anyway, Mark has made this comment several times and I actually included it in our portfolio to describe our relationship. "We may not be perfect, but we're perfect for each other." So, I think the same perspective should apply to our child - our child may not be perfect, but God is handpicking our child for us and since HE is perfect, the same applies to His choice of our child. I can't wait to see what He has in store!
Fall 2013
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
lsoThursday, September 24, 2009
Thankful Thursday
Happy Thursday! Have you given any thought to what you are thankful for today? Take a few moments to consider this - surprise me with a post!! Today, my thankful list includes:
1. Fall - This is my absolute favorite time of year. To me, fall is all about home and family. I don't quite know why or how to explain it, but there is just a cozy feeling that I associate with fall. I love being able to sleep with the windows open and lots of covers on, get out my favorite sweatshirts, fuzzy socks. It's a great food time, too - squash, pumpkin, apples - all sorts of yummy comfort food. Halloween is probably my favorite holiday (note new blog design - lol) - it is so much fun to greet the trick-or-treaters! I can't wait to enjoy Halloween with our child. The changing colors are beautiful and I just love to be outside - so yep, I am thankful for fall.
2. Flip-flops - Ok, I know that sounds silly since I just said I was thankful for fall and flip-flop weather is coming to an end. Maybe saying I am thankful for bare feet is more appropriate. Taking off my shoes as soon as I walk in the house is always a treat. I like feeling the floor on my bare feet, wiggling my toes, and showing off a cute new pedicure.
3. F*cebook - Now you are really wondering about me, right? Why am I thankful for a networking site? Well, my cousin Katie lives in North Dakota and we don't see each other very often. It's probably been 2 years since I saw Katie and her family. We recently became "friends" on FB and last night, who should pop up with an instant message, but Katie. We chatted for a while and it was great to catch up with her. She is a beautiful, faith-filled woman who inspires me and I am thankful that FB has allowed us to be a little more connected.
4. I'm thankful for the opportunity to share Thankful Thursday with you!
1. Fall - This is my absolute favorite time of year. To me, fall is all about home and family. I don't quite know why or how to explain it, but there is just a cozy feeling that I associate with fall. I love being able to sleep with the windows open and lots of covers on, get out my favorite sweatshirts, fuzzy socks. It's a great food time, too - squash, pumpkin, apples - all sorts of yummy comfort food. Halloween is probably my favorite holiday (note new blog design - lol) - it is so much fun to greet the trick-or-treaters! I can't wait to enjoy Halloween with our child. The changing colors are beautiful and I just love to be outside - so yep, I am thankful for fall.
2. Flip-flops - Ok, I know that sounds silly since I just said I was thankful for fall and flip-flop weather is coming to an end. Maybe saying I am thankful for bare feet is more appropriate. Taking off my shoes as soon as I walk in the house is always a treat. I like feeling the floor on my bare feet, wiggling my toes, and showing off a cute new pedicure.
3. F*cebook - Now you are really wondering about me, right? Why am I thankful for a networking site? Well, my cousin Katie lives in North Dakota and we don't see each other very often. It's probably been 2 years since I saw Katie and her family. We recently became "friends" on FB and last night, who should pop up with an instant message, but Katie. We chatted for a while and it was great to catch up with her. She is a beautiful, faith-filled woman who inspires me and I am thankful that FB has allowed us to be a little more connected.
4. I'm thankful for the opportunity to share Thankful Thursday with you!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Adoption Update
We received our draft of the home study in the mail yesterday. I've had a chance to review and Mark will look at it tonight. Basically, a few wording adjustments to make - that's about it. Hopefully, we can return it to Becky tomorrow so that she can make the updates. Then, it will go to her supervisor for final approval. Then, we will be officially ready and waiting! Yay!
Our church started a visionary parenting course today. Some of it may not be applicable since we aren't parents yet, but we're attending anyway. I've probably said this before, but I feel like adoption is allowing us to be more thoughtful and proactive about some parenting things than we might be if we just got pregnant and had a child.
It's so exciting to be on this journey!!
Our church started a visionary parenting course today. Some of it may not be applicable since we aren't parents yet, but we're attending anyway. I've probably said this before, but I feel like adoption is allowing us to be more thoughtful and proactive about some parenting things than we might be if we just got pregnant and had a child.
It's so exciting to be on this journey!!
Domestic Goddess I am Not!
I love to cook, bake, entertain - and yes, I think that I have some talent in those areas. I can throw a load of clothes in the washing machine, put them in the dryer (if I remember), and fold them (eventually). Usually, they don't look too bad.
However, other domestic duties - hmmm... not so much! Case in point... I don't iron. My mom didn't iron much when I was growing up and my grandmother's ironing gene did not skip a generation to land in my gene pool. Over my adult years, I have ironed on occasion as the need arose and maybe even went above and beyond the call of duty every now and then. But, it's been a long time since I ironed - probably since before Mark and I started dating. Thank goodness for a husband who doesn't care about that stuff. Truth be told, before he met me, Mark had two clothes hampers: one for clean clothes, one for dirty. I'm not quite that laid back, I do like to get things in the dressser. Ok... I'm getting off track. I had an iron and ironing board when we got married, never used it. When we had sewer back-up in our basement several years ago, those items got wet. Finally got around to replacing them about a year ago. Since then, the ironing board and the iron have remained in their packages untouched.
So... today, I'm getting ready for the week. Trying to decide what to wear for my clinicals tomorrow and Tuesday. Glance at a blouse that I haven't worn for a while, I really like it but it is WRINKLED! I try dousing it with wrinkle release spray and tossing in the dryer. No luck. Can you guess what comes next? Yes, I decide I am going to be ambitious, call upon that domestic goddess of ironing that is hiding somewhere inside of me. Get out the iron, turn it on (I think), get out the ironing board, but I don't want to actually set it up so I just lay it across the counter in the bathroom. Back to check the iron - guess I must not have turned it on so I figure that out. Let it warm up and iron my blouse. Not perfectly mind you because I would need to have the ironing board set up correctly and probably set the iron at the correct setting for the fabric I am using. But... enough ironing to get by so that I can wear the blouse tomorrow. I'm quite proud of myself, pick up the blouse to kind of shake it out and look at it from a hanging perspective. In the process, I knock over a bottle of diffuser oil and spill it on the blouse I've just finished ironing. Grrr...
I KNEW there was a reason I don't iron! Back to the closet for an easy, wash and wear sweater or something like that.
However, other domestic duties - hmmm... not so much! Case in point... I don't iron. My mom didn't iron much when I was growing up and my grandmother's ironing gene did not skip a generation to land in my gene pool. Over my adult years, I have ironed on occasion as the need arose and maybe even went above and beyond the call of duty every now and then. But, it's been a long time since I ironed - probably since before Mark and I started dating. Thank goodness for a husband who doesn't care about that stuff. Truth be told, before he met me, Mark had two clothes hampers: one for clean clothes, one for dirty. I'm not quite that laid back, I do like to get things in the dressser. Ok... I'm getting off track. I had an iron and ironing board when we got married, never used it. When we had sewer back-up in our basement several years ago, those items got wet. Finally got around to replacing them about a year ago. Since then, the ironing board and the iron have remained in their packages untouched.
So... today, I'm getting ready for the week. Trying to decide what to wear for my clinicals tomorrow and Tuesday. Glance at a blouse that I haven't worn for a while, I really like it but it is WRINKLED! I try dousing it with wrinkle release spray and tossing in the dryer. No luck. Can you guess what comes next? Yes, I decide I am going to be ambitious, call upon that domestic goddess of ironing that is hiding somewhere inside of me. Get out the iron, turn it on (I think), get out the ironing board, but I don't want to actually set it up so I just lay it across the counter in the bathroom. Back to check the iron - guess I must not have turned it on so I figure that out. Let it warm up and iron my blouse. Not perfectly mind you because I would need to have the ironing board set up correctly and probably set the iron at the correct setting for the fabric I am using. But... enough ironing to get by so that I can wear the blouse tomorrow. I'm quite proud of myself, pick up the blouse to kind of shake it out and look at it from a hanging perspective. In the process, I knock over a bottle of diffuser oil and spill it on the blouse I've just finished ironing. Grrr...
I KNEW there was a reason I don't iron! Back to the closet for an easy, wash and wear sweater or something like that.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Update
Becky (our SW) emailed today to say that our home study is in the mail! We will need to proofread it and then off for it's final stamp of approval. Yippee!
In our bedroom, I have a daily calendar of bible verses. Yesterday's verse was Jeremiah 32:27, "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind, is anything too hard for me?" That seems so appropriate right now and a confirmation of His promise that we will be parents.
Tomorrow, one of my dear friends and her husband are renewing their vows in honor of their 25th wedding anniversary. What a special celebration of their life together!
In our bedroom, I have a daily calendar of bible verses. Yesterday's verse was Jeremiah 32:27, "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind, is anything too hard for me?" That seems so appropriate right now and a confirmation of His promise that we will be parents.
Tomorrow, one of my dear friends and her husband are renewing their vows in honor of their 25th wedding anniversary. What a special celebration of their life together!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Thankful Thursday
Yep - two Thursdays in a row, can you believe it? Ok, my next goal will be to get my Thankful Thursday post in the morning instead of right before heading to bed.
#1 - God's goodness in healing. The pathology reports from my mom's surgery indicated "clean" tissue in the area surrounding the melanoma. YAY! One of my co-workers has been battling breast cancer for several months now. She finished chemo and had surgery. The lymph nodes that the docs biopsied came back negative! Another YAY!
#2 - Encouragement. This semester, school has got me running. Two of my classes have several major projects and require a LOT of time and effort. I was feeling pretty down tonight with the weekly grade I received from the instructor of one of the classes. It wasn't a big deal, but I was discouraged. God reminded me that on Tuesday night, the other instructor gave me about the highest praise I could ask for - saying that I was setting the bar for the class with my writing skills. Talk about a warm fuzzy! And probably a good thing to remember when I am a parent. Sometimes, that negative comment lingers long after all of the praise. Thanks to my instructor for the positive comment that helps me keep the bigger picture in mind. I can't make everyone happy ALL the time, but I can give my best effort.
#3 - Completing one more step in our adoption process. We had our last "official" home study meeting with our SW this week. She will be writing our home study and hopes to have it ready for us to proof in the next few days. Then, it will go to her supervisor for final stamp of approval and we will be added to the "waiting families" list. DOUBLE YAY!! Little one - we are dreaming of bringing you home!!
#4 - The author of one of the blogs I follow is currently in Russia with her husband adopting a precious little boy and girl. She commented about how the little girl has no concept of what a "daddy" is - to her Eric, is "the man." Every child should know the love of a mother and father - it makes me sad to think about the children in orphanages never knowing about mommies and daddies. It also made me thankful that our child is going to have such a wonderful daddy!! Mark is so good with kids! I can just picture him on the floor with our children climbing all over him, laughing, playing, and loving on him. Can't wait to see it in reality!
#1 - God's goodness in healing. The pathology reports from my mom's surgery indicated "clean" tissue in the area surrounding the melanoma. YAY! One of my co-workers has been battling breast cancer for several months now. She finished chemo and had surgery. The lymph nodes that the docs biopsied came back negative! Another YAY!
#2 - Encouragement. This semester, school has got me running. Two of my classes have several major projects and require a LOT of time and effort. I was feeling pretty down tonight with the weekly grade I received from the instructor of one of the classes. It wasn't a big deal, but I was discouraged. God reminded me that on Tuesday night, the other instructor gave me about the highest praise I could ask for - saying that I was setting the bar for the class with my writing skills. Talk about a warm fuzzy! And probably a good thing to remember when I am a parent. Sometimes, that negative comment lingers long after all of the praise. Thanks to my instructor for the positive comment that helps me keep the bigger picture in mind. I can't make everyone happy ALL the time, but I can give my best effort.
#3 - Completing one more step in our adoption process. We had our last "official" home study meeting with our SW this week. She will be writing our home study and hopes to have it ready for us to proof in the next few days. Then, it will go to her supervisor for final stamp of approval and we will be added to the "waiting families" list. DOUBLE YAY!! Little one - we are dreaming of bringing you home!!
#4 - The author of one of the blogs I follow is currently in Russia with her husband adopting a precious little boy and girl. She commented about how the little girl has no concept of what a "daddy" is - to her Eric, is "the man." Every child should know the love of a mother and father - it makes me sad to think about the children in orphanages never knowing about mommies and daddies. It also made me thankful that our child is going to have such a wonderful daddy!! Mark is so good with kids! I can just picture him on the floor with our children climbing all over him, laughing, playing, and loving on him. Can't wait to see it in reality!
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