redwheelbarrow

My first Mother's Day Card.

Still in the joy-fog of excitement over the adoption, I was even more surprised to receive my first-ever Mother's day card from my step-mother-in-law, Linda.

"Your baby girl is blessed to be born into a family where love is a way of life."

So sweet! Thank you. Happy Mother's day to everyone!

- jennifer

Taking My Mama Places - Hawaii Edition

Taking a Cessna over Kauai, Hawaii.

Getting some R & R at the Marriott resort in Kauai, Hawaii.

Waimea Falls at Waimea Valley Botanical Gardens, Oahu, Hawaii.

Waimea Valley Botanical Gardens, Oahu, Hawaii.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since I've travelled extensively for work, I've accumulated lots of points for free flights, rental cars, hotels, etc. So naturally when my Mom mentioned wanting to go to Hawaii, I was on-board. I love Hawaii and couldn't wait to show Mom the incredible beauty. Here are some of the best shots from our trip - - we went to Oahu, the Big Island of Hawai'i, and Kauai.

 

 - jennifer

 

 

 

 

 

A breathtaking sunset near Waikoloa, on the Big Island.

 

Wailua Falls, Kauai, Hawaii.

We have been matched!!!!!!!!!!!!

Honestly, we thought the wait for a baby could be years, when we first started the adoption process...

But, we got the call yesterday that a birthmom in Arkansas wanted to meet us! I am curently in Hawaii on vacation with my Mom and Thad is home in Birmingham. Both of us, despite the time difference, got together with the birthmom and birthdad via Skype. It was so great! We talked through the help of a translater. The birthmom and dad are Marshallese, from the Marshall Islands and do not speak good English. They have lived in the U.S. for over 7 years in rural Arkansas. She is 4 months pregnant with a baby girl. And, they chose us!

So, just like that, they chose us; we signed legal documents; it's a done-deal.

There are just not words to adequately express the JOY that we are feeling. And shock. It's just so unbelievable that after 10 long years, this is really going to happen! Our dream of becoming parents is coming true. All we can do is thank God. It has been our prayer for so long!

We are very grateful, too for our Attorney, Vaughn who has worked to ensure the birthmom has what she needs, gets to her appointments, and is taken care of. Please join me in praying that she has a good pregnancy.

 

HOME STUDY APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are very excited and very thankful for our Social Worker, Tyler.

Next step: baby!

 

 

Nursery for Baby Hodges

We finished the nursery! We finished it for the home study (though not required per se) but also, just in case we 'get the call' about a birth mom, a baby, a lead - - we want to be ready. It is in our nature to be planners and preparers. Plus, it was so much fun.

As we've stated before, we are in the early stages of building a home. We are currently living in a mobile home on the home site. It's been an adventure moving to such a small space, but a lesson in simplicity for sure. And as an added bonus, we do not have rent/mortgage payments. So, I will take living in a small space for that!

We love birds and nature, so for the nursery, we picked out a unisex theme by Skip Hop called Woodland Friends. It's adorable with small birds, owls, trees and flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My very creative and artistic cousin, Danielle, made adorable fabric artwork a couple of years ago which inspired us to create a nursery with birds. Thanks, Danielle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Words

I found something online that I believe completely and accurately sums up how we feel about our pending adoption:

"Adoption: Not a second choice, a fallback option or because you can't have 'your own,' but wholly believing you are seeking to bring home the very child God created with you and your home in mind, fully equipping you to be the very parent He created you to be." - author unknown

Beautiful words.

The Home Visit.

During the adoption home study process, we have completed lots of paperwork, written autobiographies, answered discussion questions, been FBI-fingerprinted, been cleared with the Child Abuse & Neglect center, provided countless documents (marriage certificate, birth certificates, pet vaccination records, college diplomas, tax records, etc) as well as a complete financial statement. We were subjected to a comprehensive physical by our Doctor, resulting in bookoos of blood tests, TB tests, and urine tests. We had to get local criminal checks run, get our co-workers and family to write recommendation letters, and had to get about 10 different things notarized.

We compiled a reading list of some of the most useful adoption books and began reading: Attachment in Adoption, Transracial Adoption, What to Expect the First Year, The Legal Process of Adoption, the Adoption book for family and friends, etc. We are reading books, blogs, articles, forums - - you name it, we are getting informed.

We arranged our finances to prepare for the upcoming/ongoing expenses of infant adoption.

We have had a couple of really good meetings with our social worker, Tyler. He, too is a adoptive parent and is very understanding of what we are going through. He is very knowlegable and kind and always makes us feel like we can ask him anything. He understands the steps, the transitions, the process and giving unconditional love to a child not born to you. He gets it.

We have now officially completed all of the required meetings with our social worker for our home study approval. There is only one step left: the home visit.

Now here is where I get nervous... I see the dust on my ceiling fans, the clutter in my closet, the 25 Rubbermaid containers full of unknown stuff stacked in the spare room. I see the cat hair and the dirty wood floors. I see the unpainted hallway and the clothes stacked on the dryer. I can't imagine my living space being "ready" for an inspection in just 2 weeks. 

But, I have read some blogs and articles on the home visit. Apparently, it is not a "white glove" inspection. Social workers are understanding of the realities of life (packed closets, clutter, dust). They are really looking for safety concerns, adequate living space for the child, and a clean/healthy environment. I'm sure the folks at DHR have seen it all! But it still makes me feel anxious. I wish I had a huge house that was organized, clutter-free and perfect. Although I don't know if that exists anywhere.

Since Tyler is an adoptive dad himself, I am hoping he sees the potential in our living space. I hope he overlooks the crooked light fixtures, the broken closet rod, the mismatched wood flooring, and the dusty baseboards. Instead, I hope he sees the positives: a paid-for home; a new, clean ready-to-move-in nursery with a new smoke detector; the coziness of a living room full off photos of family and friends; the tidy kitchen with a basket full of healthy fruits and veggies; the baby locks on the cabinets with chemicals; the newly-mounted fire extinguisher by the door... And most of all, two of the most eager soon-to-be parents he will EVER meet.

Our First Baby Gift!

Today my Mom and Dad bought us our first baby gift: the Baby Brezza.

They are totally on-board with this adoption, can you tell???

It's like a Keurig for baby formula and a must-have for someone, like us, who will only be bottle-feeding.

There is a formula "tank" on top and a water tank on the side, so you can use any formula (organic for us). The machine dispenses the exact amount of formula and mixes it with water heated to body temperature. Instantly.

3 AM bottle feedings will be MUCH easier. Thanks Mom and Dad.

Exciting!

 

- jennifer

IAD-DTW-BHM

We have been staying in Silver Spring, MD, right outside of Washington, DC. Our flights were cancelled yesterday because of the snow/ice. Luckily we were able to get our rental car and hotel room for an extra day. Delta kindly re-routed us through DTW (Detroit Metro Airport), instead of Atlanta, since right now Georgia is an ice block and all flights are grounded.

We drove to IAD (Washington Dulles International Airport) once the roads were plowed. After we checked in, it was shockingly empty. Many flights had been cancelled the day before and only the flights headed from IAD internationally (Dubai, Dublin, Amsterdam, etc) were running. All of the flights headed anywhere in the north- or southeast U.S. were cancelled. Those terminals were empty, except the lucky 40 people (like us) that were able to get re-booked on the Detroit flight. The airport itself feels so 1960s, but a recent interior renovation of terminal B felt very modern. A three-story high atrium had stainless steel escalators darting through the space with large metallic sculptures hanging overhead. The terminal/baggage claim train platform with its modern glass backlit with bright white light looked like it, too was in motion. The large turnbuckles above holding up the undulating facade were also impressive. They had to be at least 6ft long each. Overall, the airport was a visual delight, with every architectural element working together to create a kinetic feel in both materiality and design.

- jennifer

Frozen. That is All.

Silver Spring, MD. Headed to Whole Foods across the street for provisions for the pending snow storm. Its' FREEZING!