A few of my favorite things...

It's been a while since my last post. I know everyone is searching for an update. :) So many of you are carrying us along on our journey and we couldn't be more thankful for you all. All is well in our adoption world. Birth mom is doing great and feeling good. Baby O has become very active and is kicking and moving around all the time. We are so thankful to get updates like this and to hear reassuring words that prove to us that everyone is still on the same page. Very soon I should be going with her to the doctor. Words can not even express the joy that I am sure will fill my heart when I get to hear that heartbeat for the first time. It's things like that - hearing the heartbeat, seeing the ultrasound - that I wouldn't want to miss out on just because I'm not carrying the baby myself. I feel privileged that I get to experience these things and will treasure the day I get to share those stories with baby O. I was having a conversation with our attorney today and we were talking about how this is not a "typical adoption"....meaning typically things don't go this smoothly and fall right into place with adoptions. "This is not the norm" Jeannette explained. My answer - "Nothing about me and Jason has been - THE NORM"...we have always been the exception to the rule....from the way we met....to how quickly we broke ground on our house...how quickly we got engaged (yes, in that order). Most recently in the past year we have been the exception to the rule for bad reasons. What were the odds that I would have to have both fallopian tubes removed? What were the odds that we would have such unsuccessful attempts at IVF? We pray that we have suffered down those difficult roads enough to where we can now be the exception to the rule for the GOOD! How awesome would it be to beat the odds and prove that adoptions CAN be a successful experience and fall into place without any major stumbling blocks??? Maybe God is trying to show us that we've suffered enough. I like to think that is what is happening here.

With that being said I would like to share some of my favorite things that we have been collecting for baby O.

The burp cloths that Anne Rae made for me. I adore these....the colors are perfect and I can't wait to use them!!!!

The adorable sock monkey that I bought at the Chelsea Antique Mall....and the lion and lamb were gifts from our very special friends. We were given these the night we found out baby O....is a baby BOY. :)

This shirt is a "hand me down" from my nephew Hudson. Jason and I brought this back to him from our honeymoon trip to Peter Island. I was so touched when Jennifer gave this back to me and said - baby O needs this shirt now. Awww.. :)

The blue baby blanket that Jenny gave me...that has not left our bed since she gave it to me. I snuggle with it every night and it stays tucked in between our pillows. Jason likes to joke that I am not even going to let the baby have it....I am going to keep it for myself. :)

The vision...

I realized today that's it's been over two weeks since I've written a blog update. The last time I wrote I was having a really hard time. The fact is, every day is tough....but not nearly as tough as it was that day. We've had a lot of good days too...allowing ourself time to get excited. I even bought a crib. :) The bargain of the year...at a yard sale for TEN BUCKS! I am going to sand it and paint it...I love a good craft project. I also started getting the vision together for baby O's room. I bought some amazing fabric that I'm going to use. I love the way it's all starting to come together. There aren't many things that we can control right now....so I'm clinging to the things I CAN control and have a part in. :) With that being said, here is a picture of the said fabrics. Yes, yes, yes, my loving Auburn friends...that IS houndstooth. I assure you that it has nothing to do with Alabama....I'm just a sucker for the print. I just love it. I'm not sure yet how I'm using all of these fabrics, but I got a great deal on them, so I couldn't resist. :) So it's looking like the colors are going to be chocolate brown, cream, aqua, and green. I am also wanting to throw in touches of red and orange. I can't wait to see it all come together.

Other than that, there really isn't anything new to report. We are just in the long waiting stretch of this process. It is hard not having that daily bonding with the baby. Since I'm not physically carrying the baby, it's hard to feel that connection. That is when our faith really has to come into the spotlight. Hopefully in the near future we can spend some time with birth mom and her family. We would love to be able to talk to baby boy O and let him start to hear our voices.  :)

Please continue to pray for everyone involved in this situation. We can't believe in just a few short months all the things we have dreamed for, prayed for, and hoped for are that much closer to becoming our reality.

The good, the bad, the ugly...

Jason and I knew going into this adoption process that there were going to be good days, bad days...and then just days that were downright tough. Today has been a tough day. I also knew right from the beginning that just like I did with the fertility side of the journey, that I would share all aspects of this adoption side of our journey. The good side, and the bad side. Mostly up until now it's been great...continuous good news, wonderful things to celebrate. And I've mentioned that things have started to calm down and we are in the waiting portion of the process. Today, the waiting hit me...like a ton of bricks. It's just been a really tough day. For the first time I'm starting to worry....worrying what she's doing and thinking. All we can do is pray that we keep trusting in God's plan. Regardless of the outcome here....we have to TRUST GOD that the path He is paving...is what is best for us. The journey through infertility has been a tough one....this proves no different. I'm experiencing emotions I've never felt before....yet, I feel powerless, just as I did through the IVF process.
Last night we celebrated my sister's birthday. During the night I had a conversation with my mom and Jennifer's mother in law, Elaine. Elaine made some very good points, but the one that has stuck in my mind was her telling me that I need to keep my eyes focused on God's plan..TRUST THAT. Don't lose sight of that. If I feel confident in that...then nothing can get me down. But today I was just that - DOWN. It makes me question my faith...and that is where I know this is the devil having his way with me. Please pray that the devil gets on out of this house...we don't need him around.
Today, just as I was in the middle of a terrible crying emotional breakdown, my doorbell rang. It was my oldest friend, Anne Rae. (side note - i hate the term "oldest friend" because I always think people take it...she's really old...lol...but I digress....) Even though I was expecting her to come over...it was still that perfect moment...just when I needed her. You see, I'm very lucky...I have these amazing friends and family that know when I need them, just at the right time. In perfect Anne Rae fashion, she was able to calm me down and make me feel better. Thank you dear friend! :)
I've realized something over the past few weeks...and today it got even worse. I have had a sore jaw line...and sore teeth. Gee...that must mean that I've been grinding my teeth at night...something I've NEVER experienced before. I have been through many stressful situations in life...none have which, have ever made me grind my teeth or clench my jaw. Tonight, as I was cooking dinner I caught myself standing there clenching my jaw. I just can't relax. I know every day isn't going to be like this....but wow, this has been a tough one.
Please continue the prayers.....I really...WE really need them right now.
Make me still, O Lord...

I couldn't resist...

Since the day I started this blog...I dreamed about the day I could add a baby ticker to the top of the blog page. Corny, I know...but it was something I was really looking forward to. Today marks 4 months until baby boy Oliver is due. I couldn't resist any longer. :)

Yesterday we finished up our homestudy interviews. Our attorney got a call this afternoon from our social worker that everything went great! We already knew it...but it was just nice to get reassurance. We are still waiting to get the "all clear" from the FBI fingerprinting/background checks. Hopefully all of that paperwork will be back within a couple weeks. But the major part of the homestudy is complete...it feels great to check that off our list of things to do!

A lot of you have asked if we have picked out a name yet. We have talked about it...a lot. But we haven't 100% decided yet...so for now, we are keeping that information to ourselves.

Specific prayer requests that are on my mind daily.....praying for the health of baby boy Oliver, and birth mom. Praying that God is continuously working on birth mom's heart that she knows this is the right decision. Praying for patience to fill our hearts as we wait, wait, wait.

Again, we are so blessed to have an amazing support system. I have received some amazing emails and facebook messages from people I haven't heard from in years...it has truly touched my heart.

Don't stop believin'!

Shooting to the goal...

Our friends continue to amaze us.....Kristy (Evans) Pruet came into our lives a few years ago. Since then she has been the preferred photographer for precious Hudson & Olivia (nephew & niece) not to mention a host of our friends children. Kristy has told me time and time again she can not wait until she can take pictures of baby Oliver. :) She has also told me she wanted to come up with some way to help us on our journey to adopting baby boy Oliver. She came up with this "fundraiser". If you are interested in having your children's portraits made by an awesome photographer, email her at the address on the invitation above. My gracious sister has offered up her house as the location. Kristy has even mentioned if she gets a lot of interest she will book more than one photo day to work everyone in. We are humbled and honored that Kristy has offered to do this for us. Again, God is revealing himself to us in very interesting ways. :)

The waters are calming down...

The past month has been a whirlwind. I've said that MANY times in the past few posts I've written...but it's the only way to truly describe it.

Aside from all of the adoption stuff....Jason and I have had an extremely busy social calendar. We are so blessed to have so many amazing people in our lives that we always have something going on. So we've been on the go so much. I think we are both just tired. Emotionally and physically. And today the "waiting" set in.

Everything with the adoption has moved so quickly since the first day we learned about the baby....that the waters are starting to calm... and now it's time to just sit back and "relax" and wait for November. With that being said...the emotions hit me today...the crying stressful emotions. Jason and I keep exploring uncharted territory. We've never done this before...so yet again, we are facing a whole new set of emotions. While this is an exciting time...it's also a very emotionally stressful situation as well. I keep requesting prayers....but once again....I'm asking for your prayers.

As requested...

Many of you have asked..."how can I help"...or "I want to chip in". Well, here's your chance. I've set up a Chipin link that is secure through Paypal if you feel led to contribute. We have been humbled by God's grace to get us this far in the adoption process. We feel certain that He will continue to open doors for us to make this possible. If you feel led to contribute, and would rather mail a check versus using the secure link, please email me at: kara061179@yahoo.com and I will mail you our address. If a financial contribution is not possible, please contribute to our journey by praying for our family.