Definitions

Natural Child: Any child who is not artificial.
Real Parent: Any parent who is not imaginary.
Your Own Child: Any child who is not someone else's child.
Adopted Child: A natural child, with a real parent, who is all my own.

--- Rita Laws, PhD

We Have a Date!!

I received an e-mail yesterday from cw saying that April 5th would work for our Home Study update. Woohoo! Now, with Grandma, Grandpa, and Factor's cousin coming to visit next week, and Factor's birthday the week after that, maybe a 3 week wait won't seem as long as it sounds. That gives us three weeks to have the medical exams and bloodwork done. I think we can swing that! I also hope to have our *profile* completed by the time cw comes, so I can hand it to him at his visit.

*profile* = This is a summary of us. The way I do it, it is basically a mini-scrapbook of our lives so far. There is writing and there are many pictures. It is difficult to compile, because you don't want to come across as 'selling' yourself, but, at the same time, you don't want to leave out things you think are important. I hope to make it truly unique, with different words and pictures then Factor's had. For Factor, the profile is the first part of his baby scrapbook (where I have recorded the first 18 months of his life). I do not thinks Pi's will be the same. I think our profile for him/her will be separate from his/her babybook. Why? Because I already have the book I want to use for him/her, and it is not big enough to continue for a year. Besides, I have a really cute Beatrix Potter baby book I could use for Pi.

Not necessarily always included with the profile (often handed in separately) is the "dear birthmother" letter. I plan on having this ready to go, as well. This is the first thing a pregnant young lady would read, when figuring out if she wants to learn more about you/your family. I choose not to head it, "dear birthmother", though. I mean, when a young lady in a crisis pregnancy situation is trying to decide whether to come up with an adoption plan or not, and she has taken the steps to read these letters, does she really look at herself as a birthmom? I don't think so.

Adoption and John Piper

Here is a link to a seminar speech from John Piper on adoption. He speaks about 8 ways God's adoption of us as His children is similar to us adopting children. The link will take you to the written version, but you can click on the "listen" link and hear it instead. Enjoy!

Wait #1

Well, we have most of what needs to be done up to this point done and turned in. We do not have the medical info filled out, but I was going to coordinate the timing with the home study. I just received word that our hoped for end-of-March home study may be moved back into April. Bummer. I realize the journey is just beginning, but to have a lull this soon into the process is kind of a let down. You get in a rhythm of filling, and doing, and mailing, and then you are told to stop and do nothing for a while. I guess it does help you realize that you are not in control. God's timing is perfect. Lulls don't take Him by surprise. He already knows who He has chosen for this family. I shall reflect on that when I am tempted to be anxious over this waiting. And, every period of waiting, for that matter. I just may need to be reminded every once in a while.

Adoptive Breastfeeding

Adoptive Breastfeeding...any opinions?

References In

As I write (okay, not literally as I write since it is after midnight), all of our references have received their paperwork and are working on them, have worked on them, or will be working on them. This is one of those times where you can't really do anything yourself. I know the questions are tough and thought provoking, but hopefully everyone will get them in in a timely manner.

I am still working on our self-study. Well, I would have had it finished by now, but since Degree went out of town I can't get him to read and sign anything now anyway. I decided I'd give myself a couple days to reflect on the rest of the questions before completing it. Now, when Degree gets back, he may have a stack of papers to read and sign so I can hurry up and have them mailed out on Saturday, but that's the way it goes :-)

I stated earlier that we aren't going to put a preference down for gender. Well, Factor started saying "Baby Sister" and it sounds soooo cute! I can't get him to say baby brother. He just won't say it. I hope it is just a phase because it is making me really want a baby girl!

Paper Trail Begins

Let me take a minute to introduce myself and my family, for those of you stumbling upon this blog with no other connection to me. I am Integer, a stay at home mother of one, though I used to be a math teacher. My husband, Degree, works fulltime in publishing and is also a PhD student. He is working on his PhD in Historical Theology. Our son, Factor, will be 2 years old at the end of March. We adopted him domestically (which means he was born in the USA) 2 years ago. We live in Michigan. We moved up here years ago so Degree could go to school. I love the four seasons that we experience here, but really would like for winter to be a little shorter than it always is. Isn't it supposed to end Mid-March? Not in Michigan. Enough introduction...

In this blog, I hope to keep everyone up to speed on the adoption of Pi, our hoped for 2nd child.

I am up to my eyebrows in papers to fill out to get this process moving. On one hand, I feel like I could spend a few hours and have it all filled out tomorrow. On the other hand, I know that the references have yet to be sent out by the agency which means I can take a little time before I send in all of our stuff. The whole adoption process, from the time you receive the paperwork until a baby is placed in your home, could take up to 2 years. What's a couple extra days on my end with these papers? Of course, some of the papers require dr. visits, so those are not my responsibility to actually fill out. The essay-type "self study" questions are what takes the most time. I'd like to pass the questions out to everyone I know who is thinking of having another child...see how well they answer them.

Application is in!

Welcome to my new adoption blog! I hope to journal our journey through the adoption of our second child. To start, let me say that today I hand delivered our adoption application to our case worker (to be referred to as "cw"). This is the first of many steps down the path that leads to bringing our baby home.