Blog Award!

I just received a comment that I have been recognized as "Stylish Blogger" by the author of All You Knew Was Love.  Click on the link to visit her blog!  

There four rules that go along with this lovely honor:
1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers.
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

Seven things about myself: 

1. I sing, both in a choir and as a soloist.
2. I'm not a very good housekeeper, but I'm working on it.
3. I'm majoring in English Education.
4. I'm almost always cold.
5. I still crave foods with gluten and have slipped up a few times (on purpose).
6. I love a good deal.  I almost always shop around to get the best price.
7. I had a difficult time coming up with random facts about myself!

A Big Purchase

I've been contemplating buying a crib for some time now.  While our social worker makes it seem like three-ish months is a long time to become licensed, I think it isn't much time at all to prepare.  (Not that I'm complaining; I just need to get moving!)  Yesterday, I found a crib at Target on clearance.  They only had one left, so I asked if I could purchase it and then pick it up today.  They said they didn't hold things, so I tried to think of a way to take it with me.  It certainly wasn't going to fit in my car.  My mom's car is smaller than mine, so that was out.  My husband (and the truck) were at home, 30 minutes away.  Then, I remembered that my brother has an SUV, so I called him.  Thankfully, I was able to get it.  It still isn't at our house yet, because my husband will have to get it from my brother's house tomorrow morning when he gets off work.  I can't wait to get it put together!!

This is the crib:

...and this is the fabric I have picked out to make the quilt, bed skirt, and curtains.

Our Family Through a Child's Eyes

The class we are going through to be eligible to adopt stresses the importance of the entire family's participation--including the existing children.  My daughter was asked to draw a picture of her family, including the new sibling she hoped to get.  This is what she drew:

The red person is my daughter, the tall person in the middle is my husband, and the other tall, blue person is me.  She hopes to get a baby brother or sister, so the baby is pictured in the lower left-hand corner, appropriately, lying down.

Plowing Through

At this point, I've made my way through nearly all of the paperwork.  Unfortunately, some of the questions have unearthed some demons I would have rather forgotten.  I know it is necessary for the process, though.  I've made a list of the things we have to do to the house before our home visit.  Thankfully, it isn't terribly long.  I've read about half of the first of six books.  I waver between being so excited that I can't stand it and asking myself what in the blue blazes are we getting ourselves in to.

I'm going to attempt to focus on the positive during this whole process, which is going to be hard.  It is scary to hear the stories, but I have to remain steadfast in our desire.  I'm doing a lot of praying and positive visualization.  I hope to be able to keep it up!  All of your support means more than  you know!

One Down, Six to Go

Today was our first foster/adoption class.  We met at our church in our little town, so there was no need for extra commuting to the next biggest town.  (Like I thought we would have to originally).  My pastor and her husband joined us along with one other couple.  Our social worker is very personable and casual, which is nice.  She gave us a lot of information, including a lot of (what I think were) horror stories.  I could feel my fight or flight instinct kicking in, but I told myself that all the examples she gave were teenagers.  I also reassured myself that the right child will come to us at the right time, and that God will not give us more than we can handle.

She told us that it will take about three months to become certified and ready to accept children in our home.  She made it sound like that was a long time, but after more than two years of waiting for another child, three months is nothing.  Not to mention the fact that we'll probably need that much time to have everything ready.

The picture above is of all of the paperwork we were given to fill out today.  We don't have to have it all ready by next week, but it will have to be done soon.  After all, we only have six more classes.  Our social worker will meet with us in our home three times in addition to the classes.

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at this moment and maybe somewhat disillusioned, but I'll push through.  I know all of this will be worth it in the end.

A New Song Addition

Katy Perry performed "Firework," on the "Home for the Holidays," special.  I hadn't listened very closely to the lyrics before then, but after reading them, I had to add it to my blog playlist:

Firework

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag
Drifting throught the wind
Wanting to start again

Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin
Like a house of cards
One blow from caving in

Do you ever feel already buried deep
Six feet under scream
But no one seems to hear a thing

Do you know that tehre's still a chance for you
Cause there's a spark in you

You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework
Come on let your colors burst
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
You're gunna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own

You don't have to feel like a waste of space
You're original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow

Maybe you're reason why all the doors are closed
So you can open one that leads you to the perfect road

Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow
And when it's time, you'll know

You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework
Come on slet your colors burst
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
You're gunna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time to let it through

Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

It's Everywhere!

A couple of weeks ago, we watched, "Home for the Holidays."  It is put on by the Dave Thomas Foundation to raise adoption awareness--specifically adoption through the foster system.  They even featured the agency we are going through.  It was an emotional experience to watch it.

Also, "Brothers and Sisters," has a story line about a gay couple adopting through the foster system.  They had a long journey coming to that decision, and it somewhat goes along with our own story.

I talked with another mom at my daughter's dance school yesterday about our plans, and she gave me some good information.  She works for SRS and has worked with foster children and the system for many years.

I constantly feel like I'm being reminded that this is the right thing for us to do--that this was the plan all along and that we are only now privy to the information.  We begin our class on Saturday.  I can't wait!