Let the waiting begin!

As of Wednesday morning, we are active with our adoption agency! This means that all we do now is wait for a birth mom to pick us, while trying to be as patient as possible. (Easier said than done!) The agency sent us a copy of our 5 page bio last week and we absolutely love it. As long as we meet her specific criteria, they’ll give a copy of the bio to each birth mom. It includes a “Dear Expecting Mom” letter, 2 pages of text about us, and then 2 pages of pictures. It’s hard to portray who we really are in that short amount of space, but we think the agency did a wonderful job. We also have a small profile on the agency’s website under featured families. (See picture below.)

We are so excited to be at this point! We’ve started slowly buying some things for the baby, which has been so much fun. It’s hard for someone like me, who likes to plan, because we have no idea when this will happen, or how much notice we’ll actually have. We don’t plan to do much until after the baby is actually here, but will have some of the basics. After one of our very first meetings with the agency, Jason and I went out to Babies R Us and bought the first outfits for our baby. It’s hard to even explain the way we felt when we got to do that. Since then I’ve picked up a few other sleepers/onesies that I just couldn’t resist. We’ve also looked at bedding and have a boy and a girl set in mind. Both have the same color green in them, so we plan to go ahead and paint the nursery sometime soon. We also have most of the nursery furniture taken care of. We’re going to use a dresser/hutch that we bought on Craigs List, and through the amazing kindness of friends, we now own (although don’t have possession of yet) a crib and changing table. We are also going to use the cradle that my grandpa built before I was born.

Other than that, we’re just going to try to stay busy. Our local hospital offers a parenting class, specifically for adopting parents. It’s called “Parents at Last!” We can’t wait to take that!

We’re also trying to get everything in order for our adoption garage sale. We’ve been amazed at what people have already donated for us to sell. If anyone else has anything that they just want gone from their house, please let me know! We’ll come pick it up from you! Right now the tentative date for the sale is July 10th/11th.

I hope everyone is doing well! We’ll keep you updated of anything that happens. Please keep Jason and I, our future birth mom, and our baby in your prayers while we wait.

Today is our class!

After a crazy few weeks of physicals, background checks, gathering pictures - we turn it all in today! We have an all day class at the agency and will 2/3 of the way done afterwards. And then on Monday they are coming to actually do our home visit -eek! My mom has been awesome and has been over this week to do the cleaning, while we worked on the paperwork. And then we'll wait! It will be about 3-4 weeks before they finish the bio and the homestudy report, but then we'll be active. And then we'll wait some more! :)

Our big news!

The big news in our world is that Jason and I are going to adopt a baby! As some of you know, we have been trying for quite a while to have a baby, with no luck. We've been seeing a reproductive endocrinologist for the past 18 months and along with several tests and some basic treatments we have done 7 IUIs (intrauterine insemination cycles), an IVF cycle (in-vitro fertilization) in November, and just recently we had a FET (frozen embryo cycle.) Obviously none of those worked, and we were to the point that surrogacy was being discussed.

Over the last few months, we've had lots of decisions to make. Adoption is something we've had in the back of our heads for awhile, and since December it has been something we've really been leaning towards. The big turning point for me was Christmas Eve. We were at mass and a little boy (4 maybe?) sang a solo in Silent Night. His dad was sitting in front of me videotaping and it just became too much for me. Finally, being pregnant wasn't as important – being parents, having the family, videotaping our kids at a Christmas program – that is what we want. Obviously I'm going to miss the experience of being pregnant and that makes me sad, but once we bring our baby home, that part isn't going to matter anymore.

We've interviewed several agencies and picked one a few weeks ago. We're actually 1/3 of the way done with our homestudy! We had A LOT of forms to fill out, had basic physicals, several background checks, and had to get some reference letters. We’re also answering several questions and gathering pictures that will all be a part of our bio, which is what the birth mother will pick us from. We had an office interview last week, will have an all day class at the beginning of May, and the actual home visit a few weeks after that. If all goes well, we’ll be active around the end of June/beginning of July – and at that point will be “paper pregnant”!

We're planning to adopt a domestic newborn, so it's anybody's guess on how long it will take. Our agency has great placement rates though, and their average wait time is 9 months. Still, for some it could take 3 years – which is a scary thought. For others it could happen after 5 days – which is also scary (but obviously exciting too!)

While parts of us are still grieving the loss of a biological child at this point in our lives, we're so excited and hopeful for the path we're about to go down. We actually feel like we’re expecting, even though we don’t know the “when” of it. It's amazing to actually believe that we ARE going to become parents. :)

Long time, no post!

I've been slacking in the blogging department - sorry! I actually have some pictures to post - since Christmas we've been skiing, went to a winery, went to a casino, celebrated my mom's birthday, my birthday, my sister's birthday, my brother's birthday, and finished several crafty projects. I have pictures for all of those and maybe one of these days will get them posted. I'll try to get better about posting on here!

Merry Christmas!

You're too late Joey, I married Jason

Back when I was 9 years old, I was in love with New Kids on the Block. I was pretty sure that I was going to marry Joey McIntyre, and think I still have a note that I wrote to him informing him of that. (The fact that I still have it could explain why he never wrote back.) When I heard that they were coming back out with a new cd and touring, it was like Christmas. I never went to a concert back then, so I was SO excited to go now! It was in Chicago last Friday and my mom went with me.

It was fantastic!!! I'd say the audience was 95% female, and the average age was probably 30. So many woman had on their old New Kids tshirts, hats, buttons - it was great! I screamed and squealed just like a little girl.

Mom and I:


Did I mention that our seats were great?? :) Not too close, but not too far away.


Joey! Sigh ...


Jordan:


More Joey :) I cheated a bit on this one - it was taken of the big screen right next to us.


Donnie:


All the boys, singing "I'll be loving you forever"


Towards the end of the night - I think this was before their encore.


We also took tons of video on my mom's camera and I couldn't pick just one to post. So down below you'll find 10 of the best ones. Enjoy!!!

If it's easier to just go to youtube, you can find them here: New Kids on the Block

The Right Stuff

Gotta love the old school dance moves!

Please Don't Go Girl

This was my favorite New Kids song, obviously since Joey sang it! I have video of some friends and I at a slumber party (in 4th grade) singing into hairbrushes and curling irons to this song (although for some reason we changed the words to "Please don't go ice cream!"

I'll be loving you forever

The video is a little fuzzy, but the sound is great. I got the chills during the chorus as everyone sang it with them.

Summertime

From their new cd - I think it was the first song released this summer.

Step by Step

I'm pretty sure this one also shows off some of the original dance moves. :)

Hanging Tough

It's pretty neat to see everyone's arms swaying in the air to this one.

If you go away girl

This is another one taken up on the big screen - but it's up close of Joey! It's a little dark at first but gets lighter. Love him!

Dirty Dancing

This is one of their new ones. They disappeared for a bit and then came out in the middle of the audience to perform this one, 2am, and Tonight - which was my favorite performance but the video is corrupt. :(

Baby I believe in you

This video shows why Jordan was never my favorite - SO cheesy!

Didn't I blow your mind this time?

Keeneland

Like last year, we went to Keeneland to bet on some horse races. This time though, instead of just Jason and I going with my Uncle Mike, we also were there with my mom, Karen, Patrick, Pat's girlfriend Lauren, and one of Karen's friends Jasmine. It was a beautiful day and we had a great time!
Jason & I:


Karen, Mom, Pat, and I:


Pat and Lauren:

Great night at Lucas Oil Stadium!

Last night my mom and I went to the Kenny Chesney concert at Lucas Oil Stadium and had a great time! It was the first time either of us had seen the stadium up close and personal.

The outside:


Pretty neat Peyton poster/sign (you can see where it is in the picture above)


Our seats (that we bought this week for a cheap price) were in section 637, the nosebleeds.


There was a little overhang/wall just above us - we could still see out to the field, but just in case they had tvs for us!


We got some food from the concessions (I highly recommend the nachos grande!) and stayed in our seats for Luke Bryan, Gary Allen, and LeAnn Rimes. At this point the roof was still closed, and honestly - the sound sucked. It was very loud and echoed so bad that you couldn't really hear the music. Still, I really liked Luke Bryan and LeAnn Rimes did a great job.


At the end of LeAnn Rimes we heard some cheering from down on the floor and realized that they were opening the roof!


We decided we were sick of our seats and moved down a level. The concourse is open to the field in many places, and we found a great place to stand and watch everything. We figured that everyone was standing at their seats anyways, so it didn't matter if we didn't actually have seats.

This is the view from where we spent the rest of the night:


Keith Urban was up next and he was fantastic! The sound was much better with the roof open, and he's just an amazing artist.


After Keith, Kenny Chesney took the stage - it was shortly after 9pm. While I probably liked Keith Urban a little better, Kenny had a great, packed show. And he played until midnight!! This was the last show on the tour, and I think because of that they did some things differently. He played his songs, Uncle Cracker came out and they did some songs, and then he broke into such a fun assortment - Tom Petty, Eagles, David Allen Coe - just a great party. For the encore he went back to his music, ending with "She thinks my tractor's sexy."




At the end of the concert all of the crew and family came out on stage - it was really sweet! Oh, and not only did Kenny throw a signed guitar into the crowd - he took off his boots and gave them away too!


Mom and I at the end of a great night!


Now for some videos! Probably my favorite song was one that Kenny and Keith did together - here's a clip of that:


Here is Keith Urban with "Love Somebody Like You"


And two Kenny Chesney videos - "Living in Fast Forward" and the very end of "There Goes My Life."

Weekend in Kentucky

We made a quick trip to Kentucky over Labor Day weekend. My grandparents (dad's parents) both turn 75 within a month of each other, so we had a surprise birthday party for them.

My grandparents, Barbara and Sonny:


All the food - it was a pitch in and the food was wonderful!


Jason and I:


The party was at my aunt and uncle's (Kent and Lesa) house. They have a brand new pool, so of course we had to try it out!

My mom and I:


Jason and I floating on balloons. We found that they work just as well as noodles to float on!


Then on Sunday we went out on Kentucky Lake. Another aunt and uncle (Denise & Chip) own a houseboat and we had a great time on it.

My aunt Denise, me, my mom, and Jason:


Jason, "partying like a rockstar"


This is a picture from when we first got to town, at my Grandma Rae's house. All of the doggies just love Jason.

Jason with my mom's two dogs (Casey and Bridget), and my grandma's dog (Holly)

Blog updates!

I've been behind with these, but in the last two days I've done 7 posts! Enjoy!