Ready or Not!

All decorated for Christmas!

What. A. Weekend.

We just spent our 3 day weekend cleaning, scrubbing, organizing and re-arranging our house and garage. Let me just say that it was time well spent!

We had someone from the State come inspect our home on Monday, to determine if we are ready for children or not. I'm sure you first-time parents can relate... or not... Seriously?! How much stuff does a baby need?!! You'd be shocked at how baby proof they wanted us to make our house! I was freaking out. I'm not going to lie. This is my family's future on the line here! I was double-checking that "required" list like crazy!



yes please!!

First, last week, we got a new TV stand. We had to, according to Matt. Ya know, to hide the wires and buttons. Ok, fine, I'm sold on that idea.



Loki helping Matt set up our TV desk

 

Then Matt organized the entire garage, making sure all cleaning solutions and hammers, nails, and sharp things were all in one cabinet, locked... while I tore through the house removing things like knives, hair products and any other random items they might have a problem with, and hiding them up high in the cupboards.

We also made sure the kid's room was looking perfectly clean and ready for some kiddos.

baby room!

My parents got us car seats a while back, so we decided to give those a try. Wow. I applaud the person that made the car seat! Car seats now days are intense! But my husband is pretty awesome and he figured it all out.

Car Seat King

       
 Back to the house inspection. I was trapped in the back seat of Matt's 2 door car when she pulled up. We were trying to figure out how to set up the car seat for an Infant. (by the way, I will NEVER be using Matt's car for kids! Woah. Too hard!)

So I scrambled and (fell) Jumped out, and ran inside to lock the dogs in the back yard and do one more glance in every room to make sure all the dusting towels and brooms still weren't laying around the house.

She was very nice. I am so happy to say that because I have heard some stories about some pretty rude inspection people. She was at our house for 3 hours, looking through every drawer and cup board and closet, and typing up her report about us.

Cleaning that house!

Things that she had an issue with where so minimal and easy to fix, that Matt grabbed the drill while she was typing away, and began to fix everything. Some of the stuff was absolutely ridiculous, but I get it. They want the safest homes possible for these kids! They don't want these kids ending up in a home just like the one they were taken away from. So I'll forgive her picky-ness. She made me move the knives (which were completely hidden in a box) up another shelf. And then we had to put a childproof lock on that cup board.
They should name those things "person locks" because I swear, I can't get the thing open!
We also have a lock on the garage door... one of those spinning handles that you have to pull out a Hercules squeeze to open. Now I think twice before running to grab something from the garage. It turns into an arm wrestle.

clean garage thanks to this hunk! ;)

The main issue she had with our place that didn't allow us to fully pass the inspection, was our water. Apparently turning the dial on Normal, is still too hot. So, she is coming back next week to make sure we turned it down and kept it cooler.
After she checks it, and we pass, it will take another few weeks to receive our Foster License.

Praise God from whom all Blessings flow! Without Him, none of this is possible! He has been faithful to us through this entire process, even when we have doubt in our hearts.

So, there you have it. Our home is ready!
I can't open my cup boards. I can't find my knives. I forget what hallway closet my hair products are in. I'm taking colder showers. I can't open the door to the garage. I can't find the Windex that was under the bathroom sink at one time. I have no idea where my dish washing soap went. I'm sure it's out in the freezing cold garage somewhere. Locked. And I have to find the key.

But, this will be worth it!! Right?!

 

 

 

(more updates to come!)

 

Thankful for Phone Tag?

WE ARE BLESSED BEYOND WORDS.
and we are THANKFUL!

It has been a looooong week since my last post. A very long week. I'm waiting for next Monday to get here like a 10 year old waits for Christmas! I just keep reminding myself that sometimes you don't always get what you want at Christmas... So I'd better tone my excitement down a notch until we are actually "approved."
Naah, never mind. Let's stay excited!!

Speaking of excited, I am excitedly waiting for a call back from my CSW. (aka: Case Social Worker). I need to find out what our next steps are after our home inspection, and most of all, how long it should all take.

There is this crazy thing called "Taking a leave" that I will have to do for work for the first time ever in my life. I'm actually going on Maternity Leave, and I get 12 weeks off protected by the FMLA.
This is not just a crazy idea because I'm taking time off for kids I don't even know about and don't even have yet, but I never take time off. I never call in sick! I am always 10 minutes early to work and never late! This whole taking time off for 12 weeks thing is quite frankly freaking me out a little. Not to mention its freaking out my boss. He hasn't said much about it, which means he's worried stiff. I know him well... I'm glad I'll be missed. hehe!

The issue with planning this 12 weeks off thing, is that I have no idea when to start it!
When you're pregnant, you get some kind of a due date to work with. For me, I get to sit and wait for a phone call that could happen any time, any place! My work needs to hire someone to take my place while I'm gone, so that takes time too.

So I called my CSW to ask some questions about the after-math of the home visit.

We are playing this game that I am really good at... It's called "Phone Tag". It's a game that happens when you don't have a desk job, so you can't just pick up your phone to chat, but you have the same hours as a person that has a desk job. So by the time I'm at work, she's not quite there. And by the time I go on lunch, she's on lunch and the phone goes straight to voicemail. This is a fun game. I am thankful for this game. I am thankful I have a phone. I am thankful I have a CSW that is kind enough to call me back!

Really, seriously, I am thankful! It might sound a little sarcastic, (and ok, it is...a little), but I AM thankful for all of these things! Can you imagine how hard life would be if I didn't have a phone? Or if I had a horrible CSW like some of the families I've talked to? Or if I didn't have a job taking up all my talking-on-the-phone time?

I am thankful! I am impatient and a little anxious and annoyed and ready to get the ball rolling, but I am thankful! And I know everything will work out the way it is meant to in the end.
How do I know? Because I have faith. And so far, God has never let me down! I mean sure, sometimes I don't get what I'm asking for, but I get what I was meant to receive. Trust me, 3 years ago, I was not planning on waiting for a Social Worker to call me back this week. I was planning on adopting after we'd had a kid or two of our own flesh and blood.

and we are really excited!!!!!

Now, I'm waiting by the phone for the millionth time, completely, what do the kids call it? "Psyched" about what is happening in our lives! I couldn't be happier, and I am SO THANKFUL to the Lord, because He knows what is best for us and He IS GOOD! :)

           HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone!!

 

 

(can you tell I got up really early to write this and drank waaaay too much coffee?!)

 

 

The Write Idea...

I know I've used this already, but I love it!!!

Ha! Well it got your attention, you grammar fanatics. And yes, I know the difference between write and right.

However, today am truly looking for, the write idea.

Why? Quite frankly I'm at a loss. I'm out of fresh ideas to share the imminent need of the children in the foster/adopt systems. Sometimes I really feel like I'm just preaching to the coir.

hehe, I love ecards. :)

You know that moment when you think your voice is being heard by the whole group, so you really get into it, using hand gestures and everything, then look up and find one person paying attention to your story? Yeah, sometimes it feels something like that.

I don't want to over-do this whole adoption topic, and I don't want to sound like a song stuck on repeat... but hey, this is National Adoption Month! So, sorry if you're tired of hearing the same things over and over and over.
 I would love to write about my ADORABLE pets! But, people kinda annoy me when they do it, so I promise I never will! You can thank me later.



seriously though...ADORABLE!!!

I would also love to write about my daily life as a dental assistant. However, half of you would probably loose your lunch, and the other half would not see my humor in giggling at grown men shaking in the dental chair.

So, I'll stick to the "deeper" stuff. Stuff like:
                                         how to save the world!
(Sorry, that might have been a little too dramatic. I'm just trying to make it interesting for the few left paying attention. I'm also using hand gestures ,if you can just picture that? thanks).

I would love it if you could take an extra 5 minutes to read and share this amazing story. This girl's name is Keema Davis, and she is the Wednesday's child coordinator for channel 4 in NY. This 30 year old woman was taken away from her birth mother the day before her 10th birthday, went through the Foster System, some poor matches and bad homes. Now she is helping kids find their "forever families." Amazing girl!
She could have just sat down and cried and gave up. Instead, she is changing children's lives in NY!

a verse I've held onto all year long. Actually, for 3 years now!

Now, I'm going to completely flip a switch here, and share a little secret and some exciting news with you all.

As you might not know, I hardly ever have time to sit down for a whole hour and type out my blogs and edit the photos and layouts and all that good stuff. I usually start a blog, and finish it a day or so later. Now you're in on my little secret. (yay you!)

At this time, I would like to confess that I had to run out the door to work half way through writing the top part of this blog, thinking I would come up with more ideas while I was at work... taking xrays and zoning out... making sure people don't drown... listening to really weird stories about my patients' families, thinking "too much info dude!!"
 ...Oh, sorry, I decided not to do a Dental Blog didn't I? Well, you might be able to talk me into it one day. ;)


Anyhoots!
I would like to show you this text I got from Matt yesterday, as I was running around the office, changing gloves and seating patients and totally not texting people while I was at work... wink wink..

for those of you without iphones (hhehem, mom, dad.. the writing
on the <~~left is Matt's.)

NOW I'M FREAKING OUT!!  (I am also throwing my hands in the air! please picture this dramatic scene correctly. thanks.)


Now we have one week to triple check our check off sheet of what we need to prepare for when they come look at our home. I am also planning on calling our Case Worker to see how long it might take to have her come and do her own thing after the State approves us.


Please pray that we have everything we need! And please pray that I don't go crazy during the next week! I don't think Matt would survive Storm Sarah this time.
Poor guy... he waits so peacefully and patiently while I run around yelling at my non-ringing phone, (aka the Foster Licensing people).

Ah, the wait is over and now I think I want more time!

...haha, juuuust kidding, 3 years is long enough to wait for a kid or two!!


I'll give you all some updates as soon as I know more, thanks for reading!

Leading the Masses.

 

 

So it's officially National Adoption Month. Hooray!

Adoption has been on my heart since I was a young teenager. I'm not even sure what Sunday school class or sermon or guest speaker put the thought in process... It's just always been there, in my heart. And from this, I can only conclude that God and God alone put this desire in me.
In James 1:27 the Bible says, "...care for the Orphans and the Widows..." I love the book of James. I've read it over and over... In fact, it fell out of my bible. I'm not kidding. (So did the books of Corinthians but that's another blog). So maybe that is where I first started daydreaming about adopting. Man, was I naive back then.

Adoption always seemed so romantically special, so amazing, so life saving, and so brave. I was going to go to Africa and fall in love with a baby there, and save it from a life of Malaria and being a child soldier. I was going to start an orphanage there and save lives! I was going to have a huge house and just let all these orphans stay there and feel loved. I was going to go around preaching about how annoying it is that we have so many "adopt an animal, save it's life" commercials, when there are millions of abused Children out there.

 I was going to speak to "Christian Churches", telling them if they wanted to stop abortion, they'd better open their eyes, get off their butts, and start adopting the children that are given life. Or else, what's the point? I was going to lead the masses in a new adopting generation that allowed girls to feel it was better to give birth to their child and give it away, rather than have it destroyed. I was going to be the OC's very own Joan of Arch!

So, here I sit, drinking my coffee, half in my PJs, half dressed, staring at my stupid phone, waiting, waiting, waiting, for the County to call and make an appointment to see our house and give us the final "ok" so we can get moving on this Adoption journey. Thinking about how much quicker a private adoption would have been. Thinking about how expensive it is. Speaking of expensive, do you have any idea how much it costs to go to Africa and save a child? sheesh. And speaking of Africa, I really don't have much to say about Overseas Adoptions because I've only barely looked into it. I haven't been through the process and heartache that so many adoptive parents go through while trying to get a baby from overseas.

 I'm feeling very Joan of Archy, can't you tell?



Change can happen. One child at a time.

However, even though I can't do much at this point, I can do a little something. So here ya go:
Click on the links, check out the web sites, spread some awareness, and pray for the kiddos still waiting for their forever homes. Thanks!

PS, please feel free to share this blog on Facebook or with friends, or any Blog/Sites like it, to help spread awareness. We all know what a pink ribbon stands for. Let's make this symbol just as popular:

If nothing else, look at this page real quick: http://nathancreitz.net/10-surprising-adoption-statistics/

 

Focus on the Family Site: http://www.heartlink.org/beavoice/A000000746.cfm