Baby Steps...

Hahaha.....ok...play on words, but that's exactly what it is. Baby steps toward our baby! I sent our portfolio to Emily at EBG, and she said it was great. I have to scan some pictures in tonight and resend it and we'll be done! I'm excited!

We are going today to get re-fingerprinted because they didn't send them to the FBI the first time. Then, we're done with that! All of our paperwork is finished and being mailed in today! I'm so excited!!!

We are moving in the direction of our child, so please keep all of these closing processes in your prayers. WE ARE SO READY!!!!

WE'RE IN!!!

Ok.....I got an email from David Wooten at Embraced by Grace, and we were unanimously voted in as clients this week! We have to finish little details for our homestudy and we are ready to go! I am SO EXCITED!!!!

I know David didn't know it, but that word UNANIMOUSLY was a HUGE word for me. See....God knows me!!! lol If there is ANY doubt, I start becoming doubtful. He didn't realize that word was going to be so important to me, but it really was. I was unanimously voted in as part time Children's Minister at our church, and that was huge because I was so nervous about making sure we were in God's will. That was my confirmation because nobody was unanimously voted in before or after me. I didn't think it would be a big deal with this one, but when he said it, it was like this calm came over me that I can't explain.

GOD IS ALL OVER THIS!!! I know it is going to be amazing, and I am SUPER PUMPED about what He is doing for us! Thanks for your prayers, and please keep praying! We want this to be quick and painless! lol We really just want our child, but the quick and painless part sure would be cool!!! lol

We love you guys!!!

So I went for my physical today. Appointment was set for 7 am hours. Last week when I scheduled the appointment the receptionist told me that I needed to fast before the physical, no food or drink ect. No problem..Iam trying to lose a few pounds anyway. When I finally get called back, imediately I am handed a cup and told they need a urine sample. Keep in mind I havent had anything to drink since 7 pm last night. I cant give them what they wanted since I did not ingest anything to produce the product. They go ahead and take the normal stuff....temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and stick me for lab tests on T.B., VDRL, H.I.V. and ask the standard questions on medical history and mental state. The nurse practitioner comes in and starts filling out the physicians report for the social worker. The lab tech that took my blood was very good...I felt a little pressure but no discomfort. After 6 cups of water I can give them what they need to complete the urinalysis and I am just about set to go. I ask the lab tech if they are doing a cholesterol screening. She said no but they could if I wanted it. I haven't had it checked in while so I figure why not. I go sit in the waiting room and wait to finish checking out. A few minutes later, they call me back in and tell me that they need more blood. One lab checks the cholesterol, but a different lab checks the other stuff. I could either get stuck again or come back in a few days. Oh well, it went so smoothly the first time lets go ahead and do it again today and get it over with. BIIIIG MISTAKE!!! The lab tech this time was NOT the same lab tech as the first time. She missed my vein with the first stick and starting digging around trying to hit it. Finally she gave up and went and got the first tech again. I was very glad. The first tech looked and decided to try the other arm. She really didn't have to decide as I had already made THAT decision for her. Like before, she found it no problem and only felt a little pressure. Then she starts saying something about I must be hungry because my blood wasn't flowing. I asked her what she meant and she said that when you are hungry your blood doesnt come out easily. I guess you learn something new everyday. I cant really say that I am hungry, but I could stand to eat. After all, I havent eaten since 7pm last night. Anyway, I check out and go to the truck with my paperwork. Once there I start looking over it and see that the nurse practitioner has checked each box that clearly says "check those which are abnormal and describe below". Hmmmmm everthing about me is abnormal! lol Then I see where she has written to the side "Sorry all are normal, I accidently made a check mark" and signed it.

I hope the paperwork will not be rejected b/c of this.

Now I guess I play the waiting game. Thursday I should know the results of the TB test, and later this week I should get the others.

FINAL HOMEVISIT?!?!

Maybe? lol I have grown to LOVE Carla, but I am really tired of having to continue with the homestudy! lol This time, she will be meeting us at the school because David is the only one she has left to interview. She will get to hear me yell at the cheerleaders I guess. I hope that doesn't mess anything up! lol They'd best be good tomorrow so I don't have to yell much!!! hahahaha

All of our paperwork is finished for Carla, and Jay gets his physical tomorrow and mine was done today. That pretty much completes EVERYTHING! I think she even knows where my secret birthmark is! lol (Ok...don't ask...I don't really have one! hahaha)

I did hear from Emily today, and PRAISE THE LORD, we will STILL be voted on tomorrow night at the board meeting, even though our homestudy isn't complete. This means we are WELL on our way! (You know me....constantly with mental pictures!!! It's like we've finally made it through town and we are hitting the interstate on our journey!!! I love that part!)

Keep praying for Jeff and Kim, but she has sounded better this week than she has since everything happened! She did a phone interview this week with Embraced by Grace and they are renewing their homestudy! She has some hope again!!! Thank you for your prayers!!!

Next steps....

Everyone keeps asking what our next steps are. Well, Jay has a doctors appointment Friday, we are going at 2 Friday to get our fingerprints and background checks done, and I have a doctors appointment Monday. All of this should say we are healthy and not criminals and we are clear to adopt. Carla is scheduled to meet with us again on Tuesday to finish (PLEASE PRAY WE FINISH!) the homestudy and all of this paperwork should give her everything she needs to write.

I have to finish giving everyone the information that needs to be included in our letters of reference, and she needs those. After that, we should be clear. Then, I have to finish our portfolio. I don't know exactly how I am going to do all of that yet, but I have started. Sometimes I am too creative, and I need to just keep it simple. lol

Then, we wait and pray. Jay and I still VERY much feel like we are exactly where God wants us and we are doing exactly what God wants us to do. This week has been hard...in a lot of areas, but this one being one of the hardest. We have faith, and we are confident that God is leading us where He would have us to go. We feel very sure that before too long He will lead us to our child. We don't know how long that will be, so just keep praying for us!!!

Homestudy

Well, the 2nd part of the homestudy went well! lol Now....we're headed into overtime with a 3rd part! lol She didn't finish again today. So....she and I will talk tomorrow and we will schedule a time to finish. We won't make the January 20th deadline because of all of the delays, so we will carry over into February.

Now, satan is REALLY doing some things to test our faith, and it is starting to make me nervous. My heart has been with Jeff and Kim all day! I can't even imagine what they are going through, and it is a really scary place where they are. In addition, the reason Carla had to leave early today is because she had a birthmother that called and wanted her baby back and she had to go get the baby. Do you even KNOW what kind of a horrible experience THAT would be? Actually getting the baby, and having someone take it away from me? I don't know if I could do it. I don't know about all of this!!! It is really scary! I knew this, but everything was going so well. We have to keep faith. God has His hand on this, an He will protect us.

I just know we've wanted a baby for almost 7 years now. If something goes wrong, you will have to put me in a straight jacket. I can't handle all of that disappointment on top of all of the disappointment we've already had. It is VERY overwhelming.

We've almost finished all of our paperwork, and we have to just go get the fingerprinting done (which we are going to try to do Monday when we are both off) and we have to get physicals (which we are both going to do this week). Then, we are finished with all of this, and as soon as she is done with her questions, she will write and we will be done. Please continue to pray for God to strengthen us. This has all been very overwhelming today.

On an up note.....I have AMAZING assistant coaches with cheerleading that covered EVERYTHING for me today, and didn't even make me come back when I was done! I was able to finish a lot of paperwork because of that, and I am very thankful to them!

Please continue to pray for Jeff and Kim. They need strength, guidance and wisdom right now. I pray God will give them that!!! They need a new direction, and right now they are so tired and upset, they don't know which way to go.

Please PRAY!!!!

I have just received a text message from our friends Jeff and Kim who have been going through this process for several years now. They found out today that their entire adoption process has been a scam. They are out a LOT of money and a LOT of time. They are on their way now to Little Rock, AR to see what they can do. PLEASE pray for them!