It has been awhile since I blogged. I have had so much to tell everyone but didn't want to put anything in jeopardy. Just airing on the safe side.
Soo...We were contacted in June 10th by a friend of mine. She was one of my Thirty-One hostess and we were friends on FB, so she knew we were looking to adopt. She asked if we would be interested in a older child instead of a newborn like we had been pursuing. All along, we had told each other that if God placed a child in our path, we'd pray and consider them, just as long as they were younger than Caden. We have heard and I have read that it can be hard on your biological children. We didn't want to cause any problems that way. I told her that and she said she knew of someone that had a 4 year old.
I was super anxious to find out allll the details. I called Michael and told him. We waited about 5 days, then we were put in contact with her caregiver. That next Thursday we went to the little girls house to meet her. Because is was not a newborn, our attorney suggested we meet her, and then from there decide if we want to do a trial visit with her. So we went sat in her living room and just watched her play and giggle. She giggled a lot. We were there for about 45 minutes. My favorite part was when her caregiver said she loves to play dress up, and put on shoes and stomp around the house. So I looked at her and said, I know someone that has the biggest shoes ever.' Michael slid his flip flops off she sat down and took her shoes off and walked up to him and put his shoes on. I was already worried about how she'd take to him being he's so big and she didn't have an adult male in her home. She melted my heart. She just grinned ear to ear and stomped all over the room in his shoes.
We left, worried, scared, excited, and overwhelmed. So we went and ate. That's what you're supposed to do when you're worrying right!? Ha. We both cried just thinking about it. This visit could change our life!
That was Thursday, Friday her caregiver asked if we'd be willing to do our trial visit Sunday. We talked and prayed some more. We agreed. So that gave us Saturday to get ready for her! We had to turn our guest bedroom into a child's room. We moved the big bed out and set up the toddler bed. We had been saving all our baby things in hopes of getting pregnant again, then for our newborn we were pursuing. So we had everything we needed for a newborn. Not so much a 4 year old.
We went Sunday after church and picked her up from her Aunt's house (the one I knew that told me about her). We just visited for a few minutes and then we headed home.
We played and just spent the afternoon with her.
Fast Forward 7 weeks and she is still here. Last Thursday we made us her legal guardian. Since we have her we need to be able to get her enrolled in school, and get her doctors appointments and such taken care of and we can't without that. We are going to continue doing what we need to do to finish our home study for our adoption so we can make her legally ours 100%!
I am not one to keep secrets or hide things, but like I mentioned earlier, I didn't feel comfortable telling everyone and it happened so quickly we didn't make any big announcement about us getting her. Believe me, I wanted to! But we also wanted to respect her family and friends, too!
Thank you to my sister and my Mom's family that jumped up and helped us get things for her so quickly. Some friends and Michael's cousin too! She didn't have any toys so we were teaching Cman a lesson...making our life crazy. He was good for about 3 days. Then he was ready for her to go back. She was playing with HIS toys!
Thank you, too to our friends that threw us a quick shower for her! She LOVED it! And we appreciated it beyond measure! We are so thankful for our friends and close family!
Questions I have had asked most:
What's their age difference? 14 months
Is she in school? Yes she's attending the PreK Caden went to and that I am working at this year.
How has the transition been? Crazy!! Ha. They are like any brother and sister. That part didn't take long. Caden was an only child for 5.5 years so he had to quickly get used to sharing everything from his Mom, to his bathroom. He is an awesome big brother though! He's been so sweet to her!
What does she call you? She has called us Momma and Dad or Daddy from the get go. It was hilarious when she called Michael Dad for the first time, that first day we got her. His facial expression-priceless.
Does she sleep good? She has slept good from day one. She actually loves to sleep.
What does your Mom and Dad think? Of course they all love and treat her as if she's been around all along.
When will the adoption be final? We are working towards finishing the home study then we can. Because we are her legal guardian we are safe to have her under our care until everything is finalized.
We can not thank everyone enough for all their prayers and support. I can not tell you how many text, calls and emails we have received and all our friends that church that have stood beside us and helped us! THANK YOU!
Here is our first family photo. July 4th waiting for fireworks, aka 'spiderworks'.
Soo...We were contacted in June 10th by a friend of mine. She was one of my Thirty-One hostess and we were friends on FB, so she knew we were looking to adopt. She asked if we would be interested in a older child instead of a newborn like we had been pursuing. All along, we had told each other that if God placed a child in our path, we'd pray and consider them, just as long as they were younger than Caden. We have heard and I have read that it can be hard on your biological children. We didn't want to cause any problems that way. I told her that and she said she knew of someone that had a 4 year old.
I was super anxious to find out allll the details. I called Michael and told him. We waited about 5 days, then we were put in contact with her caregiver. That next Thursday we went to the little girls house to meet her. Because is was not a newborn, our attorney suggested we meet her, and then from there decide if we want to do a trial visit with her. So we went sat in her living room and just watched her play and giggle. She giggled a lot. We were there for about 45 minutes. My favorite part was when her caregiver said she loves to play dress up, and put on shoes and stomp around the house. So I looked at her and said, I know someone that has the biggest shoes ever.' Michael slid his flip flops off she sat down and took her shoes off and walked up to him and put his shoes on. I was already worried about how she'd take to him being he's so big and she didn't have an adult male in her home. She melted my heart. She just grinned ear to ear and stomped all over the room in his shoes.
We left, worried, scared, excited, and overwhelmed. So we went and ate. That's what you're supposed to do when you're worrying right!? Ha. We both cried just thinking about it. This visit could change our life!
That was Thursday, Friday her caregiver asked if we'd be willing to do our trial visit Sunday. We talked and prayed some more. We agreed. So that gave us Saturday to get ready for her! We had to turn our guest bedroom into a child's room. We moved the big bed out and set up the toddler bed. We had been saving all our baby things in hopes of getting pregnant again, then for our newborn we were pursuing. So we had everything we needed for a newborn. Not so much a 4 year old.
We went Sunday after church and picked her up from her Aunt's house (the one I knew that told me about her). We just visited for a few minutes and then we headed home.
We played and just spent the afternoon with her.
Fast Forward 7 weeks and she is still here. Last Thursday we made us her legal guardian. Since we have her we need to be able to get her enrolled in school, and get her doctors appointments and such taken care of and we can't without that. We are going to continue doing what we need to do to finish our home study for our adoption so we can make her legally ours 100%!
I am not one to keep secrets or hide things, but like I mentioned earlier, I didn't feel comfortable telling everyone and it happened so quickly we didn't make any big announcement about us getting her. Believe me, I wanted to! But we also wanted to respect her family and friends, too!
Thank you to my sister and my Mom's family that jumped up and helped us get things for her so quickly. Some friends and Michael's cousin too! She didn't have any toys so we were teaching Cman a lesson...making our life crazy. He was good for about 3 days. Then he was ready for her to go back. She was playing with HIS toys!
Thank you, too to our friends that threw us a quick shower for her! She LOVED it! And we appreciated it beyond measure! We are so thankful for our friends and close family!
Questions I have had asked most:
What's their age difference? 14 months
Is she in school? Yes she's attending the PreK Caden went to and that I am working at this year.
How has the transition been? Crazy!! Ha. They are like any brother and sister. That part didn't take long. Caden was an only child for 5.5 years so he had to quickly get used to sharing everything from his Mom, to his bathroom. He is an awesome big brother though! He's been so sweet to her!
What does she call you? She has called us Momma and Dad or Daddy from the get go. It was hilarious when she called Michael Dad for the first time, that first day we got her. His facial expression-priceless.
Does she sleep good? She has slept good from day one. She actually loves to sleep.
What does your Mom and Dad think? Of course they all love and treat her as if she's been around all along.
When will the adoption be final? We are working towards finishing the home study then we can. Because we are her legal guardian we are safe to have her under our care until everything is finalized.
We can not thank everyone enough for all their prayers and support. I can not tell you how many text, calls and emails we have received and all our friends that church that have stood beside us and helped us! THANK YOU!
Here is our first family photo. July 4th waiting for fireworks, aka 'spiderworks'.
Holly this makes my heart so happy for you and your whole family! I am so blessed to call you all my friends. I know that sweet girl is going to have a wonderful home and blessed life, because my brother has adopted four I understand what it involves for every party involved! Congratulations! Enjoy your princess . Love ya Cheree
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