2010

I'm thankful today for the generosity of the people who love us. My parents gave us jewelry to sell for the adoption. Numerous friends have bought the coffee Stan has been roasting. My precious cousin who adopted a baby this year slipped cash to Stan while we were opening gifts on Saturday.

I tallied up today what we have paid out for adoption in 2010, and the total came to $4555.00. Our next payment to Bethany will be about $11,000, which we will not pay until we take custody of Baby K.

Here are my favorite 2010 adoption moments:
1. I caught Stan going through yard sale donations to pull out books for our child.
2. A woman at our October yard sale dropped a five dollar bill in the donation jar, having not purchased a thing.
3. My third block class raised $60 in change.
4. Three Hispanic girls in my third block class cheered when I told them we had the possibility of adopting an Hispanic baby girl.
5. While holding my cousin's daughter, Stan mouthed to me across the room, "You distract them, and I'll make a run for the car."
6. I had the "aha" moment three weeks ago when I knew God had changed my heart toward transracial adoption and drug exposure.
7. I saw our online portfolio on the Bethany website.
8. When I was working on our profile book, I fell even more in love with my husband.
Today is our wedding anniversary, and I'm thankful most of all for him.

Not This One

I (Angie) called DSS today to check on the status of the infant girl we learned about last week. I couldn't get in touch with the original social worker I spoke with, so I called his supervisor. According to her, at the Tuesday meeting with the birthmother, DSS officials made the decision to place the child with a family for adoption. The social worker was surprised to learn of our interest; apparently, the original social worker never passed on our information or connection to the family. I have to trust that this is simply not the child God has for us. If I choose to believe otherwise, that someone dropped the ball, I'll obsess about what could have been. The intense disappointment we feel today is a good sign: We really want this and are ready for both transracial placement and a child who has been exposed to drugs.

No News

I saw a picture today of the little girl who is in the custody of DSS. She is so very, very beautiful. There has been no word about the meeting the birthmother had today with DSS social workers, but I understand that the agency will do anything possible to keep a child with a family member. Since there is a cousin who is interested, that will be the probable route. Stan and I are hopeful that the baby will be placed soon with someone so that bonding can begin. I'll post again today if we hear anything.

A Prayer Request

A relative of one of Angie's students had a baby last Friday, and DSS has put the infant into foster care because the birthmother had to be incarcerated. The birthmother is addicted to crack cocaine, which is apparently what induced her labor at 37 weeks. The baby, a half Hispanic, half Caucasian girl, weighed just over five pounds but is healthy so far. We are praying about and for this little girl, who may be adopted by a family member. Angie called the assigned social worker today to get details and is waiting for a return call. The birthmother has had six other children, all of whom were exposed to crack during pregnancy. The oldest has schizophrenia, but the younger ones have dealt only with some development speech delays and manageable learning disabilities.

We'll just take this a step at a time.