Need comments on photos

We had a photo session with a local photographer and she sent us this slideshow.  She will be taking it off of her blog on September 24th.  We were presented with the challenge of getting as many comments on her blog about the slideshow, so it would be great if my followers could help out!  If we reach 25 comments, we can get free set of wallets, 50 comments for a free 8x10, and 100 comments can get us a set of brag books. 

Here is the link  http://www.buphotography.com/blog/?page_id=2879  You can comment right on her blog under the slideshow. 

Thanks in advance for your help! 

April 28th

Part four

When we arrived at the airport, I called the agency SW and we made plans to meet her and baby girl the next morning.  We were so nervous!  I unpacked our things in the hotel room and hit the hay early.  The next morning, we had breakfast in the hotel.  I was very aware that it could be the last time that it was just me and Hubbs.  Butterflies!  The SW called after we ate and she gave us instructions to her house. 

Ten minutes later, she called back to tell us that, by the way, the court hearing for temporary legal custody would be at 2pm.  It was about 10:30am.  We were both dressed casually, so we quickly changed into clothes that would make a We-Are-Super-Worthy-To-Be-Parents statement, rather than, I-Love-A-Good-Backyard-Barbeque one.  It was while we were changing that Hubbs announced that he forgot black socks and asked if he should just wear his white tube socks with his black pants and shoes.  Oy.  About 20 minutes later, we were at Target purchasing dress socks.  He was killing me.  And then we got lost.  Finally, we made it to the house....12 noon.

The SW met us outside and led us into her living room.  Perched on top of the coffee table was an infant carrier with a baby girl peering out at us with big beautiful eyes.  She was ten weeks old.  I was the first to hold her and it felt foreign to me.  I couldn't believe what was happening at that moment.  Hubbs sat next to me on the couch and SW snapped a few pics.  Baby girl was simply beautiful.  In my head, I was still questioning if this was actually going to happen.  We met SW's husband, who also happened to be the agency attorney.  He was all business (major plus in our book) and gave us the itinerary for that afternoon.  It was also decided in that time that we would stay in their home, rather than staying in the hotel.  We had been invited prior to arriving as this was what many of their clients did, but we felt kind of weird about being houseguests in a complete stranger's home.  But they were so gracious and practically insisted and there was plenty of room in their spacious and gorgeous home.  Plus, it would save us on the hotel costs.   So, we raced back to the hotel to pack up all of our stuff that I had unpacked twelve hours earlier and we checked out.  Upon arriving back to the house, the attorney informed us that we had to go.  We were handed the baby in the carrier and her diaper bag and we were to follow the attorney to the courthouse about 25 minutes away.  We weren't expecting to take the baby with us in our car(!).  One important lesson we learned....assume nothing.  While the attorney waited in his idling car and the SW suddenly MIA, Hubbs and I had simultaneous mini-panic attacks as we rushed to figure out how to safely secure the carrier in the backseat of the rental car.  To add to this, we were dealing with 40 mph wind gusts.  This was Kansas, after all.  If Hubbs had duct tape, I think he would have used it.  At one point in those few minutes, he yelled for me to find the owner's manual of the car, as if that was going to have a tutorial on how to properly install a car seat.   Finally, after what seemed like way too long for normal people, we pulled ourselves together and secured the carrier with the seatbelt.  An 'A-ha!' moment, to be sure.  We had no idea what we were doing.  Were they really going to give us this baby?  Holy cow. 

We followed the attorney and made it on time.  Inside the courthouse, the attorney briefed us again on what would happen and what we would be asked by the judge.  He met with the judge first in his quarters and then we were brought in.  After about 10 minutes, we had legal temporary custody of baby girl.  She slept the entire time, totally unaware that her life, just like ours, was about to change forever.

Our first trip as a family? The drive-thru of Arby's.  It was there in the parking lot, munching on curly fries, that we called our families to give them the news.  We were in Kansas and had custody of a baby girl.                

April 24th

Part three of our adoption story

The last few days had been a blur after getting that phone call late the previous Sunday night. We had been busy making funeral arrangements...and of course I couldn't help but think about the birth mother we had been matched with. My parents already knew about the match, but I told my sister and younger brother.  I wasn't sure what would happen. But I knew that I wanted to be with my family.  We were so devastated, shocked, and saddened.  I couldn't see leaving them before the funeral.  And I already told myslf that even if she did have the baby before the due date, Hubbs and I weren't leaving before the services for my brother. 

During that week before the funeral, I contacted our consultant to tell her what had happened. She immediately told me that she would be in contact with the agency and if/when the birthmother gave birth before her due date of April 24, they would see if we could do cradle care until we could get there.  Either way, I wouldn't hear from them until after the funeral.  She also told me that the agency hadn't heard from the birth mother.  Not encouraging news, but I was mentally and emotionally drained by that point.  Whatever happened in regards to the match was out of my control. 

Saturday, April 24th was the day after my brother's funeral.  I got in contact with our consultant and received the news that birth mother gave birth to a little girl on Friday.  And....she decided to parent.

But in the same call, we learned that the same agency received placement of a 2-month old, healthy girl, also on Friday.  Her birth mother had already signed TPR (termination of parental rights), which was irrevocable in that state.  There was an issue of paternity and we wanted to speak with the agency attorney about the legal risk.  The consultant sent us a picture....could this be the little one meant to be ours?  She was adorable.

We got on the horn with the attorney who gave us all of the details about the risk involved.  He told us to sleep on it and get back to him the next day.  Needless to say, Hubbs and I didn't need too much time.  We were nervous about the risk, but when isn't there risk with adoption?  On the other hand, there was a lot to consider.  I think much of the nervousness stemmed from going through the failed match in January. 

On Sunday, we called the attorney back and told him that we were in.  We spent the day getting documents notarized, faxing stuff to the attorney, and talking about when we should travel.  It wasn't until Monday that we and the attorney decided that we should leave on Tuesday, even though the birth father issue had not been entirely resolved.  It was a frantic night, packing and purchasing plane tickets.  Just a few people in our family knew that we were leaving. 

On Tuesday morning, Hubbs and I each went into work and told our workplaces that we were taking time off to travel out of state for an adoption.  We were at the airport on Tuesday afternoon.

Thoughts of my brother were not far from my mind.