AnNoUnCeMeNt!

This may not be exactly the kind of announcement you're expecting, and we have some hesitation about whether to even make a bold proclamation of our plans at this point--but we are definitely excited and want to share! :) We are planning to build our family through adoption! This is a process and is nothing that will happen overnight or even over a couple of months--it will take that long to complete the home study and all of the requirements that go into it and then get accepted by the agency we're considering. However, it is an exciting process and one that we know that we're not going to be able to keep quiet about!

Although we've been talking, thinking, and researching about adoption for several months and contacted an attorney and agency who practice locally for more information, today we took the first actual step--we faxed our home study application and fee to the agency! By the time we got home from work, we had received 2 emails from the agency: one assigning a local social worker to us and the other sending all of the forms and requirements for "phase II" of the home study process. :)

We are hoping to go through a unique program called "A New World Awaits" (http://www.newworldawaits.com/index.html) that is a joint effort between American Adoptions (http://www.americanadoptions.com/) and a local attorney named Eugene Kelley. I say the program we're HOPING to adopt through because we can't even apply to work with them until the home study is almost complete and all of the necessary documents, background checks, etc. have been returned satisfactorily. Then we hope that they like us, think that we're a couple their birth mothers would find appealing, and agree to work with us.

I spent an hour on the phone with Mr. Kelley one day a few weeks ago and was super impressed; he's definitely a leader in his field and specifically with adoption. He has great references in the legal field & also from adopting couples he's worked with. He's also involved for the right reasons and is realistic as well as positive. He wants what is best for the child, first of all, but also for the birth mother and the adopting couple. We haven't met our social worker officially yet, but have been emailing questions when completing the home study application. Now we're excited to go forward--and we have plenty of work to do!

I'd better stop here--I could go on for pages and pages--but I'll spare you all! Thanks for reading--please keep us in your thoughts and we'll try to keep you somewhat updated throughout the process. :) It's definitely NOT a done deal--there are many, many pieces of the puzzle to put into place--but we are hopeful that we can do that with a lot of help!

My Grandparents

I want to take a little space on my blog to dedicate to 2 people who have been influential in my life--and are great examples--my grandparents! They recently celebrated 50 years of marriage. We went up for the weekend so that we could join the rest of my family (minus the Forsberg installment--we missed you!) for a celebratory Friday night supper (which was really a feast), cake, punch, etc. It was a lot of fun and we all enjoyed being together.

To Grandpa & Grandma: 50 years and counting!

For any who are wondering; these are my dad's parents--my mom's parents are both gone now but they celebrated 53 anniversaries--nearly 54, if I've got it right! Ryan's grandparents have both celebrated more than 50 years of marriage, so we have a pretty special legacy.