Too fun not to share!!!

I "discovered" this on another blog I stalk...and I just couldn't resist using it here as we kick off a Holiday weekend. I am going to try and have a little fun -- so my preppy name is...

Holbrook Emerson Insley the Second But most people know you as Kitty

What's Your Preppy Name?

Now onto some of my faithful friends' Preppy Names...

Aimee: Britton Stoddard Brinsley the Second - But most people know you as Coco (This one was kind of a strange coincidence)

Kim: Vail Judge Pierson the Sixth - But most people know you as Babs

Monica: Eaton Neilson Calloway the Sixth - But most people know you as Bitsy

Vee: Foxhall Steele Folsom the Second - But most people know you as Tibby

Vivian: Riegel Elbridge Willoughby the Third - But most people know you as Muffy

Nikki: Delancey Caswell Ogden the Fifth - But most people know you as Cricket (I LOVE THIS ONE!!!)

Sherry: Rucker Rockwood Newcomb the Third - But most people know you as Missy

Angie: Judge Riegel Whittier the Sixth - But most people know you as Gigi

Amanda: Montague Duval Kilbourn the Sixth - But most people know you as Kiki

Chad: Prescott Abercrombie Tilford the Fourth- But most people know you as Biff

(Best part is if you don't like the first name the system gives you, just go back and request another one, it will change!)

What does it Mean to Be Adopted?

Teacher Debbie Moon's first graders were discussing a picture of a family. One little boy in the picture had a different hair color than the other members. One of her students suggested that he was adopted.
A little girl said, "I know all about adoption, I was adopted."
"What does it mean to be adopted?" asked another child.
"It means," said the girl, "that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy!"

HOME STUDY!!!

Today is a very good day. Just last night I was praying to have some kind of sign that I am not in a holding pattern and then BAM! Out of the blue I received an e-mail from my social worker at 3:07 p.m. My Adoption Home Study is done. OK a draft is done, but there is just a few minor adjustments for him to make (for instance, changing my college graduation date to 1993 instead of 1983...I'm smart, but not that smart. LOL!)

So what's next? Basically I need to get the Home Study corrected, the social worker sends a notarized copy to me, I take it and put it with all of my other dossier documents, take them to the court house have the notaries certified, then I take it to the Secretary of State have the documents authenticated and then I send it to the Assistant Stork and they send it off to Ethiopia. Yes, that's right I said ETHIOPIA.

This is really happening and this is really a GOOD DAY!

In the Waiting

I heard this song the other day called In the Waiting and I have decided it should be my theme song. Although I would be lying if I said the waiting for SOME NEWS, any news on the home study, a possible referral, anything is starting to get to me. Worse yet is knowing this is just the first step in waiting. But while I wait...

I WILL WORSHIP IN THE WAITING

I WILL WALK WITH THIS SAND BENEATH MY FEET

THOUGH THE WINTER WIND IS BLOWING

THE GROUND IS NOT FROZEN UNDERNEATH

I WILL WORSHIP AND NOT GROW BITTER

CAUSE I KNOW YOU SEE THE END OF IT ALL

AND WITH THE SPRING WILL COME THE RAIN

AND I'LL SEE WHAT WAS GAINED

IN THE WAITING

Mother's Day Moments

For the past several years, Mother's Day has been bitter sweet for me. I loved celebrating my own amazing mother and all of the wonderful things she does and adds to my life. However on that one particular day, there seemed to be something missing. Ok honestly for me as an adult, Mother's Day seemed like a celebration that I watched from the outside looking in. I never had to look farther than my own heart to know what it was...a child.

Fast forward to this year. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! The days leading up to and including Momma's day was peppered with several wonderful, wonderful moments that I never want to forget! I feel like there is a rosy glow of an expectant mommy all over my face. (And it isn't just the allergic reaction to a new over-aggressive cleanser - LOL!)

MOMENT ONE: Last weekend I went to the First Saturday Gallery Walk downtown with a few friends. At a stop in one of the shops, my friend Chad discovered an amazing lamp he just had to have. Well as one of the specials, with each purchase, the buyer could choose a Mother's Day note from a bowl. Chad picked one out, read it and handed it to me. I read it and handed it back to him. The woman behind the counter said we could look through the selections, but he declined saying he had picked out a good one. He then handed it to me and told me it was mine. My first Mother's Day card! It had the Jewish proverb: God could not be everywhere and therefore he made Mothers.

MOMENT TWO: I attended the annual Mother/Daughter breakfast and had scarcely sat down at my seat when my cousin Monica approached. She explained to me how every year she buys her mom a corsage to wear for Mother's Day and that this year, she also got one for the Mommy-to-be. She presented me with a beautiful corsage of vibrant pink, describing how she choose bright colors in honor of Ethiopia. She asked my mom to pin it on me. I welled up. (I may not be pregnant, but there is still some crazy emotions going on during this ride!)

MOMENT THREE: I with my 1-year-old niece, Leah, went to dinner with my best friend Aimee, her daughter Brynly (adopted from Ethiopia) and her parents (whom I adore!). During dinner her mom and dad present me with a gift bag. It has a wonderful Mommy-to-be card in it as well as a really cute butterfly bag that I can definitely put to use for Jacinda when she arrives! (At least I held it together in the restaurant and didn't turn on the waterworks!)

MOMENT FOUR: My mom told me that she had gathered the jewelry that I wore as a little girl and she wants me to have it, so Jacinda can wear it.

MOMENT FIVE: My dad presented my mom, my sister-in-law and myself with boxes of candy in celebration of Mother's Day. (The fact that he ate 1/2 of mine is beside the point. I mean I need to cut him a break, I don't even have a referral yet.) The real tear jerker is how far he has come in the whole acceptance of my decision to adopt. AMAZING!

So this really was my very best Mother's Day. And what made it even more monumental was the realization that each one is just going to get BETTER!

The sky is falling, the sky is falling

Actually, it was just the smoke detector that fell off the wall and hit the fire marshal inspector as he was checking it. It was HYSTERICAL! He was laughing so hard about it, especially when he discovered that I had precariously perched the smoke detector on a decorative pink thumb tack in the shape of a flower. He kept saying "How did you have this thing up here?" and then he suggested that I try to market my idea. Everyone's a comedian!

Basically the inspection took less than 3 minutes, if you factor out the 10 minutes he worked at getting the smoke detector back into place. He offered me "extra credit" for the extra detectors in the bedroom, but I had to practically beg him to take a look at the fire extinguisher that I spent $25 on.

Anyway after all of the laughter and signing an agreement to be billed $75 for the 3-minute inspection. He was off. But after all of the amusement I had, it was worth it!

That means my homestudy requirements are officially met. The only requirements left for the dossier is the home study. Which means, I am officially waiting. The paperchase is pretty much over.

He called!

I haven't been this excited to get a phone call from a man since I was in high school and I got a call from my secret crush. However, unlike the let down I received when I figured out he wanted to know if I had the answer to Number 23 on the Trig homework instead of asking me to prom, like I had hoped...this time I wasn't disappointed!

Bud the fire guy called me. He is coming Thursday at 3 p.m. for the fire inspection. He said it wasn't any big deal and if I "keep any kind of order" in my home I should be fine. However, just to make sure I am A-OK...I purchased two additional smoke alarms and a fire extinguisher. I also made sure there was nothing in the washer/dryer space. So I should be all set.

Never Alone...

At the beginning of the adoption process, several people talked about how scary this journey would be to go alone, but I pooh-poohed the idea because I have never been someone who felt lonely and my experience with adoption hasn't been any different.

I mean I have a truly wonderful best friend, who has blazed the trail before me. Aimee has been my constant guide, confidant, cheerleader and coach. {Also my future travel buddy} This has truly deepened our friendship and I completely trust her, which is an amazing thing to be able to say about a friend.

My dear friend, Angie, took a day off from work, drove me around to three separate cities the day I had my fingerprints done. She can't wait to be a God mother and has been planning for this since the Lord gave her a dream about me becoming a mother last year. Now that is FAITH!

Then there are The Gazette gals: My friend Nikki was here to answer the social worker's questions like a pro, yesterday...even when she wasn't sure she got the answers right. She came early and reassured me. As a single mom and a HUGE success story, she is pure inspiration. Today I had lunch with Sherry and she gave me the best birthday present ever: A memory book for adoptive families called: My Family, My Journey. I didn't even make it out of the parking garage without opening it. She brought me to tears with the gift and she warmed my heart with all of her interest. Vivian has sent several e-mails filled with soft-spoken, gentle encouragement like only she could. In my heart I believe Viv has been one of the best cheerleaders in my life's path. And finally Chris, who loves me like an older sister and treats me just the same. She keeps me in check and has a very special way about her.

And anyone who knows me, knows I would be nothing without my family! My MOM is my best friend and my rock. Enough said about that. My DADhas come around to the idea by making plans only a Pap would... think college funds and savings bonds. My brother, Doug, and sister-in-law, Erin, provide inspiration every time I talk to them. My cousins Monica, Kim and Amanda have stood behind me in the decision from the moment I spoke the words adoption out loud. And for that, I will be eternally grateful.

My kids at church ask me each week when my little girl is coming home. They beg for a picture and compare stories of what they are going to do with her when she arrives. The way they fight about whose house my daughter will spend the night at first and who will get to sit beside her in children's church just brings a smile to my heart.The teens are learning Amharic words and enjoy adding to their repertoire each week. So far cat {demmit - I'm not sure of this spelling because my book is out in the car} and dog {woosha} are fan faves! They debate whether Rae or Hope is a better middle name and try to lobby for their own names to make it on the list. It is hysterical!

Then there is Chad. If we were still in elementary school, he would the one kid the teacher would separate me from. I mean sometimes all I have to do is look at him or hear his voice and he can make me laugh so hard that I snort. And everyone needs a good belly laugh! And to his credit, he sat patiently in the living room and looked through every item I have purchased for my daughter, now that is a good friend!

And of course, I wouldn't have even begun this journey without knowing that the Lord had placed this seed in my heart at a very young age. He arranged for everything to work out and bring me to a point in my life where I knew it was time. His hand has been on everything surrounding this adoption and my heart is so content and at peace, knowing He has already picked out my daughter. He knows her name and he is arranging things, so our lives will intersect soon.

So with a team assembled like the one mentioned above, how could I feel alone. Plus, I haven't even mentioned the friends I count as my secret weapons. LOL!

Check, check and check

For those of you eagerly awaiting news on the home visit. It went fine. My friend Nikki arrived about 20 minutes before the social worker and while she was more interested in the coffee, I made her walk through and take a look at the entire apartment before I would let her have a drop of caffeine. Not a very nice way to treat a friend who took time off from work to be on hand for an interview from the social worker, now is it. But after her walk-through I did treat her to a cup of Apple Pie in the Sky Coffee with cinnamon hazelnut creamer. (Can you tell I am wishing I had a cup of that in hand now?)

Anyway the social worker arrived right on time, complimented me on my directions and then dismissed me to my room, so he could talk one on one with Nikki. About 10 minutes later, they were done. Nikki headed to work and my visit began. First we went through the check list and at the end I realized, I had everything but one thing checked off. Check, Check and check!!! Still waiting on the fire marshal review, but my social worker suggested a work around! He thinks that since my apartment complex has been inspected, that should work for the home study, if I can get my hands on a copy of it. I went to the rental office on my way in, but management is at a conference today, so I will have to check back tomorrow. Fingers crossed and heart hoping.

The good news is, if I can get the fire clearance and firm up one other area of concern for him (he wants the funding for the adoption to be in my bank account and not my retirement account) then he can get the home study written up. This home study is the key to everything. It is the last piece of my Dossier puzzle and the key to my I-171 H (actually in Maryland, it is some other title, but I can't remember what it is...however I know what it does, it means the US says I can adopt an orphan and bring her back to the US).

At the end he asked me what age I was looking to adopt and I told him 2-5 years old. But just this morning I had received an e-mail from our agency that there were several 6-10 year old children that were paper ready. He didn't hesitate and said that he didn't think it was a good idea to go that old. What is so interesting about this process is, that his home study will hold a recommendation of what age and sex of a child that I am eligible to adopt. If this process has taught me one thing, it is about handing over the controls of your and decisions to someone else. That has been the hardest part for me.

Most of you know, I like to be in control. And this process is so far out of my control that it is at times frustrating. In fact a few weeks ago it was so frustrating that I went forward at church and asked for prayer. As the pastor prayed for me, his wife came up behind and started praying the most beautiful words. She prayed that Jesus would be my lawyer, my social worker, my doctor and anyone else that I needed him to be for me. And I have held on to that ever since and I am still holding on because I know that as long as He is in control, (He being Jesus, not the social worker) everything will work out just fine! And one last time for the record that is check, check and check!!!