It's that time again!!

The month where I fill my blog full of 30 Days of Thankful and National Adoption Month posts...

If you want to get in on the 30 Days of Thankful goodness...you're welcome to join this FB group that created just for that purpose!  I will be posting my 30 Days of Thankful on the group as well as on the tab at the top of my page. 

And as for National Adoption Month, I will post some things on here...but I would ask one thing of you, my faithful blogland friends.  Find one chance this month to help spread the POSITIVE word of adoption.  

Whether you share a video:


Or Miles' adoption story: Found HERE.  

Or use any one of THESE fantastic posts.  

Or find your own way to spread positivity.  

There is so much negative stuff out there, let's work together and swing the pendulum to the positive side!

.one year.

One year ago this happened: 

I still feel as lucky and blessed today as I did then.

I love our little eternal family of three.

.six.

Today marks

six years

since our first baby was due. 

That pregnancy was

{SO} wanted

and {MUCH} prayed for...

but today as I

sat on the floor

playing cars with Miles

I felt {grateful}

for the times God says

"not yet"

Thoughts of the baby nature

I have no idea where this string of thoughts came from...but it's been occupying my mind for a while and it seems the only way to give my mind some solace is to get it on paper.  What follows is a cocktail of my religious beliefs, my personal beliefs, and the emotional thoughts of an infertile person contemplating life.  The Gospel according to Holly as it were.  

I wonder what Miles felt as he, waiting to come to earth,  watched his future mother and father excitedly prepare for twins that he knew he was not part of.  I wonder if he cried quiet tears for us, knowing the heartache that waited at the other end of the plane ride to Georgia.  I wonder in those quiet, tear-filled moments in the dark of night, when I felt all hope was lost; if he tried whispering in my ears "don't give up Mommy".  I wonder how many times he wanted to come NOW...not wait, because he could see the pain we were feeling.  It must have been hard for my stubborn little guy as he was told: it's not time, you have to wait.  I imagine the excitement he felt as the day of his birth inched closer.  I wonder if in those last few days he stayed close to us, imagining what it would be like to finally be in our physical presence.   The night we first held him, there were no tears.  Only peace.  Like the peace of three hearts who had waited so long to meet, and were finally at rest now that they were beating so close together.  Those first few days as we would stare into each others' eyes I sensed a deep bond that stretched eternities...rather than merely days.

I also wonder a lot about the three babies we lost in miscarriage.  Were those Miles' attempts to join our family years ago that were thwarted by my faulty reproductive system?  Or are there three children waiting for us on the other side, patiently awaiting their turn to be held by mommy?

Then, naturally, my thought string falls to the twins, the Florida baby girl, the Ohio baby boy, and the Georgia baby girl...all of whom watched as we anxiously awaited their arrival.  I believe they knew we would not be their parents; that the plan we so desperately were counting on, would change.  I wonder what they thought...and I wonder if Miles knew them.  

I also wonder if there are any more children waiting to join our family.  I don't currently feel any sort of pressure, like I did before we got Miles, to work our way down the adoption path...or fertility path for that matter.  I feel content as our family of three.  I wonder if there is another child sitting and watching, patiently hoping for the time that I'll feel that "there's someone missing" feeling. 

Two Women

(saw this on FB and had to share...it is beautiful) 

Two women held hands in a hospital room tonight as a precious baby came into the world. 

One was filled with joy to see the child for whom she had prayed for so many years. 

The other was touched by sadness at the prospect of letting go. 

Two women held hands in a hospital room tonight, each giving that child everything she had. 

For one woman it was the commitment of her lifetime. 

For the other, it was the amazing sacrifice of herself. 

Two women held hands in a hospital room tonight.  

The first will walk out to cheers and congratulations.  

The second may face pity -- but she is not a victim.  She may face anger -- but she is not a villain.  

Two women held hands in a hospital room tonight. 

Formerly strangers, they are now forever connected by their love for this precious child. 

Two women held hands in the hospital room tonight -- each of them heroes in the story of this miracle child's life -- each of them always and forever -- Mothers. 

Merinda K. Condra

I am a mother

I went to church today.  On Mother's Day.  For the first time in SEVEN years.  I sat in my seat and hugged my wiggly little man, whispering prayers of gratitude and fighting back happy tears.  I got to thinking about last year on Mother's Day, how we thought we'd once again been passed-over for another family.  The pain of Georgia still fresh on our hearts, I sat on my couch in my pajamas, snuggled to Winston and ate my weight in chocolate...furnished by my wonderful parents and my sweet hubby.  There were many tears shed.  There was also THIS post.  

Eight days later I became a mother.

This past year has been nothing short of everything I'd hoped for in being a mother.  Of course there are rough days...where I get spit-up on and peed on and pooped on and food thrown at me...and the cranky days and sleepless nights and sticky everything and toys everywhere.  But I can honestly say that I have LOVED every minute of it.  Even today, as I held my sweet little guy who is teething, who went through FOUR diapers during church, who peed all over his pants (and the wall and me and the changing station) on change number three...even today I was grateful.  As I held him and stared at those little naked chubby legs with the upside down heart birthmark just near his knee...I was overcome with gratitude for the blessing of being a mother.  I hope I NEVER take it for granted. 

To you, my dear friends who ache for this blessing.  I love you.  My heart aches for you.  I know today is not the easiest day.  I sincerely HOPE with all the hope I can muster that soon you'll be able to hold the child for which your arms ache.  Keep your chin up and remember it is always darkest before the dawn. 

Birthmother's Day

The Saturday before Mother's Day in the adoption community is celebrated as Birthmother's Day.  This isn't the first year we've thought about it, but it will be the first year we've had reason to celebrate it in our lives.  

Last year I asked you to say prayers for our birthmother, wherever she was and whomever she was...I no idea that we'd meet her so soon after that post and that she'd need those prayers so quickly.  Less than two weeks later we were placed with our sweet little Miles. 

We love Miles' birthmom.  We have a picture of Nathan, me, her and Miles that we took in the hospital after placement.  It is framed in Miles' room and we point it out to him frequently.  This wonderful woman is the reason why this year I'm able to call myself mother.  She is the reason why this year I won't be hiding in my room, crying my way through the day.  She is the reason my arms are no longer empty.  

I always thought about our future birthmother.  I wondered what she'd look like and how old she would be and where she would be from and what she'd be like.  I knew that the greatest day for us would be the worst for her.  I always knew that there had to be a tremendous amount of love that went into placing a child for adoption, but seeing that love first hand was something I will never forget.  

We KNOW that she loves Miles.  Miles knows that we love her, and that she loves him.  That is something I would hope no one will ever doubt...the love a birthmother has for their child.  

This past week I saw a video posted on FB by one of my adoption friends.  I LOVED it...it made me cry.  It was so wonderful to hear in their own words why birthmother's chose adoption, their child, and how they feel about adoptive couples. It is about five and a half minutes and I promise it is worth it  

If you have a few extra prayers today, will you spare some on behalf of all the birthmothers out there?  Especially our dear, sweet T?  They are strong women who made tough choices, all out of love.   That's what adoption is all about...love. 

Unanswered prayers

You ever heard that song?  It's an oldie sung by Garth Brooks.  He sings about how he & his wife went to a hometown football game.  While they were there they ran into his old girlfriend and he remembers how he used to pray every night that "God would make her mine".   But as she walked away he looked at his wife and "then and there thanked the good Lord, for the gifts" in his life.  He then says that one of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers. 

A year ago this week we had to endure the heartbreak of two failed adoptions.  A year ago we sat in the Savannah Airport as our hearts ached with the loss of a baby who had almost been ours...the second baby we'd lost that week.  A year ago I was sitting on a plane, from Salt Lake to Nashville and then Nashville to Charlotte and then Charlotte to Savannah...praying with all my might that this adoption would work out and we'd finally be parents.  A year ago we got off the plane and learned that we would be going home empty handed and our hearts broke into a million little pieces and spilled all over the concourse of the airport terminal.  

It wasn't the first time prayers of that kind had been left unanswered.  Fertility treatments for four years had always been accompanied by heartfelt prayers.  The first positive pregnancy test I looked at was followed by tearful pleading that everything would be ok.  The twin adoption situation was filled with long chats with the man upstairs.  And all of those prayers went unanswered.  Pregnancies were lost and adoptions fell apart.

Now, a year later, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for those unanswered prayers.  Yesterday I stood in the pouring rain and watched Nathan gently guide or sweet little boy across a field sprinkled with Easter candy.  I was grateful for the rain, it masked my tears.  Although they were happy tears I didn't want to have to explain to someone why the sight of this rain drenched crowd picking through soaked candy scattered in the grass had reduced me to tears.  If my body hadn't rejected those pregnancies or if any one of our four failed adoptions had gone through I wouldn't have been standing in the rain, on a Navy base in Italy, watching my husband play daddy for our baby boy's first Easter.  We wouldn't have our precious little Miles and I KNOW he is the baby that was meant for our family.  

 

I believe everything happens for a reason...sometimes good things fall apart so better things can come together.
~Marilyn Monroe

To my dear friends who are currently dealing with unanswered prayers.  I love you.  I'm sorry your hearts ache.  I remember all too well those helpless, heavy feelings...the long prayer filled nights with tear stained pillows.  My heart aches with you.  I truly hope that you will soon have the desires of your heart granted to you, but in the meantime take heart...just because God doesn't answer a prayer doesn't mean he doesn't hear it and doesn't mean he doesn't love you.  Keep up hope...although your good things are falling apart keep an eye on the horizon for your better things.      

Brought to you by adoption

As this National Adoption Month draws to a close, here is a reminder of just why adoption is awesome. 

Photo by Bryn Stucki Photography

Remember that adoption is

always and forever

about {LOVE}

Cold Risotto

I want to share this post again...it is from last year's National Adoption Month postings.  This is the post on which I got my first negative adoption comment...it made me feel sort of official.  It is also an important read.   

(Originally posted on November 8, 2010)

I starting stalking Jill over at The Happiest Sad about nine/ten months ago.  I don't think I was ever gutsy enough to leave a comment (I stalk a LOT of blogs and I don't want people I don't know to think I'm a creeper) but I enjoyed reading her posts.  When I was deciding what I wanted to post during National Adoption Month a specific post of hers came to mind.  Before I post her work of genious (and that is what it is)...let me give you a little background.  In the adoption world, there are people who love it and people who hate it.  I remember being surprised the first time I googled "adoption" and found page after page of people berating the women who had "abandoned" their babies and calling the adoptive parents "baby stealers" and my heart sunk when I read of adult adoptees who said they wish they had been aborted instead of placed for adoption (SERIOUSLY!).   I remember wishing I could go back to my blissfully ignorant state where I thought everyone loved adoption and it was all sunshine and rainbows.  But now, I'm glad I've read the other side.  It makes me more aware and more prepared...knowing that there are still those people out there.  But it does make me sad that someone had such a horrible experience with something that can be SO wonderful. 

Ok, so here is Jill's post.  It is called Cold Risotto.  It is long, but oh, so worth it.  If after you read it you are left hungry for more you can read more on her blog, The Happiest Sad.

Cold Risotto

Today, I have a story for you. It's made-up but I think it's a good story. I promise there's a point to it. Here it goes. (My sincerest apologies if your name happens to be Susan. It's a lovely name.)

Once upon a time, a woman - let's call her Susan - went to a restaurant. Susan was very, very hungry. Some people might have thought she was stupid to go to a restaurant when most people cook for themselves, but that was Susan's business, not theirs, and for one reason or other, Susan was going to a restaurant for dinner.

Susan's waitress was very friendly right off the bat. She made Susan feel welcome and kept her water glass full and took her order and promised it would be out shortly. Excited and, as I said, very hungry, Susan eagerly awaited her risotto. She was so hungry, she thought this risotto was going to be the best thing in the world. As she waited, she had visions of risotto dancing in her head and all she could think of was how happy she'd be once the waitress brought out her dish.

Some time passed, and suddenly the waitress was getting as crabby as Susan was. Finally, after half an hour or more, the waitress slammed down a dish of cold risotto and the bill and stalked away. Susan was stunned. And the risotto, in addition to being rather cold, was quite possibly the most disgusting dish of risotto ever served in the history of food.

Susan was, understandably, appalled. She complained to management. The manager was appalled as well, and tried to explain things. Shortly after Susan's order had been placed, the chef quit. The waitress received a phone call from her boyfriend, who dumped her - on the phone, and while she was at work! The manager assured Susan that her dinner was an exception, not the norm. This was a top-notch restaurant with a good reputation. He offered to comp the dinner and pushed a gift card at Susan in the hopes that she would give them another try and see that their restaurant was not as bad as all that.

But Susan was unable to get past her cold risotto experience. She told every person she knew about it. She blogged about what a horrible restaurant it was, and how no one should ever eat there. When people mentioned to her that they'd eaten there and had a lovely time, she railed at them that they must be stupid not to see what a terrible restaurant it was, and she harassed those people repeatedly and with great force about what a bad decision they'd made. She ridiculed them for their naiveté. She found their personal blogs and left numerous comments about what idiots they were to even consider eating at that restaurant again. In Susan's opinion, this restaurant should be closed down immediately and not allowed to open again until changes were made to ensure that no one would ever be served cold risotto again - in fact, they shouldn't even serve risotto. Susan decided to make it her life's work to speak out against the restaurant, and she couldn't understand why the whole world didn't join in her crusade.

Now, you're probably wondering why on earth I am blathering on about snippy Susan and her cold risotto. Susan sounds like a real piece of work, doesn't she? Because really, who could have such an ego as to assume that if they had a bad experience somewhere, no one else should even consider that place?

Let's change the subject for a second, and then I'll get back to Susan.

Sorry, that's a terrible segue. Here's a better one.



That is an awesome Segway.


Anyway.


I have a great experience with adoption. I think it's wonderful. I might not tell the entire world to eat at this restaurant called adoption, but if I knew someone was hungry and didn't know where to eat, I would certainly tell them to consider eating there. I would tell them about my experience so they would know that, even though it serves up the occasional dish of cold risotto, eating out isn't a hazardous thing. It can be, but it doesn't have to be.

But I have noticed that there are a number of Susans in the adoption world - on-line, in any case, and they are just as snippy and unyielding and very much against the institution that they feel wronged them so much. They got cold risotto. And that's not fair, and I won't argue that point. What I take exception to is these Susans (allow me to apologize if your name happens to be Susan) who go on-line and tell hungry people that they need to learn how to cook because restaurants are inherently wrong. I don't like hungry people being told they're going to get food poisoning if they eat out.

You know what? I can't stop these people. I know there are people out there for whom adoption has not been a good thing. I feel sorry for them. The things that have happened to some people are unfair, wrong, and shouldn't happen to anyone. But I get tired of them insisting that adoption is a bad thing, refusing to believe that it can be an amazing and wonderful thing, simply because it wasn't for them.

Adoption was the best thing in the world for my little Roo. It was the best thing in the world for my mother. And it was the best thing in the world for probably close to 100 little children I can think of just off the top of my head. I'm sure there are countless others for whom it was also the best. We're all happy with our risotto. We are proof that the restaurant isn't a bad place, that the risotto isn't always cold and that, just the opposite, it's frequently the best dish on the menu.

Susan's risotto was bad, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let her tell me that my risotto was a mistake and that I'm going to regret it for the rest of my life and that I "lost" my appetite to risotto.

For every horrible, traumatic, food-poisoning story you hear about adoption, there are probably ten thousand stories or the best dinner ever that no one ever tells. Cold risotto makes for good news. A cozy family meal interests no one.

Is adoption always the right, best, most wonderful thing in the world? Nope. Because it involves people, and people are imperfect. But I think each hungry person should be able to decide for him- or herself how best to have dinner.

Hoping to Adopt: Que, Brittany & Liam

Wanna hear something funny about this one?  I had never met Brittany in person until just a few months ago...at the National FSA Conference.  I had been staking her blog for a while..then it went private and I was too chicken to ask for an invite.  Then it was public again, I friended her on Facebook and we became adoption peeps.  She posts a lot about adoption - and I always appreciate her insights.  But I'd read her blog anyway...just for pics of their adorable little Liam...he is a stud.  

We are Que and Brittany and we met as teenagers in 1995.  In 1998, Que left to be an LDS missionary in Bolivia and we wrote each other for two years.  When he returned, we married in the spring of 2001.  In 2009, our son Liam came into our family through the miracle of adoption!  He will always know how much his birth family loves him.  Right now, we are hoping to adopt, again!  We have an open adoption with several members of Liam's birth family and hope to have another open adoption.  (Although we are willing to be matched with a birth family who wants little or no contact with us.)  Check out our blog to learn more about us as a family, Liam's adoption or just to find out what-in-the-world is up with Que's name.  :)  We'd love to have you stop by!

Que & Brittany 

Adoption is about love!
Check out our blog and spread the word to help our family grow!
queandbrittany.blogspot.com

Imagine

As with a lot of my National Adoption Month posts...I've put this up before.  But I just LOVE it so much.  So many people think adopted kids are screwed up...that their lives will always be horrible, suffering, miserable existences.  Seriously...just google adoption and you'll find (too) MANY blogs dedicated to negative adoption experiences.  They call us baby stealers...adoptees say they would have rather been aborted than adopted...and much worse.  It makes my heart hurt.  But I know that isn't the case.  Adoption can be sad...and hard, but it can also be WONDERFUL and AWESOME.  We fall in the second group.  Adoption has blessed our lives in so many ways.

So here it is...I could watch this 100 times in a row.  Gives me goosebumps everytime.

Hoping to Adopt: Dustinn, Valery, Bradshaw & Olivia

I met Dustinn and Valery last September at an FSA Activity.  They had recently moved to the area and wanted to find some adoption friends.  We had just experienced the loss of the twins and Valery was SO supportive and kind.  Over the last year we've spent more time together, and the more we get to know them, the more we love them!  They are fantastic parents to their two children: Bradshaw & Olivia and I know additional children will be given the same love and attention.  

Hellooooo,

We are Dustinn-Val-Bradshaw-Olivia, a family hoping to grow through the miracle of adoption!  As a family we have a lot of fun playing at the beach, riding bikes, and wrestling. Dustinn and Val met in college and have been married 7 years. Bradshaw is 4, Olivia is 2, and they do everything together--including get in to mischief together. Bradshaw remembers when we were blessed to adopt Olivia, so he prays at night that we'll adopt a little brother/sister to play with.

We live in the suburbs of Chicago in what we consider the best of all worlds.  :)  We have the urban experience of being able to walk to anything your heart desires (craft store, Parisienne bakery, theater, sushi, libraries) while only living two blocks from the beach!  

We love life and cherish every day with Bradshaw and Olivia.    

If you know an expectant parent considering adoption and think that our family may be a good match, please welcome them to contact us or find out more: 

Check out our profile on LDS Family Services here.
Check out our adoption blog (work in progress) here.
Or email: dustinnandvalery@gmail.com

with love,
Dustinn, Valery, Bradshaw & Olivia

Australia

I have posted this before...but I LOVE it so much.  I think it gives someone not directly involved with adoption an idea of what it's like in our world.  

 

(This was originally posted on April 20, 2010

& again on November 9, 2010)

Different Trips to the Same Place

By Diane Armitage printed in the April 21, 1995 "Dear Abby" column.

Deciding to have a baby is like planning a trip to Australia. You've heard it's a wonderful place, you've read many guidebooks and feel certain you're ready to go. Everyone you know has traveled there by plane. They say it can be a turbulent flight with occasional rough landings, but you can look forward to being pampered on the trip.

So you go to the airport and ask the ticket agent for a ticket to Australia. All around you, excited people are boarding planes for Australia. It seems there is no seat for you; you'll have to wait for the next flight. Impatient, but anticipating a wonderful trip, you wait--and wait--and wait.

Flights to Australia continue to come and go. People say silly things like, "Relax. You'll get on a flight soon." Other people actually get on a plane and then cancel their trip, to which you cry, "It's not fair!"

After a long time the ticket agent tells you, "I'm sorry, we're not going to be able to get you on a plane to Australia. Perhaps you should think about going by boat."

"By BOAT!" you say. "Going by boat will take a very long time and it costs a great deal of money. I really had my heart set on going by plane." So you go home and think about not going to Australia at all. You wonder if Australia will be as beautiful if you approach it by sea rather than air. But you have long dreamed of this wonderful place, and finally you decide to travel by boat.

It is a long trip, many months over many rough seas. No one pampers you. You wonder if you will ever see Australia. Meanwhile, your friends have flown back and forth to Australia two or three more times, marveling about each trip.

Then one glorious day, the boat docks in Australia. It is more exquisite than you ever imagined, and the beauty is magnified by your long days at sea. You have made many wonderful friends during your voyage, and you find yourself comparing stories with other who also traveled by sea rather then by air.

People continue to fly to Australia as often as they like, but you are about to travel only once, perhaps twice. Some say things like, "Oh, be glad you didn't fly. My flight was horrible; traveling by sea is so easy."

You will always wonder what it would have been like to fly to Australia. Still, you know God blessed you with a special appreciation of Australia, and the beauty of Australia is not in the way you get there, but in the place itself.

Famous...again!

Guess whose picture is the Adoptive Families Magazine's Daily Photo for today??  

MILES!!

And guess whose picture they used when they put the reminder on their Facebook page about the Halloween Photo Contest...

MILES!!

Our little dude is famous!

Hoping to Adopt: Michael & Michelle

I met this couple one year ago when they attended our Walk for Adoption.  Michelle expressed an interest in helping with this year's Walk and we took her up on her offer.  We became friends and have enjoyed having them as a part of our adoption circle of friends.  They are both very kind, fun people and they will make fantastic parents.  I have also had the pleasure of meeting some of their extended family and they are wonderful!  They are all VERY supportive of Michael & Michelle's hope to adopt.  

We are Michael and Michelle and we are a fun, family-oriented couple hoping to build our family through adoption!  We have so much love to offer and cannot wait to raise a family. 

We have been together since 1999 and have been married since 2002. Our personalities complement each other.  We are different in many ways, but that seems to bring out the best in each of us. Michael is friendly and outgoing, Michelle is reserved and nurturing.  Michael is analytical and Michelle is creative.  Michael likes to tear things down and Michelle likes to create things and make them pretty.  We are constantly learning new things from each other.

We like going to Chicago White Sox games.  We bowl in a mixed league on Wednesday nights, but aren’t on the same team (Michael tells everyone it’s because he wants to win).  We go to the movies and love going to concerts with our friends.  We like to take road trips and have also traveled to Hawaii, New Orleans and the Dominican Republic.  We also enjoy going to plays at the local theater.  We can't wait to share our interests with our children!

We are really looking forward to adopting a baby!  We hope to be able to share with them their adoption story and make it part of our family's story.  We cannot wait to share our faith, our interests, our values and our love with a child.

http://michaelandmichelleadopt.blogspot.com/

Positive Adoption Language

I've posted this list before...but now that adoption is a reality in our lives I think it is even more important for this list to reach all those we know and love.  We haven't been on the receiving end of too many hurtful comments...but when we first got Miles I can't tell you how many times close friends and family said things like "Did you meet his real mother?" or "He is so cute, how could she have given him away?" or "I love my babies too much...I could never give them away like that."  Right now it's just ME that gets my feelers prickled...but in a few years when Miles starts hearing this kind of talk...that will make me one pissed off momma bear.  He was NOT given away...his birthmom DOES love him...and {{I}} am his REAL mother (seriously...I have a court document that says I'm a mother...do you??  he he...I jest.  Kinda)

So here is a list Adoptive Families Magazine put out a few years ago.  It's simple...and has most of the offensive phrases.  You love us?  Ok..maybe, but I KNOW you love Miles.  :)  Read it.  Pass it along.  

{eternal}

(this post will be heavy on LDS jargon...if you're confused go HERE for some explanations...or email me!)

The day we mailed our adoption application I could never have hoped that exactly two years later I'd be dressed in white, surrounded by loved ones, kneeling across the altar from my sweetheart, having our sweet baby sealed to us for all eternity. 

Saturday October 22nd, our family was made eternal.  It was such a {sweet} experience.  When you discover you will not be able to give birth (don't ever say 'have your own children' it's mean...Miles IS my own) you have to mourn several things.   There are wonderful events we will never get to experience because of our infertility.  BUT there is one thing that we get to experience that others don't...a Temple Sealing.  We get to dress in white as a family, be surrounded by those who love us, and kneel across the alter from each other while we are sealed together FOREVER.   The Temple President was the one who sealed us...which is super cool.  He and his wife adopted children so they understood what it was like to be in our shoes.  Plus we had developed a pretty good relationship with them when we worked in the Temple.  Miles was an angel during the sealing.  He was so alert and attentive, it was as if he knew EXACTLY what was happening.  It's easy to understand when you think that he was just recently in God's presence...he's much closer to the Spirit than us adults. 

Photo by me.  :)

The weather was BEAUTIFUL that day.  Clear, blue sky and it wasn't freezing!  We had many people travel from near and far to be with us on that special day, and it meant the world to us. Here is a photo of most of them...a few snuck away before we could take the picture. 

Photo by Bryn Stucki

The following day Nathan got to realize a dream when he took Miles in his arms and gave him a blessing.  That was something he had longed to do for many, many years.  In fact I think there were moments he wondered if he'd ever get to give a child a blessing.  The blessing was tender...he blessed Miles to be kind, which is something both of us feel strongly is important.  His voice trembled and tears were shed - by more than one eye.  And once again, Miles was an angel.  One of the men at church who stood in the circle told me that when the blessing was finished, Miles looked up and around the circle of men who held him...taking time to look at each face.  Again, I think he recognized the importance of what was happening.  He's a special little guy. 

Photo by me.  :)

Walk for Adoption

Yesterday was the 2nd Annual Walk for Adoption Chicago...it was less chilly this year but TONS more windy.  I love being surrounded by all these adoption lovers.  Something about being in a crowd of people who all GET IT...is just awesome.  

Planning it was crazy...just like last year.  At least I've made some pretty good friends from all our efforts:

 Michelle, Christy & I...the planners of the Walk for Adoption. 

Once again, Nathan had to work on the day of the Walk, but this year I was lucky enough to have my mom in town to help. 

My heart is sad to know that this is my last Walk for Adoption...unless I can convince Christy to hold it in Italy next year....Christy?  :)

Come on...don't you want to see this face next year??!?

of.fi.cial

of·fi·cial 

/əˈfiSHəl/

Of or relating to an authority or public body and its duties, actions, and responsibilities


Having the approval or authorization of such a body


Employed by such a body in a position of authority or trust


Emanating from or attributable to a person in office; properly authorized


Perceived as characteristic of officials and bureaucracy; officious
• 
  

We got something pretty awesome in the mail today.  A tiny packet of papers that say that Miles is officially, legally ours as of September 26, 2011.  Many, many happy tears were shed in our house tonight.