Updates Galore

It has been a while since I have updated, so I thought I would sit down and write a bit about everything.  Christmas was a nice, quiet success.  John's mom and sister came the evening of the 22nd and we had dinner and exchanged gifts.  It is always nice to have them over.  John and I had our Christmas on Christmas Eve.  John got me the globe that I have been nerdily asking for the past few months.  I got John a portable record player, so now he can listen to his extensive record collection all over the house.

On Christmas day, my parents, my brother Noah and his family (wife Heather and son Henry) came over.  We had party trays from Publix, because seriously, who has the time and energy to cook a huge meal this year?!  Next year I would like to cook the entire Christmas dinner and dessert deal, but honestly this year I was sick with a cold, then a horrible sinus infection and some weird joint thing that made it hard to move around.  Yes, I got sick for Christmas.... thanks Santa!  We made every effort to enjoy the holiday, illness and all.  We are hoping and wishing that next Christmas will be celebrated with our baby.

Our stay-cation has been pretty great.  We saw The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on Thursday.  It was really good, I highly recommend it and I definitely recommend going at 10:30am like we did.  Just us and the elderly! After a couple of days to wallow in my sinus misery, we went to Rev Coffee this morning and met my parents, Noah, Heather and Henry.  If you haven't been to Rev in Smyrna, GA, it is a must try.  My favorite iced coffee ever.  I may go there too often, as I don't even have to order anymore, they just start making it as I walk in.

Tomorrow the High Museum is offering free admission, so we are going to take our chances on a huge crowd and go see some art!  It was on my stay-cation list of things to do, so it is perfect timing.  John goes back to work on New Year's Day and I go back on January 2nd.  I am still hoping to see the Bodies Exhibit on Tuesday.  I've been outed as a huge geek in this blog.  Globes and preserved bodies, that is what makes my day.

So, next time I make a blog entry, it will be 2014.  We never thought when we started our quest to become parents that 2013 would be ending without any success in the baby department!  Let's all hope 2014 is our year. Let's also hope that the other waiting adoptive couples out there meet their babies as well.  2014, year of the baby! 

Stay-cation. Word.

John and I had a trip planned to go to Charlotte, NC for a curling meet (game? match? bonspiel?) at the end of next week with the Atlanta Curling Club.  I'm not really down with the lingo, so please forgive me.  Unfortunately, the venue decided they couldn't hold the event after all, so we are planning a little vacation around our own city.  On my to-do list is to go to the Bodies exhibit, the Anne Frank Museum and possibly the High Museum of Art.  We went to the Georgia Aquarium and Fernbank Museum of Natural History on my birthday in March, so it is time to explore some other options.  If it isn't freezing outside, I want to get my bicycle up to par and take it out for a spin around the neighborhood or maybe on the Silver Comet Trail.  We have no reason to not use the trail, since we are about 2 miles from it.  I don't think laziness is a real excuse!

I think it is good to keep busy during the adoption wait.  Generally, my classes would be my main distraction, but we are in between terms right now.  In the meantime, sitting still and dwelling on the lack of having a baby or how difficult this process is, cannot be healthy.  I have booked myself full again this week.  Dinner and drinks with friends to celebrate the end of a semester, the beginnings of new friendships, the holiday season... you name it, we are celebrating it.  My friend who lives half way across the country is coming to stay with us Friday night.  We have a big plan to get out to my local watering hole and just relax (and eat pub food! yum!).  It hasn't been an easy year for her or myself for that matter.  Maybe we will just celebrate the end of 2013 coming and the beginning of a new year- a blank slate.  She and I also need to discuss our upcoming coffee table book- How Not to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse. Please don't steal our idea, our book will be better no matter how funny you may think you are.  We have a whole series of how-to's and how not-to's planned, that will no doubt make us rich and famous.  Right???

Babies, babies, babies.  That is where my head really is.  Maybe it is some sort of hormonal cycling, but my brain is all "When is this going to happen?"  "Why isn't it happening yet?"  "We are pretty cool, shouldn't someone looking to place think so too?!".  Logically, I know these things take time.  Emotionally, these things taking time can feel torturous.  I am well aware of the realities of adoption, the wait, the psychological implications on everyone involved.  I believe that women looking to place their babies are having to make much harder decisions than we have made thus far.  Maybe it is just harder for me to stay as positive during the holidays.  I assume it is for most people who are sharing in this long quest to parenthood.  I did stop and get a venti cup of liquid positivity at Starbucks this morning.  Nothing gets me through the day like iced coffee.

Okay, so those are my ramblings for the day.  I already feel some of the weight lifted just by writing it all down.  Blogging is very therapeutic!  That's it, everyone start a blog- it will resolve all of your untamed emotions and quite possibly save the world!  I need a Nobel Peace Prize for that one. 

Friday Thoughts

It is Friday the 13th, but I don't believe in the superstition surrounding the date.  The origin of this superstition that I had always heard was that the number 13 is unlucky, as is Friday.  Put them together and you have yourself a bad day.  I was curious to see what the real lore behind it is, so I looked it up on wikipedia (totally the most reliable source ever....right).  Apparently, nobody really knows, but there are many theories behind it.  There is even a phobia of Friday the 13th called friggatriskaidekaphobia.  Hmmm, I don't know, I really love any Friday, regardless of the date.  I think I have a phobia of Mondays instead.  Anyway, the things you learn on wikipedia!

So, a recap of this weeks happenings is in order.  First and foremost, we had a really great time at the Independent Adoption Center's holiday party.  We were able to get to know other hopeful adoptive parents, who we had seen at support groups, but never had the chance to really chat with.  It really is nice to feel the camaraderie between everyone flowing in one room.  The IAC does such a wonderful job of making an adoption community out of it all.  Plus they had Roly Poly platters.  Oh man, I could eat Roly Poly sandwiches every single day!  If they keep providing the sandwiches, I will keep showing up for anything they want me to!

Wednesday night I met my friend Karen and her new baby for dinner.  Baby Zachary was placed with Karen and her husband in November.  I got to hear their adoption experience story in whole and though it definitely sounded overwhelming, it was still beautiful, because they have their child now.  Zachary is one of the cutest babies I have ever seen.  He was great at dinner, sleeping, eating, giving me the ole' one eyed "don't take my bottle" stare.  I held him and took in the new baby sounds and scent.  He gave me a good stretch and stuck his tiny hand in my face when I wiggled too much, as if to say- look lady, you don't know me, but I need you to chill.  I took it as an opportunity to examine his unbelievably tiny fingers.

Yesterday was our office Christmas lunch and party.  We do a white elephant gift exchange every year, but each year it gets a little more serious.  I thought everyone knew you were supposed to bring something ridiculous and depend on one or two people to bring nice stuff that everyone tries to get.  At our party, we had a lot of nice stuff and a few gag gifts. So backwards!  Nobody appreciated the my "bad gift" of mustache magnets.  Well, that is a bit of a lie, because after the party one of my coworkers traded for them and once she got home promptly posted a picture of her cats with mustaches! (Picture below)  After the party I went out with a couple of friends, one after the other, so I didn't get home until after 8:30.  This week has been exhausting, but a lot of fun.

That being said, I am so relieved to have nothing lined up tonight!  I can finally just go home, clean up the house, work out, and watch some Netflix.  John is closing at his job and I have barely seen him all week.  I overbooked myself for sure.  It is really easy this time of year to get pulled in every direction at once.   I can't wait to just spend some time with him tomorrow.  Once we have a baby, we will be in most of the time, so I guess it is good to go out as much as possible now.

Courtesy of Laura Alger Copyright 2013

And the same coworker made me a homemade grumpy cat ornament!  I love it more than most everything right now.

That wraps up another week of waiting for our adoption match to happen!  We will get through next week and the next and so on until it happens.  We remain positive and excited about what is to come! 

Celebrations

In the past, celebrating in December was limited to office parties and Christmas day.  This year we have more to celebrate and a pretty packed schedule.

Saturday we went to our nephew Henry's second birthday party.  It was more or less a family occasion, with the exception of a couple of friends and their son.  Their son is only a couple of weeks older than Henry, so they have known each other more or less since birth.  It is pretty cool to see their interactions change as they get older and more aware of each other.  Henry made out like a bandit on gifts.  He is really into Monster's Inc, so we got him Monster's University, which may or may not be a little beyond a 2 year old's comprehension.  All that really matters is that he gets to see Sully be silly apparently.  Last night at dinner Henry told us that Sully is "so dunny" (funny for those of you that don't speak 2 year old).

After the party, John and I went to a Christmas tree lot and debated buying a real tree this year.  We have always used fake ones in the past, mostly for ease and partially for cat reasons.  We decided to use the fake again this year and start the real tree tradition once we have a child.  We both have great memories of going to pick out trees before Christmas with our families.  We want our child to have those memories as well.  I want to get a wreath made out of Christmas tree limbs, so our house has that tree scent.  We went home and decorated the house for Christmas.  It feels so official now.  Guess that means I better get to Christmas shopping!  Giving out free hugs probably wont actually cut it.

I think the den turned out pretty good!

 

Sunday John had to work, so I woke up and watched a movie that we recorded during a free HBO preview.  It was Elizabeth, which is about Elizabeth I, who was the last monarch in the Tudor dynasty.  I like how the movie depicted the people to be more ordinary looking, unlike the HBO show The Tudors, which made everyone out to be models.  We all know that wasn't the case back when the hygiene was not so great! Sunday night, my brother Noah invited me over to have burgers.  I played barn animals with Henry before and after dinner and took a few pictures for John, since he couldn't join us.  

Tomorrow night is our adoption agency's Christmas party, then I have plans Wednesday to meet my friend's newly adopted son!  I cannot wait to meet him!  His arrival was sudden, but they had been working on the adoption process for quite a while.  I just couldn't be any happier for them.  Thursday is the office Christmas party and then celebrating the end of the semester of grad school with friends.  

A note to our awesome friends:  A lot of people are asking how they can spread the word on our adoption.  One thing you can do is share our iheartadoption profile or this blog on your Facebook page, twitter, personal blog, or whatever other form a social media you use.  If you know someone who is thinking of placing their baby, you can direct them to our profile or our agency, the Independent Adoption Center.  Links to both are on the right side of this page.  The toll free number is routed straight to my cell phone and we both check the email address sarahandjohnadopt@gmail.com.  Even if we turn out not to be the adoptive parents for the expectant mother, maybe someone else at our agency would be a good fit.  Our agency also offers help to those who are still deciding what to do.  I can't say enough good things about the support they offer to us and expectant mothers.      

That pretty much sums up what has been going on and what this week holds for us.  December 9th already!

Organizing The Disorganized

Today as I was thinking about what to write about, I kept getting overwhelmed by all of the current disorganization in my life.  I couldn't seem to focus on one thought when so many things felt out of control around me.  In true Sarah fashion, I made a list.  I am the queen of lists.  Even my lists have lists.

I have a master list or approximately 100 things I would like to accomplish, both long term and short term.  I have had some incarnation of that list for about a year and half now and it is ever evolving.  The master list stays with me, reminding me that I have a drive to succeed and a strong urge to make something of myself.  Number one on that list has been and still is, wait for it.... have a baby.  I have crossed major things off of that list- lost a lot of weight, got into grad school, made my best time ever in a 5K, but that one item still sits there staring at me.  I feel like it wont be too long though.  I have a gut feeling and my gut has never done me wrong before.

John and I opened our adoption profile up more situations.  This means we are willing to look at adoption situations where the baby might be born dependent on drugs, have a slightly higher risk for certain health conditions and have a slightly higher risk for certain mental health conditions.  I couldn't imagine saying I wouldn't accept a baby who had a risk of a moderate health condition, since I am a person who has experienced one myself.  How could I say no to someone like me?  I am a healthy, productive member of society, who will likely live just as long as anyone else.  Why turn down an opportunity to raise a child, just because it may be more challenging?  If anyone can do it, it is John and I.

I feel good about our choice.  This doesn't mean we will be adopting a child who will be disabled forever.  We have the freedom to look at the scenario and say it isn't for us. No one ever knows what will happen to their child in the long run.  A healthy baby born from perfectly normal pregnancy can end up with health problems. 

Oh yes, I was talking about organization.  I spent the morning organizing my desk and pending paperwork.  I have a new list of things to clean and organize at home and a new short term goal list.  Lists make me feel calm.  I like having a plan of action! I love apps for my phone where I can set all types of goals.  I have runkeeper to set work out goals, fitness pal to set goals to eat healthy, banks apps to watch as I reach my savings goals, and games to beat old scores. 

The big plan this week is to finish my final exam for my class.  This will be the last thing I do for my first semester of grad school.  So happy it is over, but looking forward to starting next term.  John and I are then going to go all out for Christmas.  Hoping for a big tree, lots of baking cookies, and lights in the front yard.  We want to make it a good one this year, since hopefully it will be the last one that is just the two of us.  My nephew turns 2(!) on Saturday!  I really can't believe it. It seems like yesterday that I was at the hospital all  night waiting for him to be born.  Last Saturday he spent the afternoon at our house and talked our heads off.  From wiggly newborn to full, somewhat coherent, sentences.  It is absolutely amazing to watch him grow and learn.  He has more personality in his little finger than most people have in their entire bodies.

I am rambling at this point.  Here is to another successful Thanksgiving in the past and a very exciting 2 year birthday this Saturday!