This Crazy Ride We Call Adoption

I recently posted on our adoption Facebook page that we would be taking the page down and not social networking about the adoption anymore. Well, one of those two things is still at least somewhat true. We decided to leave the page up, but take a serious break from posting on it. I will post the occasional blog post link to promote traffic to the blog, but only after I take a breather from it all. Social networking for adoption is a blessing and a curse, because on one hand you are getting the "publicity" (for lack of a better word) you want, but with that comes getting noticed by scammers, anti-adoption people and people who just want to mess with you. It could also bring a waiting couple "the one" expectant mother who finds them perfect for her unborn child. It is a risk we have been taking for many months now. After some recent events, bad and good, we have decided to lay low.

I am still going to blog about our lives and our feelings on the adoption process. I am still going to post pictures of our lives on Instagram, but considering changing the name of our account to my twitter name "SarahSaysAce".  It is for piece of mind and to begin to feel good about what we are doing, rather than feeling like we are marketing for a baby. That is not a great feeling, even if that is not our intentions, it can really feel that way. I cannot say enough about how helpful and awesome our friends and even strangers have been about sharing our adoption stuff. I know I have said this before, but it is so incredibly humbling. Please do share the blog. If nothing else, us going through this process can help people who are debating adoption to add to their family see what it is all like- from a very honest point of view- maybe too honest.

For all of the people who challenged me to try new things, or eat chicken planks (ahem.. Carla), for my fun "share the FB page" challenge, I will still be fulfilling those commitments. Actually, I am looking forward to them and will do a blog post on the activities when everything is done and documented. If you still want to challenge me to do something goofy, fun, hard or just plain weird, go for it. No sharing of our page necessary. Remember, September is say yes to everything (within reason) month, so I have to do it if you ask!

So, other than some drama over the early part of the week, adoptionland is going good. We have some hopeful things happening soon. We are super psyched that we will be eligible for the last minute hospital list (henceforth referred to as LMHL) at the end of September. The LMHL will increase our chances of a last minute call to become parents. If we are matched with an expectant mom while we are on that list, we will no longer be active on it, since we will be committed to that open adoption relationship.

As with any adoption journey, things look up one day and down the next. The only way to get through it all is to remember that the hard times are always followed by happy times. I need to take my own advice more often. My heart is completely broken for two families who went home without the babies they thought would be theirs. At the same time, I am ecstatic for a friend who just became a mom yesterday through adoption. This roller coaster we call adoption is truly the craziest ride I have ever been on.

For anyone who is interested in open adoption please go to http://www.adoptionhelp.org/find-a-family to look at all of the families waiting to adopt through our agency. Of course I would prefer they look at us, but so many good people are hoping and wishing for their dreams to come true.