Kelly's Korner - Adoption Stories

I'm participating this week in Kelly's Korner - Show us your life: Share your Adoption Stories. I think this is an amazing opportunity to meet other adoptive parents, waiting parents, and birthparents. I will share our journey thus far and try to keep it brief.

Our journey started about 6 1/2 years ago when Cart and I decided we were going to get married. We were not using protection and I couldn't take birth control (it had already messed up my cycle in a bad way). Shortly after we got married I went to my OB/GYN for my regular visit and mentioned we were officially trying but hadn't been preventing for the 2yrs prior. He thought it was odd that since I had been pregnant before in my previous marriage that we should of had an "oops" by now. So he had Cart tested and that is when it all changed.

Cart had a decent count, and they swam in the same direction however they were ALL the wrong shape. My doc referred us to the RE who suggest that we do IUI. We did 2 IUI's with no success. We then moved onto IVF. During my cycle I was on one of the highest dosages of stims he could put me on. The retrieved 4 eggs and of those four only 1 made it to a 3dt (January 2008). Our 1 embie implanted and grew for 6 weeks and then it all came crashing down. My numbers rose and dropped for another 5 weeks. My body finally expelled the pregnancy 5weeks after the first time they said I would miscarry(February 14, 2008).

I was heart broken and devasted. Cart was heartbroken as well. We took 2 days to ourselves and then right before the 5week mark went on our 2nd Anniversary trip. That was in March 2008.

In October 2008 we decided that we would pursue International Adoption. We submitted our initial application to the agency expressing our interest in the Philipines. The agency turned us down as that country frowned upon certain mental health problems (anxiety and depression). At that point we took a break.

Then June 2009, my best friend Sarah called me and asked if we had ever considered embryo adoption. I had actually put our profile on Miracles Waiting. Anyway, she called to say that a co-workers friend just had triplet girls and they had 2 embryos frozen. They were done building their family and wanted to donate those embies to another couple. We were totally interested and in July we spoke with B. We had already had a trip planned to visit Sarah and her family so while we were there in August we met with B and her husband. There was good chemistry between all of us and it was a good match. We got all the contracts done and signed before returning home.

October 2009 I started to prepare for the transfer in November. Everything was going wonderfully. Our new RE was great and my lining and numbers were looking good. The morning of the transfer I took my valium and went for a massage. I was nice and relaxed. Once we got there the nurse took us back and took me to the room. Then the IVF coordinator came in and said Doc wanted to see us. He told us that our embies didn't survive the thaw. We were heartbroken again. The very next day I went to visit Sarah in her new state for a week.

In March 2010 I started back to school. I was busy and enjoying life. We decided to pursue Domestic Infant adoption during the summer. In September 2010 we went for our first orientation. In October we submitted our initial application. Also in October I found out we won a FB contest through our bank and we won $5,000 to go towards our adoption. November was our adoption class. Then this past week we finished all the home visits, interviews, and now I just need to finish the profile book. After I submit our profile book we will be a waiting family! Right before our home visit we heard from a friend that they knew someone who just had twin girls and didn't want them. We still haven't heard on that situation and I'm not sure we will. I do know that we have amazing support from our friends and family.

Please feel free to follow us on our journey to our first child.

I just had my interview with our SW and it went well. As soon as I get her our profile book we will be awaiting family! Now I just need to find time to finish the book.

SW Meeting and ...

First I'll update about our meeting. Cart said his individual interview went fine. It was just going over the 55 question questionnaire that we each filled out in the beginning. Cart said no big deal which is a good thing.

When I got home we went over the "criteria" for a child we would be willing to accept. I'm not sure "criteria" is the right word I'm looking for. It was info like gender, age, race, and health issues. Then we gave her a tour of our home. She was jealous of my scraproom :)

Now the and... Last night on my drive home from school, one our friends called Cart about 4 times in the matter of minutes. When Cart finally called him back he asked us if we would be interested in maybe adopting twin girls. They are only about 3 days old. I don't want to get into specifics but we said yes. However, we are waiting to hear more information. They wanted to make sure we would be interested before mentioning anything to the birth mom. So we are currently waiting to hear more information. We have mentioned this situation to our social worker. Please pray for the birthmom and for us. Also we pray that God's will be done in this situation, whether or not these little girls are placed with us.

I will be meeting with our SW tomorrow morning for my individual interview.

Blog Award!

I just received this Stylish Blogger Award from Kim.

I'm honored that she chose me for this award. While I don't think my blog is stylish I feel special receiving this award. Now here are the rules:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you the award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Award 15 other bloggers
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award

7 Things about me:

1. When I first met Cart, he and I would go to the movies alot. Our first date was to see Man on Fire. He only worked 3 days a week so every Thursday afternoon we would go see a movie. So that is our thing. We LOVE movies

2. A month after I met Cart I was hurt at work. He picked me up from work, my first of 3 surgeries was on his birthday. He took me to all my surgeries and was there for the whole healing process.

3. I love to scrapbook and make cards when I have time. I also love making awesome gifts for family and friends.

4. I'm a reality show junkie! I love the bachelor and bachelorette. Cart and I watch Amazing Race, Can't wait for the Allstar season. Every summer I watch Big Brother. I also watch Biggest Loser. Oh and I also got hooked on the Kardashians.

5. I watch one Soap Opera every weekday, The Young & the Restless. My mom watched it when I was a kid and I still watch it. Well I DVR it and watch it later.

6. I hate to cook and do dishes. I also hate laundry. Cart does most of the cooking, all the dishes and most of the laundry. I occasionally help with the laundry. My parents made us cook, clean and do our own laundry when I turned 5 so I've done it enough in my lifetime.

7. My absolute favorite show is Grey's Anatomy! It is my all time favorite show.

And now the Awards

1. Sarah @ Life Sweet Life
2. Heather @ Just Believe
3. Leah @ Life According to Leah
4. Kim @ NewlyWoodwards
5. Aly @ The Infertility Overachievers
6. Lisa @ Three Cats and a Baby
7. Amber @ Life in the Last Frontier
8. Amber @ A Life Uncommon
9. Jenny @ Anything Pretty
10. Mama J @ Her Womb, Our Hearts
11. Jim and April @ Immeasurably More...Our journey through Adoption, Life and Love!
12. Jennifer @ Our Journey to Our VBK Family
13. RELH @ Plans Change
14. Tammy @ Tammy's Journey
15. Elaine @ God's Faithfulness Through Infertility

Rescheduled....Again!

It has been a very busy week here at the Chapman's. The week started out with a text from my dad that his brother had passed away. Uncle Ray was called to be with the Lord on Monday. He joined my Grandma to watch over us in heaven.

On Tuesday I did my pre-intern day at school and was scheduled for my one-on-one interview with the social worker. As I was at the library getting books for the lesson I am going to teach I received a call from our social worker. She called to let me know she needed to cancel not only my appointment but Cart's as well. She rescheduled me for Friday (today at 10am).

Wednesday I drove to P'cola for my Uncle's viewing that night and funeral on Thursday.

Yesterday was the funeral and then I drove back to make it to class by 6pm. Let me just say the drive from our city to P'cola is the most boring stretch of highway ever. I made it to class about an hour after it started. I came home and fell into bed.

Then today Cart called to wake me up early (I sleep in when he leaves for work). I shower, get dressed, and drive to the Southside of town for my meeting. I get there and our SW comes down and gives me this weird look. I question her look and she said she has our appointment on her calendar for NEXT Friday. I mention that we were talking about this Friday when we were speaking and she was looking at the next Friday on her calendar. All I can say is I'm just frustrated.

Now Cart is scheduled for his interview Tuesday at 2pm here at the house before our home visit. I'll still be at the school so I won't get home until 330. When I get home we'll do the home visit part. Then she rescheduled me for Wednesday morning.

Hopefully, there will be no need to reschedule any of our appointments next week. In other news I've had no time to scrap our profile book. I'm going to resort to a digital book. I'm a little bummed about it, but with school, interning, subbing, and lia sophia I just don't have the time.

Need a Blog Makeover

If you need a blog Makeover like I do, then you should go check out Aly over at Infertility Overachievers. She designs blogs and is doing a fabulous giveaway. Check it out Here

Also check out her designs over here.

Here's to hoping I win. :)

School - AAAAHHHH

School started this week for Spring semester. I'm taking 5 classes but not all at once, thank goodness. I am taking 3 classes the first 8 weeks and 2 the other 8 weeks. All while working and adoption meetings and cleaning the house. Thanks goodness my house doesn't have to be spotless but it needs to be cleaned.

I started thinking tonight while reading over my classwork for the classes, what if we are that miracle family that gets a baby right after approval. How the heck am I going to do everything I'm doing now and take care of a baby. Instant panic set in, are we doing this with the right timing. What if I have to finish school and take care of a baby. How will I juggle all that.

All along I've been thinking that we'd be matched sometime this spring/summer and have a baby sometime summer/fall. If our baby was born in the summer it would be perfect timing because I only have to take one class. Then I intern in Fall so it would be just like having a normal job so no worries there.

To think about all this I just need to remember God won't give us more than we can handle.

Fee Meeting with SW

We had our fee meeting with our SW and Agency Director today. Basically we just went over all the fees what they mean, where they go, and when they are due. We also set up our meetings for the remainder of the home study.

My interview is on the 18th. Cart's interview is on the 19th and our home visit is on the 25th. Because I'm going to Chicago this weekend that leaves us only 2 weekends to get our house ready. On top of that I start school next week that takes 3 of my nights away. Wish us luck as we go through the process.

Fee Meeting Scheduled

We finally have our fee meeting scheduled for Thursday at 3pm. I'm excited to get this out of the way and move onto our interviews and home visit. The only crappy part about the Thursday meeting is I'm sick.

I aquired the funk bug going around work. I'm glad it came this week before school starts but hoping it doesn't last long.

In other news, I'm heading to Chicago this weekend for Success Camp for my lia sophia business. I'm leaving my semi-warm locale to go experience snow and 30 degree temps. Good thing is once I'm in the hotel I won't need to leave.

Wish us luck with the fee meeting.