PhAsE 1. dOnE.

Now that our New Year's letter has been up for awhile, I hope all of you (out there) have read it. If you haven't, Nic and I are headed down the 'adoption through LDS Family Services' road. I think it's time for an update on where we are in the process... There are 5 Phases to the online application with a variety of other documents that have to be mailed (i.e. infertility documentation, employment verification, birth certificates, marriage license, etc). We have completed and submitted Phase 1: reference letters. We had to choose 4 references that weren't family members and our bishop to write letters of reference for us. We are on to Phase 2, which I would say is the most "beastly" phase. There are a lot of "essay questions" that we have to fill out individually. This phase also asks about the physical characteristics of our parents and siblings among a myriad of other things. That's where we are as far as the application goes, but this hasn't stopped us accomplishing other things as we prepare for our little one. A couple weekends ago, we decided to set up the baby's room. For months now, we have had the crib, changing table/dresser and glider sitting out in our garage. When this furniture was sitting out in the garage, it felt as though having a baby was a dream. Something that was hard to reach. Now that the room is set up (mostly), it feels as though it's an attainable goal. Like a baby being placed in our home is in the future, not the so distant future that we can't see it anymore. It feels good to be progressing forward. Also recently, I have been checking out children's books about adoption. Nic and I always want to be open with our children about their adoption. The more we talk about it with them, even before they can understand, the more natural the adoption conversation is. I have read quite a few people questioning when they should bring up the big topic of adoption with their children. We have discussed it and decided that we always want to be open with our children. Always. So, the children's books. I have read so many cute books that I want to purchase to read to our kids. I don't know if you noticed one of my FB status' about "The Red Thread." I read such a cute book about the ancient Chinese saying about it: there is a red thread connecting us with those we are meant to be with (not the exact wording). I am just loving reading children's books. It gets me excited to read them to my children. I have also read them aloud to Nic - I think he would enjoy it more if I showed him the pictures. haha I also came across an idea that I've "tweaked" a bit. You can buy adoption memory books. $30 - $60. Too expensive in my opinion. So instead, we bought a nice journal from Ross. $5.99. You can't beat that. We want to document the adoption process for the child that is placed in our home for the first time. Write about the process, our feelings, pictures, plane tickets (if we fly to pick up our baby), anything and everything! We want to get a different journal for each child we adopt, that way they can read about our experience of how they came into our family. I just smile thinking about our kids reading about it. Learning more deeply about their parents. There is so much to write about! Yay. This is where we are at the beginning of February 2011.