It's ok to dream.

We attended our first discussion group last night and the topic was on 'The Wait'.  We listened to families speak on their adoption journey and how they handled waiting for their child to come. 

I've never been a part of a counseling session or a support group, but that's in essence what this was.  We were in a room with around 27 families represented; all somewhere in the process of either domestic or international adoption. 

No, we didn't go around the room and say, "Hi, my name is Brooke and it's been 15 months since I decided to adopt..." (collective response:  "Hi, Brooke!") But I felt a twinge of awkwardness at the situation.  It's hard to talk about things so personal and as we sat on the front row within this large group of people, I felt this rawness amongst everyone.  It was as if everyone was waiting for God to show up and give us all the answers we've been searching for.  When I would make eye contact with others, we all seemed to have trepidation in our eyes.  Most of the people in the room looked tired and anxious.  The couple next to me was catatonic.  the husband all but carried his wife to her seat and they clasped hands the entire time.  Kevin and I wondered later in the evening if she was ok.  Maybe they've been waiting a long time for a child, but who really knows?  I can't get her face out of my memory.

Some couples were excited to be there and asked tons of questions.  The rest of us just sat and observed our surroundings, taking it all in.  Our case worker offered a lot of helpful information in regards to what happens during a meeting with a birth mother, accepting children who are drug positive, etc. Overall, I am so happy we went to this training session.

One quote from the evening that stood out to me was from the couple who waited four years for their child.  They had already been married for 11 years so they took that time to really do all the things they wanted to do, they became closer than ever during their wait and now feel like they're all the better parents for it.  It's all about staying positive no matter what trials life throws your way. She said at one point, "Don't be afraid to dream.  It's ok to dream about the future even while you wait."  When you don't want to think about something...because you were told it's never going to happen, or because it might not happen for a long time...it's hard to tell yourself that it's ok to be happy and excited.  So now, as we focus on completing our home study and look forward to 'the wait', we are trusting that everything will happen in its good and proper time. 

Thanks for waiting with us.

~Brooke

Lipscomb Basketball Adoption Rally!

This week we were surprised by a phone call from a friend saying we needed to contact someone at Lipscomb University she had spoken to earlier that evening. Our names were mentioned, saying we were in the process to adopt a baby & after a couple of emails back & forth with the staff, I was told they wanted to support us in our journey.

Every year the university gives the proceeds from one basketball game to selected adopting families.  How cool is that?!  This year we are one of eight families in the Nashville area being honored!

The game is on Saturday, February 8th at 4pm.  The Lipscomb Bisons are playing ETSU.

Here's the deal:  To purchase tickets for the event, you just need to go to the following address:

http://lipscomb.streamlineticketing.com/web/section.asp?eventId=262

Follow the directions to select your seats & it will prompt you on the following page to create an account with their site.  At checkout, enter the promo code ADOPTMASCHMEIER & 100% of your ticket cost will go towards our adoption!

Wouldn't it be awesome to get a big group together & see a basketball game?  Please join us on February 8th!  We would LOVE to see you there.  Bring your kiddos!  Let's enjoy a great night celebrating adoption!

Share this info with anyone in the Nashville area that would like to support this event.  Thank you so much for your help!

~Brooke & Kevin

Miles to go!

Since our intake meeting last week we’ve had paperwork, testing & the looming home visit on our minds.  I knew we would have to jump through a lot of hoops to adopt, but I don’t think anything or anyone couple really prepare me for the reality of what happens during the adoption process. 

People ask if it makes me angry having to go through all of this.  I guess in some ways, if I dwell on it I start to get frustrated.  But really, I just want to be a mom.  I don’t care what I have to go through to be one.  If anything, Kevin & I are going to be VERY sure we’re supposed to be parents by the end of this process.  A lot of people don’t get that choice to consider every aspect of what it means to be a responsible, loving parent & we get that time to pray about it, think about it & anticipate it.  When I stop to think about adopting a child I just get so excited now.

So where am I in my ‘paper pregnancy’, you ask?  Well we were fingerprinted last week & we have scheduled our physicals which will take place the first week in February. 

 

We have most of our ‘important’ documentation on hand (birth certificates, marriage license & dog immunizations) I’m not kidding about that last one! We have surveys to fill in and our references have been contacted. 

Next week is our home visit (paint touch-ups happening now, fire extinguishers purchased, baby gate is set off to the side as proof that we will protect any child that comes in our house from the 2 little steps that go from our den to the kitchen.) J After that we will go through a series of interviews with the agency.  Our case worker said that if all goes as planned we could expect to be on a WAITING LIST in 6-8 weeks (well 6-7 now!) THAT’S SO EXCITING!  I just want to be there.  I want to be waiting on a child.  Knowing that we have to ‘pass’ all these tests is stressful.  I will be so happy to have that off our shoulders & just…wait.

Thanks to all of you who are waiting with us & following us along this journey! 

 

~Brooke