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

 

 

Goodbye 2013!

Hey y'all, Kevin here.  Just sitting here awaiting my rice to finish for our Taco Salad, ["it's really just like Nachos right?" Direct quote from Brooke (insert a teasing wink here).]

I'm catching up on what all my friends are saying on Facebook and being New Year's Eve some are sad to see this year go, some can't wait to send it out with Roman candles.  I'm left with a feeling of excitement but also a feeling of numbness.  Maybe it's the fact that the DRASTIC Tennessee winter has left me feeling "exhausted" or maybe it's my own recap, but this year has been a period of growth but growth isn't ever easy.  This time last year we were still reeling from our news of infertility and 'where we do we go now?'  At years end we have selected Bethany as our agency for adoption and today we had our meeting with our "case worker", which seems crazy.

It's not an easy path we've chosen but it's one that we both agree will lead us to a fuller life. Thank you friends who have helped us in 2013 and now on to more awesome things for 2014.  Lots of love from the Maschmeier clan.  Happy New Year and we're praying lots of blessings for you all!
- Kevin

with a song recommendation from Brooke:
'What Would I Do Without You' - Drew Holcombe & the Neighbors

Tins for Tots!

For Christmas, we partnered with friends of ours who are also adopting & decided to do a Christmas fundraiser.  What’s one of the best things about the holidays?  D-E-S-S-E-R-T!   We didn’t advertise the fundraiser, but with just a simple word-of-mouth strategy, we asked our friends & co-workers if they’d be interested in purchasing treats. 

We decided to call it ‘Tins for Tots’ (<<thanks Kathe Legg).  Sign-ups lasted about a month & by December 13^th we had 91 orders! We felt the love with every additional order placed. 

How many cookies does it take to fill 91 holiday tins, you ask?  Well…hundreds…& maybe add another couple hundred to that! 

We had many gracious friends help us not only make additional treats, but to also load all of these tins!

 

Jaye not only made cookies, she also helped cover some pretzels in chocolate on the fly! 

 

Krista & Adria

(I promise we didn’t sample any of these goodies while we worked!!!!!!)

 

 Jesse helped make the marshmallows & then we just organized an assembly line to fill all the tins.

 

What started out as a simple cookie tin idea, developed into tins full of not only cookies but Buckeye’s, marshmallows, & chocolate-covered pretzels.

 

 

After every last treat was distributed & all the tins delivered,  we raised $1,600 towards our adoptions.  How cool is that?!? 

Learn more about the Aguirre's & follow their adoption story!

Thank you to everyone who ordered tins!  We hope you had a **sweet** holiday season!

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

Holidays are usually hard...well they have been for a few years now. You find happy moments, you learn to smile & schedule every waking moment with 'something' to make time slip by faster. It's how you cope.

This was a great holiday for us & I'm so lucky to share it with him. We started a movie marathon on Christmas Eve & stayed in our PJ's all day. Trevor & Blake came over for dinner. We laughed 'til we cried, ate too much food & all but fell asleep on the dining table.

It's moments like these that make our holidays special. It seems like a big production for 2 adults to sit around a tree & open presents. To watch Christmas cartoons that we've seen hundreds of times. But you do it because it's the holidays.

My dad said this would be the last quiet Christmas for us & I don't know if that's true. I can't allow myself to believe that, but it's a nice idea. I bought Kevin a little fortune-telling book of names & we flipped through each page. I gave him a DVD of An American Tail & he said, 'our kids will love to watch this some day.' We allow ourselves these little moments in moderation because our hopes have the tendency to get away from us.

I enjoyed seeing our family via Skype & got a laugh over our niece & nephew opening the presents we sent them. We'll have Christmas with them next month & it'll be awesome to see them in person.  I loved seeing friends & their children opening presents. First Christmases, new toys, snowmen & first bikes. Thank you for sharing these moments with us.

We annoyed everyone with photos of our Koola & Khloe because they're our kids & no one better argue with me. :) They kept us entertained all day.  For all of these moments, I'm thankful.

In one of my favorite Christmas films, Rosemary & Bing sing the words: 'When you can't sleep count your blessings instead of sheep.' That's what I'm doing now & it's therapeutic in ways I never imagined. I'm so grateful for Christmas & the ability to be in awe of something bigger than I am. I hope & pray that I can hold on to this spirit of thanksgiving throughout the coming months.

My hope is that you all have a wonderful holiday & an exciting new year. I hope that 2014 will be full of new experiences, fresh starts & wonderful memories. Kiss your spouse, hug your kids & have some fun. Don't take a single moment for granted.

Merry Christmas, friends!

Brooke

Tupperware Fundraiser!

If there's one thing I love, it's kitchen organization. I'm seriously not kidding. Buying canisters & storage containers is just about as fun as buying school supplies for me!

Again, we are very grateful for those reaching out & offering to help us bring a new little Masch into our lives. So just in time for Christmas, we're hosting a big fundraiser & it'll run through December 15th!  40% of every purchase will go towards our adoption.  How cool is that?!

Follow the link below to shop & maybe to entice you a little more, we have some awesome prizes for those who place an order!

Prize drawing #1: place an order & you'll be entered to win a Crystal Wave bowl set. (Not pictured, sorry.)

Prize drawing #2: place an order of $25 or more & you will be entered to win 1 of 2 prizes: a travel case or an entertaining tray. (So 2 winners total!)

Prize drawing #3: place an order of $50 or more & you will be entered to win 1 of 2 prizes: a bread keeper or a set of 4 plates & bowls. (2 winners at the $50 level too!)

At the close of the party, we will draw names for each prize (1 prize per winner...let's spread the love, people!) & we will mail the prizes out.

I'm telling y'all, Tupperware has some amazing products & their quality makes them last for years. It's a great investment to keep your food stored in safe, efficient products. (Some of my fave products are the FridgeSmart containers, the Crystal Wave microwave bowl, & these handy dandy cups:

Here's the link to our party:
http://order.tupperware.com/pls/htprod_www/!twx$eparty_ctl.p_guest_welcome?pv_eparty=eb8e228c6536c3985d9dc109d7e55f00
(There's a gray banner with Kevin's name towards the top of this page.  To the right, inside the banner, you will see a link that says 'shop this fundraiser'.  Click that & your order will be included!)

Share this with your friends & remember to get your orders in by December 15th!