Happy Father's Day

© Jenny White Photography

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful dad! He is such a great guy that so many people love. I've been so blessed to have him as my father.

A friend of mine once told me that if she ever has to have bad news delivered to her, she wants my dad to be the person to do it. Simply because he has such a calm, easy approach to things. That's just the kind of man that he is.

And it's true, he really is good at delivering bad news! He does our taxes every year and knew this year we were really counting on a big refund, so we could put it towards our adoption fund. Well, he ended up having to tell us that we were actually going to owe $800-$900. Ouch! But he delivered the news so kindly. You could tell he was just as sad about it as we were.

He is such a great and Godly man. He's always been there for his kids and I know he always will be. Again, I am so blessed to be able to call him my father. Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Home Study - ☑ Done!

I usually update our puzzle on Thursday's, but we didn't sell any pieces for Week 10, so this will just be an adoption update.

Yesterday we had our official home study with the adoption agency's social worker. Besides the fear of a birthmother changing her mind after birth, the home study is probably the most nerve racking part of adoption. But as most things go, the stressful anticipation was worse than the actual home study itself.

Our home study only lasted an hour. With everything I've throughly researched (aka, Googled) about home studies, I was under the impression that we would be interviewed together and separately. But she simply asked us a few basic questions together.

She asked us our parents and siblings names, occupations, where they live, etc. She asked us to describe each other's personalities, what our hobbies are, etc. Then she asked really random questions such as how we divide up household chores, what our strengths and weaknesses are in our marriage, and how we resolve fights. Although there were some weird questions, everything was surprisingly easy to answer and went over very smoothly.

After the Q&A was over, she asked for us to give her a tour of our home. That lasted about, oh, two minutes. Which made me feel pretty silly about getting up at 5:00am that morning to finish all the tiny details of cleaning. There was definitely no white glove inspection.

After the tour we sat and chit-chatted for about five minutes and then she left. Easy peasy!

We are now what the adoption community calls "Paper Pregnant". This means that all of our paperwork is done and we're just waiting for a match. I selfishly hope that we don't have too long of a wait, but I know that God's timing is perfect. I can't wait to see what He has in store for us!

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Adoptions Costs
*Application fee - $500
*Postage for mailing application - $4.95
*Profile photobooks - $108.92
*Fingerprint cards - $20
*Copay for physicals - $25
*Postage for mailing paperwork - $1.28
*Postage for mailing paperwork - $1.08
*Home study - $1,000
Running Total - $1,661.23

3 Years Strong

Photo Credit: Jenny White Photography

3 years ago today I married my best friend. I know everyone says that and I don't want to sound cliched or cheesy, but it's just so true. The hubs is my absolute best friend. He is the one I want to talk to when I'm happy, sad, frustrated, or mad. He is the one I want to share my most exciting and most boring moments with. He is the one that I want to say goodnight to every evening.

Infertility has already put us through so many trials in our short marriage. This is probably a strong reason why infertility often dissolves marriages. But our marriage is stronger because of it and I believe that has a lot to do with him.

We do have some fun things planned for this weekend, but this evening will be a little more low-key. It will be spent focusing on preparing for our adoption homestudy tomorrow. And really, I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing with him tonight. I believe it's a great representation of the support he's been with our past of infertility and the optimistic encouragement he's been with our future of adoption. I am so blessed to walk through life hand-in-hand with this man.

And now for a quick trip down photo memory lane... I can't help myself!

Our very first picture together when we met.

The proposal!

In shock.

One of my favorite wedding pictures. (Photo Credit: Jenny White Photography)

Photo Credit: Jenny White Photography

We're home owners! And yes, we did move during an insane snow storm.

Probably my favorite picture I have of us.

There's not a day that goes where he doesn't make me laugh.

Puzzle Update & Adoption Update

Okay, I got slightly behind on blogging last week, so this will be a puzzle update and a small adoption update.

Last week, for Week 9, we sold 12 puzzle pieces! That makes for 219 pieces put together total. We were able to finish our second heart square and are now onto the third one. Only 788 pieces to go!

Now, as for a small adoption update... A few weeks ago I told you there was birthmom looking at our profile who was due with a boy on July 2nd. Well, it looks like that situation isn't going to pan out. The email I got from our adoption agency said that "she wants to try to parent the child." The agency worker was very sweet and encouraged us to stay positive. She said they have many other options around the corner. She ended the email by saying, "Your baby is coming!"

I believe her. And I also believe that God has our child chosen already. But I also know I don't wanna have to go through these back-and-forth feelings over and over again. That could get emotionally tiring very quickly. Blech. But I will just pray and hope for the best, knowing that God has this all mapped out perfectly.

And for another quick update, we have our official homestudy this Wednesday. Eek! I'm definitely super nervous. This is where the social worker with our agency comes over to our home to make sure it's safe, clean, family-sufficient, etc. She will also extensively interview the hubs and I together and seperately. The whole process will probably last 3-4 hours. It's slightly nerve-racking, to say the least.

But once that is done, all of our legal paperwork will be completed. At that point we will be what the adoption community calls "Paper Pregnant". We will just be sitting back and waiting for a match. I can't wait!

Sunday Song

"The Power of Your Name" Lincoln Brewster

Surely children weren't made for the streets

And fathers were not made to leave

Surely this isn't how it should be

Let Your kingdom come

Surely nations were not made for war

Or the broken meant to be ignored

Surely this just can't be what You saw

Let Your Kingdom come here in my heart

And I will live to carry Your compassion, to love a world that's broken

To be Your hands and feet

And I will give with the life that I've been given

And go beyond religion to see the world be changed

By the power of Your name

The power of Your name

Surely life wasn't made to regret

And the lost were not made to forget

Surely faith without action is dead

Let Your kingdom come, Lord, break this heart

And I will live to carry Your compassion, to love a world that's broken

To be Your hands and feet

And I will give with the life that I've been given

And go beyond religion to see the world be changed

By the power of Your name

The power of Your name

Jesus, Your name is a shelter for the hurting

Your name is a refuge for the weak

Only Your name can redeem the undeserving

Jesus, Your name hold everything I need

And I will live to carry Your compassion, to love a world that's broken

To be Your hands and feet

And I will give with the life that I've been given

And go beyond religion to see the world be changed

By the power of Your name

And I will love to carry Your compassion, to love a world that's broken

To be Your hands and feet

And I will give with the life that I've been given

And go beyond religion to see the world be changed

By the power of Your name

The power of Your name

(The power of Your name)

The power of Your name

The power of Your name

The power of Your name

(Jesus, Jesus, the power of Your name)

The power of Your name

(Jesus, Jesus, the power of Your name)

Sunday Song

"In Christ Alone"

In Christ alone, my hope is found.

He is my light, my strength, my song.

This Cornerstone, this solid ground,

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace;

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease;

My Comforter, my All in All,

Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, who took on flesh,

Fullness of God in helpless babe.

This gift of love and righteousness,

Scorned by the ones He came to save.

'Til on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied.

For every sin on Him was laid,

Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay.

Light of the world by darkness slain.

Then bursting forth in glorious Day,

Up from the grave He rose again.

And as He stands in victory,

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me.

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

On Christ the solid Rock I stand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,

This is the power of Christ in me.

From life's first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No power of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand.

'Til He returns or calls me home,

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

Puzzle Update - Week 8

In Week 8 we sold 6 puzzle pieces! That makes for 207 pieces put together total. We're almost done with another little heart picture. This one is of a heart shaped plant in a flower pot. Only 800 pieces to go!