Complaining a Bit

I like updating our family blog (The Thompson Family Blog) because it's a great online "history" of our life, and I like writing on this blog (hello free therapy), but I don't enjoy updating our adoption website.  It makes me just want to yawn!  I question if anyone is really looking at it, if someone is really interested I'm guessing they will view our paper profile.  I know it's being viewed at least a little because of the # of visits listed on the site.....but is it just other adoptive parents scanning our site to see what we've done, or actual expecting parents checking us out?  I suppose we could do some outreach and PROMOTE the site, but that kinda scares me.  Getting matched through our agency just seems so "safe" to me. 

Thanks for letting me complain.  This is just a typical case of "I want to do what I want to do and this isn't what I want to do."  Some days I just want a "normal" life where I focus on the kids I have rather than trying to have more.  Wait, that's every day! :)

Celebrating with Others

I have a strange little network of people I've never met that are or have struggled with infertility.  One is through Resolve's online support group.  When I was really struggling with what steps to take to grow our family and needed advice, as well as when I was grieving (OK, that occurs daily, but when I really felt like I couldn't get through it) I turned to the online boards and posted comments.  The women understand and are so supportive.

You know I am emotional.  My heart easily swells or breaks for others.  Let's call it compassion.

I don't go on the boards frequently now, but check in from time to time.  Many of the women that I "met" that were struggling with infertility now have babies. 

One story really got me--it was about a family that applied for adoption, and so did their close friends...through the same agency.  The same birth mother met with both of them and selected their friends.  I can't imagine.  They were hurt, but accepted this with grace.  Their friends baby was born, bitter sweet.  Then, just like that, they got a call that they were matched!  I read this and welled up with tears.  I've never met the couple and likely won't ever, but it moved me.  It's so good to see others dreams come true.  And, it makes me realize how quickly things can change....for the better.

On that note, I better go get some work done.  Ya never know when we'll get a call, I gotta get movin'!

Talk about timing!

Wow....look at what I got in the mail today!  You know that fabuloso wedding I got to be in last September?  I got a wonderful gift from the bride and groom today, my good friends Ann and Jordi!  Check it out, a black frame!  So, I headed upstairs and hung it right up on our family photo wall.  We call our friends family around these parts! 

How perfect is that!?

Annie wrote the sweetest write up about me and our relationship on their wedding website, she printed that and included it behind the photo, incredibly thoughtful and so special! 

See, the photo wall is already expanding!  (Yes, I realize how many frames are crooked right now, I'll work on that...someday!)

 

To Do List

I put together a little to do list to "keep us busy" (as if we are bored!) as we wait.  I thought I'd blog about our progress on our to do list to keep track of what we did while we waited for our baby.  Most of the list focuses on our home and capturing family memories.

To do list item #1: Create a family photo wall.  Here's what I did today:

Obviously, it needs LOTS of help!  Only a few of the photos you see are of our family, so I am setting out to find the perfect photos for the frames.  I'm planning to print them all in black and white, and am hoping that quite a few will be "old" photos.  The top right photo is of Jamie's Grandma Jean, so, so cute!  I'll add more frames in the future (of course, we hope we'll be able to add a photo of the next Baby T to our family photo wall someday!).  It will be fun to see how this expands in the future.

I had all of the frames already (yes, I have quite the decor stock in our basement) and the family sign was a gift we received for Christmas. 

In the frame below the family sign, I plan to do a little scrapping type collage.  I'm starting with a fun last name collage, I found the details on how to make it on a great blog, Full of Great Ideas, you can find it here.

Here's what I made:

Uh-oh, now I am itching to make the collage and dig up old photos.  But, motherhood is calling, so I better go pay attention to that cute curly haired little boy I get to call my son!

The New Year

Here we are, happily landed into 2012.  We had a terrific New Year's Eve at our home with great friends.  I've been able to have some quality time with a few "old" friends lately and it's been wonderful...spending time with them feels like home.

This year I have many things I'd like to do.  Get more organized.  Kick the nail biting habit.  Drop 10 more pounds.  Worry less.  Enjoy more.  Create healthier habits, and keep them.  HAVE ANOTHER BABY.

I saw this the other day and had to save it.  I think I'm there, and it feels good:



When Jamie and I were first married and ran into kinks, we'd comment that we've "growing and learning".  Years later, we still are.   Our past has made us better.  I'm certain we still have lots more growing and learning to do!

A perpetual calendar that I got from the ladies at work after we lost our baby last January has a great blessing for today: "May you look forward to the year ahead with an unwavering confidence in God--He loves you more than you can imagine, wants you to live out the dreams He put in your heart, and cheers you on to fulfill His purpose for you."

So that's how that strong desire to have more children got in there, God put it in my heart!  I hope that this year allows me to fulfill more of my purpose, whatever that is!  (It's a little scary to put that in writing, because I know what I WANT my purpose to be, but He may have other ideas!!)

Happy 2012!