I've heard this phrase a lot, actually I mean A LOT, in the past several years. "Things will work out in God's timing." "Just be patient, your family will grow in God's time." "Remember you are not in control, it's all in God's time." I agree. But sometimes I get confused. For example, should we not have applied for adoption, because if we are supposed to have another baby it will happen in God's time? Or, because we felt lead/drawn to adoption is that OK? What about adoption outreach? We were just waiting, our profile was in the book and we felt like at some point we'd get picked by the "right" family. By doing outreach, are we not trusting God and His timing, or is He leading us to do outreach because it's how we will get matched with the right family? See what I mean!?
I think I'll just go ride the wave (Thanks, Jodi!) and try not to over analyze this (If you've met met you are probably thinking, good luck with that!!)!
It will all work out...in God's timing.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Monthly Check In
About once a month I check the LSS infant adoption blog to see the recent articles, events and stats they've posted and I look at web page of waiting families. This check in I saw the family that I believe has been waiting the longest in the "matched" section. I am SO happy for them!!
Intensity and Momentum
Since "launching" our Facebook page there has been a different level of intensity and momentum related to our adoption journey. The quiet waiting period seems to be long gone, and my emotions are heightened. The funny thing is that I'm not jumping at the phone to ring, but rather I'm contemplating ways to better share our story. I want to keep the momentum for the Facebook page going, yet I don't want to bombard people with requests to like or share our page. The potential for a TV interview is on my brain, which is an AMAZING opportunity, but I'm not going to lie, it's overwhelming, too. Promoting ourselves just seems weird. Uncomfortable, unnatural and humbling. I'd really love for all of this to be easier, to be normal, to not have to work so hard for so many years to have a baby.
In the end I need to remember that the more people that know our story, the better our chances of a match.
In the past week and a half, I've had some interactions that have helped me to accept and embrace our outreach efforts. I'm doing my best to tell myself that I should enjoy this process because it's the story of bringing our next baby to our family.
As I was nervously chatting with a co-worker about our potential interview and mentioned it to a couple of other co-workers that were close by. Their genuine excitement helped me to realize that instead of having nervous energy, I needed to focus on positive energy.
After a shopping date at Target with my boys, I ran to the mall to pick up one more thing. I ended up spending more time there than I expected (what a surprise!) and as I was walking out, walking in was a friend who has both a biological and adopted son. We never run into each other except when we plan lunch dates. It was so good to catch up with her and share our recent updates. Watching her boys together was so, so, so inspiring. She told me as they were walking in, the youngest was holding the oldest's arm and said, "I love you brother!" Oh, I can't wait!
I had a lunch event for work today. I walked in and saw a friend that I used to volunteer with and don't get to see very often anymore. She told me that she loved our adoption Facebook page and that she had no idea we were adopting. She commented that she couldn't imagine a more loving family for a baby. So, sweet.
Thank goodness for these types of interactions! They keep me as focused as I can be on what's important: the support, the positive and the possibilities.
I'll keep living with the intensity and will try to keep up the momentum, because in the end, it will bring our baby home.
In the end I need to remember that the more people that know our story, the better our chances of a match.
In the past week and a half, I've had some interactions that have helped me to accept and embrace our outreach efforts. I'm doing my best to tell myself that I should enjoy this process because it's the story of bringing our next baby to our family.
As I was nervously chatting with a co-worker about our potential interview and mentioned it to a couple of other co-workers that were close by. Their genuine excitement helped me to realize that instead of having nervous energy, I needed to focus on positive energy.
After a shopping date at Target with my boys, I ran to the mall to pick up one more thing. I ended up spending more time there than I expected (what a surprise!) and as I was walking out, walking in was a friend who has both a biological and adopted son. We never run into each other except when we plan lunch dates. It was so good to catch up with her and share our recent updates. Watching her boys together was so, so, so inspiring. She told me as they were walking in, the youngest was holding the oldest's arm and said, "I love you brother!" Oh, I can't wait!
I had a lunch event for work today. I walked in and saw a friend that I used to volunteer with and don't get to see very often anymore. She told me that she loved our adoption Facebook page and that she had no idea we were adopting. She commented that she couldn't imagine a more loving family for a baby. So, sweet.
Thank goodness for these types of interactions! They keep me as focused as I can be on what's important: the support, the positive and the possibilities.
I'll keep living with the intensity and will try to keep up the momentum, because in the end, it will bring our baby home.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Outreach
Our outreach efforts have truly given us so much hope. We're very inspired by the support we've received and are thankful to have friends and family helping us to spread the word. I know some people have truly gone out of their comfort zone to help us share our story.
Within one week, our Facebook page received 184 likes and was shared by at least 30 people. (https://www.facebook.com/#!/ThompsonFamilyAdoption) I wish that if you liked the post I made, it automatically liked our Facebook adoption page, too, because I noticed some people liked my post, but not our page. Oh well! The important thing is getting the word out!! Our adoption website has had over 200 new hits. It's encouraging to think that more people are aware of our desire to adopt, and will hopefully mention us if they know of someone considering adoption for their child.
We've received emails and posts from other adoptive parents giving us encouragement. The common thread: It will be worth it!
The hope we've been given through our outreach came at a time where we really needed it. Jamie and I are so thankful, it's put a new spring in our step. Hope is a beautiful thing. Knowing that many are rooting for us warms our hearts.
We've had some additional excitement, too. Some "I know someone stories" that maybe could come to fruition? And this, too: My AMAZING sister-in-law posted our adoption Facebook page on her site (with some very sweet comments), one of Jamie's friends from Dawson saw it. She did some additional outreach for us and the next day WCCO called to see if we'd be interested in doing a story!! We are still working out the details, but there's a good possibility that they will come out next week to interview our family. It's been an emotional week--in a very good way. No matter what happens, we're thankful for the opportunity to tell our story to others...for two reasons: I hope to bring more awareness to that nasty disease called infertility as well as bring a baby to our family. I believe that we'll find the perfect match--a birth family and child that we're meant to share our life with.
Within one week, our Facebook page received 184 likes and was shared by at least 30 people. (https://www.facebook.com/#!/ThompsonFamilyAdoption) I wish that if you liked the post I made, it automatically liked our Facebook adoption page, too, because I noticed some people liked my post, but not our page. Oh well! The important thing is getting the word out!! Our adoption website has had over 200 new hits. It's encouraging to think that more people are aware of our desire to adopt, and will hopefully mention us if they know of someone considering adoption for their child.
We've received emails and posts from other adoptive parents giving us encouragement. The common thread: It will be worth it!
The hope we've been given through our outreach came at a time where we really needed it. Jamie and I are so thankful, it's put a new spring in our step. Hope is a beautiful thing. Knowing that many are rooting for us warms our hearts.
We've had some additional excitement, too. Some "I know someone stories" that maybe could come to fruition? And this, too: My AMAZING sister-in-law posted our adoption Facebook page on her site (with some very sweet comments), one of Jamie's friends from Dawson saw it. She did some additional outreach for us and the next day WCCO called to see if we'd be interested in doing a story!! We are still working out the details, but there's a good possibility that they will come out next week to interview our family. It's been an emotional week--in a very good way. No matter what happens, we're thankful for the opportunity to tell our story to others...for two reasons: I hope to bring more awareness to that nasty disease called infertility as well as bring a baby to our family. I believe that we'll find the perfect match--a birth family and child that we're meant to share our life with.
A Treadmill with a Side of Hope
This past Saturday, the three of us went to the Twin Cities for the day. Our first stop was to check out a treadmill on Craig's List. After trying it out, we walked outside and the woman selling the treadmill said to me, "You mentioned that you two are adopting, I'm adopted." Wow. (Yep, we do tell EVERYONE!) We had a great talk and she told us that her older brother is biological, she said that when they'd get into fights when they were kids, she'd tell him, "They (their parents) HAD to have you, they PICKED me!" I got a kick out of that since I had just heard a similar story secondhand from another friend. It helped me to see that our adopted child/red will see that although their birth story and arrival to our family is different than Griffin's, it's very, very special!
When we came back at night to pick up the treadmill, the woman told me that she called her mom after talking to me and told her our story. She said that they've added us to their prayer list. It's amazing how God continues to lead us to stories of hope to help us during this journey.
As a side note, as soon as we got into the basement where the treadmill was, Griffin ran up to a cool R2D2 toy. After playing with it for a few minutes, the boy that owned the toy told Griffin he could keep it! R2's batteries were missing, so we weren't sure what he could do, but regardless, Griffin loved him! When we put batteries in him the next day, he started talking, "walking" and responding to commands. He's Griffin's new buddy, and we feel that it's held off us adopting a dog for at least another 6 months!
When we came back at night to pick up the treadmill, the woman told me that she called her mom after talking to me and told her our story. She said that they've added us to their prayer list. It's amazing how God continues to lead us to stories of hope to help us during this journey.
As a side note, as soon as we got into the basement where the treadmill was, Griffin ran up to a cool R2D2 toy. After playing with it for a few minutes, the boy that owned the toy told Griffin he could keep it! R2's batteries were missing, so we weren't sure what he could do, but regardless, Griffin loved him! When we put batteries in him the next day, he started talking, "walking" and responding to commands. He's Griffin's new buddy, and we feel that it's held off us adopting a dog for at least another 6 months!
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