A Little Hope Along the Way

We were recently at a wedding and struck up a conversation with the couple, complete strangers, sitting next to us.  They had the college aged son with them.  We chatted a bit and it came up that we were a waiting adoptive family.  I'm not really surprised that it came up since I usually fit it into every conversation I can.  You just never know.  Anyway, that nice college aged son they had with him, they adopted him.  Through LSS.  How do you like them apples!?

Adoptive Parents, They Stick Together

I honestly can't believe how many emails we've received from adoptive parents that saw our story on WCCO or through a post on Facebook.  We received so much encouragement from them...families shared their struggles and poured their hearts out in these emails, I received links to their blogs and photos of their families.  Some even commented that they don't share some of this information with their friends.  I decided that adoptive parents are kindred spirits, they root for one another, support one another and have a special bond.  I am hopeful and feel very blessed that someday I will get to officially join the adoptive parent club.

I have several friend (some new and some that I have known for years) that have adopted and they've been amazing resources to me.  I've called some at the height of stress and they always calm my nerves, listen and understand.

I've also been fortunate to be in contact with some women that are patiently waiting to grow their families through adoption.  I spent quite a bit of time chatting online with one the other night, it was so great to connect and share our stories....it made me feel so normal.  (If that is even possible!!)  :)

Tonight I read through and responded to a few of the adoptive parents that recently emailed us.  I feel uplifted and hopeful.

A few comments that really stood out:

The only time adoption does not work is when you give up. Never give up as you just do not know when you will find your child.


To say we're overjoyed at what God has given us -- the opportunity to experience a birth and pregnancy AND adoption -- doesn't begin to describe our emotions.


I hope this offers even more support and bursts open your heart with joy and anticipation at what God has in store for you and your family. 





I'm thankful for these connections.

The Adoptive Family Network

The other day we got a new "like" on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/ThompsonFamilyAdoption.  I don't know her personally, but I knew exactly who she is.  She was in the waiting families book and recently was placed with a baby.  Do I sound like a crazy woman?  Probably.  Anyway, she has a unique name and their profile struck a chord with me because they also have a biological son.  They've suffered devastating losses, it truly broke my heart when I read their profile.  I noticed when they moved to the "congratulations" section of the list and was so happy for them!  In fact, I think I may have referenced it on this blog.

She read the article about us in the Fargo/Moorhead newspaper and wanted to reach out to us.  Amazing.

Over the past two weeks Jamie and I have been in contact with many adoptive families, their stories are all so different, but all have shared a similar ending: IT WAS WORTH IT!

When we had our miscarriages I felt like I was initiated into a club that I never wanted to join.  Now I feel like I've been blessed to join a new club, one with hope, possibilities, understanding and support.  It's like a group of kindred spirits.  Good stuff.

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!!

Seriously, what are the odds?

So, I went back to crabby on Saturday.  No idea why.  And, I HATE crabby.  But I was.  Poor Jamie.  Good thing he loves me so much!
Anyway, so I went on my crabby ways and a relative stopped over with his friend.  So I acted not crabby for a while.  We were chatting about her kids and taking about Griffin and I mentioned that we were a waiting adoptive family (As you can tell by now we seriously TELL everyone that will listen--who knows who will make the connection for us!?).  Then she goes on to tell me that her oldest son is adopted.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  Randomly comes over to sprinkle hope all over me.  LOVE IT!  Then she tells me that they were considering adoption again when she miraculously, naturally got pregnant with twin girls.  Get our of town.  It was like the hope fairy came for a visit.  So, my crabbiness departed (it did make a sneak appearance later) and I was able to smile thinking of how happy and proud this women was of her three children that all arrived to her in miraculous ways.  I can't wait to see how our story unfolds.

At the Waterpark

Griffin, a friend, her daughter and I had a great two day trip to the cities. We did lots of fun kid things...including sliding, lazy rivering, drifting, tubing and splashing at an awesome waterpark. I noticed a family there with three beautiful children, one looked to be about 6, the other two about two. But the two weren't twins, the girl was Caucasian and the boy was African American. I started chatting with the mom because I figured she was a kindred spirit, ya know, another women that had been "through it" to grow her family. She told me that her oldest boy was conceived through IVF, they adopted the second oldest from Ethiopia, he was three and they brought him home last October. In the mean time they got unexpectedly pregnant-which they were told would likely never happen. She smiled and said it was a tough road, but they made it...she said it's kinda like labor...you hold your baby and the pain subsides and you know it was all worth it. She was so sweet and sincere. She wished us the best on our journey and thanked me for the nice chat. I looked over to see her two youngest hand in hand walking up the steps to go down a slide. Siblings brought together by adoption. What a beautiful sight.