Referral Projects

Now that we have our referral and have completed the next round of paperwork, I am now highly motivated to tackle 2 projects that have just been sitting in a corner waiting on me.

As I mentioned earlier, I am a scrapbook fiend! I absolutely love it and it totally relaxes me. I especially love going to crop parties at my favorite store Archivers. The people there energize me and watching their creativity at work gives me such good ideas for things that I would never think to do. Unfortunately with life, work, & classes that I took at the local community college during the '09-'10 school year, I haven't cropped anything in almost a year!! But that's all about to change!! Back in the spring I found the perfect photo album that I affectionately call The Adoption Scrapbook. I can't wait to get started :-)

Before scrapbooking/cropping was ever a thought though, I used to crochet. I learned about 10 years ago (Wow! It's been that long!) when I used to work as a police dispatcher in the Radio Room. Crocheting was one of the only crafts that we were allowed to do on our down time. My mom crocheted for years. She made some amazing blankets when I was a little girl. I still have one that I cuddle up in when I'm watching TV. I never thought I would be a person who liked to crochet but I love it. So here's the blanket that I'm working on for Baby E.

I got it started just enough to make sure that I could follow the pattern.

 Stay tuned for the results :-)

Referral Packet, The "Other" Call, My daughter

All 3 of these things happened this past week....not necessarily in that order. Maybe it's best to start at the beginning.

Monday we had our call with Emily for the "Transition Plan" phone call. It was so informative. So much to think about. I have yet to read all of the articles that she sent me.  That afternoon our Referral Packet came via UPS. We were so excited that we went out for Ethiopian that night! (We have been going out for Ethiopian at least once a week for the last 9 or 10 months. I'm a pro at eating it, just not cooking it....yet). Our friends there were so excited for us. We wasted no time at all signing paperwork!

The next morning I sent a text message to my neighbor, friend, Lisa asking her to notarize our documents. She was able to come over that evening. What a blessing she has been to us!!

Wednesday morning on the way to work, I stopped at CVS for some throat lozenges. I frequent this particular CVS, so when the A.M. employee sees me, we usually exchange pleasantries.  While I'm cashing out at the register, we start chit-chatting and before I could realize what I was saying, it was coming out of my face: "You want to see a picture of my daughter?" Of course I pushed the pictures in his face before he could even think to respond. I jabbered on, he made a couple of nice comments and I'm off to work. While I was at work I was able to fax the paperwork to our Social Worker that she needed to sign.

Our letter from the International Pediatrician finally arrived on Thursday. That evening I scanned all of the Referral Packet documents for our files.

Friday afternoon during my lunch break, I mailed off the referral packet. As I'm making sure that I'm writing the address down correctly, I looked up at the lady behind the counter and said "You know, that's my daughter."  Once again it just came out of my face.

My daughter. It's a phrase that's been 40+ years in the making. At one point in my life I didn't think I would ever have children. This adoption process has been long. For over 18 months, it's just been paperwork, phone calls, interviews, and e-mails. And even though we now have a picture of Baby E it still seems surreal. We're here. She's way over there. We've been preparing our hearts and minds. We've been preparing our house. But she has no clue who we are or what we're about. At what point is she truly my daughter? At the beginning of the process? Officially on the waitlist? Referral acceptance? Seeing her picture? I've wanted this for so many years. Have I wanted it too long? So long that now I don't know how to truly accept it? It's been at arm's length for so long and now she's almost in my arms....just a couple of months away. My daughter. I have to keep saying it over and over again. Get used to saying it and get used to hearing myself say it. My daughter. It's a new concept for me. But I like it. I like it a lot. And now I have a face to go along with the phrase. Everything takes time, huh? And with God's perfect timing, I guess everything will be alright.

It's 11 19!

It's a phrase Hubby and I have been saying to each other everyday for the last 9 years.

We met under pretty sad circumstances; a mutual friend of ours' mother passed away just a few weeks after we met. November 19, 2001 was the first time we kissed each other.

Since that day, we have been inseparable. Twice a day since that first kiss, we make sure that we recognize the time of 11:19. We'll call and talk to each other or leave a voicemail or send each other a text at that time. During the times that we are together, we'll shout out "It's 11:19!" and then kiss and hug. We can get pretty corny and goober-like but that's how we keep the fun in our marriage. We'll make up songs and talk about how Baby E will be a goober just like us one day :-)

It doesn't matter where we are or what we're doing, we make time for 11 19. Add all that to us also getting engaged on this date and you can understand why today is an especially important day for us. Today, it doesn't matter what time it is, it's 11 19 ALL day!

All my love to my one and only sweetheart, husband, best friend. I look forward to millions more "It's 11:19!" as we grow old together. I love you :-)

The Newest "little" Mancini

So I realize that many of you have been waiting to hear the details of our Referral Call. In all honesty, the call came as a complete surprise. But there's a good reason for that. Here's how the past week went:

On Monday I already had scheduled the day off from work. John was working that day. There was no anticipation of receiving The Phone Call that day. I had decided not to let that anxious feeling get the best of me, so I put it out of my head. I had changed the ringtone of AGCI to that Motown song "My Girl".

Tuesday evening around dinnertime I was sitting in front on the tv when the cell phone rang. It was a regular ring tone so when I looked down and saw *AGCI Brandi* I stopped for a second and caught my breath. Oh Boy!! Is this it!! John's not home yet. Answer the call already!! It was the follow-up phone call to the e-mail stating that we are officially #1. We had great conversation and at the end of the conversation discussed age parameters. I was seriously considering changing them from 6 to 24 months to 0 to 24 months. As soon as we got off the phone I called and talked to John about it. He was fine with it as well and we both had great peace about the whole thing. Later that evening I e-mailed my social worker about filing an addendum to revise the age parameters.

Wednesday morning I followed up my e-mail to the social worker with a phone call and left a voicemail. My day went along as usual. When I got home there was no answered e-mail or voicemail from my social worker. However Brandi had been sending me e-mail to follow up on the addendum paperwork.

Thursday......just like any other day. Feeling a bit excited that the age parameters were going to be changed, thereby quickening the referral call. I left work  a little bit after 5 pm with my granddaughter K in the car. We were on the road for about 10 minutes when I felt the phone vibrating underneath my leg. As I looked at it and saw *AGCI Brandi* I was not at all phased. I just thought Brandi wanted to talk to me more about age parameters, social worker, anything other than a referral. But then she said those words:
"Do you have a few minutes, I'd like to talk to you about a little girl?"
Me: Brandi, are you serious?
B: Yes.
Me: What!? Oh my God! AAHHHHHHH!! (yes I actually squealed on the phone)
B: (laughing her butt off at me)
Me: I'm on my way home from work.
B: So I guess you're not near a computer then, huh?
Me: No. I'm about 30 minutes from home. I just left work a few minutes ago.
B: Okay. Do you want me to tell you a little bit about her and then you can call me once you get home?
Me: Uh, no, better not. I'm still aways from home and I have my granddaughter in the car with me and I need to focus on the road. If you start talking to me I won't concentrate on driving and that's not safe.
B: I agree. Okay. Give me a call once you get home.

We hung up and I immediately called John. He was at a friend's place during his lunch break having coffee. I screamed into the phone "We have a Reeefffferrrraaaallll!!" I was screaming so loud he couldn't understand a word I was saying. I had to say it 3 or 4 times for it to register in his mind. He then went back to his substation to get approval to get the rest of his shift off.

My granddaughter K was looking at me like I had lost my mind. "Na-na, are you okay? (she's 4 1/2). Once I explained that we could see pictures of the baby she was as excited as us. "Oh I wish I could see pictures of the baby!!" So she came over too.

When we got home it was about 5:40. I turned on the computer, let the dogs out, fed them, let them back out, and gave K her markers and coloring books. I called John to see where he was. He was making his way home. I decided not to call Brandi back until he got home. When he got home at 6:20, I called Brandi back. Voicemail. Called again. Voicemail. For 35 minutes I got her voicemail. I started panicking. Are we going to talk to her tonight? When they close at 4, is she going to go home? Oh man, we're going to have to wait till tomorrow, or worse yet, Monday for the referral. I was panicking, hitting the send/receive button on the computer every 15 seconds, hoping for something, anything to pop up. At 6:58 pm EST, my cell phone rang. It was Brandi. Thank God! At this point, John wasn't home. He was taking K home. Fortunately she only lives 30 seconds away. At 7:03 pm we were finally both listening to Brandi tell us about our little girl.

So, she's 9 months old. she's beautiful. She's healthy. She looks like me a little bit. Georgeous smile. Perfect. She arrived at HH on 11/9/10.

First thing Friday morning I made an appointment with an International Pediatrician at Children's Hospital. John and I were both able to get time off to make the appointment. We were so excited about the doctor's report, all good news. All day I showed my coworkers her picture. I was on such a high. Felt great! That night John and I filled out the Transition Plan. We got it notarized tonight and tomorrow it's going to be scanned and e-mailed to AGCI. On Monday we have our other Referral call with Emily. Very busy 3 days and interestingly enough we still have not received our referral packet in the mail even though we should have gotten it on Friday.

We are so excited and yet it still is a bit surreal. Praise God that He already has her in a home where she is loved and well taken care of. I'm excited about getting to meet her in a few months. We have been asked though, not to show any pictures or give any identifying information of her until she is home with us.

Thank you to everyone who was praying especially hard for us in the last several days. God heard you and answered accordingly. Now it's time to celebrate :-)

Thankful

The very last part of the day has been a little difficult for me. A few ups and downs:

Up: Officially

       #1 on the girls waitlist (6-24 months)
Up: I won an Israel Houghton CD from Angela http://hunts4adoption.blogspot.com/ Thanks girl! :-)

Up & Down: My #2 buddy received her referral phone call for her baby girl (YAY) and we're still waiting (SNIFFLES).

A few days ago my coworker/friend posted a challenge on FB to those who could find something to be thankful for every day for the month of November. This is what I have to be thankful for:

November 1: I am thankful to come home to a roof over my head and food in the cupboards.

November 2: I am thankful that I can hear my alarm clock in the morning, hear my granddaughter ring the door bell when she gets dropped off every morning, & listen to my praise music on the way to work.

November 3: I'm thankful that I can put one foot in front of the other without the aid of a crutch, cane, walker or wheelchair...and without any pain!

Today:
I'm thankful that after 7 years of marriage, my husband and I still enjoy each other's company and can make each other laugh.

Halloween Day

This isn't the Halloween Day that happened yesterday. This happened at my school last Thursday, the 28th. It was also our Trick-or-Treat night. I had been debating on what I was going to dress up as for Halloween. I'm not one to dress up and do all of that. Didn't do it last year either. But I really wanted to relish these kinds of moments because I knew it would be the last Halloween with my kiddos.

I looked online everywhere, trying to find something that was reasonably priced because John and I are on a Financial Peace Budget, obeying the word of God and sticking to it. At work 10 days ago, I mentioned all this to my co-teacher. I told her I wanted us to do something together. She agreed and already had these costumes (in storage) ready for us to wear.

This was the only day where the kids did not have to call us Mrs. Heather and Mrs. Shannon. Take a guess....Here's 2 clues: 1) Dr. Suess 2) Cat in the Hat

Figure it out yet?

We were SO comfortable...like being in our PJs all day!

It was around 50 degrees outside, but I gotta tell you, we were feeling no pain :-)