Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is the cleanest, friendliest city I've ever visited! Everything (buildings, streets, etc...) is immaculate. It looks as if they pressure wash it all. The mountains are gorgeous. The city is nestled between two mountain ranges, the Wasatch and the Oquirs. So, you can see the beautiful scenery from any point in the city. Having grown up in the coastal plain of Alabama with millions of acres of pine trees, the view was quite different. There are no tree-lined roads or rich green vegetation. The smell is a more sanitized one, like a hospital, because the flowers are different. The climate is so dry and arid that even though it's not as hot as the desert the plants resemble those I've seen in desert photos. Half the people in Utah live in the Salt Lake City area. Everything is so spread out! The particular building I interview in had large window all the way around it. So, each office I went into had a panoramic view of the mountains. It was breathtaking.

I've been in Utah since Thursday night. What a busy two days! I came out to interview for an elementary education advisor/mentor position with a university. I had five interviews from 10:30 am until 4:00 pm yesterday. I'm so excited about our baby that everytime someone asks me if I have children, I tell them no but we will have one in February. They immediately look at my belly having not noticed that I'm pregnant. I quickly explain that we are adopting. Well, on the four-hour flight from Atlanta to Salt Lake City I sat beside an older lady who had been the host family to nine different birthmothers through the Latter Day Saints. Then, yesterday I met another lady who was a birthmother two years ago. She was so excited to hear that we're adopting. It felt good for me to be able to explain to her how much it means that a complete stranger is willing to carry your child for nine months, endure the pain and suffering that accompanies pregnancy and labor, and then give you a child. I'm sure most of you understand that adoption is very expensive. However, the birthmother gets a very small portion of the expense for her living expenses/medical care. The lady I met has two older children, just like our birthmother. She's also Hispanic, just like our birthmother.

We have a baby!

It's due on Valentine's Day...which was my first date with Kevin. We're so excited. We had a phone conference with the birthmother today. She was very nice, and we were all nervous. As usual, Kevin (and Tammy the Stork) did a wonderful job of buffering the tension. What a wonderful day! We're going to be parents in 4 1/2 months. Please pray that this mother will know what a fantastic, wonderful, magnificent, amazing gift she's giving us.

Kevin and I have been waiting

Kevin and I have been waiting for a birthmother call since Friday.  Those who know me well, understand that I am not the most patient of people.  I run to the phone when it rings to find out if it’s the agency calling.  It’s not.  So far, I’ve resisted the urge to call them.  I’ll wait a couple more days.  I know it will happen at the right time…but geez, I just wish it would hurry up.  At least when you can’t wait for Christmas you know that it’s December 25th.  You know, the funny thing is that even when we’re matched, I’ll change to being anxious for the birthmother to call with updates or for our baby to be born.  No wonder God doesn’t work on our timetable…we’re never satisfied.  

I dream of the day when I can hold our little baby and stare at it for hours.  I love watching all the little children at church.  Several of them run up to me afterward to visit.  Our neighbors across the street, Chris and Lisa, just had a little girl, Kate.  She’s beautiful.  I’ve been over to visit a couple of times.  Two other ladies in the neighborhood are expecting.  I can’t wait to join the motherhood club.  

Since beginning the quest for adoption, there have been good days and bad. It's very much a rollercoaster ride. You want to be excited, but then you're afraid to be. Now I understand how an expectant mother feels when she's excited to be carrying her baby, but afraid that something bad might happen, regardless of how likely the circumstance. I've often said to Kevin that I'd feel better if I had just one little, teeny-weeny, bit of good news. Well, it came yesterday.

First of all, we have a 3rd opportunity for a baby that is due to be born Feb.10. She received our profile yesterday. We are waiting for a conference call to be set up with the birthmother. Based on the background knowledge we have of the mother and her family we feel a really strong connection to her. We know that God will send us the child he plans for us to parent in his time, whether this one is it or not.

Secondly, I have been searching for a job in the field of education that I can do from a home office. I sent in a vitae for one this week. The university I applied to has already called for a phone interview. If all goes well I'll be flying out to meet face-to-face with the Dean of Education in a week or two. It has really good benefits and pay. I'm really excited about it and will share more when I know more. Our phone interview lasted for almost an hour and a half.

I'm gearing up for a big day of football. All is great and wonderful today.

MSO's Broadway Under The Stars Pops Concert

WSFA TV Montgomery, AL - MSO's Broadway Under The Stars Pops Concert

Kevin and I can't wait to enjoy the concert! If you haven't been to this local event before and you're a fan of the symphony, you're missing out.

Liberty Bell

Kevin and I were a little disappointed at how small it was.

We expected it to be much bigger.

Liberty Bell Line

Waiting in line to see the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia

You can't really tell from this picture, but there were people from a plethora of ethnicities. I thought that was such a cool thing. The other cool thing was that the line, though outside, was quiet and respectful. I was proud to see such an expression of respect.

Inside the rainforest section of the Baltimore Aquarium in August.

The adoption process seems to creep along for us this week. We met with our social worker, Jennifer, on Tuesday. I really like her. She seems down to earth. She left us a bunch of papers to complete, financial and otherwise. She comes back in two weeks. She'll meet with Kevin and me together on that visit. We'll have two separate interviews on other occasions and a final meeting together again.

We have to be fingerprinted by the ABI for background check and criminal clearance. One frustrating aspect of that is that my suitability has already been determined by the Alabama Dept. of Ed., but DHR doesn't accept their clearance and vice-verse. What a crock! I still have to pay another $75 to have my prints scanned, even though the same ABI just did it last January. Another aggravating aspect is that Kevin called the ABI yesterday and was passed around for twenty-minutes while he got four different versions of the proper procedure to be fingerprinted. In the end he left a message with a department head who never returned his call and a switchboard operator told him he could come in between 8 and 5. So, I rush in from school Thursday afternoon ready to drive to Montgomery. I called to get directions and after the same yo-yo experience Kevin got the day before (& his call still hasn't been returned...SHOCK) I was told that I couldn't come in without an appointment, plus more run-around. By now, I'm picturing some woman sitting behind her desk filing her nails like the one on Will & Grace. Long story short...we have an appointment for today. Government beaurocracy just kills me. That's another reason why I'm getting out of teaching.

To Teach or Not to Teach...that is the question!

Not! Kevin and I have decided to sacrifice our income so that I can stay at home with our babies. I love my children at school; I truly do. However, our priority is with our children. I have begun to scout out the internet to find "work at home" jobs. I just want to supplement his income. I don't have to make what I'm making now. I will continue to teach until Christmas...unless we have a baby before then...there is a November possibility. Then I will be a stay-at-home mother. I feel guilty for leaving my children in the middle of the year, but my priority is with my family. So, if you or anyone you know is looking for someone to do some telecommuting for them...let me know. Right now, I'm leaning toward medical transcriptionist. I have no experience in that area, but hey, at one time I wasn't a teacher, either. I'd love to write children's books, too. That's my dream...time will tell.

Kevin and I are really beginning to be excited about becoming parents. We're not sure if our baby or babies will be a he or she or both, but we're truly excited. We have picked out bedding and theme for the nursery, which is currently our "game room." Note: the pool table will be dismantled until we purchase another home with room for it. We've also decided how to paint the nursery; I'm just waiting for some of the bedding stuff to come in to match the exact shade of paint. We've been out "window shopping" for nursery furniture. We've decided to go with white. We even have a small assortment of cute little jumpers for him/her to wear. I can't wait to get busy. Our social worker is coming out Tuesday afternoon for our first meeting. Kevin is going to be the most wonderful father in the world. When I see how he is with our nephews and nieces and Biscuit and Birdie, I can't wait to see him with our own child. Kids of all ages love him; they flock to him. Even the kids on our street knock on our door to see if Mr. Kevin can come out to play. Speaking of our street...Congratulations to Chris and Lisa across the street! They had a little girl this week. I can't wait for all of their company to clear out so I can take them a meal and a present, but mostly so I can get my hands on their little angel. Two other ladies on our block our expecting. One is expecting a boy; her other two are girls. The other is expecting a girl; her other three are boys. Kevin and I would love to have a couple of whatever God blesses us with.

Things I'm Thankful For:

1. my wonderful, ever-positive, loving and supportive soul-mate, KJ
2. my two hairy mongrels who are always happy to lick my feet when the rest of the world thinks they're gross
3. I have a safe, dry home, with all the modern conveniences, in a wonderful community
4. I know where all of my family are and that they are safe and healthy
5. my own health
6. my sweaty little 8-year-old nephew climbed shamelessly into my lap in front of his football buddy at the Lion's game last night, after spending 7 hours each day with me in our classroom at school this week; When I said, "You mean you still love me?" He said, "Of course I do, Aunt Cindy. Who wouldn't love you?"
7. kisses after school every afternoon from my neice who gets bused over from the Kindergarten school
8. hugs and hellos from former students at high school football games
9. my favorite season will be here soon
10. I don't have to buy maternity clothes
11. a long Labor Day weekend from school
12. I'm not as terrible at golf as I once was
13. Kev is fantastic at grilling

Quote of the Week~

I told Kevin about my year old petition for annulment (He keeps calling it our, but I refuse to give him credit for my mistakes) this week, "We've been waiting for this thing through two popes and three major hurricanes. It'll come through eventually."

The terrible thing about it is that right now it's sitting on a Catholic judge's desk in Mobile of all places.

The good thing about it is it was next heading to the New Orleans area. At least it's not there yet. I wonder where it will go to now.

Amanda @ 13 weeks

Wow! Look at that belly! I'm constantly amazed at the size of my lil sis's ever growing tummy. When we hug, I feel her belly first. It probably sounds silly to hear that I'm so amazed, but she is the closest person, emotionally, to me to be pregnant since my mom had her in 1979. She is feeling better everyday. We had a nice little visit one afternoon this week. We especially enjoyed it in the wake of everything that has been going on since Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on Monday. We shared one story that made us laugh until we cried. It was nice to see her feeling so much better. Things were very tough for her at the beginning of her pregnancy. I don't have to tell you how often we've looked around this week and counted our blessings. She and Tony are excited about moving into a bigger home for their growing family. So, we are both excited and planning our nurseries together. It's really neat to have her physically expecting at the same time Kev and I are emotionally expecting. I don't feel any less a mother. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. I am blessed to experience it with her all along the way. Plus, I can still enjoy a glass of merlot each night!