Christmas, Christmas Time is Here!

As I look back over the past year, I am reminded of last year at this time. I was still in school, but I was looking ahead to another year. Now, I am looking forward to graduation in just a few short weeks. Yeah! Also this time last year I was preparing the household and family for our Walt DisneyWorld Christmas, while I am doing this again this year we have one major change--another baby to plan for.

Which brings me to the reason for this post. Last year my greatest wish for Christmas was to get "The Call". For other Adoptive Parents and prospective adoptive parents out there, this is the call you get telling you that you have been chosen to be the forever family of a new child. I was hoping for a Christmas Miracle. While I didn't get it for Christmas, we did get a call in the middle of January telling us there was a beautiful baby girl who was very sick in the hospital and as the Adoption Agency knew we were a "praying family" they asked us to pray for "Baby Hope". She wasn't expected to live and so she wasn't available for adoption, but our adoption agent/friend felt she needed to call us anyway. So, we prayed for "Baby Hope" every night as a family.

About a month later we received "The Call". Our agent called us again and told us that, against all odds, "Baby Hope" had survived and she was now ready for her forever family to adopt her. They asked us if we were interested. JOY!!! HECK, YEAH We're Interested! They sent us a picture and Kelly and I both fell in love at first (web)sight! We quickly made plans, thanks to many great friends and family members, and flew out to meet "Baby Hope" and talk with the doctors in charge of her care. We needed to make sure everything would be okay and that she was a good fit for our family. We knew from the moment we first looked into her eyes that we were meant for each other.

In the Beginning

My adoption journey began as a little girl. I always pretended that I had adopted my baby dolls rather than "having them" the traditional way that most young girls would imagine. That I would someday adopt children was something I inherently knew. I have always thought adoption was a beautiful way to grow a family. I wouldn't have really bothered me if I couldn't have given birth to my children. (I say this now, after having given birth to my three oldest kids, but who really knows if it would have truly bothered me deep down) One of my favorite quotes is, "It does not matter if your children grew under your heart or inside your heart, you are still a mother. You are still beautiful."

Adoption: the Courageous Option

We recently completed the adoption of our beautiful daughter Isabella. I will be posting different topics of things we went through during our adoption journey beginning with why we decided to adopt. I can't wait to get started.

On to Senior Year!

I am now a senior at Kaplan University online. Yes! Only 20 weeks and much stress to go. My goal is to be finished with my Bachelors in Health and Wellness by the time my Hotty Hubby, K. is finished with his Orthodontic Residency program at the end of June 2011. I'm crossing my fingers and wishing on a star.