This is her 6 month update photo.
We love you.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Happy 7 Months
Luciana is 7 months old today. We pray we are all together to celebrate her 8 month birthday.
We love you.
We love you.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
100th Post
Is threre some urban legend about what you are supposed to do when you reach your 100th post? I don't know what even made me look to see, but I was feeling pulled to post something this morning without really knowing what news I could share. I suppose 100 is significant, but I am not really sure what to do with it. Perhaps a new outfit? A nice meal out? hee hee
Anyway, I really was sitting down to write a little bit of nothing, so I will just pick up there.
I was thinking this morning about what January has meant for my little family. You see, November was a fairly dark month in our house. There were layers of life's challenges happening all at the same time, and our future was sort of all wrapped up in a bunch of fog. Through it all, we remained strong and hopeful, but it is hard to go about daily life in a fog, which is why this renewed feeling of seeing a bit more clearly is so lovely.
You know, it is just life that we have to accept that we will not always, or often, have the answers we long for. We know that we really don't ever have as much control over things as we would like, and we have certainly learned to accept that timelines and expectations are likely to be constantly challenged and changed.
These realities are not only specific to bringing Luciana home, and they are just a few of the lessons that this experience has taught us. Learning the deeper meanings of patience, grace and gratitude have have applied to every corner of our world. We are not always good at it, but we are so much better.
January has arrived with a wonderful new clarity. The fog has lifted, and we can see a future with our daughter more clearly than ever. Though our timelines seem to slide ever so slightly further from our original hopes, we breath easier knowing that we are so close. And those "other" challenges... well, they seem to be working themselves out, too. Whether it is family, work, home, or friends, letting go of control and having faith has helped me to put down the paper bag and take a deep breath on many occasions in these past months.
We are so close.
So, on this 100th post, while my boys (b/c at this moment, Keith is just as much a boy as Sam) play together, giggling... and as we prepare to head out for a family day with Lucy in our hearts... as we go about our typical routines... we are at peace, full of hope, and feeling totally blessed for the fog that has lifted.
Much love.
Anyway, I really was sitting down to write a little bit of nothing, so I will just pick up there.
I was thinking this morning about what January has meant for my little family. You see, November was a fairly dark month in our house. There were layers of life's challenges happening all at the same time, and our future was sort of all wrapped up in a bunch of fog. Through it all, we remained strong and hopeful, but it is hard to go about daily life in a fog, which is why this renewed feeling of seeing a bit more clearly is so lovely.
You know, it is just life that we have to accept that we will not always, or often, have the answers we long for. We know that we really don't ever have as much control over things as we would like, and we have certainly learned to accept that timelines and expectations are likely to be constantly challenged and changed.
These realities are not only specific to bringing Luciana home, and they are just a few of the lessons that this experience has taught us. Learning the deeper meanings of patience, grace and gratitude have have applied to every corner of our world. We are not always good at it, but we are so much better.
January has arrived with a wonderful new clarity. The fog has lifted, and we can see a future with our daughter more clearly than ever. Though our timelines seem to slide ever so slightly further from our original hopes, we breath easier knowing that we are so close. And those "other" challenges... well, they seem to be working themselves out, too. Whether it is family, work, home, or friends, letting go of control and having faith has helped me to put down the paper bag and take a deep breath on many occasions in these past months.
We are so close.
So, on this 100th post, while my boys (b/c at this moment, Keith is just as much a boy as Sam) play together, giggling... and as we prepare to head out for a family day with Lucy in our hearts... as we go about our typical routines... we are at peace, full of hope, and feeling totally blessed for the fog that has lifted.
Much love.
Friday, January 11, 2008
We love you!!Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Check!
What does that mean and what is next??
Okay... Luciana was born in Guatemala City. The Civil Registry of Guatemala City has reissued her birth certificate so that it now names Keith and I as her legal parents... cool! And, the birth certificate legally renames her to have our last name! Also, very cool. This process took just a few days longer than I expected, but I will admit that I was a little on edge for those few extra days. Now I am just smiling ear to ear, and just got in from treating the neighborhood Mommies to one of those famous bus stop happy dances!
Next: The next step (remember to check your checklist!) is to acquire a Guatemalan passport for Luciana. That should happen tomorrow of Friday! After that, our file will be submitted to the embassy, and a request will be made for a second DNA test to confirm that Luciana is the same baby we have loved all along. I will stop there as I know it becomes confusing after that... even I have to refer to Gretchen's handy dandy map to remember where we are in this whole thing!
We are feeling so good to check this step off and hope the others move along quickly. We are so ready.
Thanks for routing us on!
Much love.
Much love.
Laughing All The Way!!
In an effort to move away from stressing about timelines and fretting about waiting, Steph has put out a call to share a laugh! Sam will probably not appreciate this pic, but Keith and I crack up everytime we come across it. Sam was 4 and really into wearing my sunglasses everywhere! 
Much love.
A face only a mother could love?!?!?
Much love.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
It Just Made Me Laugh
I saw this on a site Bobbi sent for all kinds of fun products, but this one mug just struck me in the right way... truly only shared for the laugh factor and not at all meant as anything else... just made me laugh!
Monday, January 7, 2008
One Look At The Calendar...
And my jaw dropped.
This is the one year anniversary of our Adoption Education class. Wow.
We began Adopt Ed. immediately after deciding adoption was how we wanted to grow our family... it seems like a lifetime and two very different people ago.
I can so clearly see the two nervous and anticipating people we were a year ago as we climbed the steps (snow covered, of course!) to our Home Study agency. We had no idea what was coming down the pike! (Oh, and what a beauty she would turn out to be!)
A year.
I have spent all day thinking of the events that led to this step one year ago, to all the hopes and hurt, the joys and dreams, the tears and many, many leaps of faith. You know, there was a lot of laughter, too.
In the beginning, we laughed a lot... like while sitting at the dining room table for 6 straight hours answering ridiculous questions about each other for our Home Study. Ha! I remember thinking the Home Study was going to be one of the hardest parts of this process! Hee hee!
Many of my friends had a good laugh when the 171-H arrived in the mail (that was a rainy day) and I drove down the street waving it out the window until it blew away I was forced to jump from my car to chase it down! Since then, they have laughed at my various happy dances at the bus stop whenever new news reaches us!
We laughed the greatest tears of joy when receiving our referral of Luciana and seeing her sweet sleeping face for the first time. We laughed harder when we finally received a picture with her eyes open as Sam commented, "OH phew! Her eyes are brown, now Daddy will have someone with eyes his color." We have laughed with pure happiness for the mini-victories of this process, for the updated pictures, and for the realization that sending a package or making a phone call can fill your heart with a kind of love that has no words.
We laughed at every little thing our sweet girl did for one amazing week together, and then again at returning home to our first baby after our longest time apart.
In one year, we have certainly cried, but none of that much matters. I want to remember the laughter and happiness. This journey, this adventure, this becoming the family we are meant to be... it is joy.
It is always eye-opening to reflect on time.
One year ago, I was nervous about speaking in front of others in our class, now I share my life with countless. I wondered how our choice would change Sam's life, now I see how his life has already been enriched by becoming a big brother, by learning about the gift of adoption, and by gaining some amazing life lessons at a very young age. I wondered what this process would mean for my marriage, my family, my friends... I think they would all agree, we have grown together.
One year ago, I couldn't have know the gratitude, respect, and compassion I would have for a woman I may never meet; now I think of her every day and pray she knows how much her daughter is loved.
I could never have know the love I would have for another woman I would meet, and how I would hope that we would remain in touch over the years because, to me, she will always be family.
One year ago, I did not have a picture in my head (though there was one in my heart) of the unborn little girl who was about to change our lives forever. Now, I am ready to bring her home and love her every day for the joy, laughter, and love she has already brought us.
Love, love, and laughter.
This is the one year anniversary of our Adoption Education class. Wow.
We began Adopt Ed. immediately after deciding adoption was how we wanted to grow our family... it seems like a lifetime and two very different people ago.
I can so clearly see the two nervous and anticipating people we were a year ago as we climbed the steps (snow covered, of course!) to our Home Study agency. We had no idea what was coming down the pike! (Oh, and what a beauty she would turn out to be!)
A year.
I have spent all day thinking of the events that led to this step one year ago, to all the hopes and hurt, the joys and dreams, the tears and many, many leaps of faith. You know, there was a lot of laughter, too.
In the beginning, we laughed a lot... like while sitting at the dining room table for 6 straight hours answering ridiculous questions about each other for our Home Study. Ha! I remember thinking the Home Study was going to be one of the hardest parts of this process! Hee hee!
Many of my friends had a good laugh when the 171-H arrived in the mail (that was a rainy day) and I drove down the street waving it out the window until it blew away I was forced to jump from my car to chase it down! Since then, they have laughed at my various happy dances at the bus stop whenever new news reaches us!
We laughed the greatest tears of joy when receiving our referral of Luciana and seeing her sweet sleeping face for the first time. We laughed harder when we finally received a picture with her eyes open as Sam commented, "OH phew! Her eyes are brown, now Daddy will have someone with eyes his color." We have laughed with pure happiness for the mini-victories of this process, for the updated pictures, and for the realization that sending a package or making a phone call can fill your heart with a kind of love that has no words.
We laughed at every little thing our sweet girl did for one amazing week together, and then again at returning home to our first baby after our longest time apart.
In one year, we have certainly cried, but none of that much matters. I want to remember the laughter and happiness. This journey, this adventure, this becoming the family we are meant to be... it is joy.
It is always eye-opening to reflect on time.
One year ago, I was nervous about speaking in front of others in our class, now I share my life with countless. I wondered how our choice would change Sam's life, now I see how his life has already been enriched by becoming a big brother, by learning about the gift of adoption, and by gaining some amazing life lessons at a very young age. I wondered what this process would mean for my marriage, my family, my friends... I think they would all agree, we have grown together.
One year ago, I couldn't have know the gratitude, respect, and compassion I would have for a woman I may never meet; now I think of her every day and pray she knows how much her daughter is loved.
I could never have know the love I would have for another woman I would meet, and how I would hope that we would remain in touch over the years because, to me, she will always be family.
One year ago, I did not have a picture in my head (though there was one in my heart) of the unborn little girl who was about to change our lives forever. Now, I am ready to bring her home and love her every day for the joy, laughter, and love she has already brought us.
Love, love, and laughter.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Nagging...
I'm not a fan of nagging... don't like to be nagged, hate to use it to get something... BUT, every now and then, when you are at the end of your rope and feeling burnt out and frustrated, nagging can come in handy...
SO, the results of 6 combined emails and a little nagging from both Keith and I?
This SWEET face!
We don't have much more information on where we are with our BC or passport, but we have pics! It is so amazing what seeing Luciana's sweet face has done for our spirits!
The pics were, as always, taken at her doctor appointment. She is 6 months old in the picture and clearly in need of a brush for ALL that hair! WHOA! Aren't her eyes gorgeous?
I love this one, too, though it is a little blurry. It seems like she is not quite sitting up on her own, but she's getting there. I just love new pics!
I am soooooooo hopeful to have birth certificate and passport updates to share next week! Cross your fingers, toes, and eyes!
Much love.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Writer's Block
I know, I know... enough with the big snow globe! You guys, I just don't know what to say right now. Christmas came and went and it was really lovely. We spent time with both sides of our family and felt very lucky for some truly quality visits. Santa was good to Sam, and though we missed Lucy, we loved sharing in the magic of Christmas with our sweet boy. New Year's came and went and it was a blast. We had opportunities to reflect over the last year (whoa!) and to raise a glass with good friends to the next year (woohoo!), and now here we are in 2008.
I have so enjoyed reading other blogs where my blog friends have reflected and shared their 2007, and I have loved seeing their resolutions, wishes, and goals. I don't know what it is, I am just stuck. I sit down to share all this stuff rattling around in my head, the reflections, the wishes and hopes, even the stuff keeping me up at night, but I just can't get there. I have writer's block.
I think the reason is obvious. I should have had more updates by now. I should have one post after the other to countdown the steps that will bring us closer to bringing Luciana home forever, but we just have not heard one single word since the adoption decree was signed. It is not for lack of effort. I email my agency regularly, but I just don't hear back. It is a bit maddening. We could be stuck with a BC problem, or we could have progressed and just not know about it. I just don't know. Today was the first day that I became really irritated about not hearing anything. It is time to stop waiting and start planning our life with our daughter. It is time.
After talking with Keith about it, he took a crack at sending an email himself. Yup. He sent a poem in hopes that a little humor would lighten some spirits and inspire a response. Nothing yet. It at least made me laugh.
So, in the meantime, we did have a very special moment on the first day of 2008. With the help of my wonderful cousin, Alanna, we called Luciana's foster mother for the first time! It was so amazing! We had held off calling in the past because I felt like it might be too hard. Well, there was nothing hard about the call! It was wonderful! When we called, Magda was outside with all of her family, including Lucy, celebrating the first day of the New Year. We could hear the fire works over the phone and it just made us all giggle every time on went off! Magda was so generous with her time and told us so much about how Luciana is doing. She was so talkative and happy that we called. Alanna did an amazing job gathering all the little details we have craved, and we are so grateful for her help!
Well, you won't be surprised, Luciana is a happy, healthy, beautiful baby. She smiles and laughs, loves music and any toys she can chew, and is growing all the time, she sleeps well, and Magda kept saying the is so pretty. Then, in a moment of adorable truth, Magda giggled and affectionately referred to her as fat! I love it! I can not wait to get me arms around my chubby babe! She shared details from their holidays, and caught us up on a few other things, but all we really heard was "healthy and happy", just like we remember her from 2 1/2 months ago. I couldn't stop smiling. I still smiling thinking about it. So good for the soul.
So, in all of this ramble, I have come away with not telling you much of anything and sounding more glum than I would have wanted to. We are just craving news, craving pics and medical updates from the last 2 months, craving progress; we are really just craving our daughter. The nursery is ready, the outfits are folded, the big brother is tired of waiting, and this family is ready to go get our girl! It's time.
Here's hoping our next post will be to announce that we are another step closer.
I will try to get around to posting pics of the nursery in the meantime, maybe some Christmas pics, too.
Thanks for checking in on us... I am sure there will be news soon!
Much love.
I have so enjoyed reading other blogs where my blog friends have reflected and shared their 2007, and I have loved seeing their resolutions, wishes, and goals. I don't know what it is, I am just stuck. I sit down to share all this stuff rattling around in my head, the reflections, the wishes and hopes, even the stuff keeping me up at night, but I just can't get there. I have writer's block.
I think the reason is obvious. I should have had more updates by now. I should have one post after the other to countdown the steps that will bring us closer to bringing Luciana home forever, but we just have not heard one single word since the adoption decree was signed. It is not for lack of effort. I email my agency regularly, but I just don't hear back. It is a bit maddening. We could be stuck with a BC problem, or we could have progressed and just not know about it. I just don't know. Today was the first day that I became really irritated about not hearing anything. It is time to stop waiting and start planning our life with our daughter. It is time.
After talking with Keith about it, he took a crack at sending an email himself. Yup. He sent a poem in hopes that a little humor would lighten some spirits and inspire a response. Nothing yet. It at least made me laugh.
So, in the meantime, we did have a very special moment on the first day of 2008. With the help of my wonderful cousin, Alanna, we called Luciana's foster mother for the first time! It was so amazing! We had held off calling in the past because I felt like it might be too hard. Well, there was nothing hard about the call! It was wonderful! When we called, Magda was outside with all of her family, including Lucy, celebrating the first day of the New Year. We could hear the fire works over the phone and it just made us all giggle every time on went off! Magda was so generous with her time and told us so much about how Luciana is doing. She was so talkative and happy that we called. Alanna did an amazing job gathering all the little details we have craved, and we are so grateful for her help!
Well, you won't be surprised, Luciana is a happy, healthy, beautiful baby. She smiles and laughs, loves music and any toys she can chew, and is growing all the time, she sleeps well, and Magda kept saying the is so pretty. Then, in a moment of adorable truth, Magda giggled and affectionately referred to her as fat! I love it! I can not wait to get me arms around my chubby babe! She shared details from their holidays, and caught us up on a few other things, but all we really heard was "healthy and happy", just like we remember her from 2 1/2 months ago. I couldn't stop smiling. I still smiling thinking about it. So good for the soul.
So, in all of this ramble, I have come away with not telling you much of anything and sounding more glum than I would have wanted to. We are just craving news, craving pics and medical updates from the last 2 months, craving progress; we are really just craving our daughter. The nursery is ready, the outfits are folded, the big brother is tired of waiting, and this family is ready to go get our girl! It's time.
Here's hoping our next post will be to announce that we are another step closer.
I will try to get around to posting pics of the nursery in the meantime, maybe some Christmas pics, too.
Thanks for checking in on us... I am sure there will be news soon!
Much love.
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