Are we there yet?

Hopefully soon! 

So, as of last Thursday, we are on the active foster family list.  That means, that we could get a call any day and our lives could change forever.  I hope that we don't have to wait too long, but I guess we have no other choice. 

Life has been...well, interesting lately.  Nothing major has happened, I just feel like I am in a weird place.  I don't know how to describe; I just feel off.  I am finding thing that have never challenged me in the past becoming difficult for me.  I almost feel like something great is in the works and Satan is doing everything in his power to break me.  I am trying to be more diligent at the things that I am suppose to be doing, i.e. studying the scriptures, praying, temple attendance, etc. 

 He will not break me!

We are still an active adoptive family through LDS Family Services.  We haven't heard much from them.  I think that fewer birth mothers are placing their babies with adoptive families.  It has become so excepted by the world for a young girl to parent her child.  I could not imagine being a young, single mom.  It would be so difficult.  Through our adoptive training classes, we have learned that a young woman who decides to parent their child is less likely to finish high school or any higher education and less likely to marry.  I'm not trying to make it seem like the decision is an easy one, and I could never imagine placing my baby with another family.  I guess, in the end, the decision needs to be what is best for the baby.  I would hope that any young girl who is in this situation remembers to get on her knees and ask for her Father in Heaven to guide her to make the right decision.

Please remember us if you hear of any
situations that may lead to adoption. 

We are really eager to build our eternal family.

Thanks for the love and support!

Finally...

We are officially lisenced foster care parents.  Now, we get to wait.  Nothing new to us.


Travis' grandfather passed away on Thursday, March 17, 2011.  He was a sweet man and he will be missed.  My first memory of Grandpa Great was a week or so after Travis and I started dating.  We were in the kitchen making a treat to take to a party and Grandpa Great came in and Travis introduced us.  Grandpa Great said "Welcome to the family!"  Travis just about died, but I thought it was sweet.  I am so blessed for the few short years that I got to know him.  He was an amazing man!

Almost there...

We just found out that we'll be doing our home study and safety inspection for foster care on Thursday!  We're so excited...almost there.  I was hoping that the process would go a lot faster than it has, but oh well, we're getting there. 

We don't know if anything is going to become of doing the foster care, but at least we have opened the door.  When we met with our LDS Family Services case worker last month, she said that she felt that if you open as many doors as possible, Heavenly Father will see your willingness, and you will be blessed.  I believe it too.  I know that the Lord has an awesome plan for us, and one day, we'll be able to understand it.

I am planning on doing another Adoption Yard Sale sometime this spring...Hopefully, late March-early April.  Our last one was such a success (thanks to KP), and I hope that this one does just as well.  If you have anything that you would like to donate, let me know and I'll be around to collect items the week before the sale.

There is nothing else new in our life right now.  We're just plugging away, taking it a day at a time.

Thanks again for all the love and support that we have felt from all those around us.

No excuses...really

I'm really not good at this...why can't I ever find time to update this more often?

So, here's what has been going on in our lives the past 2 months:

Travis graduated!!!  He earned his associates through SLCC is past December.  Next step, transfer to the University of Utah to study business.  Hopefully he will be able to start in the Fall.  I'm as so proud of him.  He really had a difficult time, mainly with his math classes, but he kept pushing like a champ! 

I got a new calling.  I am the Miamaid Advisor.  I absolutely LOVE it.  The girls are amazing and the leaders are the best!  I am having a blast and am so grateful to be serving in our ward.  It has been fun to get to know the girls and the other women that I am serving with.  They are an amazing group of women and I am so privileged to serve with them.

Other news, we finished our Foster Care Pre-service Training Classes.  We did 2 classes a week for 4 weeks for 4 hours each night.  It was a crazy/busy time, but so amazing.  I didn't think that I would enjoy the classes, but they were awesome.  I learned so much.  Some nights were really overwhelming, particularly when we were talking about abuse and other hard topics, but we are still cautiously optimistic that this is a door we need to open.  We just have a few more things to do and then we will be licensed.  Hopefully everything will be done in 3-4 weeks.  We are so excited for this next step in our lives.

We have a new member of the family.  My sister had an adorable baby boy on December 13th.  I got to spend some time with her other kiddo while she was in the hospital with baby.  It was a lot of fun to be with Quinton for a few days.  It is so fun to have Dominic part of the family!

Finally, we had a wonderful holiday season.  It was awesome to spend time with family and just be.  I got 2 weeks off work, which was really nice and needed!  We are so blessed to be close to both of our families and get to spend so much time with them. 

Thanks again for all the thought and prayers on our behalf!

We love you all!

Really???

What the heck is my problem?  Why do I always wait so long to update? 

So, here's what is going on in our lives.  Travis is well into his last semester at Salt Lake Community College.  He will be graduating in December with his associates in general studies.  We are hoping that he will be excepted into the University of Utah's business program.  Hopefully, he will be able to start that sooner, rather than later.  He is taking 4 classes this semester and seems to be doing okay.  I am so proud of him.  I can't imagine going back to school after taking a huge break like he did. 

As for me, this school year is under way.  It has been an emotional roller coaster.  I have had many ups and downs throughout the past 9-10 weeks.  Sometimes I really struggle with my job.  It takes a huge emotional toll on someone.  I adore my students.  They are amazing and make everything worth it in the end.  I guess I just struggle with all the other stuff...the politics, the paperwork, blah, blah, blah.  Good thing I've got great little kiddos that make me smile! 

As I posted last, one of my friends hosted an Adoption Benefit Yard Sale for Travis and me.  I am so grateful to have such amazing people in my life.  We had many people donate some great stuff and many people that attended the yard sale and purchase things, or just donate money to us.  We made close to $1000.00!  Crazy!  It is defiantly nice to add that to our adoption fund. 

As far as adoption goes, we're still just waiting.  As far as we know, there has been no activity on our profile.  Our case worker says that people are looking, but just not selecting us.  So, we have been looking at some alternative options.  Since we don't have $25,000.00, our options are somewhat limited.  We have been talking about doing the foster/adopt program through the states Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS).  After much discussion, thought, and prayer, we have decided to go forward with becoming lisenced to have foster children come into our home.  We will start taking classes in December.  We have to take 8 classes over the course of 4 weeks.  It will be a sacrific to attend all 32 hours of training, but we are hopeful that we will have the desired outcome.  It will most likely take some time to have a placement, just because we are interested in the 0-5 years old range, which is the most requested, and because we both work.  We are hoping that the right child is out there for us.  We have even talked about taking sibling groups.  This way we could get 2-3 kiddos at the same time.  Please keep us in your prayers as we venture through this new step!  Love you all!

Benefit Yard Sale...

Hey Friends,
One of my friends is hosting a Adoption Benefit Yard Sale for Travis and me!  Here's the info:

Where: Balmoral Community grassy area (about 5800 west and 2800 south)
When: Friday, October 15, 8:00am to 2:00 pm & Saturday, October 16, 8:00 am to 11:00 am.

Please come and purchase some gently loved items and support our adoption. 

Thanks so much for all the love!

We're alive...

More to come, I promise!