Adoption Web Profile

Our adoption agency now has a place on their website for waiting families - so we are on there! I hope you all can visit the site - www.aimadoptions.org and look under the waiting families tab on the right side of the home page to see our profile. This is a great and innovative way for birth moms and others to have another avenue to find out about families waiting to adopt. Feel free to share it with friends and family!

Summertime

Well, Lilly started swimming lessons last week. It is a mommy and me (or daddy) where they blow bubbles, kick, float, and sing songs. Lilly is not too thrilled about this, but has at least tried to do all of the things. I think she just likes to sing the songs and kick the best.

Right now at home, Lilly loves to wear our shoes and will say "shoe" until you help her put one on. Also, if she does not like something now, she can definitely say "no!" I think she just likes to say that word. Nina and papa bill came over for hamburgers on Memorial Day. Lilly enjoyed playing with them, and is so glad Nina can hold her again. We also went to a birthday party for Mark Mahlmann who turned one on Sunday. Lilly loved playing with the kids, looking at the turtles, and playing on the playground which was just the right size!

We turned in our adoption scrapbook yesterday - so glad to have that done! We are praying for some little details to work out!

Adoption Seminar

This Thursday we attended an adoption seminar at AIM. The 10 couples that are in our adoption group were there and it was nice to get to know them a little better. We heard from 3 birthmoms that had placed a baby in the past - which was so interesting to hear their stories, their circumstances, and where they are now. Most have contact with their adopted families and child. What a wonderful ministry AIM is to these moms. We heard from one adopted teenage boy who definitely has a passion for adoption. We also heard from 3 adoptive couples who have previously adopted a child through AIM and are going through it the second time. All 3 of their stories were different and made us realize even more the importance of being open and flexible throughout this process.

Mother's Day weekend

This was a fun weekend for us. Brian and Lilly went out on Saturday morning and got donuts and kolaches for my mother's day breakfast (Sunday's are way too crazy!) We got nursery furniture (I will show pics later when it is all in place). We probably will not have the new baby for another 9 months or so, but we found a great deal! Lilly got her first haircut on Saturday. I definitely recommend cool cuts - they had her sit/stand in this little car and she watched Sesame Street. We just got a little trim, but we were so proud - she did not even cry! She just stood there very serious and watched her movie and rang the bell on the car. They even put the hair they cut in an envelope with a picture of Lilly as well.

Mother's day we spent at the Burk's after church. (Lilly made a really cute hand print for me in the nursery.) We had Olive Garden and played kick ball. Papa has two horses, but now he also has a pony for the grandkids to ride on named Buster! What a surprise! Lilly did not want to ride yet, but did say her version of horse all day. I had a great day!

Definitions and Dancing

Throughout the adoption process, I feel like we are really looking inside ourselves and finding out more of who we are individually, as a couple, and as a family. Our autobiographies require much thought and really give an inside view of our thoughts and lives.

In the Dear Birthmother book, they presented a definition of adoption I had not considered, but totally agree with. "Adoption is the process of accepting the responsibility of raising an individual who has two sets of parents." We are the parents to nuture and help the child grow, while the birthparents gave the child their genes - their eye color and genetic traits. Both of us have love and will love the child forever.

Lilly dressed up in her 1 year pictures outfit today - she looked so cute, so I had to post a few of my favorites. She is saying a few new words - bubble, fish, shoe.