Forgot to tell you

My sweet sweet friends from Sunday School are hosting a Baby Shower for me on October 3rd. I got the evite invitation, and it was SO COOL to finally see MY name on one of those! Helped it feel a little more real=) Thanks ladies! I am so blessed with many wonderful Christian friends from our class!

Things to Come

It is getting closer to the date, and quite a few decisions will need to be made between now and then. Our agency contacted us about scheduling a home study update since ours expired at 6 months. Texas state law says so=( We don't have to pay the full price of the home study like the first one, but we do have to pay for mileage to and from our house. Not expensive, but not included in the $17, 500 we were quoted at the beginning. Also not included are the miles we have spent to and from Waco, plus the hotel costs that we might incur while waiting to take our beauty home. Our wonderful friends may be able to help us out a night or two, but with their new baby home, we don't want to intrude. There is also a possibility that the hospital provides us a room, but we aren't for certain.
So, in the next few weeks we will be visiting with the agency director about our hospital plan. This includes what our time at the hospital will look like, what is expected from M and from us with regards to the baby, etc. M's caseworker is supposed to be contacting the hospital next week to see what their rules/regulations are in regards to birth families and adoptive families, so we will know more then. We will be picking M up around 4:30 or 5 that morning, and taking her to the hospital. The looooooong wait will begin here. Her C-section is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. As stated before (I think) I will get to be in the room for the delivery. Brian will be anxiously awaiting. From the time of birth we will either have to wait the 48 hours or possibly 72 depending on the amount of meds M will be on, and how they affect her. Probably will be bringing her home if all goes well on Saturday.
The other decisions that must be made in the next few weeks is our "Heart to Heart Agreement." It is not a legally binding document but a promise of the heart between us and M on the amount of contact between us. We will state how often visits will be made, pictures will be sent, and letters will be written for 18 years of Natalie's life. After that she is on her own for contact.
We want to be really sensitive to both sides on what we are all comfortable with, and what is most realistic with her being out of town. Please be praying for guidance in making these decisions.
School is already on overload so please pray for clarity of mind and peace in my mind as well.
And please continue to pray for the financial side of it as well. This will be a constant prayer request for at least another 7 or 8 months. We want to trust in the Lord and not doubt that He will provide as needed.
We are trying to save money on gas by not traveling to all the Razorback games (this is really hard to do as we are missing a LR game right now!), not going out to eat as often, etc.

Wow this was a long post! Hope you made it through it all=)

Schedule Change

C-section has been rescheduled for October 27th instead of the 26th. Our friends have seen their little boy as he was born late last night. They are currently in the "waiting game" as they wait 48 hours in and out of the hospital. Pray for stamina as they wait, and peace for the birth mom and them as well. How exciting for them!

News!

I got a text today from M (our birthmom), and the C-section is scheduled for October 26th! 10 days after I turn 30! We are so excited! It is really an answer to pray, too, because our family will only have to take 2 days off of work, and at the end of the week. M goes in at 5:30 that morning so we will have a baby girl well before noon on the 26th! 8 weeks left

Also, be praying for some friends, Jeremy and Becky, as their birthmom is set to be induced this Sunday. Pray for peace in everyone's hearts during this situation for them.

Crunch time

Well, time is ticking and it is getting closer to our $6,000 deadline. We have exactly 9 weeks left to finish saving for it. Our goal has been to save enough for AFTER that payment as well. We will be working off one income for quite a few weeks so we are just trusting the Lord for that. Today we found out we have to pay $1500 to get the air conditioner in the Suburban fixed. Are you kidding me?! That's not helping! Brian tried hard to fix it himself but he ran into quite a few kinks that just didn't allow it. I guess Satan is working overtime to discourage us. I must say there are many times that it works. Brian and I just have to remind each other that God has provided in the past and will continue to do so.

Our birthmom has another appointment tomorrow at 1pm. Last time she had only gained 2 lbs so that was good. We are praying that everything continues to be normal and healthy. I am not sure if she will be able to set her C section date or not. More to come on that one.
Keep praying......the time is near!

My first ultrasound

Our birthmother invited me to go with her to her last ultrasound appointment today. It worked out perfectly since we just got back from our trip to the West Coast, and I didn't have any school obligations. I was so excited! I was hoping this trip would give us some good conversation today, and it did. She is very easy to talk to, and has a most pleasant personality. I was also hoping that today would be the day it all felt "real." Not so much. Don't get me wrong! It was amazing to see that little one rolling around on the screen, watching the nurse point out all her parts (yes, it is STILL a girl!). However, I didn't get that 'wow' moment I was hoping for. I know it will come. Just not today. She came out of the appointment with a clean bill of health, and is weighing in at approx. 2lbs and some change! Still growing and developing. Birthmom is healthy too. The Lord is good! I didn't get to hear the heartbeat today but I did see it beating! These machines are amazing. Our wonderful birthmom sent me a text about a week ago with the recording of her heartbeat from the last visit. She told me she would try to send me an updated one soon. Again, she is so incredible.
For now, she is settling on a C-section. This will help with our timing and planning as well. This means only I will get to be in the operating room with her, and she wants me to be the first to hold her. Isn't she unbelievably selfless?

So, I leave you with some pictures (yes, I got to keep them!). As the nurse handed the pictures to our birthmom, she shook her head "no" and told her to give them to me. "She's the mom," she stated.

P.S. For those of you like me who have a hard time reading these things. One of them shows both of her arms in the air (we say she's already praising God!) in a sideways "L." The others are profile views.

Photographer

A fellow coworker told me about a friend of hers who has a heart for adoption, and is using her photography business to serve adoptive families. She will come to your house or airport or wherever you are when you first bring the baby to show family. She will capture all the candid moments we want to remember forever without us having to remember to take pictures. Brian and I, and our families will get to enjoy the moment, and remember forever now! She will also take an adoptive family photo for free within the first year of the adoption! All of her normal sessions still serve the adoption ministry by giving half of her proceeds to an adoption ministry. Really cool!
Beth, don't worry! We are still booked with you for the more formal pictures we will use to frame and send out to show her off!