Adoption book... as promised!

As promised... I know, I know, it's been months! But, I always come through on my word! And so for those of you who have asked me about my Adoption book, well, here she blows!
I had to make something that could be copied as many times as necessary, but I wanted each one to look handmade. So, I made this entirely out of cardstock. I had Office Depot make lots of color copies. I then, could just use gaffer tape to bind the edge of each one making each one look totally handmade! I thought the result was pretty cute.

We had this little flip up deal that says we had been married 10 years.

Oh, man, we look sappy! I meant, "happy"!

One of the criteria of your adoption book is a letter to the birthmom.

This was a little hard for me. Having to write a letter asking a mom to give you her baby. But, it is a mandatory part of the profile. Usually whatever is in my head is coming out of my mouth too! The exception is "touchy/feely" things! That just AIN'T my "love language"! I don't talk about mushy stuff! And at the office, they know that I don't do a lot of huggin' either! SOrry to disappoint, Mindy. Something tells me that IS your love language! Anyhoo, the words in the the letter to birthmom had to be somewhat heartfelt, as you can imagine, because you are basically asking this person to give you her child. Pretty deep stuff!!

So to counterbalance all that MUSH, I did "the ABC's of Todd and Me" and used a letter of the alphabet to represent something about our life or lifestyle. Here we go...

For those of you who are not in the market for a young un, well, let me tell you about this. When you are going to use an agency or even a private adoption attorney, they ask you to put together a "profile", basically telling the birthmom who you are, and a little about your family. I am aware that a nice little 8 1/2x 11 would do the trick, but then, I didn't exactly think that would tell the story of who I am very well at all! As the attorney or agency get women who are wanting to give their babies up for adoption, they begin thinking of potential matches and will ask particular adoptive parents to submit their profiles. Usually, the birthmother gets about three to choose from. This is how a "match" is made. Sometimes, they are looking for a woman who is young. Sometimes, one who is older. Sometimes they want their baby to be with a family with siblings, and sometimes they are particularly looking for a couple who has never had kids. It is a crapshoot, really!

In your profile, you are not supposed to be too specific or tell too much info.... I suppose in case you (or they) want the adoption to be "closed". This basically means they don't have any idea who got their baby and you have no idea from where or who your baby came. I like our way better! I mention that because in the picture above, I had to go back and put a strip on paper over the name of our church because that gave too much information about where we lived! Hmmm.

And then, I mention that we have a very supportive and loving extended family (and I cleverly used the E and F for "Extended Family"! C-L-E-V-E-R!

How in the world could I leave our Daddy-O doing what he is so passionate about!? These pics were actually taken at Pebble Beach. I didn't mention that in the book. But, just thought I would now. Just sayin'!

And the attorney didn't like these pics either, because they showed our house. However, I would want to know where my child was going to be living. Wouldn't you?! So, I put in little tiny pics of our house.

And then, I highlighted, "in-laws", "Jake", Kids" and "LSU".

Jake...

Gosh, wasnt' he the bomb?!

Kids from my clinic. And basically, just how much I love kids. Always have!

Can you even believe how young these three look? This was the Christmas before Jake's diagnosis. He was 2 years old. Only 6 months later, we'd be told he had stage 4 hepatoblastoma! Ugh.
When I get calls about "how" I did it, or how to go about this whole adopting thing, well, I just don't really know what to tell people. Mine were miracles. Really! They were. Things just don't typically happen the way they did with my Ellie and Gabbi. I just know they were meant to be mine! In both cases, we were contacted privately by the birthmoms! My advice to those out there who are wanting to adopt is to tell everyone! It is not shameful! It is awesome! Those of you who read my blog who have also adopted know what I mean. It is AWESOME! There is something about a baby being given to you and just KNOWING that your paths were meant to cross. If you are a Christian, it makes it so much sweeter to KNOW that God has had that plan laid out a LONG time just waiting for it to come to fruition!
I guess that is what I was thinking when I used my "M" as "miracle". I comment, although you can't read it, that it is a miracle when our lives cross with the birthmom chosen for us, and things come together at exactly the right time. Lest I remind you.... Ellie's date of conception was the EXACT day that Jake went to Heaven. No one will EVER be able to convince me that Ellie being in our lives was not totally divinely ordained and was a plan set in motion a long, long time ago!
I don't think anyone could ever discount how much a part of our lives my nephews were and are now. They were my world! SO they got the "N" distinction!
"O" is for Office. I had to put in there somewhere what I did and that I worked with children. Another thing the attorney disagreed with. So, if you want a closed adoption, don't do this!
I think "Play" is a very important part of my world. The picture above is MMPT's Christmas card pic for 2007. It was the year after Jake passed away, and we decided on a "Happy Merry Chrismoween" card in his honor. We wore our Halloween costumes on our Christmas cards. Don't say we aren't creative! I have the coolest staff!!
Oh that picture above of me and Jake on the slide makes my heart ache. We were at the Ronald McDonald House out on the playground, and he had just had a whole summer without chemo. He felt great! That was a FUN day!

This is the back side of that little half flap of "play".
No wait, I think this is!
Q and R were hard for me. I think I kinda threw them together. Anyway, here they are for your enjoyment!
Lord have mercy. Can we say, thank you, Jesus, for letting some doctor, somewhere, invent Lap band!?!
ANd Recreation is the "R". THis is the little box Todd used to ride Jake around the yard in the four wheeler, only about 3 days before he went to Heaven. Staci, if you are reading this, hope it doesn't make you sad. I kinda got off track from the point of the post by looking at all of these Jake pictures. I suppose I wasn't meant to get my babies the "usual" way. Looking back (and I only realized this at this very moment), I was still very grief-stricken, and I am not sure a birthmom would have wanted me to have their baby had they seen this book FULL of pics of Jake and his brothers. Can you tell what was important in my life at that pivotal time?!
oh wow... check this out... Staci preggo with Maddi! By the way, did you notice she updated her blog?! Go see. Maddiboo.blogspot.com!
And how do I mention our lives without a big ol' whole bunch of travel?!
I really like "U" for "united for a cause". That particular one meant a lot to me. Again... I was a little consumed at that time. But then again, I am sure I would do it the very same way if I ever had to go through something like that again.

Would you believe this next picture is HUNTER? It was when I was had just graduated from PT school (93) and was working in Shreveport. I couldn't STAND it,with his growing and doing more "fun" things, so I moved back home and opened a clinic. The rest, as they say, is history. I think ol' Birthmom would get the picture that I like kids by checking out this wedding party. I had SIX kids in my wedding. Remind me and I will tell you THAT STORY someday! It was a hoot.

This picture tells that we have been married for 10 years (at that time), and I think that is really more like what a profile is supposed to be like! I am not a good rule follower, so I left out some important details. It is probably a good thing that I didnt' have to use my profile, as I think I just gave a general "feel" of our family vs. some vital information. Oh well, we are blessed, and things just went the way they were supposed to go. So much for the book!

For instance, I never mention that we have no children, and I will have to look back, but I am not sure I even mention our ages. Did I!? I KNOW they KNOW I have nephews. Gosh. I was kinda STUPID-Crazy over my boys! And now I think I am kinda Stupid-crazy over my girls!!

And that brings us to "Y" and "Z".

I wrote Birthmom an additional little snippet about our outlook on life, our philosophy of sorts, and what a fun life a kid would have in a very loving home.

And this is the back cover.

Just so you all know... this took a LONG time! Thank you very much! So, I am giving myself this thumbs up!

And you best be giving me some comment LOVE for the dedication to getting all these pages' pictures taken, uploaded, and then sorted in order. DUDE! It is 1:06 am as I am finishing this! I'll be glad to get back to regular stuff tomorrow!

And if this inspired you to scrapbook... the spring-a-ling kit is now up on Etsy. It is super cool! Melanie