Interesting Cell Phone Call

First of all this morning I got a call at home from birth mom's case worker. She was on her way to pick up birth mom and wanted to know if after the doctor visit they could call me for a conference call. I was going to be at the pool for lessons so I gave her my cell number hoping the thing would work there. I drove real fast to assure I wouldn't get her call in the dead zone on the Colfax road and then waited and waited for the call. I was so nervous, what was I going to say? I called our social worker to tell her about it and ask for suggestions. Anyway, I got the call and my end of the phone was echoing me so I always thought I was interrupting them but I really wasn't so it didn't go as well as I would have liked. According to the conversation she is due Aug. 13 (I thought Aug 18) (minor detail) and she is hoping to be induced Aug. 6th. Wow! That puts it real close to when I could fly so I am wondering what will happen here. I asked if she would write down her birth story so I would have it for his baby book and she seemed to like that. She wanted that we would be there and he wouldn't go into a caring facility so I was able to tell her that was what we wanted. The hospital is not adoption friendly because of some bad experiences. We can go there and visit with birth mom and see baby if she has him in her room but we cannot hold him!!!! Birth mom does want to meet us so I really hope I can get down there on time for that to be convenient for her. I am thinking of getting her a gift, like a locket or some small token from us. Anyone else do something like this? Most of the talking was the case worker and me. Birth mom was quiet but case worker assured me she was quite pleased with the chance to talk to me and hopefully will again. An ultrasound today showed the baby to be about 4 lbs 6 oz. I know that could be off but I love the details. I'll have to fill in his baby book this date and that figure for some fact about him. I love to fill in baby books with as much detail as I can the first few months because chances are that's all they will get and then we get their book out on their birthday and read about their first few days. It was very exciting even though the call was spotty with their being in a drive-thru also getting food. I am thankful for that time with her. God is so good!

8 weeks and 6 weeks

Here I am now at 8 weeks to go. I saw back an entry where I said 21 weeks to go and wow can time go fast. I received an email from our agency and birth mom just had a doctor's appointment last week and baby and mom are doing well. She's willing to wait for us to do the circumcision. We usually wait and do it a week later or so until baby is a bit stronger and me too but since I'm not giving birth to him I have wondered if we should just have it done in the hospital. Kevin say's "He's our child and we wouldn't do that for one of ours." I like it when he has a say in things. I was very encouraged that she was fine with it and that she isn't wavering so far on her plans to go ahead with the adoption.

I could use some prayers for my thyroid. I'm trying, really trying to be patient with going naturally but I am having so many doubts. I am especially not feeling well these last two days, tired beyond tired, headaches, swollen throat and hard time sleeping. I am so hot most of the time I put a fan on me last night and it helped but the noise of it bugged me all night!!! After last night I plan to ask my doctor for a prescription to Armour, the natural kind of thyroid replacement. I just have to feel better. I might make an appointment with an herbalist for the same day as my doctor's appointment to see what he says about all of this.

We started swim lessons today and it was raining and a nice 65 degrees. After all of these days of being 85 or higher the first day of lessons turned out like this. I actually ran home after Emily's 9 a.m. lesson for an hour and will go back for Isaac's 11 and Caleb's 12 lessons. Rebekah woke up with a sore throat and fever so doesn't want to do lessons. Emily doesn't want to go back. She was the only one her group today and has a bad cold that is making swimming hard to do and they feel she should be in the next level down. She seemed fine with it all but after we left it hit her and she's upset. I think she is just really tired but we'll see if I can talk her into it especially if tomorrow is a nicer day and we will get to go in an hour later!!!! I sure like that better! Oops the time got away from me. Talk later!

Hello...

Well, washing baby clothes was about all I accomplished in the baby room. I did get most of the girls toys out of there and cleaned out all their winter dresses. I have the clothes all ready to pack for the trip to Georgia. 7 weeks until her due date, 9 weeks until mine. Pray God will work it all out according to His plan. It would go so well if I went early and she went late but only God knows how long each of these babies will need to be the healthiest they need to be.

I looked up the town where the baby will be born and I found 115 Baptist Churches. I was looking for the same denomination as we are for ease of looking. I plan to contact them a week or two before birth mom's due date so they can see if there is anyone willing to house us for the time we are there. It would save us hotel costs anyway. Kevin does have a cousin a couple hours away in Atlanta so we may chose that option.

At a graduation yesterday we talked with another family starting the adoption journey. They are planning to adopt two boys in Ethiopia. They will attend the same training we went to in Spokane last summer. The agency they are using is run by the people who put on the training. She mostly had questions on fundraising. This is still a challenge for us. With daily life and the pregnancy I don't know what to do. My idea for July is a bake sale with baked goods, canned jams and jellies and Jordan's skirts she makes. Kevin would like to do a raffle but with what? I think the fair in Breckenridge is coming up so that could be a place to announce a winner. I can think of things but implementing them is not my strong point. I would attempt another rummage sale but I am moving slow on that basement. I don't even know if I have enough to have another one. Pray for God to work in this too. We have $7,000 for the adoption. We need $10,000 more to make it without any adoption debt. Pray for God's working in this. I only write the amounts so you can Praise God for what he has done and pray specifically for what we need. God Bless! Have a good week.

Anything cuter than baby clothes...

Well, maybe a baby:) We washed a bunch of baby boy clothes today and it is fun looking them over and remembering my first born boy in an outfit and finding my favorite sleeper when Gideon was a baby. We had to throw half the bucket away because of horrible stains. I didn't attempt to wash them all out. I think they were there for the last boy but not so bad then. I thought we would need onesies because I threw them all away but then Emily found a pile of them from some giving person at church. Also, God is so good. I was just thinking this week about needing another car seat and someone called and offered us theirs that was used only for one child. What a blessing! We have two now, since the one I used for the last child was only used for her too.

I called the agency in Georgia today and had a wonderful conversation with the director of the agency there. Wonderful person with a great accent. I had a couple questions about the birth and do we have any say in anything? We don't really but the case worker can tell our preferences and if it is an adoption friendly hospital they may honor our requests. Why I wonder wouldn't a hospital be adoption friendly? She said it is common. Hmmm? We may not be able to pick him up at the hospital if it isn't because they won't allow us there! I didn't think of that. But, she wasn't concerned, said we'll just meet somewhere close by when the baby is released. She did say a common thing was for the baby to enter a care home until the 10 day wait period it up and then we go get him but no way!!!! That is not an option for us. We need him to bond to his family. I guess it is in case you don't get to leave with him if the mom changes her mind in that 10 days and for expense reasons.

www.queenofmany.blogspot.com made it official in her home and finalized the adoption of her two boys. We are happy for her family and for those blessed boys to find a home like this. Praise God for raising up the workers in the field.

Everything is still going well

I received an email saying birth mom is still firm in her decision and would like to attend college after baby is born. We are still pursuing ideas for getting me down there to pick him up. We can't really make any decision until we know when she goes into labor and how I'm feeling around then. I did find some bottles that say they help encourage breastfeeding. I didn't buy them since I'll pick up what we need on the way. My goal this week is to empty the baby room of all the girls (junk) stuff and clean off the border. I'd like to get a crib or two set up too and some clothes in the dresser. We'll see if I actually do these things. I have been so tired Mon. and Tues. and could hardly do anything. I think it must be my thyroid. I ordered some herbals that are supposed to heal what's wrong with the thyroid. Pray they come soon and that they work. I had to pay quite a bit extra to ship UPS:(

Oh, and I called "Becky". She is the midwife many of my friends have used to have a home birth. We meet with her July 11th. We are planning for this baby to be born at home. Gideon was born at home quite by accident and it was the best birth ever. I was so relaxed and hardly knew I was in labor thus resulting in his being born in the bathroom:) I need prayers to keep eating the right way. I have slipped some and ate ice cream a couple times. I don't have gestational diabetes but with the thyroid problem sugar and carbs are still an ever present problem for me. The kids are going to buy me a large candy bar to eat after the baby is born (so they say). I said just make it a Reese's Peanut Butter cup. Mmmmm!

Have a good week and weekend.

Doctor's Appointment today

I had an appointment today. I did the sugar test where you drink the stuff. It turned out good! My thyroid stayed the same. Last time the doctor told me it would only get worse because it doesn't get better on it's own but I wonder about it staying the same. My T4 level was 0.85 and is only a little low. Does anyone know about this? If it is only a little low how does that affect you? Should I take the medication? I was going to take the medication if it didn't get better so now what? I am leaning towards taking it. Did my change in diet help it get better and would keeping on the diet improve it or keep it the same? I wish there were clear cut answers. I am 4 pounds less than last time! I was quite pleased with that and attribute it to eating better and getting more exercise. BUT, I measured 37 weeks along and I am only 29 weeks. That is not good! He wasn't too concerned because the baby might be sideways and I have a lot of amniotic fluid in there. He thought most airlines don't let you fly by 36 weeks which could cause a problem but we'll have to wait and see when she goes into labor. If we were adopting internationally we wouldn't get the baby within days of birth so this is just a part of it, I guess. I was wrong the other day when I said 10 weeks. This Monday she'll be 8 weeks away and I will be 10 weeks. I'm due Sept. 1-3 and hers is August 18th.