Home Study

We had our home study this afternoon.

After meeting with Paula the first time I wasn't nervous at all. The main thing she told us is that she is looking for a lovable family with a home that has enough space for a child.

We took a tour of the house when she first arrived.

Then we had to break out for our individual interviews with her. We had a couples interview when we went to her office a few weeks ago.

She went through my portion of the packet that I had filled out and sent to her at the beginning of the process. I just love her. She is so easy going and likes to talk, I do too, so we get along very well. We also have a lot in common and agree on a lot of the same points.

We ended up talking for the next hour and a half that she was here. About my family history, how we plan on disciplining our child, how I feel about my infertility and what stage I am in, etc. She kept complementing us on all of our paperwork which always makes us feel good.

Since we talked so long it didn't leave time for Benji's individual interview. We scheduled that for next week. After that is done, as well as a couple more paperwork things we should be approved.

Paula also met with the lawyer who's list we are on yesterday. She was able to communicate with her back and forth while she was here at our house so we are hoping some positive things come out of that for us.

We are so excited and one step closer to having our family complete.

During our Home Study with Paula

Thank You!

Wow!

Since I shared our blog publicly last week, I have been saying that word a lot, wow...

We decided to share our decision to adopt so that we could spread the word. Our adoption counselor told us that if we were going to do "word of mouth" adoption that the more people that knew about it the better. She instructed us to tell everyone that we knew, for them to tell everyone they know, and so on.

We have been sharing our news for the past month with our families and close friends.

Putting that decision out there for the world to see was a little scary. Not knowing how people would judge us. From the beginning of our journey I have never wanted to give up on our ability to have a child. Part of sharing meant that I could possibly get judgement, that we had given up. Which I never want anyone to think. We will not ever give up on this.

Boy, was I wrong.

I cried most of the day Monday as I read the things that people wrote about us as they shared our story on social media.

Everyday people thinking that we would be great parents. People that I haven't talked to in years, or seen since graduating high school. People that didn't have to say anything, or share it for that matter.

We are so humbled and grateful for all of the people that have shared our story. Or talked to their friends and family about us. Just spreading the word.

We know that this brings us that much closer to having our family complete, something that we have been waiting for, for a long time.

For that we are so indebted to all of you. I feel as if "thank you" is certainly not enough.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts! And are so grateful for each and every one of you.

Update from Infertility Study

I received the final dissertation from my infertility study that I was a part of this past spring.

I forgot all the raw emotions that I had while doing this. As I have been reading through the dissertation I am so thankful that I was a part of it.

Even though it doesn't seem like much has changed, I have grown so much since doing those interviews.

I was still very bitter and scared of the unknown that is infertility.

Now I am at a much happier place in my journey and have discovered many things about myself. My self worth is much more positive and I now know that there is absolutely nothing that I could have done that would have made this not happen to me.

That in itself gives me such peace of mind.

The purpose of the dissertation is to give the public, as well as doctor's a better view of what it is like to live the life of an infertile woman and an infertile couple.

All people that were interviewed were kept anonymous. My pseudo name was "Natalie" for those that are interested in reading through it.

Dissertation Publication - Infertility Study