I’m not sure where to start. Ben did an excellent job of catching everyone up, but of course I have my own perspective to share too. Like Ben mentioned, we officially began the wait for baby at the beginning of June. We were told that waiting was the most difficult part. The average wait was 2 years, some people waited longer. We chose not to be notified every time a birth parent looked at our profile book, because we thought it would be too painful to hear more than once that we weren’t chosen. The only times we were notified was when the birth family was out of state (due to extra expenses for us) or if it was drug and alcohol related (we had to decided to handle those on a case by case basis).

So, as Ben said, we got a call the day after we began waiting. Our caseworker told us the mom and dad were in Utah, that they were having a baby girl, and that everyone was healthy. Mom and dad had not used drugs or alcohol, and were actively involved in their church. Having so many factors we had prayed for wrapped up into our first birth family seemed a little too good to be true, but we said they could see our profile. As we lay in bed that night, we looked at baby names and stumbled across one that had originated in Utah. We tried to imagine having a baby girl by October (which we thought was the due date) and how our lives would change. We failed miserably at imagining, but we were growing attached. I kept trying to guard my heart, but I was already in love. I prayed that this child would become our daughter.

On Monday, July 29th at 10:51am, I got a call from Bethany Christian Services. Our caseworker was calling to inform me that the birth parents in Utah had chosen us. I remember saying “What?” a few times, and jumping out of bed. Hey, it was summer, I’m a teacher, I like to sleep. I knew I had to tell Ben what had just happened in a memorable way, so I was brainstorming while I threw on some clothes and got ready to go see him at work.

I decided there was no better way to surprise him than to go through the teller line at his new job with a gift for him. I purchased a pink leopard print onesie (it was the girliest thing I could find) and a matching bib that said “Wild About Daddy.” I wrapped it in a plain brown gift bag. I got to the credit union and I could hardly stand it. I had to wait in the queue for what felt like an eternity, and then had to let people go in front of me so that I could get to Ben’s window. I handed him the gift bag, he opened it, and looked at me weird. He asked “Why did you buy a girl onesie? We don’t even know what we’re having yet?” I replied with a grin, “Yes we do! And she’s due in September!” I actually believe that time stopped for Ben just then, as it had for me at home when I got the call. A mix of excitement, shock, and then the million things that run through your head when preparing for a baby began.

Our baby’s godmother also works at the credit union, and she was working in drive-up. We got to go in the back door to tell her she was gonna be an aunt, and she immediately started bawling. I’m pretty sure she won’t forget that day.

The worst part was waiting for Ben to get home so we could start calling our families. We both wanted to be there and tell them around the same time. Everyone was thrilled, and full of questions. A lot of which we didn’t know the answers to yet.

We shared via email our reaction to the news with the birth parents and grandparents.

Within the next few weeks, we began communicating with the paternal birth grandmother. Our first visit with her was on the phone, and we listened to her tell the story of how our daughter came to be, and how they chose adoption. It was also cool to hear that we were chosen because of our pictures of us loving music and God. That pretty much sums us up. We also received the first pictures of our daughter in utero, which I will share here. My favorite is the one of her fist pumping (or praising God), whatever.

The whole relationship with the birth family is so different through every adoption. We have heard others share their stories and no two are the same. It was (and still is) a challenge for me to lay down expectations and take things as they come. Though “meeting” the birth family over the phone was not what I had initially expected, it was what I needed. August 14: After that first conversation, I was filled with such peace. That open line of communication meant the world to me. I no longer felt like I had no window into the world of the birth family. I have to thank birth grandmother for how much she has meant to me for the past months, and how much more sane I am for being able to text her when I needed to do so.

I was able to share photos of the nursery with them, and that made it more real for me. Likewise, they sent us pictures of them on camping trips and enjoying life, which also helped us get to know them better. Here are some nursery pics for you all:

Preparing the nursery was very therapeutic for us, because it made us realize that we had a child coming into our home. It is the only room in our house that we have actually painted and finished, so when we go into her room, we have a sense of expectancy for her arrival. All that we have learned about our feelings toward our daughter have revealed to us even more how our God feels when he thinks of us. A sense of expectancy for the next interaction we will have with Him. An urgency to bring us into a relationship with Him. A love that is unconditional, that can’t be understood or explained, and that we somehow belong in His family.

“He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will.” Ephesians 1:5 (NRSV)

More to come