We finally got a call today from our home study worker! She seems really nice, and she was letting us know that letters were going out today to those we gave as references, and that we would be getting some paperwork to submit as well. Whenever she receives our packets back, she will call and set up the first visit. I'm hoping to have the packets for DH and I done and back to her by the end of the week so that hopefully, by this time next week, we will have a date set for that first session. We weren't given any indication of how far out these meetings are being booked, so to be on the safe side, we are making sure that every.single.thing. about the house and the room is finished by the end of next weekend. Just in case.
I'm not getting ahead of myself, though. While I'm happy things are moving forward, we are *such* a long way from adding to our family. There will be at least 2, if not 3 more sessions - assuming she likes us and the house on her initial visit. Then it's figuring out what kind of placements that we are ready to accept for respite care situations. Then we wait. And we hope, that at some point in the journey and temporary placements, we get a call for a child that's waiting. Until then, there is an empty room full of clothes and toys, and I keep the door to it closed. I am excited about this journey, yes. But I'm also realistic about what it might involve, both time and heartache wise. It's strange to have to have a room all set up when there are so many hoops to jump through before that space you've carved into your home is filled. If it ever is. I've said it before, and I'm sure it won't be the last time - there are no guarantees in this process. All we can do is hope for the best, and be prepared as much as possible for the outcome we are working towards.
Showing posts with label adoption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adoption. Show all posts
Monday, March 12, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The 2WW Begins.
I've lost count of how many times I've been in one of these. Living life in 2 week long increments of treatment and waiting. It's BS, if you ask me, but clearly the universe has no concern for what I think is fair or unfair. That bastard.
Either way, it's out of my hands now. I triggered on Sunday, which went well, other than my thigh being really sore the next day. I was showing the starting signs of O already on Sunday, and based on my experience with my cycles, my best guess is it happened overnight Monday, or early Tuesday. Though honestly, pinpointing it like that is just another thing for me to obsess over, so, whatever.
I go on Friday for my progesterone draw, and hopefully I'll have the rest of my Rx by then. I thought it was 100 mg P.rometrium 3x/day. That part is correct, but I'm also supposed to do another 100 mg 2x/day supp-style. So, 500 mg a day up from the 100 mg I've done in the past. If that doesn't help my LP, I might be a lost cause! Too bad the pharmacy didn't get it right either, because all they gave me were 24 pills at 100 mg. Obviously that lasts less than 5 days at the correct dose, instead of the full 12. The on-post pharmacy is the only one around here that doesn't take electronic prescriptions, and I'm not driving 2 hours to pick up a paper slip. I'm crossing my fingers that it can be here via snail-mail by Friday, so I can have it filled before mine runs out over the weekend.
Still no word from our Home Study worker. I know they are busy, but I was really wishing that we'd at least get a phone call with a guesstimate on our first visit. Hopefully soon.
In NBR news, DH has a 4 day weekend this weekend. That makes me quite happy. It is supposed to rain, ha, but I don't care. This will be the first down time since he came back from training that hasn't been full of my appointments, or errands. Well, other than the blood work, but that's pretty minor, since I can do that locally. I wanted to take both pups out to the park at the river, so I'm hoping the rain lets up for bit to allow us an outing! I can't wait until spring when we can do more with them outdoors. There is supposed to be pretty good hiking, camping, canoeing, etc. around here, and I'm so excited to get out there and do it all when the weather is nicer!
Either way, it's out of my hands now. I triggered on Sunday, which went well, other than my thigh being really sore the next day. I was showing the starting signs of O already on Sunday, and based on my experience with my cycles, my best guess is it happened overnight Monday, or early Tuesday. Though honestly, pinpointing it like that is just another thing for me to obsess over, so, whatever.
I go on Friday for my progesterone draw, and hopefully I'll have the rest of my Rx by then. I thought it was 100 mg P.rometrium 3x/day. That part is correct, but I'm also supposed to do another 100 mg 2x/day supp-style. So, 500 mg a day up from the 100 mg I've done in the past. If that doesn't help my LP, I might be a lost cause! Too bad the pharmacy didn't get it right either, because all they gave me were 24 pills at 100 mg. Obviously that lasts less than 5 days at the correct dose, instead of the full 12. The on-post pharmacy is the only one around here that doesn't take electronic prescriptions, and I'm not driving 2 hours to pick up a paper slip. I'm crossing my fingers that it can be here via snail-mail by Friday, so I can have it filled before mine runs out over the weekend.
Still no word from our Home Study worker. I know they are busy, but I was really wishing that we'd at least get a phone call with a guesstimate on our first visit. Hopefully soon.
In NBR news, DH has a 4 day weekend this weekend. That makes me quite happy. It is supposed to rain, ha, but I don't care. This will be the first down time since he came back from training that hasn't been full of my appointments, or errands. Well, other than the blood work, but that's pretty minor, since I can do that locally. I wanted to take both pups out to the park at the river, so I'm hoping the rain lets up for bit to allow us an outing! I can't wait until spring when we can do more with them outdoors. There is supposed to be pretty good hiking, camping, canoeing, etc. around here, and I'm so excited to get out there and do it all when the weather is nicer!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
New Year, Same Resolutions.
I've been a craptastic blogger, but the last few months have been insane. Yet, all of the crazy was the same things over and over, so there really wasn't anything interesting to write about. The house repairs have become a consuming, financially and emotionally draining, never ending cluster. But we've gotten a ton done.
All new carpet is finally in. Every room had to be painted to cover the smoke smells and stains. All the blinds have been replaced for the same reason. The missing door frames have all been finished. I also fixed 3 windows, and framed 3 others until they can be replaced. Broken and mis-matched fixtures and ceiling fans have been changed out. The kitchen and bathroom tiles have been caulked where they weren't upon move-in. Broken, filthy shower doors are down, as are the jagged, broken porcelain wall-mounted fixtures. After 8 total hours of cleaning out the back patio of the previous residents trash and junk, the backyard is clean and the dogs are happy.
Oh yeah, dogs plural. We rescued a puppy that was about to be put down. He's name is Toby, and from the vet, and then our own research, we think he's a black and tan coonhound and walker coonhound mix. My husband thinks it is hilarious that I'd end up with a raccoon hunting dog, but that's another story.
So finally, it's finally starting to feel like a home here. The ILs visited the day after Christmas, and we all had a really nice time. I'm hoping my parents will be visiting sometime this month. When we lived in Texas, we only saw everyone once a year, so it's nice to have them for visits.
There is a short list priorities structurally, including a decent amount of electrical repairs, some plumbing issues, 2 soffit and facia board replacements, and the HVAC system getting tuned up. Other than that, we can just do a little at a time, but at least be comfortable living here, and proud of the work we've done when they come for home study.
Husband and I go to DCS tomorrow for our next step, and I'm nervous. We've decided to open our profile to one child for now instead of 2 - a little girl between 0-6. With DH deploying sometime this year, I just feel strongly that it will be easier for a girl placement to adjust and thrive alone with just me for a while.
So that's my life right now as I bring in the New Year. It's hard to believe it's 2012. It feels like yesterday, and long ago, all at the same time that I started each New Year's with the resolution that *this* year, will be the year. The year we have a family. Most everyone around me brought in 2012 with their healthy little ones, or with little ones on the way. But for me, it's the same resolutions all over again. Get settled at (insert whatever new place we've moved), have a child, let DH have a safe deployment, and so on. Yet those are still my hopes and dreams for this year. I really hope the universe has something up it's sleeve for us in the months to come.
All new carpet is finally in. Every room had to be painted to cover the smoke smells and stains. All the blinds have been replaced for the same reason. The missing door frames have all been finished. I also fixed 3 windows, and framed 3 others until they can be replaced. Broken and mis-matched fixtures and ceiling fans have been changed out. The kitchen and bathroom tiles have been caulked where they weren't upon move-in. Broken, filthy shower doors are down, as are the jagged, broken porcelain wall-mounted fixtures. After 8 total hours of cleaning out the back patio of the previous residents trash and junk, the backyard is clean and the dogs are happy.
Oh yeah, dogs plural. We rescued a puppy that was about to be put down. He's name is Toby, and from the vet, and then our own research, we think he's a black and tan coonhound and walker coonhound mix. My husband thinks it is hilarious that I'd end up with a raccoon hunting dog, but that's another story.
So finally, it's finally starting to feel like a home here. The ILs visited the day after Christmas, and we all had a really nice time. I'm hoping my parents will be visiting sometime this month. When we lived in Texas, we only saw everyone once a year, so it's nice to have them for visits.
There is a short list priorities structurally, including a decent amount of electrical repairs, some plumbing issues, 2 soffit and facia board replacements, and the HVAC system getting tuned up. Other than that, we can just do a little at a time, but at least be comfortable living here, and proud of the work we've done when they come for home study.
Husband and I go to DCS tomorrow for our next step, and I'm nervous. We've decided to open our profile to one child for now instead of 2 - a little girl between 0-6. With DH deploying sometime this year, I just feel strongly that it will be easier for a girl placement to adjust and thrive alone with just me for a while.
So that's my life right now as I bring in the New Year. It's hard to believe it's 2012. It feels like yesterday, and long ago, all at the same time that I started each New Year's with the resolution that *this* year, will be the year. The year we have a family. Most everyone around me brought in 2012 with their healthy little ones, or with little ones on the way. But for me, it's the same resolutions all over again. Get settled at (insert whatever new place we've moved), have a child, let DH have a safe deployment, and so on. Yet those are still my hopes and dreams for this year. I really hope the universe has something up it's sleeve for us in the months to come.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
:deep breath:
I don't know why I'm so overwhelmed about this, but I am. But in a good way. We just bought our first adoption thing! A deep purple toddler recliner. Totally random, yes, but I ran across it online and had to have it. When we move next month, we're re-doing the living room for the new house. The theme is based around an amazing print we bought from a local artist in San Antonio - pale yellow and shades of gray and purple. It sounds so silly, but when I saw that little purple chair, all I could think was how perfectly it would fit into our home. How perfectly the child or children that will sit on it will fit into our home. To know that in all these talks, and plans, and 100 steps left to go in our process... that at some point, it will end with a family.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Exciting New Plans.
Big decisions have been made in the H household. July was another failed cycle for us. All the results from my re-drawn tests came back, also. My ANA titer is higher than previous draws. With +ANA, anything with a ratio of 1:40 or higher is considered positive. Mine has been a steady 1:320 since last October, and now is 1:640. It's not unusual for it to fluctuate, but because I am negative for any specific auto-immune diseases, it is a bit odd. I am being referred to a second rheumatologist, this time within the same hospital my RE practices out of.
I am going ahead with this cycle. It will be our last try with the Femara 7.5 mg before moving on to a different course of meds. Since my new rheumatologist will be in the same practice as my RE, hopefully they can get me on an additional medicine for my immune issues that could possibly help have a different outcome. We move in about 10 weeks or so, which gives us this cycle, and one, maybe 2, more chances before we head to a new duty station.
Which leads me to previously mentioned exciting new plans. When we get to our next station, we will be pursuing foster-to-adopt! Soldier and I are both quite excited about this decision, and we are confident that this is the right choice for us. We will continue to attempt TTC while we are still here in TX, but regardless of the outcome, the adoption is something that is in our near future.
People have said to us in the past, "why don't you just adopt?" and I just want to make it very clear, that "just" and "adopt" do not belong in the same sentence. It is not a simple or easy thing to do, and it's not just some default backup plan in the game of having difficultly having biological children. It is not a "plan B" nor is it something that people have to settle for when they can't have children in the way that most people consider "normal." This is a huge decision, one we are thrilled at the prospect of, and these children will be ever bit as loved and wanted as ones that are biologically ours.
We had been hesitant to pursue this road before now. We looked into the process during Solider's deployment, but with knowing about our upcoming move, there wasn't enough time to commit to the process before we would be leaving. Knowing that we will be in TN for quite some time, and that we will be buying a home, allows us to fully invest in this journey, and we can't wait!
Ideally, we would like to take in a sibling set, preferably a brother and sister. We are hoping for them both to be under 3 or so years old, and will only be taking in children that are legally free for adoption. After all these losses, we just can't bare to have other kids taken away from us. This will be a difficult and long road for us. It's a complicated process, and there will be heartache. We simply don't have the money for private adoption, and in choosing this road, we can help kids who would otherwise grow up in the foster care system. Sibling sets are hard to place, because so many want to adopt one at a time, and typically people want infants. To know what kind of difference we can make to 2 children who need a home... it just makes our hearts happy and hopeful for the first time in many years about having a family. I can't wait to get to our new home, settle in, and have the family we've always dreamed of. It might be done unconventionally, but hey, we have never been much of a normal couple anyhow. :)
I am going ahead with this cycle. It will be our last try with the Femara 7.5 mg before moving on to a different course of meds. Since my new rheumatologist will be in the same practice as my RE, hopefully they can get me on an additional medicine for my immune issues that could possibly help have a different outcome. We move in about 10 weeks or so, which gives us this cycle, and one, maybe 2, more chances before we head to a new duty station.
Which leads me to previously mentioned exciting new plans. When we get to our next station, we will be pursuing foster-to-adopt! Soldier and I are both quite excited about this decision, and we are confident that this is the right choice for us. We will continue to attempt TTC while we are still here in TX, but regardless of the outcome, the adoption is something that is in our near future.
People have said to us in the past, "why don't you just adopt?" and I just want to make it very clear, that "just" and "adopt" do not belong in the same sentence. It is not a simple or easy thing to do, and it's not just some default backup plan in the game of having difficultly having biological children. It is not a "plan B" nor is it something that people have to settle for when they can't have children in the way that most people consider "normal." This is a huge decision, one we are thrilled at the prospect of, and these children will be ever bit as loved and wanted as ones that are biologically ours.
We had been hesitant to pursue this road before now. We looked into the process during Solider's deployment, but with knowing about our upcoming move, there wasn't enough time to commit to the process before we would be leaving. Knowing that we will be in TN for quite some time, and that we will be buying a home, allows us to fully invest in this journey, and we can't wait!
Ideally, we would like to take in a sibling set, preferably a brother and sister. We are hoping for them both to be under 3 or so years old, and will only be taking in children that are legally free for adoption. After all these losses, we just can't bare to have other kids taken away from us. This will be a difficult and long road for us. It's a complicated process, and there will be heartache. We simply don't have the money for private adoption, and in choosing this road, we can help kids who would otherwise grow up in the foster care system. Sibling sets are hard to place, because so many want to adopt one at a time, and typically people want infants. To know what kind of difference we can make to 2 children who need a home... it just makes our hearts happy and hopeful for the first time in many years about having a family. I can't wait to get to our new home, settle in, and have the family we've always dreamed of. It might be done unconventionally, but hey, we have never been much of a normal couple anyhow. :)
