Getting all the work done was not easy!!! We had to have fingerprints done (many times), a homestudy completed, fill out a ton of paperwork before our packet was sent to Vietnam. The the waiting began. God had other plans though. Vietnam closed their doors in September of 2008 and no families were matched with babies anymore. We had to start all over.
After much research, Joe and I found Adoption Network Law Center based in California. We really liked the caseworker that talked with us, so we started the paperwork all over again! I think the hardest part here was getting pictures. Each had to be in a different outfit and show us in various activities. We spent one afternoon walking the dog, playing basketball, going to the park...whatever we could think of that looked fun. In January of 2009, all of our paperwork was finished and our website went live. We drove ourselves crazy for weeks checking daily to see how many potential mothers had looked at our profile.
December 2009 On the 10th, Mary (from ANLC) called to ask permission to give our profile to a birthmother who did not match our profile. After hearing about her and the situation, Joe and decided to give our consent. Mary then gave us more details. The BM was addicted to Methadone and was due in early January. She did know the sex of the baby...a GIRL. This sent Joe and I over the moon since this is what we really wanted. More waiting began! That was probably the longest weekend of our marriage if not our lives! On Wednesday, Mary called back to say that the BM had chosen us. The little girl was due on January 8th, but Methadone mothers have a tendancy to deliver early. After calling everyone we knew and posting the news on Facebook, we tried to sleep that night. On Thursday (our 5th anniversary) we were able to talk to the BM on the phone. A sonogram picture was sent to us. We frantically began to get everything done so when the birth started, we were able to leave town. We decided to name her Carli Elizabeth. The closer it got to January, the harder it was to sleep. My students were told, and I got lesson plans ready to go.
