229 puzzle pieces funded and 771 to go!

Thank you Renee Heagy for your donation!!

 If you are having trouble using PayPal let me know. A couple of people were having trouble donating. Remember you can always mail a check!


 

 

 

 

 

Edometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition where endometrial tissue, normally found in the uterus, is found elsewhere in the pelvic region, most often in the pelvic cul-de-sac behind the uterus and pelvic sidewalls, ovaries, and even over the bowel and bladder. In addition to discomfort, endometriosis can lead to chronic pelvic pain, adhesions, and even infertility.  This from The Center for Endometriosis

This what I have. It's been almost a year since I found out this was the root of all the agony and pain in my life. When it takes so much from you and you are told there is no cure, naturally curiosity takes over. Curiosity for a better life doesn't kill the cat. Not finding answers might. I found this place named after my disease on the 'World Wide Web' and wanted to go there but guess what people my insurance at the time didn't cover any of the doctors at the center. So I did the best I could with what I had, and received care that didn't amount to the results I was hoping for.

This last Thursday we went to Center For Endometriosis (it's now covered under my new insurance) and both Tim and I were amazed at the knowledge, skill and technology this center had. We met with the Director and we came up with a plan to improve my quality of life. Bottom line I should not be taking so many over the counter pain relievers to mask the pain I feel every month, it is not normal.  A doctor finally understood. I mean I am in the prime of my life! *wink, wink*
I will be a mother someday (here soon) and I want to be an active mom not a mom that has to take a week off every month.

So you might be asking...
Can Endometriosis be prevented with early diagnosis and complete excision?
Read the article above and find out.


It was a great day! I am glad we made the drive. Totally worth it.

Week 10: 228 puzzle pieces funded 772 more to go!

Thank you Janet Dobbs!!!

the steps...

Adoption Journey outlines the steps in an infant adoption very well. I know some of you always want to know where we are in the process. We are still working on the home study as of today. Here are the steps in the process:


http://www.adoptionjourney.com/thinking-about-adoption/process

Adoption is not a neatly wrapped package...

So I received a very sweet children’s book in the mail from my friend Jan. The title is A Blessing from Above and it’s about a kangaroo that longed to carry a baby in her pouch. It watches every animal have their own children until one day a baby bird falls from its nest into her pouch. The mama bird is overwhelmed with her nest of baby birds that she’s happy that her baby bird is happy and warm in the kangaroo’s care. Then the kangaroo and the baby bird live happily ever after together and give thanks for each other every night before bed.  It’s a very cute story. I love it but adoption is not that easy for most. So many things go into adopting a child. You don’t fill out paperwork pay your money and a baby appears at your door step. Tim and I might be waiting for years for a child or children (I hope not!) Adoption is a tangled continuum of pleasure and pain, fulfillment and frustration according to Adoption Nation. One thing we understand is adoption will always be a part of our lives and most importantly our kids.  As we are reading we have learned how the adoption process has changed over the years. Laws have changed and trends like open adoptions have grown.  These adoption facts will give you a better grasp of the workings and realities of this sometimes confusing process.

·         In the U.S. the average age for prospective adoptive parents is the late 30s to middle 40s. (We are younger than that! J)

·         The largest adoptive parent group is couples who have been married for three years or longer. Even though this is still the norm, interracial, single-parent, and gay-parent adoptions are gaining in popularity.

·         Adoption laws in the U.S. are enacted and monitored by the states. This means that the laws can vary quite a bit from one state to another. Laws can change too. If you're planning on adopting, it pays to do your homework and stay current on changing trends.

·         There are typically two broad categories of adoption, open and closed. A closed adoption is one in which the identities of the parties involved are withheld. In an open (or semi-open) adoption, certain information is shared. What and how much can vary from state to state and agency to agency. There are advantages and disadvantages to either method. The trick is to find an agency and process that works for you.

·         State adoption agencies are usually of two types, public and private. Public agencies are run by the states themselves, where private agencies are only licensed by the states. Public agencies typically have lower costs involved in adoption where private agencies can sometimes charge a great deal.

·         Adopted children can and often do grow up well-adjusted and happy. A 1994 study conducted by the Search Institute in Minneapolis evaluated 881 adopted adolescents and their adoptive parents over four years. The teens scored higher than their non-adopted counterparts in caring and social competency. (Well, that’s good to know.)

·         Although there may be lots of reasons to adopt a child, the overwhelming motivator in 95 percent of cases is infertility. (That’s us!)

·         The average adoption takes -- well, there is no average adoption timeframe. Times can vary anywhere from a few months to five years or more depending on the circumstances.

·         As of the 2000 census, about 1.6 million children in the U.S. under the age of 18 were adopted. Of those, around 98,000 were one year old or less (this includes foreign adoptions).

·         Using those same 2000 census figures, there were almost a half-million adopted adults living in the U.S. (473,000).

There are so many unknowns. I have worries. But I try not to worry for too long because I will go CRAZY!  With all this newfound knowledge we have met parents that have adopted. With their story they all say it’s worth it when "the gift" arrives.

 Well with that said I found this article on Parenting.com about an open adoption; a mom gained a beloved daughter -- and the girl's birth mother.  http://www.parenting.com/article/open-adoption?page=0,0

(This will be a topic of a future blog post, I'm sure)

 
Just in…another snow day for us! That means another 2-hour adoption video to watch along with a big heaping bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup.

 

 

SWEET!

218 puzzle pieces funded 782 pieces to go! (Week 9)

Thank you Carrie Reich, Kara Liddle and Lindsay Williams!!!

Moving along!

We had one of our meetings Saturday. We traveled two hours there and back and we scheduled our last meeting of the home study. Everyone that adopts/fosters children has to do a home study it's the law. It's all the paperwork, training and visits at the adoption agency and then the "inspection" of your home. Once we get the home study approved and pay for it then we can apply for grants, loans etc. At the same time our photo book and online profile are shown to birth moms looking for a family for their child or children. We scheduled Rhonda to come check out our house February 27th at 6pm. Now we need to finish our online classes and keep reading. So here are some books we have read and what we are currently reading.

Well, until next week. I'm going to get back to my reading. I'm sure I'll have a longer blog post next week with all the reading I'm doing. So get ready.

 

 

Tim and Greta