Adoption Survivor!

Saturday we threw a party to celebrate Jessica's arrival. We opted for an aloha/survivor theme instead of pink & duckies, because we were ready to par-tay over our first adoption! I couldn't find a clip-on bone for her nose, or grass skirts in size 0, so we opted for eyebrow pencil and her animal print top. The guests all wanted to hold her and she was a great hostess. That's one for the baby book: first party! (And she didn't even have to wait til her first birthday.)


Lots of people helped out with food, and besides 2 dinner dishes, all we had for dinner that night was sugar and fruit, yum! We had just the right amount of people to sit and talk and tell Jessica's story. (I went to 8 stores to find my favorite paper lanterns, and of course, they were at the last possible store on my list.)

Two of my tennis teammates came bearing gifts. My tennis team has been really happy for me, although it's taking time away from my favorite sport. My wonderful friend Meghan is babysitting Jessica for the last few games of the season. Both our division 7 and division 5 teams are in first place, and it's been a blast playing (and winning) these last 2 years with them.

Dave offers up Jessica, Lion King style. "It's the cir---cle--- of liiii----fe !"

His coworker Steve is a cheerful guy whom Dave really likes, so we're glad he came. Dave's company delivered a bouquet of flowers and balloons of congratulations, and their best present: they didn't fire him after being gone for 10 working days. Thanks Florida Turbine Technologies!

Our friend Sheyla made a custom cake for the party: Dave and I on a safari to find a pink bundle in a treasure chest under the palms. Dave is complete with glasses, and apparently my figurine liked to swim, because it kept falling in the water. (This week we've been eating the cake, but we decided it would be slightly cannibalistic, and sick, to eat tiny sugar versions of ourselves, so we ate around them.)

Sheyla won the tropical food contest, and the amazing fruit hat, which looked like it was made for her! Our church "family" has been a huge support over the 6 years we've been here and childless. They've referred us to infertility specialists; told us their own experiences; listened to us (complaining sometimes on my part); some have consciously not asked about it I'm sure (a relief in its own way); gave advice (the helpful, the useless, and the painful kind); they've included us in family activities even though we didn't have kids; let us borrow their kids; and greatly encouraged us. And lastly, they were ecstatic when we finally did find a child, and have showered Jessica with gifts. We love you Jupiter ward!

Thanks to everyone who helped us celebrate!

Mom to the Rescue

I thought that only women who bore children needed their moms to help out after a new baby arrived. Boy was I wrong!

Dave and I managed pretty well at the hotel in Birmingham, but we had nothing to prevent us from holding her and napping all day. But when we got home, I wanted to get a recital out of the way, Dave was going back to work, and our house was in disarray with all the new stuff. But my mom went right to work helping me set up the nursery, make party fliers, cooking meals, cleaning the kitchen, and of course, holding her first granddaughter. Jessica loved Grandma E, who is a natural with babies, (having had 5 of her own.)

Grandma helped get Jessica ready for church on her first Sunday home in Jupiter. Don't ask me how Mom got her to smile for the camera, but she sure looks sweet enough to eat. Dave will have the baby during church, since I play piano for the Primary kids after the family sacrament meeting (but we'll see how long that lasts before she starts getting "borrowed".)

My mom and I got to talk about babies, family, the whole adoption saga, and everything under the sun. Monday we went shopping at Babies'R'Us and Target and got a baby swing, supplies, bibs, washcloths, and some irresistable dresses.
Tuesday Mom watched the baby while I got some much needed exercise. (Of course, we kept her out of the sun except for the pictures.) It just so happens that Jess and I both have pink skirts; I think we would make a great doubles tennis team.

Thanks for coming to help us Mom!

Piano Recital and Baby Shower

One thing Dave and I learned about childlessness: don't put your life on hold, or you're going to be very bored and anxious waiting for kids. While we waited to get pregnant our first year, I did a lot of reading about human reproduction. (It's a great irony/weakness-becoming-a-strength when you can't have kids but you know way more about it than people who can replicate themselves.)

While Dave earned his Masters in Austin, TX, and we didn't have money for fertility treatments, Dave enjoyed woodworking and Scouts, and I scrapbooked and studied HTML and Spanish.

When we moved to Florida and started fertility treatments, we still bought a house, a second car, cell phones, furniture, and a piano; Dave and I led the church youth group; I decorated the house and learned everything I could about Florida climate; and after several requests, I started teaching piano lessons.

I had taught lessons in high school, but I still felt unqualified. So I started reading about piano pedagogy, met other teachers, and gained experience. The parents were patient with me as I experimented on their kids, as I was patient with students and parents who weren't always stellar. (Hey, I was that kid who wouldn't practice! I have a soft spot for that. Sometimes.)

I soon realized that if students don't have people to impress and deadlines (a.k.a. recitals) frequently, then piano study seems like endless torment. So I started themed recitals every 3-6 months, and field trips to keep the kids' interest. We've been to a piano repair shop, a 5 Browns concert, a piano festival, had a piano family home evening, and a military jazz band. It's been an awesome creative outlet for me. The recitals at my house & teaching units I've done so far are:

Country Gardens Duets at a piano store on a $100,000 piano
Christmas concert at a student's home
Movie Music/John Williams (Star Wars, Jaws, etc.)
Beethoven
Accompanying Singers (great for learning music doesn't stop for mistakes)
How to Practice (unit)
Minor Keys/Halloween (twice; kids love doing recitals in Halloween costumes)
Carnival of the Animals
Rhythms/World Music (church classroom)
Music Money/STOMP party for high earners (unit)
Musical Hats/Eras & Genres (grand piano at my church chapel)

After teaching for 4 years, I've had 34 students from age 5 to adult, and I currently have 14 students. But because of spring break, illness, scheduling confusion, and because I don't make the adult students perform, about 1/3 of us featured music from every time period and genre. The recital was SO MUCH FUN, especially with 6 months of preparation and so much variety.

I bought hats to represent different kinds of music to show the students there is always some kind of music you like. The hats were a crown: Renaissance; wig: Baroque; tri-cornered hat: Classical; top hat & specs: Romantic; space helmet: 21st Century classical; Viking helmet: opera; director's cap: movies; straw hat or bonnet: folk music; fedora: jazz/blues; and peace headband & crazy glasses: rock & roll. I spent hours finding a video clip to show on my laptop every week, and a new piece of music to match. I learned a great deal of musicology, but I'm glad this time-consuming unit is done. On to composing!

Bonnie Higgins (in the tiara) is one of my piano parents and a violin teacher. She played also, since I invite parents to perform in recitals. Most importantly, she volunteered to help organize refreshments (what a lifesaver) and turned it into an impromptu baby shower for us (what a sweetie!)

People were very generous, and we passed around the little angel, (who attempted to sing during the recital, and during refreshments performed in her diaper.) Everyone was excited to see her, and we were only too happy to show her off.

Drew and Julie, part of the ubercreative Deboskey family, who have been putting up with my teaching for a few years now.

My friend Meghan spotted our husbands holding their new babies in the hallway. Yay for new dads!

Trip home

When we heard Tuesday around lunchtime that our interstate paperwork had been approved and we were free to go home, it was too late start the 11-hour trek. Dave's parents were already on their way to meet us. Well, let's be honest, to meet the baby. And we had planned to just get closer to the border to feel like we were doing something. So we drove to Dothan, AL and stayed the night.Dave's parents arrived from Houston around 10 pm. His father exercised his new digital camera, and Dave's mother was so cuddly with the baby. As soon as we opened the hotel door, Dave's mom had her hands out: "Ooo, gimme, gimme! Where's the baby? I want to meet her!" There was a flowering pear tree right outside our door for pictures the next morning. Truly, spring is a season of new birth, and the best time to have a new baby. Everything seems new and fresh to me now. Dave and I noted we started our married lives in the year 2000, and 1 decade later in 2010, we started parenting. Ooo, I wonder what will happen by 2020?


Wednesday around lunch we said goodbye to Dave's parents and drove the 8 hours back to south Florida. We took turns in the back, and Jessica did pretty well, but it would've taken much longer with only me driving home. Smokey was only too happy to see us. He hid from the family who fed him and was hiding under the bed, as usual, but ran right out and sang songs to us to welcome us home. We tried to introduce the cat to the baby, but Smokey only leaned against her and wanted his head scratched. (I think he knows now he's getting less attention, but otherwise, I think they're oblivious to each other.) Smokey is very obedient and shy, so we have no worries about him in her crib, etc.

Jessica wouldn't be calmed, and I was grouchy after the long drive, so Dave sent me to bed. (She needed more food, even though she had just eaten her usual amount just an hour before--the first of many times she would teach us that nothing will deter her from drinking extra helpings in the evenings.)

Jessica spent her first night in her crib and woke up happy and alert. (Of course, we had to feed her twice during the night.) She seems to like looking at the ocean cartoons all over the room. She will not be sleeping with us, and we won't be using a baby monitor. I think it's good we don't hear all the humming and grunting she does, but the bedroom doors are open so we can hear her cry loudly for food. It's perfect. We three did a little jumping up and down chanting "Our family is ho-ome! Our family is ho-ome!" Best St. Patrick's Day ever.

Yay! We're free!

It's noon, and we just got a phone call from our awesome FL social worker who says we're free to leave the state. We already made reservations in Dothan, AL to meet Dave's parents, which gives us 2 days to make the long trip with a new baby. Piano recital is on for Friday, Dave will be back to work on Thursday, and we can get back to normal! Well, with a new baby...

Big Baby Bash

Dave and I always wanted to have a big open house when we finally adopted. In the midst of paperwork uncertainty today, I told Dave: "Let's picture this wait all over, and we're throwing the party. What theme should we choose to exemplify our struggle to adopt?" His response made me laugh out loud: "Survivor."

Ha ha hahaha! So we decided: Sat Mar 27 or Sun Mar 28 we're having an island-themed baby party at our house. Come help us celebrate the end of our childlessness in your flip flops and Hawaiian shirts and grass skirts. You know, pineapple and coconut macaroons and pulled pork and chocolate (it's a tropically-grown food, right?)

We went right out & bought some supplies. If you have any island decorations, or tropical treats you'd like to bring, contact me or Meghan Shurtz. Don't feel you have to bring an offering for the volcano (a gift), please just come! Everyone is invited. We have a surprise "village" project, and tribal face-paint for anyone who wants to hold the baby. Best costume wins a prize.

{The water/island theme isn't too much of a stretch: we live in Florida, and her nursery and bedding has an underwater theme. Plus, I toyed with the idea of her middle name being Pearl: after all, she is our 'pearl of great price'.}

I'm trying to come up with an outdoor game involving spear throwing and "the bullseye of adoption frustration", and something else with fire. Any ideas? Or spears? Island music or party lights?

Sorry, no baby word unscramble or "guess how many mints are in the baby bottle" games here. This is no regular baby, and no ordinary party. More to come . . .

Still here

We found out it took Alabama only 24 hours (starting Thursday) to receive our papers, complete our approval, and get it in the mail to Florida. FL got it today (Monday), hopefully to finish it Tuesday or Wednesday, so we might drive back to Florida Tuesday or Wednesday.

We were planning on Dave flying back on Saturday, so he could back to the Elder's Quorum after a month's absence, and work after a 2 week absence. But I was pouting at the idea of spending my birthday on Sunday alone and driving back without him. Dave placated me to give the ICPC process a few more days. Friday we bummed around the mall, bought some shoes and dessert, called our moms, and watched a comedy (Complete Shakespeare Abridged).

Now it's Monday, and there was no word, and it's Dave's turn to go bonkers. He can swing 2 weeks of vacation if his family's around, but going to the store and on a walk is not enough to block out how unproductive he feels. And worse, we are both powerless to do anything. I can take disappointment if there's an explanation, an action, or a time limit.

So we may drive down Alabama to Dothan or Mobile and stay a little closer to the "border". Dave's parents are driving over from Houston for a quick hello to their newest grandbaby. Dave has to get back to work on Thursday.

This morning we met most of the birth family at Waffle House for a goodbye breakfast. Funny story: Dave choose the onsie that said "Daddy Loves Me", and about 4 hours later, she had her first blowout on herself, the couch and "daddy". He just held her by her armpits and looked disgusted and confused about which mess to start with. I thought it was pretty funny! That's how babies initiate dads, I guess. Now every time we saw that phrase today, I laughed and Dave was like "Oo, look out."
Our rubber-necked contortionist in her yellow Sunday attire, faithfully slept through the whole high counselor's talk.

Sunday we went to a small branch in Birmingham. And Jessica lasted the whole time. We're thinking (if baby gets her interstate immigration status approved in time.) we'll bring her to church on Sunday. And to my piano recital Friday night. If, if, if.

Dave spots a cocoa pod inside the tropical plants greenhouse, (which was less interesting to us than the Japanese, cactus, and outdoor gardens, since we see those plants everyday in Florida.)

To celebrate my 32nd birthday, we walked through the other half of the Birmingham botanical gardens; ate Cheetos, strawberries, egg rolls, and fudge poptarts; and I watched all 4 hours of Gone with the Wind, (love it!)
(I thought I kept seeing rose bushes around the city, and thought "That's odd, roses bloom mid-summer." But the botanical gardens are full of camellias, Alabama state flower, which look like old-fashioned roses.)

Saturday we visited the famous World's Fair colossal ode to Birmingham's steel heritage: Vulcan. (He's holding a spear point, and only the front half is covered by a blacksmith's apron, so there are a lot of jokes about south Birmingham being mooned.)

We learned the city sits on top of all 3 ingredients for steel: iron ore, limestone, and coal, but nowadays its a hospital city. It was cold and a little scary on the observation deck (why do they make the floor see through?), but it had a really high tech visitor's center.

Big feet, small feet.

Our birthmom came with us, and I found out why my daughter's long fingers all bend backwards. Birthmom was using a computer touchscreen and I smiled. (I mean, look at her long graceful hands in the pic below; she could TOTALLY be a hand model. ;] ) It's been wonderful to have an open adoption and learn about Jessica's family. It sneaks Dave and I a look into her future, which we're thinking will be very good. : )

Progress, Finally

We heard this morning our paperwork has been delivered to the state of Alabama. HALLELUJAH! If it's correct, baby & I may be home next week. After talking with several people, we're finding out every adoption has a snag, but applying for interstate adoption should not take as long as it has (10 days). The LDS Family Services Atlanta social worker is not the speediest or easiest to track down, much to our chagrin. Gratefully, others in the process have been more helpful.

We meet with the lawyer tomorrow to start her AL court finalization application, which should take about 60 days. Dave flies home this Saturday, regardless of what happens.

Baby is great. She smiles so wide after a bottle and first falling asleep I can see her dimples. I love to play and tease her and swing with her, and watch her little brain try to process it. What a cutie, and growing every day. Thanks for mailing her a new girly wardrobe, Grandma E!



To entertain ourselves, we went to the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham. I thought it would be boring for me and Dave would just walk around and drool over airplanes turbines and engines, which he did. But it was worth the admission.




The WWII plane room had heavy loudspeakers replaying engine startup sounds, and great mannequins. The museum also had plane artwork, weather explanations, models, an experimental plane room, "make your own plane" kids' center, wall of women pilots, nifty helicopters, huge murals, tables and fence posts made from propeller wings, and a flight library.



But my 2 favorite things were the plane simulator games (we crashed and laughed a lot) and the children's airplane playroom. The picture only shows a third of it and all the toys. If only Jessica was older . . .

"Peas Porridge in the Pot, Nine Days Old"

So it's Tuesday, one week after we brought Jessica home ("home" read: hotel in Birmingham) from the hospital. The hotel provides breakfast and lunch, we go on walks and putter around the hotel room working (Dave), making phone calls & writing emails, napping, and holding our precious bundle. There's a SuperWalmart and a Babies'R'Us across the street, and we have books, movies, birthfamily visits, and things to do. But we are getting a little antsy.



When are we coming back to Florida? Although all the paperwork was sign last Monday, and we had a hitch with resigning paperwork last Thursday, we tracked down our LDSFS caseworker today (& everyday), and she STILL HAS NOT SENT OUR PAPERWORK to the Alabama government for approval to take the baby across state lines. (Best scenario: back on Saturday for work/tennis/piano lessons next week.)

{She's newly transferred from Utah to the Atlanta office, and we're her second Alabama interstate adoption. She said her first took SIX WEEKS. She promises us everyday that today she will FedEx overnight-it. Her excuse was she is "busy" and she had to "make copies" (even though we all signed 4 copies of everything). She didn't have our background check from Florida (although our Florida caseworker called & emailed several times 2 weeks in advance of the birth.) She admitted she doesn't read her full email in-box, her voicemail is full, and 4 times she remarked about sending our stuff to Georgia, not Alabama.}

If we call tomorrow and she hasn't sent it, Mr. Diplomatic will had the phone calling over to Ms. Get-This-Done. We don't mind the vacation, as long as we're not losing $400/day waiting on a disorganized whim.

Anyways. Jessica & her family are great. J.K. is slightly bigger, pays attention a little better, needs lots of holding, and really charms us. She sighs in her sleep, sometimes between every breath, and she sounds like a baby bellows. (huh)"hmm"(huh) "nnn"(huh) "yunn"(huh)"aaiiaa? "(pause) "hhhhh hhhu" . . . Sometimes she sounds likes she's a baby pig, sometimes like she's quacking with her mouth shut. There's no music in the world to compare.

We drove over to the birthgrandparents house last night (Monday). The birth great-grandparents drove down from Tennessee to meet us and the baby. Picture Colonel Sanders and Janice Kappy Perry--and so nice. They told hunting and baby stories, and we had another good chat with the birthmother while getting lost in Birminghan on the way home. Great people that we are happy to be linked to now.

Sunday we went to church in a ward full of kids and babies. We did not pay a lot of attention to the thankimonies/storimonies/repeatimonies when we had children to dream about and admire. (We kept Jessica covered and just went to 1 meeting--Jessica's immune system in mind.) She started to wimper for milk with 10 minutes left in the meeting, and Dave wanted to split. But I said we had to learn to cope eventually. We made it through the longest prayer ever with a pacifier and rocking her carrier. Whew!

After baby's first day of church, one week old, and hungry.

Saturday, to get out, we went with the birthparents to see Avatar 3-D; grandparents were awesome and babysat. My brother describes Avatar as "Fern Gully meets Pocahontas". It's visually very rich; I loved the ocean/prehistoric plant theme, the computer technology (when do I get to have that?), the lead actors, and the music. The plot has 10 different angles: technology v. culture, colonizing nation v. natives, war v. diplomacy, secularism v. pagan religion, military v. business v. anthropology, romance, disabled vets, and a lot of action. Dave liked it too.

What a girl wants

We are so glad to have all your well-wishes about our adoption, so long in coming. It's twice as sweet to share our little victory with you.

Several of you have asked what we need or if we're registered anywhere. We feel if you are kind enough to be generous to our new-parent cause, you can get us whatever you feel like new parents can't live without. Because what we really need is advice. I would love presents attached to tips. (If you did like my friend Cris Rabbage, who advised me to teach Gianna when I was babysitting to drink baby food through a straw [it's faster and less messy] then you gave me a package of straws, I'd be very happy.)

We have some stuff from when I babysat before, stuff already given, & stuff we bought because we need it right away. If you get Jessica something, make a comment or tell me and I'll move it to the 'have' list.

We now have (this list is updated from time to time):
+ 20 blankets

+ Crib, sheets, bumpers
+ curved changing pad, 1 cover, diaper pail, nightlights, hamper
+ stroller, car seat, pack-n-play, jumper, glider-rocker, swing, bouncer
+ blessing dress
+ diaper bag, carry sling, Snugli carrier, car mirror, car seat toys
+ dresses, shoes, booties, onsies & rompers, socks, mittens, hats, hangers, 6 mo. swimsuit

+ thermometer, baby grooming kit, bath stuff

+ bottles, pacifiers, dishwasher cage, bottle wash stand, food grinder
+ "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" sleep bible, "BabyWise", "Caring for Your Baby and Child", "12 Hours Sleep by 12 Weeks Old", baby memory book

+ some music CDs, stuffed animals, board books

We are looking for: (used and hand-me-down is great!)
- shoes, pants 6 mo.+, hair bows/clips
- dishes, sippies, teethers, feeding chair (no room for a highchair)

- books, music CDs

- church quiet toys, crib toys

and who knows what else, because really, we're in the dark. Tell us what we need to do!

It works!!!!!!

Parenthood is great!!! Jessica is a great baby, and she follows the all the baby rules. She's fussy? Swaddle and hold her tight. She opens her mouth for food? You feed her a bottle (and she wants it like clockwork). She's tired and wimpering? Give her a pacifier and rock her. It's easy, and it's just like everyone always says! We love it!

We got more sleep the 2nd & 3rd nights. She has to be held more or fed more frequently at night for her to stay content. We had a 2-minute panic while we figured out she only likes the hospital thin rubber nipples, not the Platex silicone ones. But she switched formulas fine. She hasn't had any poopy diapers since her newborn poo in the hospital, but acts fine & has wet everything twice now. We refined our feeding skills, she drinks 2 oz/feeding now, and she's not spitting up. She sighs in her sleep and melts our hearts. Easy! Wonderful!

Dave reading Chronicles of Narnia to his daughter.

Thursday we had our birthmom and her parents over for dinner and chocolate birthday cake, and had a great time. Good thing, because we found out that day our LDS social worker used generic placement papers, instead of Alabama ones, and she had to get the birthparents to resign all those relinquishment papers. Stressful mistake for them, inconvenient 7 hr trip for the worker, and makes us restart our week's wait all over again. Not pleased, but not surprised.

My sister Em & her husband & 2 boys came Thursday night and stayed a day. Five-year old Henry loved holding the baby, and Em brought presents, including little girl jellie shoes (like the ones I had in 1st grade).

We talked kids and jobs and ate great food and watched Snow White. We also walked around the Birmingham botanical gardens, which are picturesque, even in the winter.

The daffodills were up and the apricot tree was popping with blossoms. (We can't wait to come back in May for court finalization and see everything green.)

First full day as parents wasn't as hard as the first night...

We had a low-key day. Birth mother was recovering, Dave had a slight fever and slept a lot, and the baby slept like a . . . well, baby. Dave worked on his laptop and read, and I tidied up and talked on the phone. Our hotel provides hot breakfast and lunch, so we took it easy today didn't even leave the place. Alabama is cold anyway.

Last night was harder. All evening we kept checking on all her noises and wiggles. Dave and I watched her in shifts to feed her and hold her when she protested. Despite our swaddling efforts, she liked to play Houdini and wiggle out, then cry and flail. (I wrapped her up in more clothing today, and she stayed wrapped and warm and slept better.) We did figure out not to feed her as much as the hospital says is "normal" yet, so she wouldn't spit up everything she was fed. It's like feeding a little bird. It's still so weird to think there's a girl in our lives, and we're not babysitting.

The social worker is getting our paperwork in order, and we're meeting the Alabama lawyer this week to apply for finalization. We should be here another 5 days - 8 days. By-the-by, Dave and I have always wanted to have a BIG PARTY to celebrate the end of a painful lonely part of our lives, and you are ALL INVITED. Plan on coming to an open house in a few weeks when she's bigger, and we'll hand out chocolate bars, instead of cigars, and you can all give us advice.

Here are a few pictures.

Here she is 4 days old smiling about something. Today she was wrapped in yellow and I called her the little banana:

We ran outside the extended stay hotel for a quick, chilly self-portrait in the evening.


And here she is with the fluffiest, prettiest afghan I've ever squeezed, made by her birth grandmother.

We've adopted

Dave and I have adopted our first baby, and we are so happy. And shocked. And nervous. And thrilled. Thank you for all of your love, support, and prayers.

Dave, Jessica, and I Tuesday, Mar 2, the day she was released from the hospital.

I am so sleepy right now; it's been an exciting day, and I have awaken in the middle of the night for several nights now. (My body is just practicing I guess.) So I'll try to get some details out--if I sound boring, it's because I'm tired. And this blog looks terrible because it's my first. We forgot our camera cable, so tonight the only pictures are cell phone pictures of camera pictures. She is sleeping right now in her ocean-themed pack and play in our hotel room in Birmingham.

She was discharged from the University of Alabama Medical Center in Birmingham, AL today (March 2, 2010) at 5 pm. She was born Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 about 4:45 pm Central time. We were called by the birthmother's parents that morning about 8:45 am Eastern time, and we were on the road by 11 am to make the 11 hour trip. (Dave got out of PEC, a sacrament meeting talk, and a major church planning meeting. I was in the shower when the call came.) We were just over the Georgia border (mile marker 71 on highway 75) when we heard her crying over the phone. I turned to Dave and said "Congratulations, you're the father of a baby girl." and he teared up and said "I need to get me a shotgun."

She was 7 lbs. 5 oz., 19 inches, blue eyes, light tan maybe reddish hair, and very healthy. And of course, beautiful. The mother named her Oakley Kaitlynn, which we will probably change later to Jessica Kaitlynn. We signed the placement papers Monday night, and Tuesday the mother released her to the hospital, the hospital released her to us.

(For those interested, under Alabama law she and the birthfather can change their minds over the next 5 days. We have to stay in the state of Alabama for roughly about a week while the Interstate Compact is signed allowing us to take her into Florida. Finalization will be in an Alabama court in about 60 days, after which we can give her a baby blessing and have her sealed to our family for time and all eternity in the Orlando temple.)

We love our birthmom, who is easy-going, writes funny long emails, and is a lot like us (homebody, a little shy, reads, likes cats). She and her husband are both 22, and were not ready to be parents. Our birthmom said she picked us because we were one state away (the perfect distance) and had a cat. Her husband is a funny guy, likes computers, martial arts movies, and can breakdance like nobody's business (so we've heard). She is dark haired and slender, and he's tall, thin and red-headed. They have made simple requests which we are too happy to do, like make sure she tries new foods (is that me to a 't' or what?) and study martial arts. (This is going to be fun.)

The birthmom was raised as a Mormon, but stopped attending church around age 12. We're glad she called LDS family services about adoption when she was 6 months pregnant. She has been a "golden" birthmother from the day she emailed us (January 30) and very steady. We plan on telling our daughter all about them and the time we've spent with them. But we will not be giving out any other details out of respect for their privacy. So don't ask.

The birthgrandparents (her parents & stepparents) are all active in members of our church. They encouraged their daughter a lot, and get all our love for their support of her and their courage to trust us with their grandchild. They have been warm and we will keep in contact with all of them as long as they wish. We love you all.

I already love her more than my own life. We can't wait for her to grow up so we can she who she what she is like. And so she stops spitting up. More tomorrow.