Gidget Goes Home » adoption

Brody’s 1st Birthday- A Baseball Party

gidget — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 17:09:25 +0000

Well, since Brody’s first birthday happened to fall during MLB’s Opening Week, we thought it was only appropriate (especially for our family) to do an Opening Day baseball theme. My brother cooked up a sweet logo from the official MLB one, and the rest is history.

{I added a thank-you line to it to use it on our party favors.}

one of the staples of Opening Day: Bunting!

cupcake toppers from Cap Creations.

somehow Daddy ended up with lots of these… hmmm…

what’s a baseball party without hot dogs {nitrate-free, of course} and lemonade?

friends and more bunting.

He’s not usually this patient in the high chair.

He started slow {with one sprinkle, no joke}.

But then, wasn’t afraid to go for it!

Man, he is just too cute.

{This funny little outfit he’s wearing was Daddy’s, almost 30 years ago! The shorts may be short but it’s so cute!}

It was really special to have so many friends and family members be there, and also for Brody’s birthparents to come, too. We loved getting to finally introduce them to our family.

It was truly a special day, celebrated on Bro’s Adoption Day even! We have been so blessed to have him part of our family for this last year and can’t imagine our family any other way.

{all photos by Alex Pavone}

Brody’s 1st Birthday- A Baseball Party is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

Sponsorship, Advertising, Recommendations, etc.

gidget — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 22:58:19 +0000

Hey friends. I just wanted to let you all know that I’m gradually going to be adding some recommendations to my sidebar. Some are paid-for sponsorships/ads; some are not. Any clickin’ you feel like doing will be greatly appreciated by me, and by my sponsors.

The only way they will be there is if they are promoting something I truly love though, you can count on that. And I’ll be sure to tell you all about each of them as we go.

If you are interested in sponsorship, you can email me.

For now, any proceeds that come from blogging (as well as my etsy shop and “our” coffee shop) are still going towards financing our adoption of this flippin’ adorable little guy. Seriously, I think he is the cutest thing ever. Thank you again, for all your support, prayers, and just for being here.

For more information, you can view my updated disclosure policy.

Sponsorship, Advertising, Recommendations, etc. is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

Adopting Brody {my journal}

gidget — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:24:11 +0000

Today our little Bro-Bro is two months old! I thought it was about time I shared my thoughts on our adoption process. These were the journal entries I wrote as we were progressing, starting with the first meeting with Brody’s birthparents. I decided to post it all in one place for easy archiving, so please bare with this long post, as I bare my soul a little here.

{written Friday, March 26, 2010}

Today was marked a potentially monumental day for our family.

We had lunch with one of Bethany’s social workers along with a birthparent couple that chose our family after looking at some family portfolios. It was pretty exciting, just to be chosen, let alone to meet them.

The meeting went well. It wasn’t awkward at all and we got along great with them. The birthfather is totally a baseball fan so that was fun. They each have some great goals and aspirations for themselves. Overall, they seemed to really like our family and expressed their interest in adoption.

They seem to have quite a bit of outside pressure against their choosing adoption which must be making their decision that much more difficult. It really does seem like adoption would be in the baby’s best interest in this situation, but I simply cannot imagine the difficulty in making the final decision.

We’re really trying to stay guarded and not get too emotionally attached since nothing is for sure yet. Her due date is April 16th, so we should know pretty soon what’s going to happen. I must admit though, that thinking about having a little boy (!!) about a month before our nephew is born would sooo fun and such a blessing to the family.

Thankfully, it’s all in the Lord’s hands, and He knows what’s best for all parties.

I love this verse that my friend Heidi recently posted on her blog (Heidi and her husband are picking up their son in Rwanda right now!):

“And the Lord answered me: ‘Write the vision… For still the vision awaits it’s appointed time; it hastens to the end- it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.”
Habakkuk 2:2-3

{written Monday, April 5, 2010}

Peace in the Waiting...

Since we met the birthparents, we’ve had ups and downs in our waiting. But through it all we’ve felt peace.

I was at the park with a friend, a week ago today {March 29th}, watching Gigi run around, “making friends” while playing with other kids’ toys. I overheard a caretaker (either a very young mom, or more likely a babysitter) call out to a little boy… “Brody!”

That’s our name.

Long before we were married, that was the boy name my husband liked. I loved the sound of it, so it’s always been on the list of prospective baby names for us. My heart skipped a little, knowing that someone who was carrying a baby boy was considering us to be that baby’s family. Will we have our Brody?

Just then, my phone rang, and sure enough, yes, it was the social worker calling.

My understanding friend took over on Gigi Patrol so I could chat.

It wasn’t the best news for us. The social worker explained that the family pressure to parent is so strong. The birthfather’s parents wants to raise the child, despite the birthparents’ desire to make an adoption plan. The social worker is not sure what will happen now.

Then, a couple of days later, she called back.

The birthmom, sweet and soft-spoken, had lovingly stood up to her boyfriend’s mom, expressing her (their) desire to choose adoption. The social worker told me she was surprised. Encouraged.

The birthparents still want to meet us again.

Her due date is in 11 days.

So we wait, and pray for God’s will to be done for this little one.

{written Thursday, April 8, 2009}

I can’t sleep. I can barely type.

Yesterday we got the call from our social worker that the birthmom had the baby!! Our potential, hopeful baby has been born! He’s alive and healthy and in the hospital.

The little guy (!!) was born on April 6th. We don’t have all the specifics yet, but we do know that the birthparents are still leaning towards adoption. That’s what they’ve told people in the hospital that their plan is anyway.

He was born by C-section, and is being breast-fed. This of course brings up the question as to whether this will create more bonding between him and the birthmom, but as our social worker said to me, it’s going to be hard enough for her already. So I guess my feeling is, it’s better for the baby, and it’s all in God’s hands anyways.

If this is the baby for our family, He will work out all the details, and there are lots of details to work out.

I hope to hear again from our social worker this morning with more of those details, and hopefully a little more confirmation if this is actually going to happen, um, tomorrow. I do after all still need to go get some bottles, formula and little clothes that aren’t pink (we have lots of pink stored up but only a handful of unisex items).

It’s so crazy. I knew all along that it could very well be a very quick process, but it’s so surreal to actually have these events unfolding.

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and feel covered by prayer.
Still trying to guard my heart, but that is getting harder by the hour.

{written Friday, April 9, 2010}

After talking to the social worker a few more times, it’s {almost} official that we are picking up. our son. tomorrow. Wow. Still can’t believe I just typed those words.

We are going to visit the birthparents and the baby in the hospital this afternoon, stay over at my bro and sis-in-law’s place and then head back to the hospital tomorrow (Saturday) to sign papers and take him home.

I feel like there’s no way to truly prepare for how emotional it’s going to be.

I spent what felt like a boatload of money yesterday on some bottles, formula diapers and little boy clothes. I let Gigi pick out an outfit for her brother. I really love little boy clothes.

I’m really hoping we can find the missing box that has the unisex baby clothes we saved from Gigi’s birth. They’re in a *really safe place* apparently.

I’m anxious and excited and nervous.

We’re going to meet our son today.

!!!

{written Saturday, April 10, 2010}

We met him.

It was amazing.

He is so tiny (even smaller than our little Gigi was). He’s so precious.

Visiting the birthfamily in the hospital was a sweet time. They filled us in on the specifics and how things had been going and we talked a little bit about the plan.

The air was surprisingly light, and it definitely did not feel like it was only our second time meeting them. We have a connection. We’ve been praying for them so much, as have our close friends and family, that I feel that they are already apart of our little circle of life, if you will.

I feel such a love for their family, that I cannot even explain.

It was surreal.

“Surreal, but nice.”

~~~

I just realized that I never really put my thoughts down on “paper” after our meeting with them all at the hospital. But I think the truth is that it was much to hard to process, let alone describe right away. The experience was so unlike any other. The relationship we now have with another family is so unlike any other.

The morning we took Brody home from the hospital was, hands down, the most emotional experience of my life. In the lobby of the hospital, our family of three waited as we were about to become a family of four, receiving a most precious and undeserved gift.

Amidst an abundance of tears, the birthfamily said their goodbyes and each embraced us. Our birthmother hugged me tightly and then whispered, “Thank you,” as the birthfather handed over their son to us.

Thank you? She said that to me? My heart melted for her.

I could barely reply through tears, “No, thank you.”

Adopting Brody {my journal} is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

Announcing Our New Bundle of Joy

gidget — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 18:22:43 +0000

Meet Brody. He came home with us on April 10, 2010.

We are overcome with gratitude.

I’ll be taking a little break from blogging to soak it all up… wouldn’t you?

More later…

xoxo, the family of FOUR

Announcing Our New Bundle of Joy is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

His Word in My Heart: April 2010

gidget — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 14:55:40 +0000

My friend Heidi and her husband are in Africa right now, picking up their new son Ezekiel from Rwanda. This was a verse {Habakkuk 2:3} she posted on her blog recently and it really spoke to me. God truly has given us a vision of adoption. Our hearts have been forever changed through being on this journey.

All throughout this year, I’ve been learning about God’s sovereignty. I love how this verse reminds me that He is in control and that the vision truly will come to fruition in his time.

What’s your verse this month?

His Word in My Heart: April 2010 is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

His Kingdom vs. The World

gidget — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:15:35 +0000

Wow. I just came across an amazing post I had to share. I think I found it via someone on Twitter, but I’m not even sure now.

Please go read it, and then I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. I absolutely love how she makes a distinction between happiness and contentment, because I wholeheartedly agree that there is a difference and that God does not promise us that unalienable right to the pursuit of happiness that our country, and the culture around us, promises us, but rather He calls us to find ourselves content in whatever circumstance we’re in.

The other thing I took from it was an encouragement that it’s okay to be spending such a ridiculous amount of money on an adoption. And again, we are so thankful for any of you that have helped us along in any way.

We do feel like we are doing what He has called us to, and if that means we have to say “no” to a few things in the next few years (even things are culture tells us we should be doing) and that our children might have to scrounge up a few student loans in the future, that’s okay.

There is always a cost to following Jesus.

But the reward is greater.

His Kingdom vs. The World is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

Encyclopedia of Me: A

gidget — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:20:28 +0000

is for Adoption

Right now, the only word that comes to mind for the letter A has to be adoption. It’s a pretty consuming topic around these parts. We think often about our baby that will someday join our family, and try to wait patiently for the Lord’s timing. I feel like everywhere we go we see a transracial family where adoption is obvious… it’s like when you want to be pregnant and you see pregnant women everywhere, or when someone you know gets a new car and all of a sudden you see that exact car everywhere. It’s an exciting time to be sure, with ups and downs and lots of emotions that are new. I’m so thankful that God has put us on this path.

Our timeline…

May 2009: Attended an orientation for Domestic Adoption at Bethany Christian Services

July 2009: Really got cracking on paperwork

October 2009: Finished Paperwork, began working on Family Portfolio, etc.

December 3rd, 2009: Officially certified (finished home study)

January 2009: had our Family Portfolios delivered to the office, officially a waiting family

And the latest steps…

February 2010: Had one of our portfolios sent out to Indiana office (more on this later)

March 2010: started application process for various grants

posing with the last form we mailed to complete our paperwork!

this post is part of the Encyclopedia of Me series.

Encyclopedia of Me: A is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

An Adoption Story

gidget — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:36:36 +0000

Did you know that I have a sister-in-law whose family is amidst the paper pregnancy of adoption right now, too? They are adopting their second Korean child (and also have a biological son).

Stacey just posted a little teaser of her story of adopting Reuben from Korea. You can read it here and be sure to go back to read more later.

An Adoption Story is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

All I Want For My Birthday is Our Baby

gidget — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:02:29 +0000

I’ve been updating and adding to my wish list lately. Because soon, I’ll be 29 (A couple of months ago, I honestly had to stop and think whether I was turning 30 this year or not. It took a minute to remember I wasn’t. One more year in my 20s!).

I think having a winter birthday is what gets me through winter because I am such a summer girl. But I digress.

Everytime I add a new book or CD to my list, I pause and think of what I really want for my birthday.

I really want a baby. Our Baby.

We’ve been talking a lot about Our Baby around here. Writing letters to congresswomen on behalf of others and their babies, and reading blogs about adoption, and thinking about all my family members and friends with due dates, and scrapbooking photos of Baby Gigi (yes, I’m two years behind), and hearing about orphans who are sleeping in the dangerous streets, and planning a baby shower for a sweet friend… has all been making me long for Our Baby to come home even more.

Gigi often will ask a million questions about Our Baby. She knows that it’s not going to be in my tummy. But that’s probably where her 2-year-old understanding of adoption ends. Almost daily, I’m answering these questions. I love them. It soothes my waiting heart to hear her excitement over having Our Baby come home. Questions like…

“Will Our Baby use my high chair?”
“Will Our Baby ride Sofia [our neighbor]‘s bikes?”
“Will Our Baby lay on the floor?”
“Will Our Baby play with my kitchen?”

And then there’s narrative she gives on taking care of Our Baby.

“We’ll rock Our Baby. And give her milk. And I’ll share with Our Baby.”

One day she says it will be named Sister, and the next, Our Baby will be a boy (a “brudder”).

We pray everyday for Our Baby to come home to us soon. And I know God will be faithful to answer that prayer. I just don’t know when, and that’s the hard part. There’s no due date, no scheduled c-section, no beginning of the third trimester. Nothing concrete to look forward to.

One of the biggest things God has done in my heart is that He’s taken away the desire to be/get pregnant (so bring on the fried eggs and margaritas). I honestly do not covet it at all anymore, like I used to. I admire my beautifully pregnant sister-in-law and I relish in the soft, rolling kicks when I feel my dear friend’s belly. But I’m not jealous of the pregnancy.

Just of the due date.

My heart burns for the day when we bring home Our Baby. When we give that baby life and the love of Christ and a forever family.

I’m hoping my birthday gift comes wrapped in a swaddling blanket.

But if not, I’ll keep waiting and keep praying, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in [me] will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:6)

Never in my life did I imagine how passionate I would feel about adopting. About my desire to adopt. He is truly doing a good work in my heart, and I thank Him that he will continue it.

All I Want For My Birthday is Our Baby is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

Compassion for Haiti

gidget — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 04:36:30 +0000

com⋅pas⋅sion

a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That’s exactly what I’m feeling for the people of Haiti right now.

I feel sorrow, with the desire to somehow help alleviate their suffering.

My heart is burdened for the country and its people and all they lost in such a short time. I’ve been following the story of a fellow blogger who was stuck there visiting the son her family has been trying to adopt for years. Reading about her experiences during and after the earthquake has been heart-wrenching.

She’s a survivor. I’m praying and signing for her son to get home to his forever family soon. She has finally made it back to the states and will hopefully be home to her husband and other kids soon.

But I keep thinking of those who are still there, whose homes and lives have been turned upside down, destroyed. The Haitian people will never be the same.

The heartbreak must so intense, so deep. Losing so much…

I don’t have much else I can say except that I’m praying and I know many of you are praying and giving support already, too. If you haven’t found a place to give of your resources yet, one place you can do so with is Compassion International.

As Kristen said,

I feel like, now more than ever, we are a world away from the poverty-stricken Haitians. An easy, comfortable, abundant world away.

Money and prayer. That’s what we can give from here.

HOW DONATIONS WILL BE USED: All funds raised in response to the Haiti earthquake will be used immediately to provide for Compassion-assisted children and families affected by this crisis. Any funds raised in excess will be stewarded by Compassion for additional and future disaster relief efforts.
You can provide immediate relief today.
• $35 helps provide a relief pack filled with enough food and water to sustain a family for one week.
• $70 gift helps care for their needs for two weeks.
• $105 helps provide relief packs filled with enough food and water to sustain two families for two weeks.
• $210 gift helps care for two families’ needs.
• $525 helps provide relief packs filled with enough food and water to sustain 10 families for two weeks.
• $1,050 gift helps care for 10 families’ needs.
• $1,500 helps rebuild a home.
• $2,100 helps supply 20 families with the basics for three weeks.
Due to the high number of responses it may take longer than normal to process your transaction.

Haiti Earthquake

Compassion for Haiti is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!