We're in Missouri!

So we're in Missouri! I'm sure most of you have heard that we got OUR call. On Sunday January 27th, around 2:30, we got a call about an already born baby boy in Missouri. We agreed to be submitted to this birthmom and from the first second it was totally different. We were nervous like we hadn't been in any of the other situations... Less than an hour later we got the call. Get on a plane to St. Louis! So we did. By Monday January 28th, at 1:15 we were on the ground in St. Louis, on our way to the hospital to meet a baby who we hoped would be our future son. I can't even being to describe the emotions of that day, and the following days. We met a baby boy, whose birthmom had waited for US to name. We named him Tyler David and were in love in minutes. He is just the most beautiful baby I've ever seen. Based on Missouri law he had to go into cradle care till the birth parents terminated their rights and we went before the judge for the transfer of custody. Tyler's birth parents chose to attend court even though they had terminated their rights two days before. They are amazing, and strong and love him so much. We'll stay in touch with them always, and hope to see them again before we leave St. Louis.

So for now we are camped out at a Residence Inn in St. Louis. Just watched the Pats lose the super bowl, which stinks! I would have liked for Ty's first super bowl to be a winning one, but maybe next year I guess. We hope to be back home in Massachusetts mid to late next week. The sooner the better since there are lots of family and friends back home that can't wait to hold this baby!

Talk to everyone soon!
Amy, Mike and Tyler

Adoption

I think I speak Adoption language in my sleep. Birth mother, revocation, living expenses...it's our whole freaking life. At least I thought so? For some reason whenever there is an immediate decision to make, Mike is missing. Today I get another call (YIKES! A CALL!) from our agency out in Utah. This is an agency that I almost called to have a temper tantrum at last night. Thankfully (maybe) I didn't...that's a long story filled with nights were Mike and I are up till 4, getting up at 7 and over-nighting packages (at $30 each). It was a crazy time, and I'm intensely grateful that for right now, it's behind us, so I'll not comment on what I was going to tantrum about to them last night. Anyway, today...they call. They call my WORK. They call my work without even trying my cell phone. That shows intense urgency. So I listen...urgently...if that's possible. She says...We have a birth mom. In. Labor. Now. (!these are killer situations....no stress right?!) Would you like to hear about it? SURE! Never mind your typing up the main line at work, and my boss is shooting daggers at my head with his eyes. I want to hear now. So I get all the details and it all sounds good. Everything sounds good! So she asks if I want to talk it over with Mike and call her back. Call her back about the expectant mother that's "in a good labor pattern now, and I'm on my way over in 5 minutes to give her the profiles" . She thinks I'm going to risk calling her back when never in the time I've known her, have I ever called her cell phone and had her actually answer? Last night her cell phone actually wouldn't even accept anymore messages! I'm not letting her off the phone. BUT, Mike is not on-line for immediate comment so I joke with her that he doesn't really need to comment, and I tell her to go ahead. All the while the little voice in the back of my head is saying...but...but...THIS is the agency that is 2X as much as the others...but...but...this is the agency you don't really like....in the state with laws you don't really agree with....this is THAT agency Amy. I tell the little voice to shut the F up. This mom is in labor!

Details anyone?

Full African American Baby BOY! expected to be around 10 pounds (what could we ever bring her to thank her for going through THAT??) This is her 5th baby, all with the same man, who is also at the hospital and willing to sign the adoption papers. (that doesn't happen often)

She wants a semi open adoption with pictures and letters after the adoption. She is from FL, and is freezing her butt of at the agency which is located in state that is colder than the North Pole right now apparently.

Here's why I'm *trying* not to get my hopes up:

1) This expectant mom is petite (about 5'4) and slender (when she's not carrying a 10pound baby I guess) so I tend to think that she won't really be draw to us "huskier" folks. Then again, she's carrying a freaking 10 POUND baby...I guess there is a chance that the expectant father isn't as petite.

2) She is freezing her butt off...is she really going to be inclined to place her baby in MA, where the baby can freeze IT'S butt off 5 months of every year? I had always hoped that people that lived in warm climates might be drawn to us because we have snow and maybe they idealized snow. Clearly this woman is not idealizing anything about the cold right now.

3) We are...WHITE...she and the expectant father aren't. If there are any African American or even Bi-Racial Couple also being submitted, there is a good chance she will choose them. It's just the way it works. We did demonstrate our diversity in our families in our profile, so hopefully she will see that.

4) Our house looks pretty ghetto on the outside. I don't think anyone looks at the picture of our house and thinks how cute it is really. Plus she lives in FL...cost of living is so much lower down there that she has no idea what a house like we have actually cost us. I bet she looks at our house and wants to keep her baby.

I haven't spent all day thinking about this...really! I haven't. I didn't get the call till lunch-time.

If this is our baby, he will find us. If it isn't...we are submitted on 4 other situations right now too. Hopefully one of those will work out. Pray for our sanity...mine anyway....

It was an exciting day!

I started off the morning with Mike coming in to wake me up with a ringing cell phone. It was one of our agencies, and she first needed to know our "county" which I had read as "country" when I filled out our application. Opps! So I'm figuring that's it, and read to roll over and hang up on her. Then she says, I was also wondering if you'd like to be submitted to another birth mom we have? All agencies call the expectant mother's birth mom's. Technically they are NOT birth mom's till they relinquish their rights, but agencies always say they are birth moms...it's all part of the psychology of adoption I think. Anyway, then she says...the birth mother went into labor this morning. I say, SURE! We would love to be submitted! And she says...Do you want to know about the situation? He he....So I hear about the situation, which sounds great and she says she'll tell the social worker to show our book. We did end up hearing a couple hours ago that we weren't choosen, but I'm trying to remain up beat! Our profile is out there, and it's being shown. We are still in on 3 other situations that are due in the month of Feb. It was also a big reality check that we need to stay caught up on house work and laundry if there is a chance that we could have to leave so short notice like that!

Today Mike also learned that he is not allowed to "stalk" Dewey like Dewey stalks Daisy when they are playing. Dewey was laying on the bed with me, almost asleep and Mike stalked around the corner, and scared him. Dewey ran to the end of the bed, peeing the whole way. I was so happy. So on top of our other laundry, we got to strip the bed and wash the comforter and duvet cover too. Wicked fun. Dewey talks a good game, like he's a tough guy, but he's a wimp. He was deathly afraid of Mike's backpack for the longest time....so weird.

We have Brielle overnight tonight. She is the biggest sweetheart. She loves to play and look at all her toys. She loves to pull Uncle Mikey's hair. She loves to hold her bubba all by herself. I love it when she drinks her bubba, and looks up at you and smiles, and milk drools out the corner of her mouth....it's great. Uncle Mikey is holding strong on not changing the diapers though. Though he did pick up all her toys and fold up the blanket we were all playing....he stacked them all on her high chair and he said he would put her in the high chair and she could play with her toys and watch him cook breakfast. That sentance leaves me to think two things.
1) Maybe he's getting up with her in the morning? AND
2) Maybe I'm getting blueberry pancakes for breakfast?

I hope....