To answer a few questions...

Here are just a few questions that we have been asked a lot lately...

How much longer is the process until we are approved?

Well that is mostly up to us! The paperwork takes a LONG time, there are so many questions! After that is all done we have to make appointments for our individual interviews and then an appointment for our home study where they just come out to our home and basically make sure that it's a safe place! Last but not least we have to go to some classes and those are on February 20th and 21st. We have already sent in our background checks so hopefully those won't take too long (they normally only take 2 weeks, but I've heard of people having to wait months!).

I have also been working on an adoption blog to go along with our profile. When I get it finished I'll give you a link so you can view it!

Do we want a boy or girl?

Either. We just want a healthy baby. Plus, when you get pregnant you can't choose, so we are not going to choose.

Do we want an open or closed adoption?

This one we have thought a lot about and are still not 100% sure on what we will do. We have heard a lot of people's stories and that has helped us a little bit, but every one's story is different. I do know that we want to meet the birth parents! We want to be able to tell our child about their birth parents and have a picture to show them. We are open to discuss an open relationship with the birth mom to decide what is best for the child.

These are all the questions I can think of right now, if you have any others, feel free to ask!

Funny conversation...

WARNING: There is content that may be inappropriate for readers under the age of 18.

I just had to post this, I thought it was hilarious!

So today I was filling out more paperwork and asked Remi if he would get started on his. The conversation went something like this...

Me: Hey will you start your paperwork today?

Rem: Will you just do it for me?

Me: No way!

Rem: Why can't we just have sex to have children? I hate filling out paperwork!

Me: Well the sex thing isn't working for us as far as getting pregnant goes, so we have to fill out paperwork to get children.

Rem: How about I sex you and you fill out my paperwork then?!

Making Progress

On Wednesday we met our CASE WORKER, her name is Shantel Pettit. We love her already! She was so easy going and helpful. Basically all the first meeting is learning about every step of adoption, what we will be going through. Then we just talked and she got to know us. Then we paid our $1,000 deposit to be able to get our paperwork. This is what made it very official! We then went home and Remi had to go to work, but I got started on the paperwork right away! Most of it was just passing out papers to our employers, doctors, and references. I filled out our background checks and financial records and the hardest one was our Child Preferences Form: what race do you want, what medical things are you willing and able to handle, and how open of a relationship do you want with the birth parents. We had been talking about this a lot already so we had already made a lot of decisions prior to filling out this one! Well today is Saturday and most of that paperwork is taken care of!

Yesterday we received our login and password to fill out a whole bunch more paperwork online! WOW there is a ton! I have been on the computer for about 3 hours tonight filling stuff out and I'm not even close to half way through it. There are some great question though, they really make sure that you are ready for a child. Which I think we most defiantly are! We are so excited and working hard on trying to get all this paperwork done as fast as possible!

I just want to say thank you to those who have commented on the blog and to those I have talked to in person. You really are such a support to us and thank you for all your prayers!

Exciting news!

Remi and I are excited to announce...

that we are putting in our adoption papers!

Some of you may already know that we have been struggling with infertility for the past couple of years. We are still working with the doctors, but have decided to keep our options open. Remi has always been open to adoption and I've always said that if it ever came down to it, I would defiantly do it, I just never thought it would come down to it. So for me, I struggled a little bit making this decision. I've always dreamed and longed for the day that I could see what my children looked like and what features and personality they had from me and Rem. But we don't know how long it is going to take us to get pregnant, so we have opened our minds and our hearts towards adoption! And now I can't even tell you how excited I am about our decision! It feels so right! I know this is what we are supposed to be doing! So please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, they will be greatly appreciated!

Since our announcement, we have had so many questions and everyone wanting to know what's going on and to keep them updated on everything. So to make it easier, I have decided to post it all on here!

We are going through LDS family services. We have gone to the orientation, put in an application, and our bishop has sent in some paperwork on us. We meet with our case worker on Wednesday! We are so excited to meet with her and start the process. From what I understand, it will take a few months before we are approved. There is a lot involved: interviews, paperwork, house visits, background checks, classes, and who knows what else?? So once we are approved we will send out a letter and pass-along card of some sort to start spreading the word! They tell you to tell everyone you know and have them to tell everyone they know, because a lot of the time that is how you get a baby. So please help us out in our journey to starting our family! We love you and will keep you updated!

Thanks for your support and prayers!

The rest of Christmas...

This was Christmas morning. We slept over at my parents house. Christmas morning is boring when your married and don't have kids. Last year we opened our gifts on Christmas Eve so we could sleep-in in the morning. It was fun to share Christmas morning with my family. I got my very first ipod!

This was on Christmas Eve during the day at the Sorenson's. All the grandkids got these huge stuffed animals that they could ride on, it was a huge hit!

This was Christmas Eve at my grandparents house. We had so much fun! Each family did a musical number, no singing aloud! Except for the people that married into the family. The Moss family did not get the musical talent when it comes to singing! One family "forgot" their chimes, which we were very glad because James and Melissa (both married into the family) gave us a beautiful musical number with James on the guitar and Melissa singing "Breath of Heaven". It was beautiful, thank you for that!

Later we all opened our gifts and my favorite tradition, our PJ's!

Christmas overload...

Festival of Trees

These are some of our favorites...

The Grinch

The Glass Tree!! It was amazing!

I went with my cousin, Melissa and her cute kids!

And our absolute favorite...

Twilight! There was apples and chess pieces on the tree. And there was a gift for each member of the family! It was really cute and creative!

Angel Tree Shopping
We are so blessed to come from such a great family! Especially one that is so willing to give to others and fortunate enough that we can do that! We love getting together with all my cousins to go shopping for other children! It's so fun to pick out their clothes and toys and to give them a wonderful Christmas!

I love these people!

Gingerbread House Party!

We have started a tradition! Every year since we've been married, we have had a gingerbread party at our house. We love it! We just invite a bunch of people, we provide the graham crackers and frosting and we have everyone else bring some candy to share. It is so much fun! We also have a contest every year and vote on our favorite. We give out 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes.

I didn't get pictures of the final projects, but everyone did a very good job! My sister got pictures, so maybe I'll post them later.

I got 1st place! Yeah!

encircled boutique...Saturday December 13th

My sister-in-laws, mother-in-law, cousin, and I made a ton of stuff for a boutique that we did in Logan! Now that the boutique is over, we are having a "boutique after the boutique" with sale prices! For more details on where it is and when and what we are selling, please see... www.encircledboutique.blogspot.com Thanks!