Before
After
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Adoption Checklist
This is a sort of checklist I have compiled concerning the whole process:
1. Bishop recommendation (given to bishop, net yet received by LDS Family Services)
2. Adoption classes (can be taken at anytime during process) -DONE
3. Need $1,000 (Home study fee)
4. receive paperwork (after $1,000 is paid)
5.Background checks
6. Physicals
7. Interviews and home visit (home study)
8. Turn in paper work and get approved.
So you can see that we are pretty much stuck until we get $1,000 and the bishop gets the letter in.
1. Bishop recommendation (given to bishop, net yet received by LDS Family Services)
2. Adoption classes (can be taken at anytime during process) -DONE
3. Need $1,000 (Home study fee)
4. receive paperwork (after $1,000 is paid)
5.Background checks
6. Physicals
7. Interviews and home visit (home study)
8. Turn in paper work and get approved.
So you can see that we are pretty much stuck until we get $1,000 and the bishop gets the letter in.
Monday, March 17, 2008
CUTE!
Joe had a writing assignment, he had to write a letter of proposal (a marriage proposal) in memo form and I loved it so I thought that I would post it here!!
DATE: March 15, 2008
TO: Jane Doe (or me!!)
FROM: Joe Mecham
SUBJECT: The end is near.
Has the fight been hard? Has the road been long? Pay attention and you will find, that someone you have been looking for.
You need someone who cares. You need some who shares. To help you fight away your fears and help you wipe away those tears. You need someone to open the door. You need someone to sweep the floor. You want the one that you can miss, and possibly someone that you can kiss. You need someone to fix the car, and not be far from where you are. He must be strong and sing a song. He must be kind he must be brave. He must give his whole mind and be willing to save. Life might become hard life might not be easy. Don’t try too hard just breath easy. Someone, with whom, to share eternity and make life great, now don’t you see?
Your wait is over please marry me.
This is a cute pic I found!
DATE: March 15, 2008
TO: Jane Doe (or me!!)
FROM: Joe Mecham
SUBJECT: The end is near.
Has the fight been hard? Has the road been long? Pay attention and you will find, that someone you have been looking for.
You need someone who cares. You need some who shares. To help you fight away your fears and help you wipe away those tears. You need someone to open the door. You need someone to sweep the floor. You want the one that you can miss, and possibly someone that you can kiss. You need someone to fix the car, and not be far from where you are. He must be strong and sing a song. He must be kind he must be brave. He must give his whole mind and be willing to save. Life might become hard life might not be easy. Don’t try too hard just breath easy. Someone, with whom, to share eternity and make life great, now don’t you see?
Your wait is over please marry me.
This is a cute pic I found!
Adoption class
Well not too much to say.. the last two classes have been really interesting but not so informative, so there's not much to pass on. Two weeks ago we had the adoptive parent panel and that was great to see all the different kinds of adoption that can happen and how they worked out for these couples. For example: trans-racial,special needs, third party and there was a recent adoption) We loved hearing their stories and hearing their advice for all of us, pretty much they said don't give up and to network, tell everyone you know that you are adopting, you don't know who is going to know someone that is placing a child for adoption and they may be looking for you! Last week was the adoptive parent panel, or birthmother panel, it was really neat to see adoption from their point of view, what it is like for them to place a baby for adoption, what they deal with, and have dealt with. This class helped us to think more about what kind of relationship we would like to have with a future birth mother and it made us think about how to help them feel appreciated and loved from us, with all they have to deal with after placement. It was a good class, and it is nice to know it isn't all "bad" girls that get pregnant, just good girls who made little bad decisions one after another until they ended up pregnant. We like our adoption classes and it has helped us to understand the different sides of adoption.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
some good news..some bad new...
Bad News: Well I am not graduating this summer, however I will graduate next fall, Joe will graduate next winter and we will walk together!! woo hoo!
Good news: Joe got an "A" on a test, in fact he had the high score!!! :)
Good news that has nothing to do with school: I lost 12 pounds!!! AND 10 PERCENT BODY FAT!!! YES!!:) I had gained weight throughout the trauma of this past year and a half and now I am well on my way to losing it all and being slim and fit again!!
We have our next adoption class tonight!!
Good news: Joe got an "A" on a test, in fact he had the high score!!! :)
Good news that has nothing to do with school: I lost 12 pounds!!! AND 10 PERCENT BODY FAT!!! YES!!:) I had gained weight throughout the trauma of this past year and a half and now I am well on my way to losing it all and being slim and fit again!!
We have our next adoption class tonight!!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Me Monster
We watched this clip in one of my classes and I thought it was pretty hilarious! It's from Brian Reagan's walked on the moon DVD.
Monday, March 3, 2008
quick update!
Aahh! So much to do. We just found out this last week that we can move into a 2-bedroom apartment in our complex the weekend of April 18-19th. Good thing too since Joe's brother Jake is getting married the weekend before!! :) So my new hobby is going to be packing! But seriously I am happy to move and happy that I can lift some heavy things this time! I am also doing paperwork for graduation. It is going to be a crazy summer but then I'll be done!!! Wish me luck, and Joe too, he has to deal with me this summer.
P.S. if I do end up graduating this summer it will be in July and then we will plan for a 2-week vacation to the Tri-city area.. hopefully!
P.S. if I do end up graduating this summer it will be in July and then we will plan for a 2-week vacation to the Tri-city area.. hopefully!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
"For this child I have prayed..."
By Sherilyn Clarke Stinson
(I pulled out some thoughts from this 13-page article to share with you all- Thanks Lindsey!)
As Latter-day saints, we place tremendous importance on families. We believe the psalmist who proclaimed"Children are an heritage of the Lord.. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them." From girlhood, women are taught that motherhood is the greatest career, most assume that one need only be obedient to obtain the blessing of parenthood.
The experiences of LDS couples and fertility usually include:
Isolation and Alienation: couples experiencing infertility often feel uncomfortable in ward and family activities, feeling that they don't fit in. Baby blessings, Mother's day programs, and even some relief society lessons can be very painful.
Marital Stress: the pressures of trying to create a family, combined with grief and loss issues related to infertility create stress within a marriage. A couple has the opportunity to pull together of pull apart.
Role Identity and Self Esteem: one researcher identifies infertility as a "catastrophic role failure for women" Although father hood is a role most of our priesthood brethren look forward to, men generally define themselves according to their careers and priesthood duties.
Gender Differences: Wives may express grief, husbands often manifest bewilderment. His wife is hurting and he doesn't know how to fix it. Socialized to be the protector/fixer, he may have a tendancy to look for practical solutions and attitudes. Wanting only to be held and consoled, his wife may misinterpret his best efforts as a lack of feeling.
Grief and Loss: Grief and loss are a very real part of infertility. It is the loss of a dream. couples often submit themselves to great discomfort, great expense, and tremendous emotional risk with each procedure. Each failure can be devastating, but often few are aware of their loss. Because infertility is so intensely private, well-meaning friends and family may feel frustration not knowing how to approach with support. Please be patient and sensitive.
Now for some myths about adoption.
Myth #1 :Children who are placed for adoption are not wanted by their birth parents:
One birth mother wrote: " I wanted Milli to have the best ife possible. I didn't ever want her to go withour anything. I as 18 years old and unmarried. There was no way I could have provided for her."I have sent pictures and keepsakes so that she will always know that I care..."
Myth #2: Birth parents can come back and take away my adopted child:
Adoption laws have been established to protect children legally placed for adoption, as long as adoption statutes are observed there is little chance birth parents could reclaim the child once their rights have been legally terminated.
Myth #3 Adopted chilkdren are more likely to have mental and emotional problems:
in 1994 a study conducted by the search institute, adolescents who were adopted as infants actually scored hight than children in single-parent homes in areas of academic achievement, social competency, self-confidence, and security.
Myth #4 All adopted children are exceptional:
They truly are celebrated children, but as President Hinckley said:"The fact is...most children grow up to be just people"
Myth #5 Adopted children should be spared the stigma of adoption by not telling them they are adopted or by waiting until they are old enough to understand.
Being adopted isnothing to be ashamed of and is not difficult to explain. Adopted child can understand from the very beginning that adoption means love. They can understand that their birth mother is the person who gave birth to tham and cose their parent for them. A healthy openness about adoption creates security and a positiye identity.
Myth #6 Adopted children and birth parents never get over the loss of separation from each other:
The truth is that newborn infants attach easily to adoptive parents, their security lies in the consistency of the care they are given. Although birth parents grieve and take time to heal after placing a child for adoption, they do in fact heal. THose who choose adoption actually may experience lass grief than those who choose to single parent.
Myth #7 It is in the best interst of all parties that adoptionas be completely closed:
An open adoption is one where information is exchanged between the birth parents and the adoptive parents. As we have discovered at LDS Family Services, this can be facilitated without sacrificing privacy and confidentiality. Our birth parents and adoptive patents have the opportunity to meet in an agency setting and to exchange letters, pictures, and gifts through the agency for as long as they desire.
Myth #8 Children should always be placed with families of the same ethnicity:
couples who choose to adopt children of a different ethnicity need to be well educated in the dynamics for them and for their families. Finding role models of their same race and teaching them about their cultural heritage helps them develop a healthy self-image.
Myth #9 Only wealthy couples can adopt children:
In order to provide sealed homes for children LDS Family Services charges a sliding fee based on income for qualified couples. Financial security and the ability to manage resources are more important than the size of the couples income.
Myth #10 Adoption cures infertility:
Adopting a child does not enable a couple to comcieve, adoption does not cure infertility; it cures the childlessness. "Adoption makes us parents, but it doesn't make us fertile."
Until next time,
Shaylee
(I pulled out some thoughts from this 13-page article to share with you all- Thanks Lindsey!)
As Latter-day saints, we place tremendous importance on families. We believe the psalmist who proclaimed"Children are an heritage of the Lord.. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them." From girlhood, women are taught that motherhood is the greatest career, most assume that one need only be obedient to obtain the blessing of parenthood.
The experiences of LDS couples and fertility usually include:
Isolation and Alienation: couples experiencing infertility often feel uncomfortable in ward and family activities, feeling that they don't fit in. Baby blessings, Mother's day programs, and even some relief society lessons can be very painful.
Marital Stress: the pressures of trying to create a family, combined with grief and loss issues related to infertility create stress within a marriage. A couple has the opportunity to pull together of pull apart.
Role Identity and Self Esteem: one researcher identifies infertility as a "catastrophic role failure for women" Although father hood is a role most of our priesthood brethren look forward to, men generally define themselves according to their careers and priesthood duties.
Gender Differences: Wives may express grief, husbands often manifest bewilderment. His wife is hurting and he doesn't know how to fix it. Socialized to be the protector/fixer, he may have a tendancy to look for practical solutions and attitudes. Wanting only to be held and consoled, his wife may misinterpret his best efforts as a lack of feeling.
Grief and Loss: Grief and loss are a very real part of infertility. It is the loss of a dream. couples often submit themselves to great discomfort, great expense, and tremendous emotional risk with each procedure. Each failure can be devastating, but often few are aware of their loss. Because infertility is so intensely private, well-meaning friends and family may feel frustration not knowing how to approach with support. Please be patient and sensitive.
Now for some myths about adoption.
Myth #1 :Children who are placed for adoption are not wanted by their birth parents:
One birth mother wrote: " I wanted Milli to have the best ife possible. I didn't ever want her to go withour anything. I as 18 years old and unmarried. There was no way I could have provided for her."I have sent pictures and keepsakes so that she will always know that I care..."
Myth #2: Birth parents can come back and take away my adopted child:
Adoption laws have been established to protect children legally placed for adoption, as long as adoption statutes are observed there is little chance birth parents could reclaim the child once their rights have been legally terminated.
Myth #3 Adopted chilkdren are more likely to have mental and emotional problems:
in 1994 a study conducted by the search institute, adolescents who were adopted as infants actually scored hight than children in single-parent homes in areas of academic achievement, social competency, self-confidence, and security.
Myth #4 All adopted children are exceptional:
They truly are celebrated children, but as President Hinckley said:"The fact is...most children grow up to be just people"
Myth #5 Adopted children should be spared the stigma of adoption by not telling them they are adopted or by waiting until they are old enough to understand.
Being adopted isnothing to be ashamed of and is not difficult to explain. Adopted child can understand from the very beginning that adoption means love. They can understand that their birth mother is the person who gave birth to tham and cose their parent for them. A healthy openness about adoption creates security and a positiye identity.
Myth #6 Adopted children and birth parents never get over the loss of separation from each other:
The truth is that newborn infants attach easily to adoptive parents, their security lies in the consistency of the care they are given. Although birth parents grieve and take time to heal after placing a child for adoption, they do in fact heal. THose who choose adoption actually may experience lass grief than those who choose to single parent.
Myth #7 It is in the best interst of all parties that adoptionas be completely closed:
An open adoption is one where information is exchanged between the birth parents and the adoptive parents. As we have discovered at LDS Family Services, this can be facilitated without sacrificing privacy and confidentiality. Our birth parents and adoptive patents have the opportunity to meet in an agency setting and to exchange letters, pictures, and gifts through the agency for as long as they desire.
Myth #8 Children should always be placed with families of the same ethnicity:
couples who choose to adopt children of a different ethnicity need to be well educated in the dynamics for them and for their families. Finding role models of their same race and teaching them about their cultural heritage helps them develop a healthy self-image.
Myth #9 Only wealthy couples can adopt children:
In order to provide sealed homes for children LDS Family Services charges a sliding fee based on income for qualified couples. Financial security and the ability to manage resources are more important than the size of the couples income.
Myth #10 Adoption cures infertility:
Adopting a child does not enable a couple to comcieve, adoption does not cure infertility; it cures the childlessness. "Adoption makes us parents, but it doesn't make us fertile."
Until next time,
Shaylee
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