Post Placement visit #1

I believe in honesty here on my blog.  I have been inspired, encouraged, brought to tears and reassured from many of the blogs I have spent hours reading over the years. 

As Matt was leaving for work tonight, all of us happened to be in B's room as he was telling him goodnight.  As I looked around at his messy 8-year-old-can't-keep-it-clean-longer-than-a-day-room, I told him that R was going to be here tomorrow when he gets home from school. 

He casually asked what for and I said, "remember...she is coming to make sure that we are providing a good home for Mar".  

Then I remembered that she was just here in early October doing our homestudy renewal visit.  She sat on this same couch I am now typing on and asked us about why we had certain things selected/ not selected on our profile sheet. 

Specifically, she asked about race.  

It doesn't matter to her what we select, but she did say she had a emom she was working with and the way our profile stands, we would not be shown.

She did specify anymore and we didn't ask.  We said we would look it over and discuss any changes we wanted to make.  We had already been talking about race/ some of the drug use questions and so that was not a problem for us to update our sheet.

Here is the honesty part.   It was me that did not have full African American selected on our profile.  I had half, I had mixed with anything, but I didn't select full.

I was scared. 

I get really nervous when I don't know exactly what to do. 

Before we got into the adoption world, I would have selected AA with no fear.  After all of my blog reading, forums, books, etc.... I got scared. 

Things like ashy skin, haircare, bathing, braids, parts, co-wash, no poo, styling day...all of this was so intimidating to me!  I didn't know how to do it!

After Matt and I talked, I realized that I knew it didn't matter what our baby looked like, but that it was okay for me to not know how to do all of those things. It was okay for me to have to learn them.  So, we opened up our profile- all the way!

As far as hair- I don't know how to do a white girls hair so I would have to learn that too.  When I would have daycare girls here- I wasn't ever one to brush/ braid/ play with their hair.  I didn't know how to do that!  So, learning how to do a baby with black hair was going to be okay.  I could figure it out.

Skin- I don't know why but the term "ashy skin" sounds so intimidating to me!  I read on one post that the commenter said that "ashy skin is a sign on neglect".  I don't know if that is true or not, but it scared the daylights out of me!  What if I didn't do something right and she got the dreaded ashy skin?!?!

I am still scared of the fact that I don't know how to do all of these things perfectly, but I suppose I didn't do everything perfect with my own biological son either.  And he has turned out pretty good.

I'm still learning- with both of them.  He is a boy, just turned 8.  I haven't done that before.  She is a girl, just turned 11 weeks.  I haven't done that yet either.  I love them both like crazy.  I'm still scared but they are my favorite boy and favorite girl.

In case you are wondering- her hair and skin are both absolutely beautiful!  I've done good.

Don't Hate Me....

I know. I'm bad. I stink.  I left you hangin..........

I said I wouldn't do it again and leave our story unwritten. 

One day turned into a few.

A few turned into a week.

A week turned into a few.

Then we were one month past her birthday and I still hadn't posted.

Today she is two months old.

And I haven't told you how she is, how we are, or how incredibly blessed we are:

Everything is better than we prayed for.  Everything seems too good to be true.  Everything is what we thought we could only dream about.  Marla and her birth mom..."MeMar" are ahhhhmazing. 

I hate that I have missed so much.  I know I already can't remember it all.  It just keeps coming over and over ....good, better, best! 

Life has been crazy, as usual.  Back to work quickly after ICPC and home for a week.  Wrestling season for B and the holidays.  A wonderful flow of family and friends coming to visit.  Our taxes looming over me like a black cloud that need to get done.  Like tomorrow.  Laundry to fold.  Extra room to clean out.  Photos to organize.  Photos to print.  Projects with the daycare kids.  Dog hair to vacuum.  And the worst....dinner to cook.

I promise.  I pinky swear.  I will fill you in with some of our story.  I love sharing it!!!

But, here are three pics to get you by. 

Our first "official" family picture.  TPR were signed a few hours before this and we took our "kids" (still feels strange to say kidS) to see Santa at the museum.

   Thanks for those of you who stuck around!  Please leave a quick comment to tell me you if you are still here!