It's Like Your First Doctor's Appointment...

WE MET WITH THE ADOPTION AGENCY TODAY!!!!

The best way I can describe today is, it is what I imagine it feels like when you go to the doctor's office and find out you're pregnant. Today was the Question and Answer session for anyone wanting to foster or adopt children who are currently in foster care or a home. It was held in a church right down the road from my old high school, which is where my mom is still an English teacher. It is also in the neighborhood where my husband took me on our first date (coffee and a walk around a park.) It seemed kinda symbolic to me that the place where we started our journey to become parents is the same place where I not only formed my core values and work ethic, but where my husband first won me over. My mom came with us for emotional support (I'm a crier,) and because she is much better at thinking of important questions then I am. Plus, it is SO important to have an external support system when going through the process of adopting and parenting.

You can see us posing in front of the sign outside of the church the Q&A was held in, what you can't see is the lovely social worker holding it up for us to take a picture because the wind blew it over. I knew from the second she didn't make me feel like a silly billy for taking a picture outside that these people were the real deal. Every person who worked for Community Based Care of Central Florida (CBC) was so genuine and wonderful, they were honest and inspiring.

First there was a 20 minute power point given by two of the ladies who work for CBC. They explained how the majority of the children that are up for adoption are older then 8 years old, they all have some sort of emotional, behavioral, or physical disorder of some degree, whether that be asthma or downs syndrome. One of the most important things they stressed was the affordability of adopting through the foster system. These children need families so bad. A family can be the difference between someone becoming the next President or someone ending up in prison for the rest of their lives. Did you know that 80% of the prison population is made up of people who wee in the foster system? 80%!!! If there were more families willing to bring one of these children in to their homes, that number would drastically reduce.

After the power point was what I thought was the most touching, honest, raw, and hopeful part of the meeting. We spent about an hour and a half speaking with a panel of adoptive parents, foster parents, social workers, and a foster child about a myriad of things. They were honest in the fact that they didn't candy coat what you'll be going through. One of the social workers described bringing a foster child in to your home through adoption is kind of like taking the most rambunctious child you knew and put them in a situation where they are now living with strangers with different rules, habits, and home then they are used to. Then we heard from two parents who were originally going to adopt one child, but ended up with a sibling group of 3 girls. We then heard from Issac, who has lived in foster care most of his life. It was heartbreaking to hear his story, but it solidified my feeling that I was meant to help someone like Issac. Heck, maybe Kris and I are meant to take in a sibling group of our own. 

In a few days I am heading to Las Vegas for work, and a few days after I return Kris and I will be starting the PRIDE classes, which is the first step to actively pursuing our dream of being parents! I feel so whole and happy. I feel like I have this glow coming from me, like I'm radiating excitement and hope. Thank you to the 300 people who read my first post yesterday and the people who have reached out to me. You're all part of my support system, so I thank you. I look forward to writing more posts about our journey and about infertility. Stay tuned!