Reality comes!

The truth about adoption is that it comes in stages. Often times slow stages and then all at once it will hit you. We found ourselves filling out paperwork and doing all of the required tasks earlier this year. At that point it was partially real. There was no child yet, except in God's predetermined choice which He hadn't shared yet. Then came the next phase where we met with a social worker in our house and it gets a little more real. There is after all someone in my house talking to us about the particulars of the process. The next step is even more real when we were chosen to be looked at by a birth mom. The reality becomes serious at this point since you are being considered by someone who loves their child enough to look at their current situation and say that adoption is the right choice. Eventually we were chosen by someone and Wow...it is super real but still a bit far off, since there is no child yet. But then we got "the call" that says the baby is coming and at that point you feel more emotions in 1 day than you have in the last year or so it seems. This was magnified by the fact that Eliana was 2 months earlier than anticipated. For the most part the ultimate reality sinks in when you put the child in the car seat and take the journey home for the first time. With Patrick it was a 2 hr ride down the mountain from Lake Arrowhead at 9pm in the evening. With Eliana it will be a 2 day drive from Walnut Creek sometime in August. As adoptive parents the previous events are our pregnancy, our way of getting ready for the adventure. It gives us a bond with other adoptive parents that is special. It is in no way better or worse than the biological process, it is not to be thought of as a last resort, it is simply the most wonderful roller coaster you could ever ride with all the ups and downs you can imagine. I don't ever want to get off. Although just for the record 2 kids is enough for this family.

But what is a story about adoption without some pictures. So here are Eliana and Vivian as Eliana continues to grow and develop into a child that is ready to come home.

Thanks for reading

Give me that bottle!

it is that time...34 weeks. It is the appointed time by the doctors based on the collective experience of pre-term babies that the bottle feeding should begin. Another milestone in the little life of Eliana starts today. The perspective on how little she is changes depending on how you look at it. Either she is only 4lbs 8.5 oz as of today OR she is 1 lb 2.5 oz more than she was when she was born. I am amazed as to how alert and active she is and how much more she looks like a fully grown baby as compared to the first time I saw her on day 2. The target for the discharge from the hospital is still the 37th week and at this rate (1 oz/day) she will be close to 6 lbs by the time we take her home.

I have enjoyed the weekend up here in the Bay Area and it will be nice to have Vivian back at home for a few days before she comes back up for another week. Love the baby sitters but I wouldn't want to do this long term!! Patrick had a good time and as a bonus he got to see his cousins James and Luke who were out visiting their grandma in Mountain View. He had a small issue with something that kept him sick and unhappy from 4pm to 1am but after that he was ready to go. We convinced him to sleep some more until 5am but it was all full steam ahead at 5am. Now I am the one that needs some sleep. These are just a few of the ways that God prepares us for what is to come!!

Now onto the fun part. The pictures!! Enjoy

Waiting...

It is July 9th and Eliana is now 13 days old. She started out in this world at 3 lb 6oz and is now at 3lb 12oz and growing. All signs look good. She is having normal developmental issues that children go through when they are still inside but we are seeing them in person. It is important to realize that they are a normal part of development and to enjoy learning about the amazing growing child that God created.

Vivian is up north going to the hospital everyday and holding Eliana before the feeding time and can hold her for a few hours each time. Patrick and I are hanging out down here until next weekend. We are very thankful for a wonderful friends and sitters that are helping watch Patrick while I work during the week. It sure makes me appreciate how fortunate we are to have Vivian at home instead of having both of us working.

I am learning a lot about how prevalent entropy is in our lives. One day this house is clean and then then next....well you know the rest! There is no stopping it!!!

Patrick and I are looking forward to flying up next weekend and Patrick will really enjoy riding the BART train to see Mommy.

It is really a waiting game. I remember this period of time with Patrick and the most important part is to enjoy the time and not rush it. God has us in this not just for a purpose but on purpose. As much as I want Eliana to be out of the NICU we don't want to miss a moment of this important part of her life. The doctors and nurses are wonderful and the time with the birth family is priceless.

That's all for now. Here are some recent pictures. Thanks for your prayers and support. The community of friends that experience this with us is indeed an important part of the process and we are very grateful for all of you.

The adventure - 1 week so far

We had a great weekend getting to know the birth family. It was a long weekend but details aside I know that everyone is more interested in pictures so without further adieu here is the first video picture collage. (the music is home grown if you know what I mean)

Eliana from Jim Turner on Vimeo.