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Calvin Leo Meyer is here !

2009-11-22T18:23:00.007-07:00

Wow. Life has been a crazy lately. Our family has grown by one sweet little boy! One adorable little guy with brown hair, wrinkly feet and some squeaks.

Adoption is, I have decided, some sort of crazy adrenaline sport with lots of waiting thrown in too. All of the sudden everything turns on a dime and the universe is very wonderfully different.

Here's a recap:

Nov 3 We get the call!! We've been selected!

Nov 6 We meet with the agency and learn more about birthparents and baby!

Nov 11 We meet Birthparents! We talk easily! We like them!

Nov 13 – 14 Already planned get-away, little cabin in Green Mountain Falls.

Nov 18 4:27 pm Shannon gets the call that birthmom is going to hospital!

Nov 19 10:19 pm Calvin Leo Meyer is born, 5 lbs, 9 oz, 19.25 inches long!

Nov 20 We meet Calvin and spend all day with him at the hospital!

Nov 21 Homecoming! Calvin Comes Home!!

Nov 22 We settle in - snoozing, bath time, snuggling.

Lots of folks sending congratulations and best wishes. Everybody is looking forward to meeting our little one. We are looking forward to watching him grow up.

You're ready, when you are able to see.

2009-10-07T19:04:00.004-06:00

Get out and do Sh%!#t. (Thanks, Drew!)

D's Solo Zion National Park- Hike Out -- A moment that catches the eye. (mid level right)

Close-up of what caught my eye. SV would love this.

Unimaginable pain and loss. Fear of loosing even more, our faith, our foundation, our love, even our partnership and marriage. There are a countless number of moments worthy of lengthy description illuminating why we made it. Why we made it through yesterday, to today and a hope for tomorrow. Largely, it is you, our close and far, frequent and rare connections to family and friends. It's also for my respect, admiration and reliance on my wife, my love.

Good-Byes (7.7.09)

We're back in the pool. First in line and waiting for the call. Shannon has completed two exceptional crop art mosaics, home improvement projects march on and soil amending/ rotor-tilling efforts promise a colorful future. Hoping to spend time, compare some notes and reminisce with friends and family across the country. This has been our little world, how are y'all doing?

Francine @ the Gym

2009-05-05T07:58:00.003-06:00

We're listening to "Shot heard around the world" from School House Rock performed by Ween. Yes, Ween- quality ECE music.

Day in the Park

2009-04-09T20:49:00.000-06:00

The girls are just fine. I recieved this photo from Shannon while at
work describing a pleasant time at one of our local parks along the
Ralston Creek Trail. I was just a wee bit jealous.

Francine's handmade quilt from Aunt Autumn worked wonderfully.

Spring Time in the Rockies

2009-03-28T21:21:00.005-06:00

We finally got some much needed precip. On Thursday we got 12" of the white stuff. Of course, Dennis enjoyed teaching Francine about snow and Jeeps.

Big Day

2009-03-24T20:13:00.002-06:00

Another day done with activities and visits. A visit from our case worker, all good there- we completed our legal petition paperwork too. Neighbors and friends stopping in, while we transformed the basement mid-remodel zone into something pleasant for family members to inhabit over the weekend.

Cold weather blew in over the last couple of days, but we went for a walk anyway- Francine seems to like "the weather" just as much as me (and what Shannon has learned to appreciate, a little reluctantly at first).

Thanks to everyone for their well wishes across the variety of communication and social networks!

She's Getting Chubby : )

2009-03-23T20:58:00.003-06:00

No photo today. Soon.

But we went to the Dr. today and she said Francine is looking great! She has gained a bunch of weight and is up to 6 pounds and 11 ounces! She is packing it on! She is super healthy.

She also went to the grocery store for her first time. Napping well, eating well, getting stronger. Being generally cute and sweet : )

2009-03-21T20:54:00.011-06:00

Little family photo!

Everyone keeps asking how the cats are doing....they seem to enjoy the Gymini love.

We took Francine to the plant nursery on her second outing! Didn't buy too much, this time.

Nolan and Joanna came over for a visit. Nolan and Dennis went out did a little skate boarding, without Francine!!

2nd Day at Home

2009-03-20T20:29:00.008-06:00

Today was another good day. Dennis surfed while holding his daughter --hmm does that count as kiddo's screen time? We visited with friend Bob, then neighbors Betty and Karen and two of her sons. We took an outing to the post office and Target. We opened presents from both of our sisters!!! We watched the amazing Dunstan baby video - fascinating, Neh, eh and Owh.

And we had a BATH! She is a clean Francine!!! She's a good eater, good sleeper and she likes imitating me by sticking out her tongue after I stick out mine. Tooooo cute!

First Full Day at Home

2009-03-19T19:55:00.010-06:00

2009-03-18T20:42:00.006-06:00

So to backtrack a little, Monday morning around 10am, we got "the call." Our agency had a little one who was looking for a forever family. So we got more details and we were excited to meet the agency at 9:30 the next morning. We left work (work?? at a time like this?) went home and made last minute preparations. For me, that was a little laundry, gathering baby gear. For Dennis, that meant finishing the guest room renovation!!

At the meeting, we heard more about the little girl and her amazing birthmom who made a really tough choice in the best interest of this little kiddo. We said YEP she's for us! Then we went to meet the little munchkin at 1:00. The little video is from right before we met her for the very first time. Cradle care folks Jane and Kevin and their kids Lauren and Jackson had been doing a great job keeping this little sweetie happy and healthy for almost three weeks. What an amazing thing they do. This is me and Jane and Francine!

She's home now and doing great! Eating like a champ, cute as a button. More later!

Francine is home!

2009-03-18T17:17:00.001-06:00

Our little one is home and settling in- fed, changed and hanging with
Shannon in a sunbeam.

Hey Kid!

2009-03-07T18:15:00.006-07:00

We hung up your cute wall-hanging today. So it's ready for ya.

Right now, Jackson thinks the changing table is his special kitty bed.

You'd better show up and set him straight.

Letting go

2009-03-03T21:17:00.006-07:00

Do we plan a family vacation for July that has us all sleeping in tents? Or, will we have a newborn then and therefore we should try for a rental house? Or will we need to call the whole thing off at the last minute?

Do I go to a museum conference in May?

Do we start a front yard garden project? (Of course!!, after the basement is more done).

Was a fortune cookie that said "Daughter, July" a prophecy? We would be thrilled with "Boy, May" too!

Ugh, that leads to me to think about August, which would be our second anniversary of waiting. August would be another bill and probably having to re-do our video and letters. Please God, not August, not two years of waiting. Please before August. Ok, I will be banishing that horrifying thought now. Good bye negative thought....... bye, bye.

Back to a more upbeat and reflective tone. Sometimes it is liberating, having no clue, truly feeling like WTF, we'll just see, letting go. Oh, how my old meditation teacher would love to hear me say that. Yes, adoption is a huge exercise in letting go - we let go of all privacy, some cash, our notions of what our family would be like, etc.

Darn. Letting go. Is this a lesson I am supposed to learn??

Probably.

How do you, dear readers, let go?

Nurses

2009-02-22T12:23:00.002-07:00

Last night, on a great adoption family blog They Grow In Our Hearts, I read about some bad hospitals and their handling of adoptive families. These hospitals, and nurses??!? especially, treated the adoptive families like dirt, delaying access to babies, giving them a lot attitude around feedings.

In two cases, all the adoption paperwork was perfect, all the caseworkers, lawyers and mothers agreed. Yet the hospitals put off discharging babies to adoptive parents for seven hours in one case, nine hours in another case. Some baloney about administration. In one case, the Board of the hospital had to be contacted before the adoptive parents were allowed to go home with their baby. I am sure emotions are running so high, so much waiting, hoping it all clicks into place. Heartbreaking. To have your right to your child questioned right off the bat.

Of course, these experiences are not representative! Tons of adoptive parents had warm, welcoming experiences at their hospitals. Let's hope that all adoptive parents and birthparents have nurturing, respectful experiences at hospitals. Us too.

Happy Valentines Day Little One

2009-02-14T18:58:00.005-07:00

Last weekend, four year-old Nolan spent the night at our house so that his parents could go on a skiing trip. He is so SWEET about our baby. He often brings over a toy or book that he has out-grown and very gently and seriously says its "for the baby." He likes hanging out in the nursery, visiting with his old toys. This trip, he was asking a little more about when the baby would arrive. It will be funny to see how he interacts with the real baby, rather than just his idea of a baby.

Today the little one seems closer. Its a nice feeling, rare. Usually it feels to me like it will never happen, so abstract. Maybe it's the Valentine's day sweetness. I spent about an hour reading a bunch of the great books our family and friends have given us. All the great hardbacks, Caldecott winners, chunky and yummy board books. That Knuffle Bunny is really growing on me. Nolan really liked the Flower Man book.

We are #5.

Persistence

2009-02-14T15:50:00.006-07:00

It's paying off, we are now #5 on the list- any day really at this point- crazy! Just migrated the blog today so SV is able to post as well- look out.

Cats in the Cradle

2008-09-23T14:06:00.006-06:00

Two of our cats have found the perfect spot. Their sweet little minds will be rocked when the bambino arrives. Ours too : )

Grandma Sally and I were talking yesterday about how we have a lot ready for the munchkin but really you only find out what you haven't got ready, when the little baby is home. Friends say we should "Sleep, go out to the movies, have quality couple time" Well, we haven't been to many movies in the last couple of years so that doesn't seem like it will be a big adjustment. Just recently, Dennis and I have been catching up our sleep and taking weekend naps. I wish there was some sort of sleep bank that we could make deposits for use later. It doesn't seem to work that way.

I have a little fantasy that if I had a big freezer I'd suddenly Martha -it-up and freeze a bunch of casseroles for when the babe comes home. So far, even without the freezer, I haven't made good on that little freezer.

We have spent the summer working on the backyard garden and have now started in on the front yard beds. Major plant removal and subsequent trips to the dump will be harder with a newborn, so we are taking care of that.

We are getting ready, living our life, and waiting. Doing fine even though we're excited.

Nursery Color Dots

2008-09-07T13:58:00.007-06:00

Shannon installed the color dots this afternoon- a year long project in the making it seems. We’ve been in the pool for 12 months so far and the last we heard we are number 8 on “the list”! We have been getting lots of great hand-me-downs from friends and are pretty set as far as clothes. A few friends of Shannon’s threw her a shower and filled up our closets. Grandma Shelly and Grandpa Jim visited and finished refinishing the dresser/changing table. And most names Shannon dreams up, Dennis promptly shoots down. We are getting ready : )

The Wait- quantifiable if you’re that way... 2

2008-06-25T13:45:00.005-06:00

We’re now at number 15 and on the bottom of the first page! We also chose not to be alerted when we are profiled (or maybe we already have been?). Who could take that kind of pressure and rejection? Who knows, with the way the rate of placements have been going, perhaps there is a Christmas baby on the way? Now, what are some nice names...

The Wait- quantifiable if you’re that way...

2008-02-29T13:39:00.003-07:00

We’re getting excited, regularly surfing Craigslist for this and that, accepting donations from friends and well into the update of our nursery room. Shannon has established a Friday after-work run through Twice As Nice Kids and Goodwill and finding some super cute clothes that are waiting for use on our fresh and bright white closet shelves as well as some sweet classic toys.

We’re approaching our 6 month mark being “approved” and in the pool. I don’t think we’ve been profiled yet but the time is approaching. We entered at family #38 and recently heard we’re now at 27! It feels good to know families are coming together, soon it will be us.

Perhaps it’s time to assign a special ring tone to the agency telephone number?

It is or is not.

2008-01-05T13:31:00.001-07:00

We recently experienced our first false alarm. Our Family Caseworker warned us that if she calls it may not be “the call”. I assumed that the real call would be over the phone verses an email, we’ve communicated by email before of course, but Shannon and I just received an email yesterday that made our hearts skip a beat. The subject line read, “Child in need of a family!”.

Now, one would think caseworkers have been through this before and would choose the subject lines carefully. Upon opening the message, I quickly realized this was an appeal to all of those in the pool to consider a child that for whatever reason didn’t fit anyone’s profile or was in their “depends/ maybe” column. Needless to say, this child didn’t feel right, is this what it’s going to be like? A bit nerve racking and a little uncomfortable to be shown a photograph of a child needing a family and feeling/ saying no.

We’re making progress on our preparations for the right little one. We’re collecting some baby gear and starting on the grommets room as well as going out for dinners and movies.

Tick, Tock.

Video Letter to Birthparents

2007-11-14T13:27:00.001-07:00

We are soooo close to being finished with our 8-10 minute “video”. Along with a 3-5 page handwritten letter from Shannon and I separately, we also provide a video illustrating who we are as individuals, a couple and our vision of our future family for birthparents considering us and a plan for adoption.

At one point we were at about a 15 minute running length with a strong desire to include even more! It looks like we’ll come in at about 12 minutes. We intend to “call it a wrap” this weekend and submit it to our agency before Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for and the timing seems well, I’m struggling with the right word here, a little help... significant, appropriate, befitting, apt...

Thanks to you faithful readers, our family and friends, for the support and understanding with the not so unique endeavor we are in and the “wait”. It’s okay to ask how it’s going from time to time.

As we like to enjoy life (sometimes at the expense of ourselves) look for a blooper real to post in the future. Maybe :)

Leora Claire

2007-10-26T13:17:00.003-06:00

Babies are everywhere! Our friend Sage and Dale recently welcomed Lily to town, more friends, Mike and Jen brought Holly home. I’m sure you know of some too. This is week old Leora, a beautiful first child for Autumn and Andrew our new niece. We look forward to meeting her indeed, until that time grandparents are flocking in for fun and affections.

It can happen

2007-10-01T12:39:00.002-06:00

Yikes, we just found out that a couple we met through our education classes is experiencing the worst. They were bonding with a child in “cradle care” and the birthmother decided to parent. Painful. Please keep this couple, the birthmother and the little one in your thoughts and prayers.

Ready and Waiting!

2007-09-16T12:27:00.003-06:00

We’ve come so far. We’re approved and in the pool. We just completed our first two required education sessions. We nearly have our “Dear Birthparent” letters finished. We’ll be working on the video soon and have a lot of work and plans to make in preparation for our little bundle of joy. Whew. Then a time will come when we get the call that will change our lives forever, hopefully yours too.