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Monday, October 6th, 2008
It’s been more than two weeks since I had a day off, and I am very tired. From here on, September and October are always going to be bad months for me. Since the orders have picked up these last few weeks, my days of working from home have been put on hiatus. Now I go to the warehouse every day – yes, every day, Saturday and Sunday, too – and help pull orders, pack orders, answer customer phone calls and e-mails, and print shipping labels. (Mom and Dad are there every day, too, and my aunt and the various others we’ve hired to help whenever possible.) Then, when I get home, I spend more hours on the computer adding inventory and keeping tabs on the advertising. I never get enough sleep, I’ve had a headache every day for a week, and I keep forgetting to eat lunch.
I repeat: I am very tired. And there are three more weeks to go.
Meanwhile, we’re aiming to have our adoption home study paperwork finished by the first week in November, because that’s the week of my physical exam appointment, which we hope will be the last bit to complete. I sent off a big packet of paperwork last week, including most of the hard stuff, like D’s criminal disposition and our extremely long, extremely detailed “life story” essays. Yay!
Since then, D got some more stuff we needed from his workplace (yay, D!), and now all we have to do is fill out our financial statement, get the guardian letter from my sister (who we chose as the guardian for our child in case something happens to us), and jump through a couple more hoops. I feel positive we can meet our November goal, and then we can begin meeting with our home study social worker, including the dreaded in-home meeting.
Meanwhile meanwhile, in my few spare moments I’ve been working on completing our adoption profile, a scrapbook-esque collection of photos and text that’s supposed to tell birthparents why we are super awesome and they should pick us over the zillions of other prospective adoptive parents. If you suspect I have been freaking out about this, you are correct. We have several examples of profiles from “successful” adoptive parents, and they are becoming ragged from my constant studying and comparing.
The biggest thorn in my side has been the “cover” photo – the first pic of us potential birthmoms will see, the pic that will determine whether she flips open the profile and continues to investigate or says, “Ick, not these creeps.”
It was recommended that we get a professional to take this cover photo, but I am stubborn and have a big camera. I insisted that we should at least try it on our own. That involved me setting the camera upright on the bed of D’s truck with a half-deflated water bottle to prop up the lens, setting the timer, instructing D to “smile with his eyes like Tyra says,” dashing over to stand beside him in a flattering-and-loving-but-not-too-sappy pose, and trying to smile in a way that didn’t look fake. We had three such photo sessions on three different days, each one taking approximately 100 years. Finally, on the last round, we got photos I’m satisfied with, to D’s immense relief.
Here’s our favorite:
Last night I finished up our profile, though we’re still waiting on a recommendation letter from a certain relative who shall remain nameless. Next I have to print this out and get a few color copies made, then send it off to be reviewed. If it passes muster, we’ll need to make 50 more copies, which will begin to be shown to potential birthparents. Weee!
So we’re getting much closer. Milestones have been passed, and I don’t feel so overwhelmed by it all anymore. Now I’m busy being overwhelmed by my job. I’m counting the days till October 31. I’ve never so longed for November.
That’s a good picture; you look like you will be good parents. Good luck with the adoption process!
btw, I’ve gotten pretty good at smiling with my eyes too! Ha!
I agree- that’s a nice photo. I hope things keep progressing smoothly! I have dear friends in line to adopt from China, which has been a complete nightmare. I just hate the way things have [not] gone for them.
I’m trying to come up with homemade caterpillar costumes for at least two of my children… We’ll see if that happens. Whatever happened to the orange leaf bags (my boys tell me they’re orange caterpillars)?
That is a great photo. Sincerest luck on this journey!
excellent picture
you both look very adult, confident and competent
these are good qualities to have when planning for a baby
Forgetting to eat lunch could be part of what’s giving you a headache. Surely other people out there at the warehouse are eating lunch. Get one of them to remind you!
Debbie is right, not eating can give you a headache. The photograph is prefect. I wish you much luck in this new chapter of your life.
Best of luck to you two! The photograph is just right, you look loving and approachable, nothing intimidating. My older sister and her husband are supposed to be coming back from their sabbatical in Africa next year with a new baby. It’s wonderful that both you and she are going to be mothers now!
I love the picture! You guys look great. I agree with Sarah, very approachable and loving.
Can’t wait to hear good news!
That is a good photo! Good luckwith the rest of the process!
Good luck with your adoption process, that is so exciting! Maybe all that work will help keep your mind from worrying about it too much. Good luck with all, hope you get some rest soon!