Hearing her Heart beat for the first time

I haven't posted anything in a while as we have been so busy with preparing for our daughters arrival...and working everyday.
I have since joined our birthmom at two doctors appointments and what an amazing experience those were. I heard our baby's heart beat for the first time 2 weeks ago and then again 2 days ago. It was beautiful. She is healthy and thriving and being at 36 weeks, the doctor said she could potentially come at anytime. WOW...so very exciting, although we are happy to keep her in there for as long as it takes.
Our wonderful birthmom has asked me to be in the delivery room and said I can hold her as soon as she arrives. She wants me to be the first person our daughter sees. How lucky I am to be able to experience this and I will be able to tell our little girl about the day she was born. What a beautiful experience.

We're going to be parents!!!

YEA!!! I'm going to be a MOMMY!!!!

This past week has been a bit of a whirlwind. We found out from our lawyers office that a wonderful birth mom/dad chose Pete and I to adopt their unborn baby...and it's a healthy girl!! She will be here in early August. She is due August 3rd and will be delivering in the Seattle area.

We met the birth parents last Sunday and were so amazing by them. They have such spirit and grace along with wonderful family support during this process. They have been attending family counseling and both have great future goals and plans. They know they are making the best decision for their baby and that makes this so much easier for us. We feel better knowing they are comfortable with the decision.
I feel so lucky to have met them.

I get to go to the doctors appointment this Wednesday and will update soon after.

This has been such a long and emotional road for us and we are finally coming to the end. Life is so good!

Thank you for your support and positive thinking.

~Erin

The Blair Affair

I read this poem on a friends blog and had to share it. Enjoy!!



If I Had My Child to Raise Over Again


If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd finger paint more, and point the finger less.
I'd do less correcting, and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less, and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd teach less about the love of power,
And more about the power of love.

By Diana Loomans

Feeling it

Well I had a wonderful 34th birthday with Pete, our family and friends. He surprised me with a very relaxing evening at a Bed & Breakfast with a huge jet tub (which I was in for the majority of our stay). It was a memorable day.

After my birthday, I became even more excited about meeting our baby. I've been having crazy, wonderful, beautiful dreams. And those "nesting" feelings that you hear about that mothers get before the baby comes...well I've been having those too. I really feel like my life is about to change drastically.....in a good yet very exhausting way. ;)

I believe God's plan for us to be parents is just around the corner.
Something is definitely in the air...........

One year

Well it's been 1 year since we started this process and what a year it has been. I've had friends become pregnant and give birth, we've had a few possibilities of meeting birthmoms that didn't feel right and we've bought a very cute baby car seat!! I am not getting impatient, I am becoming more excited about becoming a mother.

Pete and I recently returned from a wonderful trip to Thailand and I met a local women who told me I would have a child........very soon. She actually said to me that my 34th birthday would be a great day and this coming year would be my best. Interesting........I'll let you know what happens next month after I turn 34.

Watching the movie Juno is both theraputic and torture

Okay, so some might say how lame I am for sitting inside on a beautiful autumn afternoon watching a movie but I would say to those people.........back off it's therapy.

Actually, the movie Juno is quite good. For those of you who haven't viewed it, the story line is about a 16-year old droll and witty girl who becomes pregnant and decides to place her child for adoption. I love her character and the movie is both humorous and sad but the best part for me is about her experience and seeing how wonderful adoption is and how amazing the human spirit is. I, of course, cry the entire last 45 minutes of the film and find myself not being able to breath during the last 20. Yes, this is a movie but at the same time it is quite the reality.

Someday I will meet a birth mom who will choose us and who will trust us to be the strongest and most loving parents for her child..........and although confident, she will be sad to let her child go.

Sometimes I have to remind myself that this process isn't only about Pete and I starting a family. It is about a women who is letting her family go. She is making a decision to let someone else raise and care for her baby.

She is giving us the greatest gift, a gift that we can only repay her by making sure this child is loved and cared for every day of its life and for this child to know what a sacrifice his/her mom made by allowing someone else to love and raise it. It's easy for me to know how Pete and I feel about this child but I want her to know how much this child is loved. And how greatful we are for what she has done and how I wish, more than anything, that she finds peace and comfort through this whole process.

Juno is certainly a movie that all can enjoy, not only people engulfed in the adoption/pregnancy process. It's funny, witty and has great music but........... the torturous part is knowing I've sat inside on a beautifully, sunny October afternoon to watch a movie I've seen at least 5 times.

Oh and by the way, this photo is real...you won't find any fake forest backgrounds in my adoption ad pictures.

Telling the world......

We just finished all of the ads for the Little Nickel's in the region and are hoping someone out there reads our ad and wants to meet us. Keep your fingers crossed!!!