Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Back to Work

I am tired. Really. Really. Tired.

It's not Ty...it's the no-naps-being-back-to-work-and-grad-student-at-night that's doing it. I went back to work on Monday (sob) and you better believe I was a slobbery mess. I cried all last weekend. I held him all weekend. I slept with him all weekend. I just couldn't get enough.

We're both struggling to adapt. But it is working.

I have to work long days, but it allows me to have Fridays off, which is well worth it! Ty was one happy boy yesterday...he just wanted his mama...We both took a three hour nap we were so whipped! I promise to give more updates, but today, I have to finish writing a paper....

Before I leave you with some cutie pictures, I'd like your help with something. On Thursday, Ben and Ty and I are headed to our agency to share our story and how the blog world helped us cope....and find our baby! I'd like to put together a little handout of blogs for the families that attend....but I don't want to put your blog on the list without your permission!

If you would like a little free advertising and want to be included on my handout will you leave your blog address in my comments? If you could also write a couple sentences on your story for me to include....if you've already adopted...if it's open...if it's transracial...if you're waiting, how long it's been...etc. I want to offer the families in attendance, hope. I'm so excited to share our story...and all my friends!!!

Thanks for your help, I'll let you know how it goes!

Now for your Ty fill:

Ty just started laughing...there is nothing cuter!!!

In case you didn't know...I LOVE being a mom!


48 comments:

  1. He's just so yummy I can hardly stand it! I hope your time apart proves to be better for both of y'all, I cant even imagine. You are so truly blessed

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  2. Our blog is called "Our Story: Our Journey to Adoption"

    http://wendy-steve-andg3.blogspot.com/

    I wouldn't mind if you included us in your handout at all. I wish I could be there, but we have Meet-the-Teacher Night that night at my school. Good luck, though - you guys will be great, I'm sure!

    After dealing with infertility and failed in-vitro procedures, we moved onto adoption. Our profile went 'active' in December 2008, and we got the call that we were linked in late June 2009. The baby is due in 2 weeks, and we will have an open adoption (letters, pictures, and visits) with the birthmother.

    Oh, love the pictures,by the way! I'm so sorry that it's been hard - going back to work and doing the working/going to school thing. Hope it gets better each day.

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  3. do you have him in a daycare, or with someone you know?
    It'll get easier with time to be back at work, but I'm sure you'll still feel that knot in the pit of your stomach when you have to leave. Just think of the dazzling gummy smiles you'll get when you pick him up!
    He is looking more and more like you as he gets bigger- and BOY is he getting bigger! I can't wait to see a video of the giggles!

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  4. I want to be included!

    www.richardscrew.net

    Waiting to adopt since July 23, 2009 through an adoption ministry, semi-open adoption.

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  5. Hi, I wasnt' sure if you are meaning people who are adopting domestically and are trying to find matches etc. But we are adopting from Ethiopia and waited 19months for a referral. I am from Canada, and thru blogging I met a dear friend whom we talk often and pulled each other thru the low's of waiting, and now the waiting stage.(we got our referral 1 day apart!!!). I have met many others who are adopting and it has been such an encouragment to read their journey as well. Blogging has really helped me get thru this journey....
    http://thelawsonadoptionjourney.blogspot.com/

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  6. I'm glad you guys are adapting. Going back to work was tough- trying to function on little sleep and make sense in the business world is different than at home. :) I'd love to be on your blog list. We're at www.morethandogchildren.blogspot.com. As you know we're in an open domestic adoption. Our story shows that it's not all roses but, regardless, God is so good. Have a great long weekend!!

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  7. I'm glad you spent your weekend cuddling and not letting him go...I did that before going back to work and I recommend it to all moms heading back! It's hard, but it DOES get easier.

    I'd love for you to share our blog. Blogging brought so much inspiration, comfort, and peace for us throughout the whole process and we've met some amazing people through it. I would love to share that with others.

    johnandjessanderson.blogspot.com

    After 3 years of infertility, we were able to welcome our beautiful son, Colt, home through open domestic adoption in December of 2008. He's brought more joy than we ever imagined, and open adoption has given us a cause we are passionate to share with others!

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  8. Hey! They can read me! :D not so sure it's inspiring, but we'll give it a shot!
    www.pastetogether.blogspot.com

    Kelley and Jer and the misadventures through the world of domestic adoption! Together we pray and play and hope to build a faithful family through open adoption.

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  9. I have been wondering where you were! Glad to "hear" from you and can't wait to hear more.

    You can include mine:
    http://dontcountyoureggs.wordpress.com/

    We began the process in July 2008 and were matched in October 2008 and Charlotte was born in February 2009. It's a semi-open adoption.

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  10. I know you don't know me, but we have an open adoption with our birthmom who lives 1 1/2 hours away. We've never actually met, but exchanged pictures and talked on the phone. We have met Aliya's grandma. We are also a transratial family!!!! www.aliyagodsgift.blogspot.com

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  11. I love his shoes! He is adorable, and the last picture is just beautiful!

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  12. He is sooooo stinkin' cute! I would love to share our story of DJ with anyone willing to listen! As you know we had/have a very open adoption like yours. It was something I NEVER thought I would be open to and now could never imagine not knowing DJ's birthmom and siblings and family the way we do! Love ya!
    Dori

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  13. Hi Rebekah,
    I LOVE the new pics of Ty, he is getting cuter by the minute! I am sorry you are having a rought time going back to work. I KNOW how hard it is...
    You are welcome to use our blog www.kemperkite.blogspot.com (Our blog title is Life is an Adventure). We used two different agencies, it took us 9 months, and we are a transracial family. We hope to start our second adoption within the year. Blogging helped us keep our family up to date so that we did not have to repeat "we are still waiting" over and over again. It also helps inform our family of all of Payton's "firsts".
    -Diana

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  14. I would ove to be on your list. In fact, just today (sophie's 2nd birthday), I wrote about the gift that her mama Kim gave us!

    We have one closed adoption - through foster care and a special needs child; and one open adoption that is also transratial.

    beckyomama.blogspot.com

    PS - that is one sweet boy you got there!!!

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  15. Glad you are working out being away from TY. I know it is hard. In time it does get easier. Is he being watch by a daycare center or family? Hope next week is a little easier.

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  16. Oh my goodness, he is SO SO cute!!! He is growing so fast...what a doll. :) Good luck adjusting to being back at work! I'm sure he's proud of his hard workin' mama. :)

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  17. Cute pics! Hang in there with the work and school thing. Ty will be so proud of his mama someday! I hope to finish on day too...for my kids!

    Feel free to add our blog!
    http://all4lucy.blogspot.com
    Blogging about our life with our daughter from China, and our journey to our second daughter through transracial domestic adoption.

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  18. He is just so precious! I'm sorry going back to work has been hard, emotionally. My 4-yr-old, who has been with me every day of her 4 years, just started full day preschool. So I have an inkling of how you're feeling!

    We aren't adoptees so I don't have anything to add for that. But I think what you're putting together sounds awesome and I can't wait to hear more about it!

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  19. I love the pictures, I love hearing about your new life. I thirst for it like you wouldn't...well, you would believe!

    I would be honored to be mentioned. www.operation-baby.blogspot.com I think lol

    Just a little over a month and our adoption will become reality...still seems like a dream until I actually hold him in our arms. We are doing an open adoption, which has made it a bit easier I think for her and her family. It is just all about HIS plan.

    Love you miss mommy, praying for you always!

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  20. So cute! Both of you! I am so happy for you. =)

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  21. Back to work...wha?!?! Don't you get some sort of mat leave there? I know it may be different for adoptions, but here in Canada, we get 66% of our pay based on the last 6 months of our employment for a full 52 weeks! My daughter will turn one before I have to go back to work. I can't imagine how hard it is to leave Ty every day!!

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  22. Those first days back at work are HARD. Big hugs to you.

    I'd love to have my blog on your list!
    Production, Not Reproduction: Open adoption, adoption ethics and transracial parenting, all in one handy blog.

    If you'd be willing to include the link for the Open Adoption Bloggers list, too, I'd be super grateful. There are so many different perspectives represented there--it could be a good resource for those wanting to learn more about open adoption.

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  23. You are so adorable. I pray that the Lord will speak through you on Thursday. I know your story will touch many hearts; it already has touched mine.

    God bless your family!!!

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  24. I think it's wonderful about going back to help other people.
    I don't think my blog is the kind you are really looking for, but since you are big on open adoption maybe you can share it to show the side of an adoption that's closed and wasn't really what we agreed on. It would show adoptive parents who the birthparents are affected if you promise more than you can do.
    http://birthmomtalks.blogspot.com/

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  25. My blog is Waiting By Faith, Waiting on Our Miracle. Address is:

    www.bhjonesadoptionjourney.blogspot.com

    I would love for you to share our blog. We are in the process of adopting. We are open to open, close, or semi-open, it's whatever the mom wants. We are in the process of the paperwork with a Private Agency. But it feels like we have already started waiting.

    We are adopting because we feel the Lord is leading us to. We can not have children naturally due to infertility. I went through pre-mature menopause at the age of 17, so I've always know that I could never have children naturally. But I believe that God allowed that to be because He wanted us to be adoptive parents. And I can't wait!!!

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  26. I just went back to work too, and it is hard, but it does get easier. Some days are better than others.

    You can share my blog if you want.
    myhopefulheart@wordpress.com
    We just adopted our little one in April. It was a "stork drop" situation and we couldn't be happier. We have a semi-open adoption with us writing letters once a month. We are also a transracial family. Feel free to ask any questions if you want.

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  27. Hi you,

    sounds as if you have a very full life at this very moment..trying to adapt to what life is going to be...imagine you could have been a stay at home mom...

    HOPE! Rebekah!!! We can give hope with our story.

    The bullet points:
    1. 8 years infertility journey
    2. went for all the adoption information sessions in year 3, but we were definitely not ready! So we decided to not adopt...to keep on trying.
    3. all the prayers, and heart ache, and hope and trust and anger and dreams of being parents...every single day.
    4. on a monday evening, out of the blue, a friend phones me and ask if we would be interested in adopting an 18month old baby boy...out.of.the.blue.
    5. i said i'll have to speak to my husband, knowing he is going to say no.
    6. he says YES! and i fell off my chair.
    7. cry for one whole day about the possibility of becoming a mom!
    8. got in contact with a private social worker to get all the info.
    9. fly out to South Africa on the Friday (4 days later) so that the family can meet us
    10. The next monday, the mom and granddad meets us.
    11. in half an hour we have to decide if we really want to be become the parents of this little boy. (his birthdad is Lebanese and his birthmom is white, south african girl)
    12. the tuesday the birthmom signs kellen over to us in court (she says she does not know who his birthdad is)
    13. we fly back to the UK (is South African citizens) to sort out all our things there .
    14. On 21 August we fly back to SA to start the introduction period with Kellen which was going to be a 3 week thing.
    15. Just before we got on the plane, the social worker phoned and said we must be prepared to take Kellen home the next morning (!!!!!!!!!)

    We left without anything for a baby boy...except a little giraffe we bought at the airport...we've been disappointed so many times, and decided we will not buy anything before the 60 day period is over...except the necessities.

    4 months after Kellen came to live with us, the adoption went through and we are legally his parents! It's amazing!!!

    We have only positive and amazing things to say/think about adoption. We had no hiccups, no problems, no issues...just love and more love...

    We have an open adoption and is regular contact with his granddad who looked after him until he came to live with us. His birthmom phones occasionally, which is bit uncomfortable as I don't have the same relationship with her like i have with her dad, but we are working on that one.

    It is amazing...every single day!!! so very very amazing...and yes!!! Hope is there, lives in our hearts for Kellen's brothers and sisters...and for them, again, we trust in God!

    www.periwinkle-lin.blogspot.com

    Big hug to you,
    Enjoy your son! xx

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  28. http://dobbinsboys.blogspot.com/

    I don't blog about adoption, but I post pictures of my boys and the visits we have with both of their birth moms, so people can stop by and see that it is a normal everyday thing for us to share the boys with their birth families.

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  29. YES, PLEASE PASS ALONG MY BLOG FOR OTHERS! I know going back to work is very hard. You do adjust! You are stronger then me girl...going to school too! Wow!

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  30. Great pics! i am sure your son loves his mommy and son time!

    Even though my blog is private, you can include it just let them know they will need to ask for an invite. My email is on my profile page.

    Backstory: I found out I was infertile due to premature ovarain failure 3 months before my husband and I married. Five years later we started the process officially that had already started in my heart. We had one failed match 2 months before baby was due. And one successfull match after 5 months of being with our agency. We have an open adoption. Birthmom calls, emails and text. She knows our address, our last name, she is family. We have a beautiful 6 month old daughter who amazes me everyday and takes my breath away.
    www.myheartisalreadythere.blogspot.com

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  31. I'm glad Heather chimed in with the suggestion of the Open Adoption Bloggers list. That will be a great resource for them!

    I'd be happy to be on the list if you need more (although you've had a lot of responses already!). www.ouradoptionadventure.net. Transracial, domestic, open adoption.

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  32. Ty is absolutely precious!!

    I'd love to be included!

    Our blog is called: Blessings From Above

    http://finally-a-mommy.blogspot.com/

    We have adopted 2 babies within the last year, and we are a transracial family!! Our first daughter's adoption is a little different. We have no contact with her birthmother b/c of her drug addictions, but since the birthmother is my step-sister, we are in contact with the rest of her family. Our other daughter's adoption is semi-open (letters and pictures), though once her birthmother is ready, we will transition to a more open adoption. Our daughters are 5 1/2 months apart in age, so life is hectic, but it's absolutely WONDERFUL!!!

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  33. That is one handsome little man!

    We adopted our son in Aug. of 2006 (a domestic adoption). We have a great open adoption with his birth family and are hoping for another miracle adoption. You're more than welcome to include our blog - a mix of our new and ever-changing life as parents (of a now three year old) and our hope to adopt again!

    ericchristyadoption.blogspot.com

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  34. Hey Rebekah -

    I will pray for your transition back to work & school. If it's not too late, you can include us in your handout:

    www.barrenwoman.blogspot.com

    We're doing domestic transracial adoption. We've been matched, and if all goes well we are due on January 14. Our adoption will be semi-open.

    Thanks!
    Rachel

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  35. I remember how hard it was to leave my baby son after all we'd been through and waiting so long! I pray it gets better for you!
    I couldn't do it and now, nearly 10 yrs. later, I'm still home! And, with 2 more! What happened?! ha!
    I'm not sure when I'll rejoin the work world full time!

    I can't blog as much as I'd like anymore but, I'd love for people to read our stories and other posts on adoption, parenting adopted children, and now fostering our great-nephew--which will likely move to adoption. We will have a whole other side of adoption with inter-family adoption!

    www.daythelordmade.blogspot.com

    Blessings! You look as happy as I know you are! And, he was just 'fit' for you!!! Precious!!!

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  36. I'm a big fan of overalls so I love the picture best.
    What a great idea to give a list of blogs to those in attendance.
    Feel free to use mine if you want.

    We started our process 10-15-05 wanting to adopt a child under 3 from Russia. Nearly two years later with legal holdups within the country for all agencies we decided to switch to domestic. We were finally able to submit our profile and become 'Paper Pregnant' on 12-21-07. Just a few long months later we received The Call on April 15, 2008 exactly 2.5 years from when we started. Our daughter was born just a few days earlier and her first mom picked us to be her parents. We have a growing relationship with her birthmom and family. Not only are we an adoptive family in an open adoption but our daughter is also multiracial.

    Hope that helps.

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  37. i can't believe how BIG he is getting!! What a precious little guy he is. I don't know if you have already put your list together or not, but the whole reason I made my blog "public" from private was to share our story and help others. Please share our blog if you would like. So nice of you to go speak to others.

    www.somekindofride@blogspot.com

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  38. The sleep deprivation will pass, I promise. [grin]

    We'd love to be included in your handout. The blog is called "Ebony & Ivory" (formerly known as "Josiah's Journey"). We pursued domestic infant adoption and have an open, trans-racial adoption.
    http://dagerhart.blogspot.com/

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  39. We would love to be included too!
    Our blog is: http://stevensarahplusone.blogspot.com

    We adopted our daughter in October, 2008 through domestic adoption after waiting a very short time! We faced infertility a few years ago and pursued adoption. We have an open relationship with her birth mother and family. We were very blessed to be at the hospital for her birth and I was even in the delivery room! It was a wonderful process!

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  40. Is the meeting this Thursday? Bummer... We cannot make it. :( I herd that it is going to be a good one ;)

    Good luck! I am sure that you will be awesome!

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  41. Ty looks so cute in overalls. Wasn't he a prince at the wedding? Blessings on your speech on Thursday. I know you'll do great.

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  42. I realize I don't know anything about your financial situation but my advice is to stay home with that baby!!! You will never regret it. We did without a lot while my children were growing up but I am so thankful we did what we did. I totally realize that staying home is not an option for many mom's so this isn't one of those comments to judge. Just give it serious consideration. :)

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  43. Just head people over to the Open adoption Bloggers button you can get at this link:
    http://www.productionnotreproduction.com/2000/01/open-adoption-blogs.html

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  44. I don't currently have a blog but have just signed up with an agency.
    We are just at the beginning stages on adoption and are scared to death. We have had so many disappointments on our journey to parenthood. To start...we can't get pregnant on our own so we did a round of IVF and got pregnant with twins. Then I delivered at 231/2 weeks and had to deliver Kaiden & Kennedy, in which the did not survive. We have tried 2 other rounds of IVF and did not succeed. We have made the decision to move on to adoption. I have to say that your blog has given me hope, much needed hope. You are more than welcome to share our story. My email address is bmkkwengler@gmail.com.
    God Bless your family, it is a beautiful one.


    My husband and I delivered our stillborn son and daughter (twins) on 1-9-08.

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  45. I don't know if this is to late or not but we were busy with our fostering issue's. I have to say that little guy is so handsome and growing up so fast. You two look so happy together and I can tell he is your whole life and I think that is fantastic. :)

    We would love for you to share our story with the handout.
    Our blog is http://fromthestork23.blogspot.com/

    My name is Susan and my husband Tim. We have been married for 5 years. After being married a year we decided to try infertility treatment. We also tryied in vetro. The doctors had so much hope for us. She said we were young. I am 28 years old and my husband is 31 years old but that was like 3 years ago that we started the process with infertility and 2 years ago since invetro. Everyone told me that once I gave up on infertility and signed the adoption papers that I would get pregnant. Unfortunatly no luck. We are proud to say that we made this decision to adopt. We have been waiting to be choosen since July of 2008. So it has been a little over a year with hopes to soon have that very special call that will change our lives for the better forever. We where going through Catholic Social Service but have now decided to go to DHS Department of Huam Services to possible foster to adopt. :)

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  46. So beautiful! Thank you for sharing with us :)

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  47. Um, this is ridiculously late as I have just been catching up on blogs...but in case you have not already published your list, you're more than welcome to include us if you wish.

    www.fredandbecky.blogspot.com

    We are a transracial adoptive family with a 5 year old son and 3 year old daughter. Our daughter has some medical complexities but we are one blessed and happy family. Infertility was beyond painful, but adoption has given us the family that we dreamed of. I often tell people that I no longer hurt from infertility for a lot of reasons - but for one, that I would never have wanted to give birth to any children other than the two that I am blessed to tuck into bed every night. God is good.

    Thanks for sharing the adorable pictures! You have such a gift for sharing your story. Blessings!

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