From Georgia to Wisconsin x2

She's Ours, All Ours

2012-01-21T09:45:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Lucia became a part of our family—legally and forever—at our finalization hearing on January 4th, 2012. The finalization removed Lucia's birth surname and replaced it with Leone. What an important and happy day in our family! We love you, Lucia, and we are so glad you are officially ours now.

Sadly, we managed to forget the camera in the car and did not have time to head back down to retrieve it. Aaagh! Our finalization photos are, therefore, less-than-ideal phone photos, snapped by the bailiff. Nevertheless, they capture the moment, and they include our good judge. Too bad Lucia did not want to lift her head for the photos!

Finalization Day Approaches

2011-12-23T06:53:00.000-08:00

If all goes as planned, sweet Lucia Rose will become a Leone officially on January 4th. We are counting down the days with great excitement as it all comes together. Lucia is such a gift to all of us. We cannot wait until everything is official.

We love you, Lucia!

Paternal Rights Terminated

2011-09-24T14:42:00.000-07:00

We are one step closer to Lucia's adoption finalization. On Thursday morning, September 22nd, the rights of Lucia's birthfather were terminated.

The only thing standing between us now and finalization of Lucia's adoption is one post-placement visit. That will likely be scheduled for late October.

It won't be long before Lucia shares our last name legally and finds herself a part of our family not only by love, but by law as well.

Beautiful Lucia

Post-Placement Visit #1 is Behind Us

2011-09-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

Our social worker must make two post-placement visits to our home before Lucia's finalization in November or December. One of the visits is now history.

Miss Lucia was in good spirits and entertained our kind social worker, Lynn. Her older siblings kept the noise level high and the parental stress level up. However, Lucia gets a thumbs-up in her new surroundings from Lynn, and that gets three cheers from all of us.

Lucia, formerly Miss Skinny, has now plumped up nicely. She is loooooooong. She will be one tall girl one day. She is already one tall three-month old.

We can't imagine life without Lucia. She's such an amazing and perfect addition to our family. We are all counting down the months to finalization.

Sweet Words

2011-06-28T06:09:00.000-07:00

While we were in Georgia, one of Joe's clients sent him a copy of an amazing email. It was an email that the client had sent to his own business partners.

I have pasted below the content of the client's email to Joe, followed by the client's email to his own business partners. I have removed all identifying information.

These emails brought to tears to both Joe's and my eyes. I have never met this client with the big and thoughtful heart, but I hope I am blessed with the opportunity one day.

Joe,

I believe in the providence of God – that he is the author of my life.

So I have faith that meeting you was part of this plan, and trust that what is happening right now is part of his bigger plan which is ultimately for my good.

As I was thinking about it this morning I had another thought which I shared with [my partners] - I also wanted to share it with you…

[Joe's Client]

Dear [Partners],

We like to joke that we pay for lawyers' boats and luxury cars with the legal fees we pay – you’ve personally paid a large sum to [Joe's firm] to defend [your] right to benefit justly from [your] life’s labor.

However, your lawyer Joe does not buy boats and Ferraris with his income – he drives to Georgia to pick up a newborn baby that would have a horrible life but now will grow up in a loving family and have a bright future with the opportunity to reach her full potential.

So I would like to think that you’ve only spent $___ in defending yourself and have spent $___ to ensure a new life for a little girl that you’ve never met and probably never will.

[Joe's Client]

Lucia is Baptized!

2011-06-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

Just nine days after we arrived home with Lucia, she was baptized.

Our pastor, Monsignor Kevin Holmes, performed the baptism at St. Patrick Catholic Church (part of the same parish of our church, Holy Redeemer).

We were honored when our friends, Jill and Dave, accepted our invitation to be Lucia's Godparents. Jill and Dave also have a large family (eight children) and are adoptive parents themselves. Not only will they make excellent Godparents for Lucia, but they are good and kind to us—inviting our tired family over for a cozy get-together at their home after the Baptism.

One more milestone for little Lucia, now baptized into the Catholic Church. God bless Lucia Rose!

William gets ready to serve Mass and the Baptism.

I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit...

Lucia and her proud mama.

Joe & Elizabeth with newly-baptized Lucia.
Lucia is wearing Papa Del's (grandfather's) baptismal gown, worn also by all her siblings.

Posing with Monsignor Holmes and Lucia's Godparents and their children.

Our friend Angela (Godmother of Marguerite) snuggles with Lucia.

Dairy Cows and Wedding Bells

2011-06-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

Less than twenty-four hours after introducing Lucia to the land of cows and cheese, we attended a friend's wedding reception. Little Lucia rolled with it all and pretty much snoozed the night away. As for the rest of us, we stumbled around like sleep-deprived zombies, but we wouldn't have missed Jen's wedding reception for anything.

The beautiful mother of the bride gets to know Lucia.

The parents of seven catch a dance while babies are held by reception-goers.

Claudia, mother of the bride, cuts the rug with Therese.

John, father of the bride, dances with Miss Marguerite.

Elizabeth with the beautiful baby girls.

John, father of the bride, takes Kathleen—sporting a balloon hat—for a spin on the dance floor.

Home Sweet Home

2011-06-07T12:54:00.000-07:00

Apparently, I have a whole lot more time to blog on the road than I do at home. We've been home four whole days, and it's been nothing but a whirlwind of activity, getting back into the normal rhythm of life. And that normal is the new-and-improved normal, as our lives are altered forever by the addition of our beautiful Lucia. Just eleven days old today, it's hard to know what we did without her.

Lucia is settling in well, and so are we. Miss Marguerite is full of tremendous love and affection. We have to diligently guard against her smothering Lucia as she envelopes her in enthusiastic hugs and kisses.

Tonight, around 10:00 pm, ten days will have passed since T signed the papers surrendering her rights to parent Lucia. At that point, T will no longer be able to change her mind, and we will rest in the knowledge that Little Lucia will be with us forever. Bliss. Meanwhile, we remember T in our prayers every night. She gave us two of the greatest gifts we'll ever receive. And she gave two lucky little girls the great gift of life.

Sweet Wisconsin slumber for our newest cheesehead.

Looking a little like Marguerite here?

Lucia and Marguerite in their dueling high chairs.

Thursday on the River along the Tennessee Border

2011-06-03T17:09:00.000-07:00

We spent Thursday fighting the extreme heat by seeking out the recommended local swimming hole on the Ocohee River. Joe and I took turns on the river bank with our little Peanut Lucia while we alternated with helping the other kids in the water. The water was shallow and virtually still, but the rocks were slippery underfoot, so Marguerite and Therese required some careful attention. Most of the time, I stayed out of the water, shading and fanning Lucia—and sprinkling bottled water on her. It was one seriously hot day. Eventually, I made my way down to the water while Joe held Lucia. It was good just to get wet.

Anna Marie in the north Georgia mountains.

Cooling ourselves in the river.

Okay, I would normally never post a photo of myself in a swimming suit—blech!
But look at our peanut Lucia! I thought this was such a great photo of her, I couldn't resist including it.
(Marguerite simply would not look at the camera. She was having far too much fun taking over Lucia's stroller.)

Wednesday in a Log House Near Blue Ridge, Georgia

2011-06-02T18:41:00.000-07:00

After leaving Macon and Atlanta, we headed north on Tuesday night toward the northern border of Georgia. Since we are eager to go home, but can't leave Georgia until our Interstate Compact paperwork clears Georgia and Wisconsin, we decided to get just as close to the border as possible, in order to ultimately shorten our trip home. (Besides, it's HOT in Georgia, and heading south to vacation where it's even hotter was not sounding appealing to these Wisconsinites.)

We found a magnificent log home available for rent, in the mountains just outside Blue Ridge, Georgia. I sent out many emails in search of a rental home, inquiring what kind of rate they'd be willing to give a traveling family of nine who needs to stay in Georgia until adoption paperwork clears. The woman who owns this home answered promptly and proposed a rock-bottom rate (much, much lower than what was advertised on her site), because we are an adoptive family. She said her sister has adopted trans-racially, and she was intrigued by our story and wanted to help us out. So, we've spent the last two days enjoying the beautiful north Georgia mountains from the comfort of a log home that sleeps all of us very easily—no sleeping bags required. We'll stay here until we receive the clearance to leave Georgia. From here, we'll make the fourteen-hour trip home. Hey, that's just a hop-skip-and-a-jump, compared to the seventeen-hour marathon trip we did on the way down here... :)

Kathleen and Marguerite get some snuggle time with Lucia.

Beautiful log home! Such a great place for us to spend a few days with our clan.

Andrew and Therese wait for Dad to put the ping pong table top on the pool table in the loft.

Kathleen and Lucia from above.

A table big enough to seat all of us!

The kids love holding Lucia. Sometimes they have to wait in line.

Therese remembers that she was too young to feed Marguerite and is enjoying helping out with her newest baby sister.

Look at our pretty girl!

Miss Lucia Rose—all cozy on the bed where Mom and Dad have been sleeping.
The little foldable "Snuggle Nest" in which she is lying has been a great portable bed for Lucia. It's the same one we used when we were on the road with newborn Marguerite.

Andrew gets some quality time with Lucia in the morning.

Dinner at Mary Mac's in Atlanta

2011-06-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

After a very full day at the Atlanta Aquarium, we enjoyed dinner at Mary Mac's Tea Room on Tuesday night with our Atlanta friends, the Lotts. After getting to know them well by phone and email through the adoption process, it seemed so natural meeting them in person—as if we'd known them forever. It was a wonderful evening of traditional southern cooking and excellent friendship. The good people at Mary Mac's gave us our own private room which was a great move on their part, all things considered.

Check it out... The Lotts and Leones have some similar-looking families... Needless to say, it was an energetic evening with thirteen kids! We received a bundle of questions from the proprietors of the restaurant.

If you're considering a minority adoption, I highly recommend Courtney and Emory Lott and their Faithful Adoption Consultants agency.

Marguerite and Emmy play at dinner.

Kathleen makes friends with Emmy.

Andrew, William, Aidan, and Michael become fast pals over dinner.

Mina and Kathleen are buddies.

The Lott and Leone families. All seventeen of us!

Tuesday at the Atlanta Aquarium

2011-06-02T15:21:00.000-07:00

Therese

Lucia & Kathleen

Elizabeth & Marguerite check out the fish overhead.

Andrew & the jellyfish.

Lucia & Marguerite with Mom.

Lucia gets to peek through a porthole at the fish.

Caricatures of Andrew & William.

Caricatures of Therese & Kathleen.

Caricature of Anna Marie.

Tuesday in Atlanta

2011-06-02T08:22:00.000-07:00

I don't have a strong enough internet connection to upload photos from the log cabin where we are staying, but I will try to upload more when we head down the mountain later today. We have some great shots from Atlanta, from the aquarium, and from dinner with our friends, The Lotts.

Beyond amazing baby cuteness, the other overriding theme of this trip has been extreme HEAT! It was 103 degrees in Georgia yesterday and broke records. Even the Georgians are sweltering!

Meanwhile, check out the "Monday in Macon" photos below. Is Lucia cute, or what?

Monday in Macon

2011-06-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

After receiving placement of sweet Lucia on Sunday, we made our way around Macon on Monday—Memorial Day. The town seemed pretty quiet. We were told much of Macon heads to the water on Memorial Day.

We did our best to try to avoid heat stroke in the 100 degree heat and humidity... A couple of our kids don't seem to fare so well in the extreme heat. So we kept our outings short and made trips in and out of the air conditioning, visiting a HUGE Bass Pro Shop, a Macon park, a Mexican restaurant, a walk along the Ocmulgee River, and a excursion to Ocmulgee National Monument. (Who knew Macon had a national monument? It was news to me.)

Lucia rolled with us like a champ... I was swaddling her in the air-conditioned locations and stripping off clothes in the heat.

William & Lucia at the hotel.

Andrew & Lucia at the hotel.

Beautiful Lucia Rose!

Therese and Lucia.

Therese, on our outing to Bass Pro Shops.

Heading up to see the Indian mounds at Ocmulgee National Park.
I was trying to shield Lucia from the sun with the blanket without overheating her. It was 100 degrees!

Memorial Day -outfitted kids in front of the entrance to the Ocmulgee National Monument — the oldest reconstructed earth home in the country. We are missing only Lucia in this photo.

Sweltering kids explore the Ocmulgee National Monument from the outside.

We stopped at the park and let the kids play for a while. That didn't last long though, as they were just too hot.
Marguerite did have fun while it lasted!

Big sister, Anna Marie with sweet Lucia at the park.

Somewhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains

2011-05-31T19:34:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to update the blog with photos of Lucia and friends today... It's been a busy day, and now Virgin Mobile's 3G network is down, so I can't post from my laptop... Only from my phone (without access to baby photos). As I type at 10:38 pm, we are headed to the north Georgia mountain town of Blue Ridge where we will stay in a rental mountain house for a few days while we wait for ICPC paperwork to clear. With any luck, I'll have photos tomorrow, including some great photos from dinner tonight at Mary Mac's Tea Room with our friends, the Lotts...

Too tired to Post Tonight

2011-05-30T20:45:00.000-07:00

Wonderful day, Lucia is perfect, photo updates tomorrow. Too tired to keep my eyes open tonight.

Tomorrow we are bound for the Atlanta aquarium, after which we will head to a rental cabin in the north Georgia mountains where we will stay until the ICPC paperwork clears both Georgia and Wisconsin and we are given the green light to leave the state and head home.

I'll try to update the blog on the road to Atlanta tomorrow morning.

Lucia by the Numbers

2011-05-29T17:44:00.000-07:00

Date of birth: May 27, 2011
Birth weight: 7 lb., 10 oz.
Birth length: 22 inches
Head circumference: 13.75

You should see how long her fingers and toes are! Joe says a musician or surgeon for sure. ;)

Back in the Hotel Room

2011-05-29T15:43:00.000-07:00

Back in the hotel room, getting to know Lucia this afternoon...

Anna Marie & Lucia

Marguerite checks out her new little sister.

Three pretty girls.

Gentle, Marguerite, gentle.

Anna Marie & Lucia

Help! She's crying, Mom!

Ah, all better.

A kiss from big sister.

Can I help feed her?

Family Photos After Mass

2011-05-29T15:30:00.000-07:00

Our first family-of-nine photos, courtesy of Elizabeth Cavanaugh, after Mass, early this afternoon.

Back row, l. to r.: Anna Marie, Lucia, Elizabeth, Kathleen, Marguerite, Joe, William.
Front row, l to r.: Therese, Andrew

Left to right: Marguerite, Joe, Andrew, William, Kathleen, Anna Marie, Therese, Lucia, Elizabeth

Meeting Lucia

2011-05-29T15:21:00.000-07:00

Joe, Therese, William & Marguerite admire Lucia.

Kathleen feeds Lucia

Therese, Marguerite & Lucia

Kathleen & Lucia

Therese & Lucia

Andrew gets a turn to feed Lucia!

Lucia Rose!

2011-05-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

At long last, Lucia is with us. What a morning! After so many delays and snafus, it was looking like she might not be released to us until tomorrow morning. And then, after an hour and a half of waiting in the maternity ward waiting room, the doors opened, and Lucia was being wheeled toward us in her bassinet. I can't even begin to tell you how excited we were!

Check out the following photos... I will put up several posts in the next few minutes with various photos from our morning. Lucia is just as sweet as sweet can be!

Anna Marie waits, with camcorder, for Lucia to appear from behind those doors.

"Where is my baby sister?" asks Therese.

Here comes Lucia!
The family is going wild...

She's with Us!

2011-05-29T10:51:00.001-07:00

We have Lucia in our arms at long last. We just went to Mass, we're headed out for lunch with the Cavanaughs, and then back to the hotel to get to know Lucia. So happy... More photos within a few hours...

More Delays...

2011-05-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

The paperwork submitted last night apparently never made it through the proper channels here at the hospital. We've been sitting here for an hour, waiting for them to decide if they can release Lucia to us today. Nursery blinds are closed, so we're still waiting to see her. The kids are here at the hospital with us in this waiting room, getting anxious right along with us. Still hoping to go to Mass with Lucia in an hour. We shall see...

Paperwork Complete

2011-05-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

Lucia is legally available now for placement to us. Whew!

Joe and I went over to the hospital tonight to fill out all the paperwork. The doctor wants to keep Lucia at the hospital one more night. If she gets a solid bill of health in the morning, she will be placed with us. We are aiming for 10:00 am, assuming the pediatrician agrees.

If the 10:00 am plan holds, we will dress the kids for Mass, pick up Miss Lucia, and then head over to St. Joseph's for noon Mass with our little one. We look forward to seeing the Cavanaughs there. It will be very reminiscent of Marguerite's adoption: She was placed in our arms, and we went directly to Mass with the Cavanaughs by way of their beautiful home.

Here are some photos from the last two days of our trip...

Loading the van in Wisconsin

Doing some geometry on the road, headed to Georgia.

Excited and sleepy Georgia-bound kids.

Arriving at our Macon hotel at midnight Thursday, after almost seventeen hours on the road.

Doing Marguerite's hair at the hotel swimming pool on Friday.

Kathleen and Therese at Macon's historic Riverside Cemetery.

Marguerite in Macon.

Marguerite Jane.

Miss Photogenic.

Therese and Andrew in Macon's historic Riverside Cemetery.

A peek at Lucia, through the crack in the nursery blinds, last night.

Delays and Disappointments

2011-05-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

Well, today was an interesting and somewhat disappointing day. Not in the grand scheme of things, but in the I-really-want-to-hold-my-baby-today scheme of things.

When Joe and I arrived at the hospital this afternoon at the designated time, we were greeted by Sandra, the case worker, in the parking lot. She informed us that the hospital was being difficult and was citing policies that prevent us from coming in and seeing Lucia at any point before surrenders are signed. We couldn't walk in the doors or even peek at Lucia. (This is very different from our experience last time when T delivered at a different hospital. We were told from the outset that this hospital is not an adoption-friendly hospital, but even Sandra, the case worker, has been surprised at the degree to which they are closing us out.)

We asked about seeing T... We had originally been told that T wanted to see us while we here in Georgia. However, Sandra, explained that T is trying to distance herself a bit and is not sure that she really wants to visit with us. While very disappointing to us, I understand. Placing Marguerite in our arms seventeen months ago was clearly excruciatingly difficult for T. She may rather do it this time without having to go through the emotions face-to-face. There are so many things we want to tell her. I wish it had worked out differently, but if it's what T wants, then it's clearly the right thing.

As for Lucia, she will spend another night in the hospital nursery [sigh]. I cannot help but worry about her there a little bit. The baby boy in the bassinet near her was crying for the twenty minutes or so we were there last night, and no one came into the room to check on him or comfort him. Ugh. I do wish she was with us. But, I'm not going to dwell on this too much, as there is nothing we can do to change the circumstances. We will be able to pick her up tomorrow, and I just pray all will be well and that someone will have been comforting her over these last two days. We can hardly wait to have her in our arms.

Tonight, Joe and I do have to return to the hospital about 9:30 pm to begin the surrenders paperwork. Everything will be in place then for placement tomorrow (Sunday) morning.

We were hoping to go to Mass at noon tomorrow and see our old friends, the Cavanaughs, who babysat our kids while we went to pick up Marguerite and meet T last time we were in Georgia. However, it's looking more likely now, given the change in placement plans, that we will be attending the 5:00 pm Mass tomorrow instead. I do hope we get to see the Cavanaughs on this trip, one way or another.

A little trivia: Marguerite was born on a Friday and was placed with us on a Sunday. Lucia was born on a Friday, and it appears we will take placement on a Sunday.

As for right now, we're hitting the hotel swimming pool... Hopefully, we'll have better baby photos tomorrow! I want to see if Lucia has a full head of hair under that little hat.

Morning Update

2011-05-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

We all slept in this morning, Joe and I managed a quick workout in the hotel gym, and we tidied up our adjoining hotel rooms in preparation for baby's arrival. (I cannot say enough great things about Springhill Suites in North Macon. What a great place to stay!)

Now we are bound for the Macon Art & Science Museum with the kids, after which we will pay another visit to the hospital to see T. We hope also to be able to hold baby Lucia by then.

Later in the evening, close to 10:00 pm, we will make a second trip back to the hospital to do the paperwork and take placement of Sweet Lucia. If all goes as planned, she will spend her first night with us tonight, and we'll have many more photos to share!

Introducing...

2011-05-27T21:05:00.000-07:00

What a night!

We just returned from the hospital where we were able to peek through a crack in the blinds in the nursery window and view our new daughter. She was facing away from us, but we got a glimpse of her, nonetheless. The policy of this particular hospital is that adoptive parents cannot officially view the baby (no raised blinds) until surrenders take place.

She looks big! We are still waiting to hear her birth weight. We'll learn that tomorrow. And she is squirmy!

She is still hanging out under the lights in the nursery to warm up. The pushing stage was very long, and she was born face-up, so she had 6/8 apgars. I'm going with the nice rebound on that "8" score and thinking she's doing great after a hard delivery.

T is doing well. She is just exhausted and hungry. Sandra just ran out to get food for her. We will not be able to see T until tomorrow afternoon when we pay both T and our wee one a visit. Then, tomorrow night at 9:57, twenty-four hours after her birth, we'll be able to take placement.

And, now, without further ado, Joe and I would like to introduce our beautiful baby girl...

***
***
***

Lucia Rose

(Italian pronunciation: "Loo-chee-a")

(Photos are courtesy of case worker Sandra who took them immediately after the birth.)

Isn't she pretty? We can't wait to hold her.

Meanwhile, T is in our hearts and prayers tonight in a very big way.

She's Here!

2011-05-27T19:14:00.001-07:00

Wee One is here! Yay!

Mother and baby are fine. Baby just arrived at about 9:57 pm.

We have no details, not even a weight, yet.

Since it's late, Sandra is checking with the hospital nursery to see if it's okay for us to come over and see her right now.

More info as we have it...

Water Broken

2011-05-27T17:30:00.000-07:00

About an hour-and-a-half ago, we received the report that a doctor was coming from the hospital across the river to break T's water. She was exhausted and sleeping at the time of the report. Sandra said she expected the baby to come within the hour. So I guess it could be any time now.

While waiting, we took a driving tour of the historic district of Macon (beautiful homes!) and walked through historic Riverside Cemetery. It was great to get out of the hotel room for a while and see some sights. We have just returned back to the hotel and are waiting for that call...

Drop-off at the Hospital

2011-05-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

I just ran down to the hospital (about ten minutes from our hotel) to drop off our camera with the case worker, so that she can take newborn photo as soon as little bambina arrives. The camera exchange was made at the hospital door, so I did not have a chance to see T. (They are allowing only one person present--the case worker--during labor and delivery.)

Sandra tells us that T has gotten an epidural. Apparently, the epidural was rough and has also caused some nausea and a blood pressure drop, but all still seems to be well in the big picture. I can't imagine going through all this and then placing your child in someone ele's arms to raise. What an amazing and selfless gift.

Sandra seems to think Joe and I will be paying another visit to the hospital tonight - to give our love T and meet Wee One. Meanwhile, we're thinking about turning off Toy Story 3 (the kids' current entertainment) and hopping in the van for a quick auto tour of Macon before the call comes to head back to the hospital.

The Pace is Picking Up

2011-05-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

As of about an hour-and-a-half ago, T was at 5 cm — still without any pitocin. As I type this, it's 4:00 pm Georgia time, and the induction is supposed to start around now. So I have a feeling it will go fast. T's body seems ready!

Now, we're just waiting for Sandra, the case worker, to call with baby news.

We just got all the kids out of the hotel swimming pool, and they are gearing up to watch a video in the hotel room. I managed to get Marguerite's hair all re-cornrowed this afternoon. What a cutie! And we're just waiting... Joe is doing business on the road, and I'm managing kids and blogging... and waiting for a phone call...

4:00 pm Induction?

2011-05-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

Some updated info...

The doctor who decided last night to hold off on the induction has surgeries scheduled for today until 4:00 pm. The plan is then to start the induction at approximately 4:00 pm. Poor T is discouraged with the delay. But we expect it may go fast... T was 2 cm two days ago, 3 cm last night, and 4 cm this morning - all on her own without pitocin.

We haven't been to the hospital or seen T yet. We're waiting for the green light from Sandra and T. Maybe tonight...

Stay tuned...

No Baby Yet

2011-05-27T07:31:00.000-07:00

We got a great night's sleep last night at an extended stay hotel in Macon.

We thought we'd have baby news this morning, but it turns out that T is only just now (10:00 am Georgia time) being induced. Apparently there was some confusion or disagreement between her doctor and the attending doctor on the timing of the induction. So... We will grab some late breakfast, perhaps swim in the hotel pool and hope for an afternoon or evening call. T was three centimeters dilated last night so hopefully things will progress quickly.

T and baby are in our thoughts and prayers!

P.S. We have name.. :)

We're in Georgia!

2011-05-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

We're just south of Atlanta now, and only an hour-and-a-half from our destination.

We're working on baby girl names, even as I type. Any suggestions?

In about one hour T will be induced...

We are so anxious and excited.

We are also flooded with emotions, as we know how hard this will be for T. We've already seen her pain first-hand with Marguerite. God bless T and her baby tonight. We love you both.

No Change in Plans

2011-05-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

I just spoke to T's case worker by telephone...

The plan has not changed: T will be induced tonight, beginning at midnight. The case worker plans to talk to T this evening and find out when she wants us to come over to the hospital... I'm not sure if we'll get a middle-of-the-night call or if we'll have to wait until morning to find out when we can see T and Baby.

Exciting times!

Nashville

2011-05-26T15:45:00.001-07:00

Stuck in Nashville rush hour traffic. Savvy travelers, are we not?

Our average speed for the trip thus far: 37 mpg. (I kid you not.)

We're in Kentucky!

2011-05-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

After huge delays in Chicago, we are now making great progress and are in western Kentucky, heading southeast toward central Tennessee.

We've had non-stop rain, but no severe weather thus far. And I am very pleased to see that that the severe weather map on our route does not look as bad as it did this morning. No tornado warnings between here and Macon. At least not presently. I am just f-i-i-i-ne with that. It's only 62 degrees here in Kentucky, so the cool weather we've been experiencing in Wisconsin is extending pretty far south.

No news on the baby at this point. I am assuming that induction will take place tonight at midnight as planned. We kept wondering if T might go into labor on her own today, but I expect we would have heard if that was the case.

I talked with T's caseworker last night confirm that we are, indeed, permitted to see T and the baby tomorrow morning, even though legally we cannot take placement until T signs surrenders, twenty-four hours after birth. So we are very exited to make that trip to the hospital tomorrow. I wonder if I'll be able to sleep tonight?

Yikes!

2011-05-26T08:02:00.001-07:00

I do NOT like the look of this map, given our travel route today...

On the Road...

2011-05-26T06:20:00.001-07:00

We are on the road outside of Chicago, in huge traffic jam. Our rush hour timing was quite sophisticated. [Not.] Can't wait to be beyond the metro area and heading south at a better clip.

We are hoping to be in Macon before midnight tonight. However, a quick glance at weather.com indicates that Chattanooga and Atlanta (not sure about Macon) are expecting severe storms this evening. I'm hoping that forecast is wrong! I'd prefer not to be in a big ol' van with six kids in rough weather!

We are working on baby names as I type. I think we're narrowed down to a couple first names...

The induction is scheduled for midnight tonight. (I can't get over how weird that is. Midnight? Maybe it's a southern hospital thing? ;)

Praying that all goes smoothly for T and baby tonight... We'll update later...

Baby Coming!

2011-05-25T12:05:00.000-07:00

Wonderful, exciting news... Marguerite's birth mother will be induced tomorrow (Thursday) evening at a Macon hospital. We are quickly packing bags and checking of our to-do lists.

Oddly, the induction will begin at midnight. Since T has a history of fast deliveries, we anticipate she'll deliver sometime in the early hours of Friday morning.

Joe will complete his day at the office today, and we'll pack the van completely tonight. We'll leave very early tomorrow morning and do the 17-hour drive in one day. We'll arrive in Macon late tomorrow night and get some sleep before heading over to the hospital on Friday morning. If we can make it all work, we may be able to be present for the birth!

Although we'll meet the baby on Friday, we won't be able to take placement and T won't be able to sign surrenders until Saturday morning.

That's the very exciting scoop from here... Stay tuned to this blog for updates... We are giddy over here!

Where is Our Baby?

2011-05-25T05:28:00.001-07:00

It is May 25th, and we have no word on the baby or any impending labor. I spoke with the case worker two days ago, and she assured me all was well, but she did bring up the issue of a possible mistake on the due date. Problem is, no one seems to be getting T to doctor appointments, so we're not getting a professional opinion on anything right now.

So here we sit in Wisconsin, just waiting for a call... I'm busy praying that T and the baby are okay. I don't like that fact that they are apparently not getting medical check-ups at this late stage of the game. And it's hard to know how much longer we'll wait when questions are arising about the supposed due date...

Meanwhile, we're living out of suitcases, because we want to be ready to rock and roll when we get the call...

Nothing Yet...

2011-05-18T09:36:00.001-07:00

No word from Georgia yet...

We've been assured that we'll get a call just as soon as Temple goes into labor. Yesterday was the due date, so she should be coming anytime, right? I should think so...

Am I being patient? Not so much. Come on, Bambina! Publish Post

Paperwork Complete

2011-05-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

As of yesterday, our paperwork for this adoption is complete. Very good news—and with little time to spare.

Because we got the call so far into the pregnancy, we had to take what is usually a six month or so process and compress it into less than two months. As of yesterday, An Open Door in Georgia is in receipt of the home study update that Lynn put together for us locally.

That makes our file complete, and no outstanding paperwork stands in the way of taking placement of the baby. Yay! If she would have been born early, it would have been more complicated. Thank you, Wee One, for staying in your cozy home long enough that we can placement without complications.

Still Waiting

2011-05-14T10:08:00.000-07:00

T's due date is on Tuesday—just three days from now. Somehow, I didn't think we'd still be in Wisconsin this weekend, I guess just based on the early induction last time. But it's a good thing... Anna Marie and Kathleen have their School of Rock performance tomorrow. They are part of a band called "Black Ice," and the band needs them! And, of course, I have not packed—or even come close to packing—so I'm pleased we're not hitting the road quite yet, excited as I am. Without a baby in my own womb, making her presence known and giving me little indicators that it might be soon, it's hard to feel that push to pack. I just don't have any clue when we might get this call. Add to that the fact that T's first doctor appointment came at seven months, and I wonder also how accurate the ultrasound-determined due date is. So, I'm trying to get all my projects done—the things I don't want hanging over my head after the baby arrives—and then I'll pack like a whirlwind when we get the call. I do need to get out the baby clothes though this weekend...

We have learned that T will deliver in Macon this time, rather than in Warner Robins (where she delivered last time). The reason for that is that the Macon hospitals tend to be more adoption-friendly than the Warner Robins hospital. That means our trip to meet the baby will be a whole fifteen or twenty minutes shorter. ;)

We did also learn that T wants us to be there again as soon as possible after the baby's birth. So we will really hustle once we get that call. Although our bags are not packed, I have compiled an extensive packing list which will help us to load up quickly. And I've sorted through shorts and swimming suits and sandals to make sure the kids all have plenty of warm weather items to make the trip comfortable.

Having said all that, I'm getting the feeling we'll likely be here in Wisconsin through another weekend—a COLD weekend at that! We'll be ready for some Georgia sun when it's time to head south.

We are so excited to meet this new little one (name still undetermined) and to give T a big hug.

Just a Little More Info

2011-05-07T07:16:00.000-07:00

We're getting some more info trickling in...

Latest report: T is feeling a bit physically uncomfortable now. I wish I was there to give her a big hug. She remains very sure about her decision to place the baby for adoption and is not wavering.

We also just learned that T hopes to deliver in Macon at the Medical Center of Central Georgia (rather than in her hometown of Warner Robins). The reason for this is that the Medical Center of Central Georgia is a much more adoption-friendly hospital than is Houston Medical Center of Warner Robins. I think the issue might be transportation for her to get up there, so I hope it all goes smoothly and she can find a ride once she goes into labor. It occurs to me seventeen months after the fact, that maybe that's why she was induced early with Marguerite. We never did hear any medical reason.

Sandra, T's current case worker, is laid up for another three weeks post-knee-surgery, so it looks likely that T will be assigned a new case worker. That means we'll likely be dealing with someone new also in these coming days. I hope the transition for T is smooth. I know she had quite a connection with Sandra. I hear nothing but great things, however, about the new case worker, Clarissa. Friends of ours worked with her in their adoption through Open Door a few years ago, and loved her, so that's all great news.

We are praying for T and the new baby. It won't be long now... Due date is only ten days away!

Awaiting News

2011-05-05T14:58:00.000-07:00

Despite the great excitement surrounding the impending birth of another Georgia Peach, this blog has been very quiet. Simply, we are in a quiet period in this process, and there has been very little to tell.

However, yesterday, we received word that our home study update is complete and is being mailed from Wisconsin to An Open Door in Georgia today.

Furthermore, I spoke to the director of An Open Door's minority program today and let her know that we haven't heard any substantive information from T's Georgia case worker for many weeks, despite repeated emails on our part inquiring about birth location, birth plan, when T wants us to travel, whether T wants to see Marguerite, etc. Debbie, the director, assured me that she would get to the bottom of this and get our questions answered, and that we should be receiving regular updates from the case worker. I am hopeful now that we will soon get some answers to our questions and can start making some plans for heading south.

Meanwhile, I am trying to solidify our school plans and order books for the coming academic year, weed and prep our gardens (despite the cool weather), and get caught up on our family photo albums before we take off on our trip. Somewhere in there, I need to figure out our car seat situation, get out the warm-weather clothes, catch up on laundry, and pack for a family of nine! It's only twelve days until the due date! Calgon, take me away!

Home Visit Complete

2011-04-23T16:31:00.000-07:00

Another milestone on the exciting road to adopting our bambina in Georgia... We put the home visit behind us! Yahoo!

We have a new social worker, because our old social worker has retired. Although this is merely a home study update (not a brand-new home study), a home visit must still take place. (Thankfully, the multiple office visits and education are not required anew, so this is all much-simplified this time.)

The visit by Lynn, our social worker, took place on Monday, and also served as our first time meeting her. Needless to say, having a stranger come into one's home and ask personal questions about the children and parenting styles is not the most relaxing of visits. However, Lynn was friendly and kind and made the visit relatively comfortable—as comfortable as such stressful visits can be with six children.

For the first couple hours, the kids were on their best behavior. They chatted, they showed Lynn their rooms, they even showed off a little. And, they had a total field day, eating pumpkin bread with Lynn [gasp!] in the family room—something that's usually verbotten in our household. However, by Hour Three of the visit, things got a bit crazy. On the tour of the basement, I thought Lynn was going to have her toes run over by the whipping scooters. And on one additional trip upstairs, kids started jumping off their bunk beds! Crash, bang, DANGER! No, the kids aren't supposed to jump off their bunk beds, but how was Lynn to know? Talk about stressing me out! However, Lynn was extremely family-friendly and didn't seem daunted by the chaos that defines our household. Even so, by the time all was said and done, I was very happy to have the home study behind us.

Lynn closed her visit by stating that we clearly have "enough love and enough energy" to take on another baby.

Love, yes!
Energy...some days more so than others.

Nice to know we made a decent impression—despite the kids-hanging-on-chandeliers behavior by the end of the visit. (We don't actually have chandeliers, but you know what I mean.)

With the home visit behind us, we need only wait now for Lynn's written home study update. All our paperwork is complete, including fingerprints and references. So it's all in the hands of our capable social worker to complete the paperwork and send it off to An Open Door in Georgia. Once An Open Door has that paperwork in their hands, hopefully within the next week, we will be in a position to cruise down to Georgia and pick up Bambina at a moment's notice.

Last we heard, May 17th is the due date, and T and baby are both doing well. Nothing has changed on the Georgia front. If T desires that we do so, we will try to be present at roughly the time of birth or shortly thereafter. That will depend, of course, on how much notice we receive. But if an induction is scheduled, as was the case last time, an early arrival is very possible. With T's blessing, we do hope to be there within at least two days of the birth, so that the baby does not have to spend time in a foster home. All of that remains to be determined though as we wait for word from Georgia.

We are now the proud owners of a new van to replace the totaled Red Behemoth. The new van could aptly be named the Black Behemouth in the fine tradition of its predecessor, but we prefer to call it The Secret Service Van. The SS Van will carry us in fine style to Georgia and back. If you spy a sleek black van, loaded with kids and far too much luggage, headed down the interstate between Wisconsin and Georgia in May, give us a wave.

It's hard to believe this due date is only three weeks away... Considering how long it takes me to pack for a week+ vacation for this family of eight/nine, I'd better get crackin'...

x2

2011-04-09T13:46:00.000-07:00

And here I thought this blog was closed... Check out the new blog title...

We have amazing, exciting news: Marguerite's birthmother is pregnant and is expecting a baby girl on May 17th. She has asked us to adopt the baby. Unbelievable! So exciting!

We learned this wonderful news several weeks ago, and we've been putting together our paperwork ever since then. All paperwork is now in the hands of both our local agency and the Georgia agency. Our home-study re-visit takes place a week from Monday. After that, we wait for the completed home study, and then we should be all set.

So, it looks like we will soon be Georgia-bound again, and Marguerite will have a biological sibling. Lucky Marguerite! Lucky Leones!

We are absolutely thrilled. What a blessing for all of us.

Final Post

2010-08-20T15:32:00.002-07:00

I always intended for this blog to serve as a baby book for Marguerite, depicting the process that brought her to us and the milestones that took place on her road to becoming a Leone. This blog provides a story of Marguerite's adoption, the wonderful gift that we received when Marguerite was placed with us, and the great joy that we felt upon the finalization of her adoption.

With finalization behind us, it's now time to close this blog. From this point forward, Marguerite's milestones and smiles and adventures will be chronicled, together with those of her parents and siblings, at our family blog, Munchkins on the Path.

As for this blog, I am printing it in hardcover book format for Marguerite to cherish and enjoy as she grows older.

As I type this, Marguerite is eight months old and is standing unassisted. She has taken one step on her own, and she is "cruising" all over the place. She is bound to be an early walker! Marguerite has just popped her first tooth, and she eats solid finger-foods like there is no tomorrow. She entertains us and fills our lives with joy. I can't wait to see all the adventures life with Marguerite brings in the coming years.

We love you, dear daughter, Marguerite! This blog-book is a our gift to you.

Elizabeth & Marguerite

Julie Dahlen, our adoption social worker, with Marguerite.

Marguerite lookin' cool.

The Leone Family

Marguerite Jane Leone

2010-07-31T08:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, Marguerite Jane's adoption was finalized. I can't tell you how blissfully happy we are.

The court date yesterday made legal what has been in our hearts for seven-and-a-half months: Marguerite Jane is a Leone!

Marguerite is an integral part of our family, our beloved daughter, our adorable sister, and person without whom life would be terribly incomplete. Yesterday's court date just made all of that official.

Following the finalization in downtown Madison, we walked across the Capitol Square to enjoy a celebratory breakfast open house with bagels and fruit at Joe's firm. Marguerite was a little put off by all the unfamiliar faces oohing and ahhing over her. But she held her own in the presence of all those lawyers and finally fell asleep in my arms toward the end of the party.

Yesterday evening, we topped off our adoption celebration with a delicious dinner at a nearby Thai restaurant where we created something of a spectacle. Marguerite enjoyed gumming scallops and pad thai (and littering the floor with rice), while Joe and I busied ourselves catching water glasses bumped by little elbows. A memorable night, to be sure.

While Marguerite has been our baby daughter for more than seven months, there is nothing like the supreme satisfaction of knowing that no one can ever change that.

We love you, Marguerite Jane Leone! And we are so blessed to have you in our lives.

We were on the very top floor of the courthouse building.
The kids loved the view of the Madison isthmus.

This photo was snapped by the bailiff just moments after
Marguerite's adoption was finalized.
Pictured with us is Judge Fiedler, who gave teddy bears to all the kids.

Marguerite is all smiles after her important court date.

Look at me, Mom and Dad! I'm a Leone!

Getting ready to head across the Square to celebrate with Joe's colleagues.

Almost There!

2010-07-26T15:08:00.000-07:00

Big news...

This Friday, we finalize Miss Marguerite Jane's adoption in court.

All eight Leones will be there with bells on. We're planning a celebratory day.

Counting down the hours until our sweet daughter is legally ensconced in her forever family...

Update from Our Social Worker

2010-06-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

This is the email we received from our local (Wisconsin) social worker today.

We are getting so close to making Marguerite a legal Leone! As soon as Open Door in Georgia sends the below-mentioned documents, we can set the court date for finalization! Woo-hoo!

In order to petition the court for an adoption date, I need two documents
from your agency: Marguerite's birth certificate and the termination of
parental rights (TPR) court paper work. I contacted your agency social
worker on Tuesday and let her know I'll be needing those documents. She said
a court hearing had been scheduled this week (I think for today) regarding
the birth father. After that court hearing is completed, she said she will
be able to send me the TPR court documents.

So please hold off scheduling the court date until I get those documents.
I'll let you know as soon as I receive them.

Post-Placement Visit #2

2010-06-02T08:40:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, we had our second (and presumably last) post-placement visit. Little Marguerite was wide awake and perky for the visit, crawling around on the floor and showing social worker David her stuff. It was a laid-back meeting where we sat and talked about Marguerite's development and her perfect fit in our family. David was impressed with her crawling and sitting skills. Miss Marguerite impresses us all!

At the end of the visit, David gave us the paperwork necessary to get the adoption finalized. We are legally eligible to finalize anytime after June 13th, although we have to wait for the paperwork shuffle between Georgia and Wisconsin. Once the paperwork is out of the way, we schedule a court date. On that day, Marguerite will be a Leone 100% officially. We cannot wait! She's been a Leone in our hearts, but it will be so nice for her to be a Leone on paper too.

Stay tuned for the announcement of the finalization date. So exciting!

Post-Placement Visit #1

2010-03-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

Our first post-placement visit on Tuesday brought us one exciting step closer to legal finalization of Marguerite's adoption which should occur this summer.

The post-placement visit occurred over family breakfast while David, our new social worker (our old, much-loved social worker has left the practice—boo-hoo) asked us questions about bonding, attachment, and how Marguerite is fitting into our family. Of course, we had nothing but positive things to say as we gushed about our sweet Marguerite and how she's truly the perfect fit in our family.

Marguerite was quite smiley and content throughout the meeting. I think she liked David, and perhaps she even sensed the importance of this next milestone on her path to becoming legally a little Leone. Meanwhile, the five older kids kids ate their yogurt and granola. Thankfully, breakfast kept them all fairly occupied, thus preventing any major bounces-off-the-ceiling or heated debates over favorite Star Wars characters during our all-important meeting.

Joy of joys, we learned from David that, despite the "legal risk" situation surrounding Marguerite's adoption, we will be able to finalize in Wisconsin. Up to this point, we knew there was a chance that Georgia would require us to head back down there for finalization. Georgia is lovely, but there is no place like home.

Just one more post-placement visit, and then we get to schedule the court finalization date.

Three cheers for crossing off one more adoption milestone on our way to legal adoption of our sweetie!

From the Mouths of Babes

2010-02-23T18:55:00.000-08:00

Five-year-old Andrew came up to me the other day and said he wanted to write a letter to Marguerite's birth mother. He asked if I'd please help him with the spelling.

This is his letter, straight from his lips to the page.

I cried.

And I couldn't have said it any better.

2010-02-04T21:14:00.000-08:00

We have received so many wonderful, thoughtful, beautiful cards, sentiments, and gifts since Marguerite's arrival. We are ever so grateful.

However, one card that arrived in yesterday's mail bears special mention.

It was a card from Elizabeth Cavanaugh, the dear woman who cared for our children in Georgia while we were busy meeting Marguerite and Temple at the hospital. When we "came home" with Marguerite and introduced her to her siblings, it was the Cavanaugh home that we "came home" to.

The Cavanaughs will always hold an incredibly special place in our hearts for providing not only a home away from home, but a real sense of family in Georgia during a very special time in our lives.

Elizabeth's card read as follows:

Dear Marguerite,

I hope and pray that you may always know how much God loves you. He has blessed you with two mothers, that you may have life and have it abundantly as He promised. May you always seek to know, love, and serve God.

It has been such an honor to have gotten to meet you at the beginning of your wonderful journey. I made this rosary for you in honor of your Baptism and initiation into the Catholic Faith. May it remind you of the love of your Georgia family.

God bless,
Elizabeth & family

The note brought tears to my eyes, thinking of the family in Georgia who opened their hearts, giving us the loving space of their home for our first "homecoming" moments with Marguerite.

Enclosed in the package was the most beautiful white rosary, handmade by Elizabeth.

God bless the Cavanaughs. We'll always consider them our (and especially Marguerite's!) Georgia family.

Marguerite's Adoption Video

2010-01-18T19:22:00.000-08:00

I created a fifteen-minute video, chronicling Marguerite's adoption.

If you would like to view it, you can do so by clicking on the following link.

The video is password-protected for friends and family only. Please email me for the password.

You can choose to download the video to your desktop and view it using quicktime at a later time.

Or you can stream the video. To do so, you'll need to wait until the video fully loads before you can stream it without pauses in the video. This could take a little while, depending on your connection.

When you're ready to view it, be sure to turn up your speakers!

Enjoy!

From Georgia to Wisconsin: A Love Story

Dear Sweet Marguerite

2009-12-29T12:49:00.000-08:00

The following poem was written by eleven-year-old Kathleen, Marguerite's big sister:

Marguerite
By Kathleen Leone

I have a baby sister,
Her name is Marguerite,
Her middle name is Jane,
And she’s very, very sweet.

I love her when she’s happy,
I love her when she’s sad,
I even love her when
She’s very, very, very mad.

I love her when she eats,
I love her when she sleeps,
I love her when she spits up,
In great, big heaps.

All together she is wonderful,
She’s very, very sweet,
I love her greatly day and night,
Dear, sweet Marguerite.

I Baptize You in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...

2009-12-27T14:38:00.000-08:00

Marguerite Jane was baptized today...

-- on her sixteenth day of life
-- on her fourteenth day with the Leones
-- on her seventh day in Wisconsin
-- and after already having made one long journey from Georgia to Wisconsin

Marguerite's Godparents are our wonderful friends—the couple who inspired us to adopt domestically.

Marguerite and her Godparents' son also have a special connection: They both came to their forever families through An Open Door adoption agency in Georgia.

Marguerite couldn't have done better in the Godparent department.

Another Milestone, Just in Time for Christmas

2009-12-24T08:46:00.000-08:00

Last night, Joe and I were up late watching the hours and minutes move us ever closer to midnight, Georgia time. The reason? Last night at midnight marked the end of the adoption revocation period. Translation: Marguerite is now a little Leone!

Okay, so the "Leone" part is not quite legal yet. We have two more post-placement visits by our social worker, and the finalization paperwork still has to be completed. But we are assured there is nothing now that is going to prevent Marguerite from growing up a little Leone.

Now that's what I call one great Christmas! A little happy dance at the Leone house on Christmas Eve...

Marguerite herself looks pretty happy to boot! :)

Home Sweet Home

2009-12-20T10:03:00.000-08:00

As of about 5:00 pm last night, Baby Marguerite and her tired, but adoring Leone fan club arrived home in good ol' Wisconsin. Marguerite slept well last night, and so did we. Okay, let me rephrase: We collapsed. So much uncertainty initially, then so much joy, and then a long trek with a newborn took it's toll. We were quite emotional as we drove down the driveway last night to start a new life with Marguerite here at home, and sleep was a very, very good thing.

I think Marguerite is going to like being a Wisconsin girl. And we are very pleased to have our peanut home on time for Christmas.

And now we gear up for the birthday of Baby Jesus. We have so many reasons to celebrate during this joyous season...

Going Home!

2009-12-18T11:38:00.000-08:00

I am thrilled to report that the Leones received ICPC clearance today and are headed home to Wisconsin. Say it with me: WOO-HOO!

We are on the interstate somewhere between Savannah and Macon, heading north. It's time to introduce our Georgia peach, Marguerite, to the land of cows and cheese. We are excited to return to a normal rhythm back home. And, amazingly, we are going to celebrate Marguerite's first Christmas in Wisconsin. Somehow, we weren't so sure it was going to all work out that way. What a bonus!

Since this blog was created as something of a baby book, chronicling the adoption journey and the many ups, downs, and important dates on the way to adopting Marguerite, I will keep it active until finalization of the adoption (about six months from now). But as we return home, most of our regular non-adoption-specific blog updates will take place on our Munchkin Family blog (where there will eventually be a few cross-posts regarding Marguerite's birth and adoption). With any luck, I'll have our regular family blog back up-to-date within a week or so.

Homeward-bound is a very good orientation for this tired, happy family of eight.

Where We Are (Paperwork-Wise) and When We Can Go Home

2009-12-17T18:40:00.000-08:00

Many have asked why we are still in Georgia and not already Wisconsin-bound. I thought it would be a good idea to answer that question and document the ICPC process for this blog-style baby book.

Marguerite was born on Friday, December 11th. Her birthmother signed surrenders, and we received placement on Sunday, December 13th. ICPC paperwork generally begins on the first business day after the adoptive parents take placement. So that means our ICPC paperwork started on Monday, December 14th.

Here is a description of the ICPC process from adoption.com:
Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC): An interstate compact, or agreement, that has been enacted into law by all 50 states in the United States, and the District of Columbia, which controls the lawful movement of children from one state to another for the purposes of adoption. Both the originating state, where the child is born, and the receiving state, where the adoptive parents live and where the adoption of the child will take place, must approve the child's movement in writing before the child can legally leave the originating state. This Compact regulates the interstate movement of both foster children and adoptive children.

Until we are cleared by both the originating state (Georgia) and the receiving state (Wisconsin), we cannot leave the state of Marguerite's birth. Thus, we can travel anywhere within Georgia, but we cannot cross the state line. (To do so, could result in felony and kidnapping charges.)

This afteroon, we received a call from the adoption agency, stating that our Georgia paperwork had cleared, and it was overnighted today to the Wisconsin ICPC office. That means that Wisconsin will be in receipt of our paperwork tomorrow (Friday) morning. It is not out of the realm of possibility that Wisconsin could start and finish their end of the paperwork in one day, and we could get the green light to start heading home tomorrow night. In that event, the earliest we'd likely be home would be Sunday, as we are driving the big ol' van with SIX kids.

If we have to wait until Monday for clearance (fairly likely, I think), we'll be driving Tuesday and maybe Wednesday, but we still should make it home before Christmas, barring any bad weather.

If we get clearance tomorrow (Friday, the 18th), the ICPC process will have taken just five days which would be amazing. If it takes until Monday or Tuesday, I think that would be more typical. I commonly hear people say that you should expect to be in the state for 7-14 days after an adoption. But we're fortunate in that Georgia and Wisconsin have reputations for being fast ICPC states.

I can't tell you how antsy we all are to get home, lovely as Georgia is.

One other thing that bears mentioning: The birth mother has a ten-day revocation window. Those ten days begin to run from the day that she signed surrenders (Sunday). Counting it out, that means that next Wednesday, December 23, we are free and clear, knowing she cannot change her mind. We have received reassuring phone calls from the social worker over the last couple days, stating that all is well and that she feels comfortable advising us to start for home, even before the ten day revocation period is up. Even so, it'll be a little nerve-wracking for the next few days until Wednesday comes and goes. I can't begin to tell you how attached we already are to Sweet Marguerite.

And now, for some cutie-patootie photos of Marguerite on her sixth day of life...

Thanks to Marguerite...

2009-12-17T18:08:00.000-08:00

We're vacationing in a big way, and it's all thanks to our little Georgia peach, Marguerite.

Marguerite helped William celebrate his 9th birthday in Savannah, complete with magic kit:

Marguerite is responsible for the Leones' magical tour of Savannah yesterday:

Marguerite is the reason that William ended up at Leopold's (ice cream shop) of Savannah for birthday treats:

Marguerite's presence gave Joe the excuse he needed to learn how to wear a moby wrap. That's one cool dad with the cozy baby:

Marguerite led us across the causeway for a visit to Fort Pulaski today:

Marguerite accompanied us to Tybee Island today where we visited the ocean (and where Elizabeth broke out her winter coat - brrr!):

And Sweet Marguerite is the reason that tonight's dinner consisted of a mound of shellfish at the Tybee Island Crab Shack:

Thanks, Marguerite! You can escort us down to the state of your birth any time!

Vacationing in Savannah

2009-12-15T18:41:00.000-08:00

The arrival of Marguerite brings the opportunity for the Leones to enjoy a balmy winter vacation in Savannah, Georgia.

It's All About Marguerite

2009-12-15T18:18:00.000-08:00

The last forty-eight hours have been all about our bundle of joy, Marguerite.

The sibling arguing and the poking and the jockeying for position, all in the quest to see who gets to hold Marguerite next, has begun. I've been busy trying to learn how to prepare baby bottles—something totally new for me. And we've run to find the camera with every squirm and thumb suck and cute gesture from our little Marguerite. The baby watching, baby smooching, and baby adoring has now taken firm hold, and we just can't get enough of Miss Marguerite.

Thanks to the arrival of our Georgia daughter, we are now here in Savannah, basking in 66 degree Christmas-time weather. We are staying at this great little home, near Savannah's historic district. Tomorrow, we explore Savannah, and the following day we head out to Tybee Island and the ocean. Counting Marguerite, we have four little Leones who have never seen the ocean. You can bet we'll be dipping toes in the water, no matter the weather.

Today we celebrated William's 9th birthday, Savannah style, eating at a local restaurant, exploring Forsythe park, having palm leaves woven for us, and even opening gifts right here in our quaint abode nestled in the historic district. Marguerite has given William a birthday to remember!

The following two photos were snapped in the hotel lobby this morning before we left the town of Marguerite's birth and headed toward Savannah.

Joe snapped this photo of Marguerite and me at the Savannah restaurant where we ate William's birthday dinner tonight. She is so smoochable.

Introducing Marguerite Jane

2009-12-14T14:06:00.000-08:00

Our bundle of joy, Marguerite Jane!

Two days old:

Joe and Elizabeth (with blotchy faces from crying with Marguerite's birthmother) hold Marguerite at the hospital:

The Leone munchkins meet their little sister, Marguerite, for the first time, at the home of our new friends, the Cavanaughs:

Anna Marie provides tender loving care:

Kathleen can't contain her excitement:

William is Big Brother Extraordinaire. He accompanied Marguerite to her doctor appointment today and was a huge help.

Therese and Andrew are like Mini-Mom and Mini-Dad, doting over Marguerite. Therese is already asking if she's old enough to babysit. [Let's talk about eight years from now, Sweetie.]

A few more photos to round out it all out. Is she adorable, or what?

Visiting the (Georgia) Pediatrician

2009-12-14T11:24:00.000-08:00

Our sweet pea had her first pediatric visit today at the local Wellness Clinic. She is doing great. Her jaundice has diminished, and all her vitals are just perfect. If all goes well, the next appointment for our newest munchkin (okay, heads up: she's not going to be a munchkin like the rest of us) will be in two weeks, back in Madison with Dr. Meier.

Lil' Peanut and I are sitting here at the hotel swimming pool, watching the kids swim. Joe is out to grab some lunch at the grocery store across the road.

We are staying here in town for at least one more night. There is still the possibility that our kids will get to meet the birthmother tonight, but only if she is up for it. She had originally requested to meet our children. However, we did not know then that we would not be able to take the kids with us into the hospital to meet her, due to H1N1 restrictions. Now that it's a day removed from placement of the baby, we don't know what Temple's thoughts are. The agency social worker will be calling her this afternoon to see if she wants to meet.

After that (tomorrow morning, most likely), we'll head for the ocean. If we are to be "stuck" in Georgia until ICPC paperwork clears, we might as well do a little vacationing. Several of our kids have never seen the ocean. So, it looks like we are Savannah-bound.

Most importantly, however, we have photos coming tonight. After the kids are done swimming, we are off to retrieve the missing cable that will allow us to post pictures. And, oh, do we have photos! Zillions. :)

Our Baby Girl!

2009-12-13T18:22:00.000-08:00

As I type this post from our hotel room, our beautiful baby daughter is sleeping on my lap. She has been kissed and caressed and loved already by all seven of the Leones who have been long awaiting her arrival.

She is absolutely perfect. We are blessed. Her loss, however, is being felt deeply tonight by her birth mother who placed her for adoption in order to give her a better life. We know this first-hand. Joe and I spent a good part of today with her birth mother, and together the three of us cried and cried and cried some more. I plan to journal the details of that meeting for our daughter to read some day. She has a beautiful birth story and a birth mother who loves her deeply.

Okay, here are the updated statistics. The info we had received orally yesterday was slightly off.

Weight: 7 lb, 0 oz
Date & Time of Birth: 5:54 pm, December 11th
Black, curly hair, dark, deep-set eyes.

Her apgar scores were great, and she is very healthy.

And for those awaiting her name and photos...

...You'll have to wait one more night. (Sorry!) We managed to leave our camera-to-computer cable at the home of our new friends —— the family who babysat our children today while we went to the hospital.

Big day tomorrow... Pediatrician appointment, followed by the possibility of the birth mother joining us to meet all our children.

We are deliriously happy. And very, very sleepy. (We drove until 2:00 am last night.) So I'm signing off to head to bed, and I'll provide a more detailed update tomorrow night.

Photos and her name tomorrow, I promise!

The Adventure Continues

2009-12-13T07:56:00.000-08:00

As I type this, we are in northern Georgia, north of Atlanta, heading south. Our ultimate destination will be a mid-sized town, just south of Macon. We hope to arrive by about 1:30 Georgia time, and we hope to be at the hospital meeting Temple and the baby by 2:00.

Last night, while driving south, we finalized our baby daughter's name. We had no trouble with the first name, but we were stuck on three possible middle names. So we decided to contact Temple to see if she'd like to select the middle name from the three "finalists." We thought that would be special for her. After all, she give this child the greatest gift of all: life. It seems only fitting that she play a part in her naming. On that note, I'll hold off on revealing the name until we have a photo to go along with the name. Hopefully, her introduction will occur in our next blog post.

And in other, related news have a wonderful childcare situation that has befallen us. Via connections in the extensive but tightly-knit Catholic homeschooling world, we have found a fellow homeschooling family right in Temple's hometown. They have six kids who range in age from 13 to 2, pretty closely paralleling our kids' own ages. When I asked if they might have an older girl to help with a little hotel babysitting while we are meeting Temple and the baby, this family instead opened their hearts and homes to us. They have offered to take our family in, babysit the children there at their own home, feed us meals, and even let us spend nights in their mother-in-law-suite. Talk about southern hospitality!

So the plan is to drive directly to this wonderful family's home and drop off the kids. From there Joe and I will head to the hospital to meet Temple and the baby, both of whom will be released today. All of this will happen within the next couple hours.

This evening, we will head to a nearby town that has a 5:00 pm Mass with our new-found friends who will also be attending Mass at the same time and at the same church. If all goes well, we believe we will have our baby daughter in our arms for Mass this evening.

Stay tuned for updates!

Somewhere in Central Illinois

2009-12-12T13:28:00.001-08:00

We're somewhere in Central Illinois, talking about baby names as we cruise down the highway. We're so excited!

As I type, we're hitting some freezing rain, so hopefully the roads will remain good, which they seem to be for the moment.

The plan is to drive as far as we can tonight, stopping maybe around midnight. We very much hope that we'll have no more than 3-4 hours of driving in the morning.

That's all for now. Please pray for Temple and the baby, as we edge ever closer.

Baby-Bound!

2009-12-12T09:12:00.000-08:00

We're off to meet a baby girl in Georgia!

So excited... We'll be in touch.

Baby Girl!

2009-12-11T18:25:00.000-08:00

Temple gave birth to a healthy baby girl sometime around 6:00 pm Georgia time tonight. Both mother and baby are doing well. The case worker believed the baby to be 7 lb, 5 oz but will get confirmation in the morning.

Temple wanted some time alone after the birth, so the case worker was not able to see her this evening. However, they did speak by telephone just a little bit ago. From what the case worker can gather, it seems that all is well and Temple is still planning to place. Temple has not, however, told her mother yet about the adoption (and possibly not about the pregnancy - some mixed info on this). When the case worker asked Temple how that would all work out, Temple just said, "It will work out." She is very quiet, but the case worker said she sounds fairly confidant about this, at least over the telephone. However, there is still that red flag out there.

Since the case worker could not actually see Temple tonight and have a face-to-face conversation, she has advised us to wait until at least tomorrow morning to travel. Tomorrow morning Sandra will talk with Temple in person. If that meeting goes well and Temple seems confident in her adoption plan, then the case worker will call us and advise us to start our trip. I don't expect that to happen until at least 9:00 am or 10:00 am our time.

If she is still feeling certain about the adoption plan, Temple will sign surrenders sometime after 6:00 pm Georgia time tomorrow night. I believe the ten-day revocation period begins at that time. But revocation becomes statistically less likely at that point.

Temple will likely be released from the hospital tomorrow sometime. It's disappointing because we so much wanted to be there for her. We do not know yet whether the baby will go into a "Caring Home" at that point, or whether she'll stay at the hospital an extra night so that we can get there and avoid having her transferred to an interim care situation. That will remain to be seen and may depend somewhat on our expected arrival time. I've heard nothing but wonderful things about the Open Door Caring Homes, but we'd certainly prefer that she comes straight from the hospital into our arms if we can make that happen.

So much to think about. We're off to say our night prayers... for Temple and the new baby.

All's Quiet

2009-12-11T17:37:00.000-08:00

All quiet here...

Still waiting for word from the case worker. I imagine Temple has given birth by now, and I assume she and the case worker are talking about her intentions.

We're pretty much on pins and needles over here.

Joe ended up going out to the event we were supposed to attend together tonight. He was to emcee the event, but we ended up nixing that when so much uncertainty sprung up this morning. Even though he's no longer the emcee, he wanted to attend since all we're doing here is twiddling our thumbs and biting our nails, awaiting news. I was supposed to attend with him, but I'm using this time to clean out the van and get a few last-minute (or maybe not so last-minute) things done.

As the hours tick by, it's looking more and more likely that tomorrow morning will be our earliest departure time. But you never know.

Praying that this next call brings positive news... Praying for Temple and her sweet baby...

What a Roller Coaster!

2009-12-11T14:56:00.000-08:00

If this wee one makes it into the Leone family, she's going to have quite the birth story...

As I type (4:57 pm, Wisconsin time), Temple is "pushing." We are expecting a baby any minute.

Within the last half hour, we've received a call from the director of the agency encouraging us to wait until Monday to travel, due to a red flag that is concerning. (The red flag is Temple's mother who apparently doesn't know about the adoption plan.)

However, within the last five minutes, I received a call from the case worker who is with Temple at the hospital. She has indicated that she will call us just as soon as Temple gives birth. At some point, not long after the birth, she will inquire whether Temple's mother has been told and whether Temple still seems firm in her decision to place. That conversation will help us gauge whether to take the risk and travel tonight/tomorrow or whether to hold off until Monday. The social worker feels pretty strongly that if Temple is feeling firm in her decision a couple hours after the birth, we should start out for Georgia.

So, we've been up, we've been down. One minute we're going; one minute we're not going. I guess we'll know more within the next couple hours.

One thing's for sure: This is all very exciting. I think I forgot to eat today.

No News Quite Yet...

2009-12-11T14:18:00.000-08:00

It's 4:20 pm here in Wisconsin, and we're still waiting to hear news of the birth. It sounds like they expect her to be born within the next hour or two, if not sooner...

We're praying that all is going well for both Temple and the baby and that we get the green light to travel soon.

Baby Coming...

2009-12-11T12:13:00.001-08:00

Temple is dilating, and all expectations are that this baby will be born within the next few hours.

Our agency, Open Door, just had a fall-through yesterday where a birth mother changed her mind just hours after giving birth. Apparently, that's usually when it happens if there is a change of heart. So Open Door is worried about us making this trip without any certainty.

Thus, the plan for the moment is to wait for a couple hours after birth and have our caseworker reassess with Temple how she's feeling and whether she still wants to place the baby for adoption. If she says yes, then we'll go.

Nesting

2009-12-11T11:42:00.001-08:00

"Nesting," adoption-style (aka: packing).

Still waiting for that confirmation call saying that we should leave today.

Exciting Update!

2009-12-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

I just received a call from Sandra, Temple's case worker. She just received a text message from Temple. Temple had her doctor's appointment this morning, and she is on her way to the hospital now. They are inducing her this afternoon!!!

Meanwhile, Sandra asked me to call the director of Open Door to ask about the flexibility in their policy about adoptive parents coming early. I told her I just got off the phone with the director who is trying to reach Sandra to discuss the situation and to decide, together, whether we should come down early.

I expect to hear from either Sandra or the director shortly to let us know if we have the green light to come down. If so, we're leaving this afternoon.

How quickly things can change! And how excited we are!!!

A Little Setback?

2009-12-11T08:54:00.000-08:00

Well, we may have hit a little setback, depending on how one views these things...

We received an email this morning from Temple's case worker, stating that the agency is reverting to an older policy that would not allow us to travel to Georgia to meet and take placement of the baby until Georgia's ten-day revocation period has passed (the period within which a birth mother can change her mind).

It's frustrating that we just learned of this policy change now, after we are fully packed and ready to leave at a moment's notice. (It's no easy feat getting a family of seven packed and ready to head out the door at the drop of a hat.) It's more importantly, frustrating because Temple has requested our presence at the hospital, and it would therefore be good for her. And it goes without saying that it would be good for the baby and for us to have that bond from the outset.

While I fully understand the concerns and precautions at play in the agency's newly-resurrected policy (hey, we've experienced two fall-throughs; we know gun-shy), I can't help but be somewhat frustrated.

Putting that frustration to good use, I decided to call the director of the agency this morning. Upon speaking with her this morning, I learned that the newly-resurrected ten day policy is a "flexible policy" — one which has resulted from a string of recent revocations occurring after adoptive parents were already in Georgia taking placement of the baby. Given the flexibility of the policy, however, Open Door's director is busy considering today whether to permit us to come down earlier. The social worker and the director will talk, and if there are no "red flags" in this situation (indicating a likelihood of revocation), then they may call back yet today and encourage us to be present as soon as possible after the birth.

So essentially, we are now awaiting a return phone call which tells us we should wait the ten days after birth — or a phone call which says we have the green light to travel as soon as we know Temple is in labor.

Meanwhile, we also await word regarding the outcome of Temple's appointment today and whether an induction has been initiated. If not, we're pressing onward toward that Tuesday due date with hope that we can go down sooner rather than later.

We'd Prefer Not to Drive Through a Blizzard

2009-12-08T12:12:00.000-08:00

Dear God, please don't let Temple go into labor until at least Thursday!

BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST WEDNESDAY
NIGHT. WINTER STORM WARNING IS CANCELLED.

THE NATL WEATHER SVC IN MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN HAS ISSUED A
BLIZZARD WARNING.WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST
WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THE WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

Hoping Travel Doesn't Coincide with the Blizzard

2009-12-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

We are under a winter storm warning with the potential for blizzard conditions tonight and tomorrow.

So, dear God, I pray that Temple's labor holds off until at least Thursday... :)

Lighting a Candle

2009-12-07T13:10:00.000-08:00

Just had to share this lovely message from my pal, Kim... She called to say that around noon yesterday, just an hour before our conference call with Temple, she and her sweet son were in church, lighting a candle and saying a prayer for our adoption. As the good Fr. Rick would say, there are no coincidences, only Godcidences. God bless friends like Kim!

Meanwhile, our phone has been ringing with additional situations that are currently available (through a couple agencies in Utah). A week ago my heart would have been all aflutter with all the situations and the prospects and the possibilities. But today, my heart is in Georgia, with Temple and her wee one.

Meanwhile, together with Kim and many other friends, we pray for Temple, her baby, and our family as we begin this grand, important, and humbling adventure.

Conference Call Follow-Up

2009-12-07T12:55:00.000-08:00

I left a voice message with Temple's case worker this morning, inquiring as to how the conference call went from Temple's perspective.

I had a great conversation with her, and we learned something interesting...

The case worker told me that after receiving my voice message this morning, she called Temple to get her feedback on the conference call. The case worker said Temple felt it went very well. Sandra then asked if Temple still wished to place with us, after hearing our voices and speaking to us, and Temple said yes.

Sandra and I got to chatting, and I mentioned that I thought it was interesting that Temple asked the ages of our children over the phone and then proceeded to say, "Wow, that's a big family," when she heard me rattle off their ages. I wondered how she could be that surprised about our family size after viewing our life book (aka: profile) which is chock-full of photos of the kids. Sandra proceeded to tell me this interesting story...

When it came time to show Temple various families' life books, Sandra apparently couldn't find the copy of ours! So she asked Temple if she would be interested in a family who had "several children." Temple said yes, that would be fine. Then Sandra asked her if she would be okay with a Caucasian family, and Temple said yes, that would be fine too, "just as long as they take good care of my baby." So then Sandra asked Temple if it would be okay with her to go with the family who had been waiting with Open Door the longest! (Why am I not surprised at this point that that was us? ;) To that, Temple said yes! Bless her heart.

So, she has not even seen photos of us!!!! We went into the conference call, thinking she knew who we were from the photos and the story we had so carefully put together in our life book. But that's not the case! If we would have known all this when we were on the phone with her, we would have gone over in a little more detail who we are and what our family "looks" like in terms of ages and personalities, etc. It's somehow a little unnerving to consider that she's never even seen a photo of us. I hope she doesn't change her mind when she sees a couple 40-something parents!

Meanwhile, Sandra is working on getting a copy of our life book sent down from the Open Door offices. And I told her I'd email Sandra a few updated photos of our family as well. So she'll see us soon enough. Hope she likes us... This feels a little backwards.

But I'm getting very good vibes from Sandra that Temple is very certain. And Sandra did also say that her request to have us there at the hospital probably "seals the deal" (her words) for Temple emotionally a little more too. Sandra also said that Temple's mother is very supportive of the adoption plan as well, so that's also good.

So, it looks like it may be time to start getting out the baby girl clothes!!! :)

Dates

2009-12-06T18:21:00.000-08:00

Temple's due date, as it turns out is December 15th (not December 13th, as we previously thought) —— William's birthday! William is very much hoping to be able to share a birthday with his new baby sister.

However, it is looking like there is a very good chance that she will be induced on December 11th. That's Friday——just five days from now.

It's time to get our ducks in a row...

A Truly Momentous Day

2009-12-06T17:53:00.000-08:00

Today was a day which we shall never forget. It was the day on which we spoke to Temple, the mother who has chosen us to parent her baby.

A conference call was arranged for 1:00 pm today. Since we had already planned to take the kids to ride the 2:00 Santa Express Train (about an hour-and-a-half away from our house), we had to leave an hour earlier than expected in order to be available for the important call. We wanted to be sitting in the parking lot of the train depot by the time 1:00 rolled around. This was simply too important a phone call to take while driving down the road.

We arrived around 12:30, did a loop through the gift shop and purchased all-day suckers for the kids. Just before 1:00, we all went back to the van and let the kids overdose on sugar while Joe and I talked to Temple, the birth mother.

It was an amazing conversation. Temple was very quiet, something I wasn't quite expecting. But she indicated quite firmly that she had two questions that were on her mind.

The first question: How would an African American child be accepted into our white family?

And the second question: Are the kids excited about a new sibling?

I was struck by the intense love in those two questions. They were not questions about where we live or what we do or even how we parent. They were questions so much more basic and so much more important. They were questions, quite simply, about love and acceptance. And, of course, they were easy questions to answer, because skin color has never mattered to us, and the kids have been jumping up and down with excitement ever since they heard that we were matched.

We talked a bit about the very welcome climate here in Wisconsin when it comes to trans-racial adoptions. The case worker (who was also on the line) interjected that it can be hard for southern families to fathom a place where African American children are accepted so readily into white communities and white families. We expressed to her that we are all children of God and the skin color is a non-issue to us.

Joe and I chatted a bit about our kids and our families of origin. We talked about our individual personalities and how they impact our parenting.

Temple asked if we would send photos and letters, and we, of course, assured her that we would do so.

Temple seemed really to be looking for reassurance that this child will be loved unconditionally, and I hope we did a good job relaying our love already for this child and our firm commitment to cherishing this child in the same way that we love all our children.

Temple also asked us if we could be at the hospital at the time of the birth. We told her that we would very much like to do that and would talk to the agency about how to work all that out. There are some unknowns about the hospital and whether they will welcome adoptive parents, and also some calendar-based legal questions that we have to work out. But our great hope is to be there for the birth! We also offered Temple the prospect of meeting our other children, and she said that's something she'd very much like.

I was wiping away tears during most of the phone call, as Joe can well attest. It was very emotional, almost surreal. To hear the voice of the woman who will make the greatest sacrifice and give us the greatest gift is both awesome and humbling all at once. And just very emotionally intense. I certainly have never experienced anything like it.

I told Temple that I wished I was there to give her a big hug. I told her how in awe of her we are that she is giving her child life. And we told her how honored we are to have been chosen to parent her precious little one.

Life is good, and hard, and wondrous, and challenging — sometimes all at once. That was certainly reflected in a most momentous conference call today.

Praying for Temple and her baby tonight...

We Have a Match!

2009-12-05T09:16:00.000-08:00

A birthmother in central Georgia has selected us to parent her baby girl, due on December 13th! We are over the moon with excitement.

Yes, we've had two fall-throughs, so we are pacing ourselves and trying not to get too crazy just yet. But it's all very exciting!

We are supposed to have a conference call with the birth mother either this afternoon or tomorrow. That will all be firmed up shortly.

Such an exciting time! A Leone Christmas in Georgia is looking like a very distinct possibility!

Wheeeeeee!

And now we have another generous mother to remember in our daily prayers.

Plenty of Activity to Keep Our Hopes Up

2009-12-01T12:45:00.000-08:00

The mother with the due date on Thursday has apparently decided to parent her baby. So it looks unlikely that we'll be hopping in the van for Utah today or tomorrow.

However, a birth mother with a due date on Monday, also in Utah, will be presented with our profile (as well as those of four to five other families) tomorrow or Thursday. She'll make a decision on Thursday.

If we are not chosen for that situation, I'm told there are more situations coming up quickly.

Still hoping for that Christmas baby... :)

More Action?

2009-11-30T12:24:00.001-08:00

It looks like we will be presented with some situations either today or tomorrow. At that point, we may very well be authorizing our lifebook (profile) be sent off to birth mothers for their perusal. One of these potential situations is in Utah with a due date of THURSDAY!

This could all fall through again, but it's hard not to be on pins and needles awaiting a call...

Excitement Mounts

2009-11-16T09:42:00.001-08:00

We're hoping to have some new situations presented to us this week. At that point, we'll be able to decide whether to have our profile presented.

Meanwhile, there is a baby with a December 4th due date who does not, as of this time, have any adoptive parents lined up. Due to some business practice concerns about the particular agency handing this case, we have not put forward any money. But if this baby is born without any adoptive parents (which seems somewhat probable at this point), we'd move forward immediately.

More reasons to stay tuned...

Updates & a Flurry of Activity

2009-11-11T17:41:00.000-08:00

Regarding the three situations mentioned in my earlier post... We ended up holding off on having our profile shown, due to some financial and legal risk considerations.

Having said that, however, the last two weeks have been an absolute flurry of excitement since signing with our wonderful new referral service. Courtney, the owner of the referral service, has helped us improve our "life book," and we have added many new photos. Meanwhile, we've filled out paperwork for one agency that has some situations coming up. And Courtney plans to discuss some other situations with us by the end of the week.

While this might sound like "nothing happening yet" to the casual observer, I assure you, this feels like a great deal of promising activity on the road toward bringing home our newest wee one.

I can also assuredly state that there is a level of adoption-related excitement in the Leone household that did not exist a mere two weeks ago.

This adoption snowball seems to be picking up speed as we head toward the holiday season. Stay tuned...

Getting More Interesting

2009-10-31T06:12:00.001-07:00

We just said "yes" to having our profile shown to three different birth mothers. That doesn't mean much quite yet, but if one of those birth mothers picks us, things will start getting very exciting very quickly.

Widening Our Horizons

2009-10-27T07:07:00.000-07:00

Today we faxed our application to an adoption referral service, Faithful Adoption Consultants. We are "branching out" a little, since all is so quiet on the Open Door front.

The referral service has her finger in many adoption "pies" so to speak. When an agency has more babies than adoptive parents, they reach out to referral services who have a pool of clients. (We are now in one of those pools.) The referral service basically puts its clients in touch with more agencies, without the clients having to pay an application fee and do all the paperwork for each of those agencies. The additional fee, paperwork, and affiliation with the agency only comes into play at such time as a match occurs (birthmother chooses a couple, couple says yes).

Courtney at Faithful Adoption Consultants has a very strong track record for fast placements. She was recommended to us by an acquaintance who was recently matched with a baby due in early November.

We are still in the queue with Open Door as well. However, if we are matched with another agency through Faithful Adoption Consultants, we will have to notify Open Door immediately, per our agreement with them and out of fairness to birth mothers. We would want to avoid any situation where two birth mothers might choose us, and we'd end up having to disappoint one.

For the moment, this "branching out" has only the effect of making our pocketbooks a little lighter. But we hope it means a sweet little one will be added to our family sooner rather than later. We're just not getting any younger, and Therese would sure love a little brother or sister. All the kids would!

And if this little one comes to us via a referral from Faithful Adoption Consultants, he or she will almost certainly not be a Georgia baby. So much for descriptive blog titles.

Quiet

2009-09-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

All is very quiet on the adoption front.

After our two disappointing fall-throughs this summer, the silence from Georgia feels deafening at times. I called our agency in Georgia last week, just to check in, just to feel like I had some contact... Always lovely, the coordinator of their minority program told me that it's just "a little slower than usual," but that our life book is being shown. I certainly didn't get any it-could-be-any-day (or even any-month) vibes. But they are a very reputable agency, and if they say they are showing our life books, they are showing our life books. And that means that something could happen any day, even if it might not feel like it at the moment.

After that phone call, I started contemplating the possibility of signing on with an additional agency or two, just to increase our odds. (Let's face it; we're not getting any younger.) I looked into some options, even sent away for some information. And then I called our local social worker Julie for a gut check.

Julie is a font of adoption wisdom, and although she was not strongly opposed to looking into other agencies, she did sort of leave me with a "you just have to be patient" sort of feeling. Signing on with more agencies means more paperwork and more fees. And we're with a great place that has a wonderful track record. Talking it out with Julie and hearing my own words about needing to just be more patient helped me conclude that we're in the right place for now.

So we wait, no less anxious or impatient if you want the unvarnished truth. But as I'm growing to understand, uncertainty is very much a part of the adoption process.

We're Learning How to Roll with these Fall-Throughs

2009-07-28T14:28:00.001-07:00

We have had another adoption fall-through.

On Thursday, as Joe was home recuperating from knee surgery, we received a call from our adoption agency. They said a woman named Jamie had chosen us to be adoptive parents of her baby boy, due on Saturday. We were thrilled.

Since then, however, Jamie has cut off all contact with the agency and has disappeared. When her cousin told the caseworker that she didn't know where Jamie was and couldn't get a hold of her either, we were told that we were officially being placed back in the queue.

So here we are... After five days of thinking a new baby might be in our very near future, we find ourselves waiting once again.

Patience is a virtue; I keep telling myself that. :)

Back in the Groove

2009-06-02T05:46:00.000-07:00

After walking around in something of a stupor for the last day or two after our big let-down, things are starting to feel "normal" again.

The words my old law school classmate sent on Monday morning brought us great comfort. She wrote,

"Knowing she did not have to raise the baby and that there was a family willing to take the baby and love her, let this Mom DECIDE she could do it rather than feeling forced into it and bitter. What a gift you have given both Mom and daughter."

I cried when I read those words from my pal, Katie. There is much to contemplate in those words, and they provide a reason to keep praying and have great hope for this little girl, her mother, and their future together.

I admit to jumping a little faster now each time the phone rings, still conditioned from the weekend's important calls. And we wait just a bit impatiently for the arrival of the next phone call from Open Door.

We're also living vicariously through the excitement of another family who is in Georgia picking up their baby as I type. Although we don't know this family personally, it appears from their blog that they are going through the same agency and the same minority program. We are thrilled for them and can't wait to hear the update.

We're Heartbroken

2009-05-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

We received a call this morning around 10:00 am, informing us of the wonderful news that a healthy baby girl, 6 lb, 3 oz, had been born. I asked if the birth mother was still thinking she'd place the baby for adoption. The case worker said, "absolutely yes." This is a very firm case. She has never wavered in her decision to place this baby. We were told to pack our bags immediately in order to try to be in Georgia before the baby was released from the hospital.

You can imagine the flurry of excitement around here. The kids were just beside themselves. Joe and I frantically tried to wrap up loose ends and begin packing.

And then came the phone call at 1:30 pm. The birth mother, bless her heart, changed her mind and decided she's going to parent the baby.

It's hard to express the range of emotions we've experienced in the last 18 hours. It's numbing and heartbreaking at times. But we now have two special people who will remain in our hearts and prayers for a lifetime.

We Have News!

2009-05-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

God-willing, we may be adoptive parents very, very soon!

Here are the events as they have unfolded over the last nine days:

Wednesday, May 20th: We received a call from Open Door, informing us that our family had been chosen by a birth mother. The birth mother felt that she was eight months pregnant and likely due in mid- to late-June. That day, we received the birth mother's medical records as well as some information about the birth father. The birth mother is Caucasian, and the birth father is Jamaican.

Saturday, May 23rd: I emailed Debbie at Open Door to ask her some additional questions. We received her response and felt even more settled with information that appeared to make this adoption look very solid.

Today, May 29th: We learned that the birth mother was scheduled for an OB appointment yesterday. We waited for word, especially interested in confirmation of a due date. When they word never came, we wondered what was happening... Joe and I slipped away for a dinner date. While at dinner, we received the most unexpected news: Our little one's birth mother was in labor! Receiving a follow-up phone call, we learned of her progression, and we sent a message to her via the case worker.

The news that she is in labor (even as I type this) was so enormously unexpected. We were anticipating a late June trip to Georgia! Now we're busy thinking about leaving in the next day or two. So many emotions, so much to do, such excitement!

On our way home from dinner tonight, we drove by the house of friends where our two oldest daughters are attending a slumber party. We wanted to tell them the news in person, and we wanted them to be able to pray for the birth mother and Wee One tonight. They were so very excited.

This is one momentous night.

If all goes well, we could be leaving for Georgia, to meet our newest bambino/a in a matter of days.

Please keep birthmom, baby and all the Leones in your prayers!

Rumblings...

2009-05-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

There are rumblings from Georgia that indicate an adoption may be in our near future. I will update this blog with more specifics once things look a little more certain. Exciting times!

Telling the Family—Part II

2009-03-21T08:55:00.000-07:00

Due to the rapid decline and death of my grandmother and the traveling and burial details that followed, we delayed telling my side of the family our news until just this week. We wanted to be sure that our focus was first on Grammy and her life and passing, rather than on our adoption news.

The evening of Grammy's funeral, we were all together -- my parents and all six of my brothers and me. It seemed the perfect time to share our news with everyone in person. There were many questions and great excitement.

There is a silver lining in every cloud. Grammy's death from advanced Alzheimer's not only brought our entire family together for the first time in ten years, but it gave us the gift of being able to transmit our exciting adoption announcement to my parents and brothers in person. I could never have imagined we'd have that opportunity. We'll remember that always.