7.26.2008

We're baaaaaack...

We are back and settling in from our 2 day ADOPT (A Day Of Parent Training) seminars in North Platte. For anyone following along, we have one last meeting with our case worker and then we're DONE with our home study!! It's gone so fast! 

We had some unexpected adventures on this trip...one which included waiting out a tornado warning with a room full of strangers in pajamas. :)  Anywho...

The classes themselves were great. They were very informative and featured several "panels" with birth parents and adoptive parents. The panelists shared many joyful and not-so-joyful details of their adoption journeys. There were stories that were scary, encouraging, sad, amazing. Open adoption is such a blessing but requires such effort as well.  Birth parents are an extension of your family and I think that is a bit intimidating but also so very exciting.  

The 2 day getaway gave me a good opportunity to do some reading. I got the book "What to Expect the First Year". My husband told me it was thicker than his Bible. It is. I feel like I could maybe handle a newborn sometime soon. ;)

Oh, and we missed our dogs terribly. :) 

6 comments:

Sara said...

Hey Ash...instead of the "What To Expect" series, I would highly recommend "The Baby Book" by Dr. Sears and any of his other books. I think you would really like his book called "Attachment Parenting". Talks a lot about bonding in the early months. Didn't like the "What To Expect" books at all...throw them out .Just my opinion, of course :) love ya!

Tracey said...

I love that book! You also might want to try KEYS TO PARENTING AN ADOPTED CHILD. Glad you had fun...minus the tornado.

Beck said...

OH my gosh, I can't wait to hear about the seminar! I bet it was really encouraging to be with so many other adoptive parents-to-be :) I cried for like 30 minutes when we dropped Moby off at our friend's house the night before we left. I was afraid he'd think I was abandoning him! But alas, all is well and I hear he's doing great!
Miss you girl! Love you too!

Rebekah said...

We just finished our last home study yesterday! Ben and I both really enjoyed all the classes too. They really opened my eyes to see the full picture of adoption and how each party is affected. It seems like so many of my adoption pals are reading "What to expect the first year"...I'll have to go out and get it! :)

Courtney Hope said...

ash- hey you. i just wanted to tell you that you and mark have been on my heart lately. i am so thrilled for you both... i LOVE thinking about you guys having a little one running around... makes me happy. can't wait to hear more about everything-

Bri said...

I loved our classes. Ours were very early on in the process, and that was when we really started to get excited about the "realness" of adoption. I've been picking up lots of books - the what to expect books are on there, but I also want to heed saras advice on Dr. Sears' books.