a girl and her pups and a possibility!

Motherhood is hard, really hard, and exhausting. I knew that it was but I don't think I was really prepared. Naptime is my favorite time of day and I am embarrassed to say I nap right alongside with my Elliott for a little bit. Well actually it's not my favorite time of day that would be when my sweet boy wakes up. When I come into the room he looks so happy and is all smiles that his mama is here and coming to get. Today was the first day that I felt like we were getting into a normal routine. I know I am blessed to be a maternity leave and things will change drastically when I go back to work but for today I was glad. The day was enjoyable and calm and relaxing. Eating has been a struggle as Elliot only likes chicken nuggets, pizza, and grilled cheese.  I decided a few nights ago to order Chinese food and try to sneak vegetables into lo mein since he loves lo mein noodles. It worked wonderfully. They got to the point where I didn't even have to sneak vegetables and he wo...

Today marks one month since Elliott was first placed in my arms. In that month my life has completely changed, for the better of course!  The little boy who ran into my arms was happy then and easy-going and is still that way today. He loves being on the go and he really loves his mama. And his mama is head over heels in love with him. In one months time he has adjusted to the dogs, the cold, and the craziness that is my life. My poor baby has gotten more bloodwork then I care to relive. He has gotten three vaccines and one finger practice. He is healthy and has already grown in both height and weight. As Christmas approaches, I love teaching Elliott all about the birth of Jesus. The little people nativity set has helped with this. He really is easy going and I am forever thankful. We will be traveling to Buffalo next week for what I hope will be a white Christmas. I can't wait for my family to meet him. Of course I'm not looking forward to another plane ride but luckily thi...

Now that the trip details are all written out, it is time to get to the fun things – all about Elliott two weeks home! Current weight 23 pounds with his clothes and shoes on and about 32 inches tall.  He is currently in18 month clothes which is much smaller than I thought so little shopping had to be done ;). He even has a little bit of room to grow in 18 months. Personality is 90% happy and easy-going and 10% stubborn as a mule. If you want something and does not get it, look out because a full-blown tantrum will result. Unfortunately for him his mother is a teacher so he doesn't get what he wants. Favorite foods are grilled cheese, cheese pizza, and chicken nuggets. Least favorite foods are vegetables, vegetables, vegetables. Favorite activities are being outside and bathtime. Absolute least favorite thing to do is sleep. Elliott has no interest in TV but loves anything that lights up and is musical. Favorite toys are stacking cups, little car that he rides on that play...

After our wonderful visit with the Gupta family, it was finally time to pack up and go home. My mom and I spent the morning at the mall's spending the last of our rupees. If you see me around town looking like an Indian with my attire, don't be alarmed, I so enjoy their clothes and I might have one a little crazy. Abhi came over to say goodbye and also do some last-minute shopping with us. We had lunch in the hotel which we ended up having to take back to our room because Elliot was not having it. Saying goodbye to Abhi...... This was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I am getting choked up just thinking about it. She is like a sister to me. I love her dearly. God put her in my life for a reason. We were only together a few short days but I felt like I had known her forever. We all cried and at one point I had to put myself in the bathroom because I was a complete mess. Abhi, you are an amazing woman with a heart of gold. You are doing God's work my fr...

On Monday 11/18 my mom went shopping with Abhi back to Dilli Haat while I stayed in with my little Mumbai monkey. I wanted to let him sleep and relax without being on the go. This proved to be a good decision as I was able to have lunch with Kristian and her family. I cannot say enough how much I enjoyed having her there. Even though we didn't spend every waking moment together because we were both extremely busy, it was wonderful just knowing she was only a couple floors away if I needed her. We ended up texting each other a lot that week. We had a nice relaxing lunch in our hotel and we hoped to get together later that afternoon but unfortunately that did not work out. I hate goodbyes so it was probably for the best. When Abhi and my mom returned, Abhi brought over some homemade goods and fundraising goods to help boys with polio. They paint with their feet. She also had bought some stuff while traveling around India for the purpose of raising money for these boys. I think my ...

Up until this point everything we had done in India I was adoption related. We had not seen any of the alley except from a cab. My mom and I were both going stir crazy. I at least had my son to bond with my mom needed to get out. My best friend Erika's father was from Delhi and his family still lives there. She had arranged it so that they could help us out. Well because my little monkey played around with the phone her poor family have been trying to reach me for days. By the time we arranged a sightseeing trip it was last minute and since they own a factory they sent one of their workers to take us around. Her name was Aarti. She was absolutely amazing and we love getting to know her and spending the day. She took us to an outdoor market called Dilli Haat. It was a place where you could bargain for goods from all around India. My mom was very good at bargaining but she had nothing compared to Aarti. She was tough and would not let us buy anything if she felt it was overpriced. W...

On Friday November 14th, I woke up dreading the day. I first had to get Elliott's visa photos taken, then get his TB skin test read, then go back to the embassy to drop the photos off.  Abhi picked us up at 10. We laughed when when we saw the cab bc it was as small as a Ford fiesta for three adults and a baby and all that comes with we ended up loving the driver and we hired him for the rest of the time haha. She took us to get Elliott "clicked" at a cute outdoor area. Nothing was open until 11:00, but by some miracle the photo place said they would take the photos. They were ready within 15 minutes, and adorable I might add!!  This was also the first time we had been out in Delhi. It was a very nice area though the amount of dogs was sad. After the photos we went back to the mad center. Angel Abhi stuck again and we were done in less than 15 minutes. Elliott was all clear. We also picked up the med reports for Kristians three beauties as they were not ready when they ...

My interview for Elliott's US visa was Thursday 11/13 at 9am.  Abhi could not believe it was that early but that was the time I was given and that was the time I would go!  Due to security, drivers are not allowed to stop in front of the embassy. We we're let off about 1/4 mile from the embassy. Abhi said the appointment would be 15 minutes and no food or drink would be allowed. I left the diaper bag in the cab(this would later prove to be the dumbest thing I EVER did). We found the gate and held up our US passports, these got us to the front of the line. Of course Elliott was extremely attached to Abhi(wink, wink) so I had to insist she go with us. We went through security and through all sorts of lines, bypassing them all. When we got into the interview building we were told to take a seat. What was supposed to be 15 minutes turned out to be almost an hour. This unfortunately meant Elliott missed his snack time. He started screaming, actually that is an understatement. If y...

The hotel we stayed at in New Delhi was the Hilton Garden Inn. This hotel is recommended among the adoption community because the staff is amazing and it is attached to a mall. Well both proved to be true...and it was not one mall but three!!  The rooms are VERY tiny but clean. We woke up the next day ready for Elliott's medical appointment at 11:00. I was also excited to meet our Delhi guide Abhi. Abhi helps out adoptive families and all of her earnings go to underprivileged children. We went down to the lobby around 9:45 to meet Abhi. I had Elliott in the carrier as he was a little fussy. We were sitting there waiting when the elevator opened.....out popped two little brown girls who I recognized. I gasped and yelled Khushboo and Kashila!!  It was 2/3 of my dear friend Kristians newly adoptive daughters. They were of course excited to hear their names even though they had no idea who I was. There dad Lance was also there. I ran and hugged him and gave the girls a high fiv...

November 11th The day after gotcha day I woke up, well I should say got out of bed. I if course didn't sleep. I spent the night in prayer and watching my miracle sleep. I was surprised at how well Elliott slept. He woke up happy as could be(still does). He was already pretty famous around the hotel so he had a few people to meet. Everyone loved him to pieces and was shocked at how attached he was to me.  We even ventured down to the restaurant for breakfast. After breakfast, we started getting our bags ready. The van picked us up around 12:30 for a 4:00 flight. Elliott was amazing at the airport though he didn't sleep at all. Then it was time to board the plane. It was then I got my first glimpse of Elliott's alter ego. He screamed and threw a tantrum in the boarding line. It was so bad that they let me cut everyone to get him on the plane. Once I got his blanket out, he was fine. My boy sure is stubborn. The flight had a quick layover but we didn't have to get of...

Now that I am home in beginning to settle in I am going to try to re-count my trip to India. I will start with Mumbai before Gotcha Day. My mom flew in from Buffalo and Tuesday, November 4 you spend the next couple of days just preparing ourselves for the long journey. Our flight left at 6:30 PM on Thursday, November 6th. That afternoon my two good friends Stephanie and Susan came over to play with us and help prepare our nerves for the journey. I am blessed to have both of them in my life and they have both adopted sweet little girls from India so we will forever be connected. My best friend Erika picked us up from the airport and we were on our way around 3 o'clock. The flights were long and uneventful. The last leg of the flight from London to Mumbai was very cramped and we both struggle to be comfortable. Neither of us slept more than a few hours the entire trip. Only arrived in by you were exhausted in our luggage took over an hour. By the time we got to our hotel it was ...

When you adopt you are told to expect the worst but pray for the best. I am proud to say that my forever family day could NOT have gone better. Sit back, pour yourself a glass of wine and eat some dairy(I miss both). And please excuse the mistakes as I am typing this from my iPhone. I was told my in country rep was meeting my mom and me in the hotel lobby at 10:00. He had to drive three hours to Mumbai so I was aware he might be late. I was so nervous I had dinasours in my stomach. At 9:30 we went down to the lobby to wait. The internet in the hotel was horrible and the lobby seemed to be the best place to try and get it. No such luck. So I sat there nervously watching the seconds tick by. Finally at 10:00 our agency rep showed up. He briefed us on possible senerios and within 15 minutes we were off. The orphanage was a 15 minute drive. He outside had a large fence and was surrounded by Palm trees and banana trees. After signing in we were lead to the office to talk to the directo...

I cannot believe I am saying that tomorrow at this time I will be high in the sky on my way to India to be united with my son. April 2012 seems like a dream. I never imagine when I started my homestudy that God would choose such a perfect child for me. He has no idea of the love that is waiting for him on the side of the world. I am so very humbled by what amazing friends and family that I have. Elliotts story has even touched some strangers who have prayed and donated along the way. The reality is setting in that not only am I taking the trip of a lifetime to but I will come home with a child in my arms. Those that know my mom know what a heart of gold she has. She flew in today to begin this journey with me and she is so excited to meet her grandbaby. Her job is easy on this trip, keep me calm! Okay I am lying because those that know me know I have been anything but calm these last few days. She has a tough job ahead of her but she is ready to go. I could not have asked for a bette...

Thank you so much everyone for your prayers! I am trilled, beyond thrilled to say that they worked! The judges written orders were signed and my baby's passport has been applied for. It looks like having my baby in my arms for Thanksgiving will hopefully be a reality. This process has been a roller coaster of a ride for sure. If I would've known what I know now 2 1/2 years ago I would still take a leap of faith. Elliott is worth it, all the heart ache, all the tears, all the sleepless nights – he is perfect and he is mine. The next step is for the passport to be dispatched and mailed to my orphanage. Once that happens I can begin to make my travel arrangements and hop on a flight. I am told the orphanage director is going to expedite the passport to be ready at the end of this month.  Diwali begins this week so all of India is shut down. This would require another miracle. It's a good thing God is on my side all the time. Okay I have made you wait long enough. Here is...

Well, it seems the closer I get to hopping on a plane the harder the wait actually becomes. I used to go months upon months with no news and now a week with nothing is torture.   I am now waiting for the judges written court order. This can take anywhere from two weeks to about 8 weeks or in some cases even longer.  Once I get the written orders it will be much easier to at least guesstimate when I will be traveling.  I am going on two weeks of waiting and I am in a bit of a time crunch. The courts close from October 15 through the 26 while they celebrate their Hindi holiday Diwali. I love the tradition behind this holiday but I do not love that if I do not get my written's before the closure, I will be delayed two weeks. I humbly ask my prayer warriors once again to storm the gates of heaven and pray for me to get written orders by next Tuesday. If this happens there is a very good chance my son will be in my arms by Thanksgiving. Thank you so much!

Four years ago I met A wonderful woman who was selling Havanese dogs. All the money she made from these dogs went to mission trips and adoptions. I did not know it but on February 12th, 2010, I met the woman who would change my life for the better. When I went to pick up my dog on that Valentine's Day, I met her little daughter who was just brought home from China.  Something struck a chord in my heart and I could not turn my back on what I was feeling. I knew then I would adopt a child internationally.  I researched countries and due to me being a single teacher felt India was my best option. One trip about two weeks to pick up my child, sounded like a plan. In April 2012, I finally started the adoption process and began my homestudy. It was official I was going to adopt. I was originally told the process would be very quick. Well 2 1/2 years later and still no child in my arms, I beg to differ. These past years have been the most trying, difficult, yet wonderful years of m...

I was so ecstatic two weeks ago to find out that not only did I get a new picture of my boy for my case has been filed in court. I kept searching for the case online but could not find it. Something just didn't feel right. I was excited that they filed it quickly because nothing in my case has gone quickly. Then I found out today that they actually did not file my case when they said they did. According to my caseworker they were filing it today. I can't breathe easy about this. It was a devastating blow.  April 2012, the month that I started this adoption process. The wait has been too long, the wait has been got wrenching, the wait has been so hard and seems to be getting harder. I long for a child I have not yet met. My heart aches every day that my son sits in an orphanage. There is no cure for that except to have him in my arms. Even though I am not really surprised that this setback has happened, it does not make it any easier. In order to avoid any further setbacks, I ...

I was trying to come up with a catchy name to title this post but the truth is I could not come up with one. Last Wednesday on August 13, I found out I was finally granted NOC. In fact it was actually dated Tuesday, August 12. I could not be more happy. This has been a long time coming. And for many of us Ind*a families, this is the biggest step. This step shows that the government in charge of adoption has no objection to me adopting my sweet baby Elliott. This was by far the hardest weight yet. I have a suspicion that the further along I get in this process the harder the weight will come. As far as my next steps I am now waiting for my case to be filed in the court. Once of my case is approved, the judge will have to grant written orders. Once my orphanage receives those written orders they will apply for his passport. Once that beautiful passport is in the hands of the orphanage, this mama can go get her boy!  I am praying very hard that this November 9, my 32nd birthday, I wil...