So, we are still really early in our journey and this long road of adoption, but in honor of being 50 days from Baby Girl's due date, here are 50 things we have learned about adoption so far:
1. There is no way you can do it on your own.
2. The homestudy is not as scary as you think it will be!
3. It's crazy expensive.
4. The timing is definitely not yours.
5. You have to believe in the bigger picture.
6. It is easy to become disillusioned.
7. Even though your friends and family WANT to get it, most of them don't (and can't) really get it.
8. Start your grant paperwork EARLY!
9. Paperwork takes over your life.
10. No one cares more than you, be an advocate for yourself, your family, and your future child.
11. You have a chance to share a beautiful journey with a lot of people.
12. Your heart will break more than you thought possible.
13. You will cry when you least expect it.
14. Be prepared for not knowing things you feel like you are entitled to know.
15. In EVERY step of the way, trust that God knows the details.
16. It isn't easy explaining adoption to a 4 year old.
17. In a lot of ways, your 4 year old might understand adoption better than your adult friends and family!
18. Don't EVER abbreviate birthmom to BM :)
19. Apparently, the correct terminology for birthmom is actually expectant mom.
20. It takes a village...lean on your community!
21. The wait time from being matched to meeting your baby is HARD!
22. The hardest part (for us) was deciding what kinds of situations we would open ourselves up for.
23. Let people be excited for you!
24. Don't be discouraged when they aren't excited for you.
25. Be willing to be an open book...you will get LOTS of questions. (just to clarify...we LOVE this part of it!)
26. Pray lots and lots and lots!
27. While you are entitled by law to a maternity leave, it will most likely be unpaid. Be prepared.
28. Facebook adoption groups are a wealth of good information.
29. Fundraising is a touchy subject.
30. It is tough knowing how much of your baby's story to share with others.
31. Your greatest joy is someone else's greatest sorrow. This will be harder than you think.
32. Lots of opportunities will be presented in which the baby (or child) has birth-siblings.
33. You will learn more about drug and substance abuse than you ever wanted to know.
34. People's generosity will blow you away!
35. You will become best friends with the refresh button as you anxiously await new email updates!
36. Nesting will be an extremely strange experience.
37. Your heart will skip a beat every time you see the phone number to your agency show up on caller id.
38. Hearing other people's adoption journeys will be a much needed inspiration.
39. Baby showers feel a bit awkward, but are very much appreciated!
40. Your heart will be burdened in a way you never imagined.
41. Your marriage will reach a whole new level.
42. You will realize that you are definitely not the hero, but you will be excited to be a part of the rescue.
43. Your pennies will be pinched TIGHTLY in an effort to save everything you can to put towards your adoption.
44. There will be many times you wish you could claim "pregnancy brain."
45. People's fears and confusions about adoption show up in lots of different ways.
46. The line between being available and being overbearing is hard to figure out as you develop your relationship with your baby's tummy mommy.
47. People are important...find the ones who support your journey and let them in!
48. Be excited and available to walk through other people's journey with them...adoption is great!
49. The journey is exciting, terrifying, and every emotion in between.
50. We really have no idea what we are doing!
**We are actually only 43 days away from Baby Girl's due date, but this post took me a lot longer to process and write than I thought it would!
Thanks for praying for our journey!
4. The timing is definitely not yours.
5. You have to believe in the bigger picture.
6. It is easy to become disillusioned.
7. Even though your friends and family WANT to get it, most of them don't (and can't) really get it.
8. Start your grant paperwork EARLY!
9. Paperwork takes over your life.
10. No one cares more than you, be an advocate for yourself, your family, and your future child.
11. You have a chance to share a beautiful journey with a lot of people.
12. Your heart will break more than you thought possible.
13. You will cry when you least expect it.
14. Be prepared for not knowing things you feel like you are entitled to know.
15. In EVERY step of the way, trust that God knows the details.
16. It isn't easy explaining adoption to a 4 year old.
17. In a lot of ways, your 4 year old might understand adoption better than your adult friends and family!
18. Don't EVER abbreviate birthmom to BM :)
19. Apparently, the correct terminology for birthmom is actually expectant mom.
20. It takes a village...lean on your community!
21. The wait time from being matched to meeting your baby is HARD!
22. The hardest part (for us) was deciding what kinds of situations we would open ourselves up for.
23. Let people be excited for you!
24. Don't be discouraged when they aren't excited for you.
25. Be willing to be an open book...you will get LOTS of questions. (just to clarify...we LOVE this part of it!)
26. Pray lots and lots and lots!
27. While you are entitled by law to a maternity leave, it will most likely be unpaid. Be prepared.
28. Facebook adoption groups are a wealth of good information.
29. Fundraising is a touchy subject.
30. It is tough knowing how much of your baby's story to share with others.
31. Your greatest joy is someone else's greatest sorrow. This will be harder than you think.
32. Lots of opportunities will be presented in which the baby (or child) has birth-siblings.
33. You will learn more about drug and substance abuse than you ever wanted to know.
34. People's generosity will blow you away!
35. You will become best friends with the refresh button as you anxiously await new email updates!
36. Nesting will be an extremely strange experience.
37. Your heart will skip a beat every time you see the phone number to your agency show up on caller id.
38. Hearing other people's adoption journeys will be a much needed inspiration.
39. Baby showers feel a bit awkward, but are very much appreciated!
40. Your heart will be burdened in a way you never imagined.
41. Your marriage will reach a whole new level.
42. You will realize that you are definitely not the hero, but you will be excited to be a part of the rescue.
43. Your pennies will be pinched TIGHTLY in an effort to save everything you can to put towards your adoption.
44. There will be many times you wish you could claim "pregnancy brain."
45. People's fears and confusions about adoption show up in lots of different ways.
46. The line between being available and being overbearing is hard to figure out as you develop your relationship with your baby's tummy mommy.
47. People are important...find the ones who support your journey and let them in!
48. Be excited and available to walk through other people's journey with them...adoption is great!
49. The journey is exciting, terrifying, and every emotion in between.
50. We really have no idea what we are doing!
**We are actually only 43 days away from Baby Girl's due date, but this post took me a lot longer to process and write than I thought it would!
Thanks for praying for our journey!
