Progress Update:

A Tree in a Binder...

No, seriously!  The amount of paperwork Scott and I have done might be the equivalent of a tree.  A small tree maybe...but still...a tree.  Everything that we complete for our agency must be digitally signed, printed and signed, then uploaded to our account and the originals mailed. And we are still in the early stages of this and COMPLETELY worth it.

What Has Happened So Far?  

A WHOLE month has already passed in our adoption journey...

March 30 : Inquired in our selected agency and received information

April 9:  Applied to our agency ($100)

April 10:  Accepted into Building Blocks Adoption Service (an Ohio Christian agency)and received our portal information Our Agency's Website We also completed our initial profile information such as what we are looking for in our future baby, additional contact and financial information, etc.

April 13: Received our next checklist (the method in which we receive our "to do" lists as we progress through adoption)  Read through the "how to" information.

April 23:  Took out a loan for the first fees  ($5500) 
                 Lindsay and her dad watched/listened to an informational webinar about the adoption process  (Scott was at work)

April 24:  Mailed in/uploaded the following documents from our checklist. (and the above mentioned fees) (Mailing costs ~$2.50)
     *  How to use the checklist help guide
     *  How to create a digital signature
     *  The adoption contract (with fee)
     *  Read the Subsidy Guide and Financing Adoption Guide
     *  Filled out our Match Criteria form
     *  Read the layout of upcoming fees for Social Service related tasks
     *  Completed a parent satisfaction survey (WAIT!! PARENT?!?!  We are being called parents?  Getting closer...hopefully!)
     *  Read the homestudy welcome letter outlining the upcoming weeks
     *  Read and investigated the adoption loan assistance program (which allowed us to take out our loan)

April 27:  Had our "pass along" cards printed to give friends and family.  THE MORE PEOPLE THAT KNOW WE ARE ADOPTING, THE LESS TIME WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR A PLACEMENT...usually...so please feel free to keep sharing and if you would like some pass around flyers, please let us know! ($20.57)

April 30:  Uploaded and mailed in the following items: (Mailing costs ~$2.50)
     *  Adoptive parent discourse statement form
     *  Release of information consent form
     *  Authorization of Release for confidential information
     *  Proper procedure for complaints form
     *  Ohio adoption disclosure statement
     *  Emergency contact list
     *  Statement of understanding
     *  Understanding of placement requirements and match requirements
     *  Requirements of the Multiethnic Placement Act
     *  Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC) form
     *  Definitions of Disabilities for State Waiting Children

(As I am typing this, the above mentioned checklist was approved...so now we wait for the next one!)

 Still to complete (as they are released)...and we do not know what is in each of these lists to do until they are released. 
Packet #2 - Child Abuse/Criminal Clearance Forms
Packet #3 - Homestudy Questionnaire
Packet #4 - Marriage/Birth/Employment/Education forms
Packet #5 - ODJFS Required Documents
Packet #6 ODJFS Training Documents
Profile Process
Matching Process
After Acceptance of Placement
Finalization Packet (where our names are put on a new birth certificate) 

How Are We Doing with Everything?

Pretty well, actually!  We are excited that we are moving forward and getting closer to having our baby.  Every day is one step closer...one day closer.  Something I know I have to remind myself of constantly.  

Scott mentioned it still hurts that we are unable to have biological children.  And it does.  But we know this is EXACTLY what we are supposed to be doing.  A new and fellow adoptive parent friend of mine wrote a beautifully written blog yesterday.  Click HERE to read her post.  She explains similar emotions perfectly.

While looking at things we may not be able to do as adoptive parents, there are so MANY MORE THINGS WE WILL be able to do!  I have also had fun recreating things for adoptive parents...example:  We have a maternity photo shoot in May...yes, it can be done.  I still plan to have a gender reveal party...if I can hold the excitement in until then.  Our plan is to have a party after we are blessed with a baby for everyone to come meet him/her and see what all the AMAZING prayers, donations, and well wishes have provided us with.

For now, our journey to placement continues.

Upcoming Watson Family Adoption Events and Ways You Can Help!

We want to thank everyone again for your continued help and support.  We still have a long way to go, but we are confident in our decision to adopt.  Below are some upcoming events/things going on in effort to support our adoption...thanks to friends and family for setting up everything!

T-Shirt/Hoodie/Long Sleeve Shirt Sale:  Order yours by May 6!  We get 50% of all sales.  Once you have your shirt, take pictures of you and your family wearing them and send it to us (lindsay.watson1127@gmail.com or post on Facebook!  We will include your photos in the book that birthmothers will read to learn more about our family, friends, co-workers, and support group.  Order Your Shirts HERE

Garage Sale: May 14-16...We will be holding a "by donation only" garage sale during our community's garage sale.  We are still in need of items so if you have anything you would like to part with, let us know!

Thirty One Gifts party:  May 16 at 2 p.m. If you can't make it, you can still order online starting May 1st!  Click HERE to order  Just make sure you order between May 1 and May 16 by selecting our party.  We are graciously being given 25% of your order. 

25 Cent Paddle Auction:  June 6 at 4:30 p.m. at Miami Valley Sports Bar 30 Watertower Ln, West Carrollton, OH 45449  Bring your quarters and win prizes all in support of our adoption!  Gift cards, gift baskets, and other goodies will be available to bid on.  More information is coming soon.  If you have new/unused items you would like to give for the quarter auction, please let me know!  I will also be looking for help in collecting prizes from local businesses to help the organization sponsoring this event.  (Each month, a new person or charity is selected to be the beneficiary of the earnings.  So thankful we were selected for June!) ...bids are just quarters at a time!
                Purchase a Chance Card for $10.00 which allows you
               1 Paddle to bid, 20 Chinese Auction tickets and a
                Chance to Win Additional Door Prizes
               (Save’s money and more chances to win)
Paddles, Chinese Auction, 50/50 and raffles may be available to purchase separately.
(Snacks are available. Local restaurants deliver to the Sports Bar during the auction.)


Also in the early planning stages....
An annual adoption 5K...complete with an official registered charity and the title (hopefully!) of Hope for One.

Hope for One will benefit a new family each year by giving that selected family the raised amount towards their adoption via application and interview process...this year will be Scott and I with a new family each year after. 

WHAT I NEED FROM YOU...if you are interested in serving on the official board, please email me at hopeforonecharity@gmail.com with a short essay which is to include:
1. Why you want to be part of the Hope for One board
2. What you can bring to the charity?
3. What does adoption mean to you?
4. How do you see this charity impacting the lives of families and the community?

Essays are due May 15th.

Board members will help plan the 5K each year and help select a new adoptive family. We are shooting for a Saturday in September each year pending no scheduling conflicts. This is a volunteer position and will require monthly meetings which will become more frequent closer to the event. Feel free to share this information! We feel this can really make a difference for SEVERAL families and children

Our goal is to knock out the first loan before taking out the BIG loan after placement...

Thank you again for reading and for your support.  We are so blessed to have each of you in our lives!

 Front of our pass around card

 Back of our pass around card

 Join us!  And please feel free to bring your friends and family.

I promise to have yummy snacks!

Order your shirt HERE

From Infertility to Adoption

Happy Friday everyone!

Just wanted to give you an update.  Scott and I had another Dr. appointment today.  It appears adoption is the path we must take to have family...and that's OK!  We are excited about this opportunity...and thanks to YOU and your help sharing our posts, giving donations, buying Pampered Chef, and most important...the T-Shirts!!!  Click HERE to order your t-shirt!  Pictures of the shirts are below, or you can click on the link.  We get nearly 50% of each shirt sold!!!  PLUS this helps spread awareness for our adoption.

We would like for everyone to take a picture of you or you and your family wearing the shirt. These pictures will go into a Birthmother Book that will allow our future birthmom to see the love and support her baby will have with us.  Feel free to share this with your friends and family, too.  We HAVE to sell 50 shirts for them to be printed.  IF we don't have 50 by May 6, then no shirts, no charges to your cards, and no funds :(  BUT I know we can make this goal and exceed it!!

As soon as we have enough money raised to move on with the adoption process, we will be able to schedule our homestudy which consists or training, interviews, and home inspections.  ($1500) After that, we pay the first of the agency fees ($3700) and will FINALLY be able to be on the wait list.  Our goal is to be on the waiting list for a baby this Fall.

The news of being unable to have biological children has been a hard pill to swallow...BUT...we know God is calling us to adopt and we are just so excited!!       

If you are looking for additional ways to help, here is what you can do...

1. Pray. We believe in the power of prayer.

2. Maybe you know someone or have a connection to someone that has a baby on the way that will need a loving/supportive home...please pass our information along to them. We will work with an attorney for a legal adoption process....(This actually happens more time than you may realize!)

3. Host a Pampered Chef catalog/online show in April or May. Great way to earn FREE and discounted gifts for mom/grandma/aunt for Mother's Day!

4. Shop at a current Pampered Chef Fundraiser by April 30  15% of your order goes to us as well as 15% for the fundraiser commission: Click HERE to go to the Online Pampered Chef Fundraiser

5. Check out our YouCaring donation website: Watson Family Adoption Donation Page

6.  Order t-shirts!  Watson Family Adoption T-Shirt Fundraiser (Pictures at the bottom of this post)

7.  Come to the Thirty-One Gifts party at our home on Saturday, May 16 at 2 p.m.  If you can't come, a link to order will be available starting May 1.  My amazing consultant has graciously offered to give us her commission...which is 25% of each sale!  I would love to see you!!!

6. And finally, please feel free to read and share our blog. As we have updates, I will post them.  This is our way of sharing information with our family and friends, but also being able to help others in our place. It has helped Scott and I to talk with people and share stories that are going through similar situations.

We will be creating something very special to hang in the baby's room with each and every person's name on it that has contributed to our adoption. (Details to come!) It is important for Baby Watson to know how much he/she is loved and supported through the journey of joining our family.

  

FRONT

 

BACK

As always, THANK you for your love and support.  We will post again in about a week!

Sincerely,  

Scott and Lindsay

We Have a Dream to be Parents!

It has been a couple weeks now since we have last heard from our doctors.  April 17th is still set for a consultation with a doctor specializing in male infertility.  We found ourselves with lots of time to talk on our recent driving trip to Mississippi to visit family for Easter.

Scott and I would like to still explore what is causing the male infertility...that involves him undergoing a few different tests/procedures.  We will find out more about that next week.  However, we have also decided to start the adoption journey.  Scott and I have one goal in our hearts...become parents.  Loving, God-fearing, fun, active, involved, (and of course totally cool) PARENTS!  If that route happens through our own DNA, great.  If not, that is OK, too.  We feel God is calling us towards adoption.  We are not giving up on having biological children...we just feel we can love our "gotcha children" just as much as "our DNA children".

The adoption placement process can be long.  1-2+ years.  Then it is about 6+ months after placement that we would be able to finalize the adoption.  MANY factors go into the cost of adoption. Application fees, homestudy fees, placement fees, attorney fees, court fees, travel fees, birth mother's care and living expenses...list goes on.

Unfortunately, we are at a standstill until the first part of the money can be saved up to cover the first homestudy and the first part of the agency fees.  We plan to use a private agency here in Ohio.  In-state adoptions are slightly more affordable as they have caps on the money the birth mother cant receive for living expenses.  Other states can get quite high.  With that being said, though...if a friend or family member knows of a birth mother planning to give her baby up for adoption, we can actually work with an attorney for that process...and would be VERY HAPPY to become parents that way as well.  

If you're interested in knowing the basics to adoption, here is a great link to the process.   Steps to Adoption

Grants and some tax return benefits are available for us if we have a successful adoption.  However, we have to come up with the money up front via fundraisers, loans, side jobs, donations, savings, etc.  The expenses can really add up ($20,000-$50,000) for adoption.  We hate that it comes down to money, though we understand why it is the way it is.

When we moved from Mississippi last year, we also left behind Scott's old truck that we were certain wouldn't make the trip...so at the same time as trying for our family, we are on the hunt for a family-friendly vehicle for Scott (he's been borrowing my dad's truck) paying down my students loans, and related medical expenses.  I sell Pampered Chef on the side, and will put ALL the commission I make from that on the medical/adoption fees...and I have an interview coming up for a second job...  I know the Lord will provided and that His plan will continue to become more visible for us. 

In the meantime, if you find it in your heart that you want to support our adoption financially, a secure account has been set up for us at this link.   Watson Family Donation Page  The entire amount raised will go towards our dream of being parents.

I also have set up a Pampered Chef fundraiser which closes April 30th if you would like to order Pampered Chef and help us at the same time!  Pampered Chef Fundraiser

Thank you all for your continued to support.  Our goal...be pregnant and/or adopt by Christmas 2015!!

                                         Collecting sap for maple syrup at mom and dad's house!