A Bedtime Story.....

I am really missing Rosie right now while I'm away at training for three weeks!!!! So - I thought I would create a little Rosemary tribute. This is a story about Rosie and bedtime....and her not wanting to go to sleep.... and how much I miss the bedtime routine - however crazy it is........

She usually runs away before I can dry her hair and put her socks on

My little bookworm....she loves to read and look at books and flip pages....she's been doing this since she was 6 months old...what a smart baby!

Obviously her hair requires a pony tail - always - or a bow. I sneak it out as she's drifiting off to sleep. Her favorite past time is removing books from the bookshelf and placing them on the floor. Those are usually the books we read every night.....at least 9 or 10 and sometimes more.

Perfection!

The bunny is one of her best friends. So is her grandpa. I think if she could just drag her grandpa around like the bunny, she would.

DNA!!!

Eli's DNA was taken on October 10th. Rosie's was taken last year on October 9th!



For those of you not familiar with the process in Guatemala, the US requires DNA tests to be administered to all children placed for adoption. The process requires the birthmom to go to a lab and the fostermom brings the baby in and the samples (swabs of saliva) are taken while both bmom (birthmom) and baby are in the same room. A photo is taken of bmom holding the baby and the photo and swabs are sent to an approved US lab to process. The results and a photo are then sent to the US embassy in Guatemala and a DNA map and photo is sent to the adoptive parents. This is only one of the safeguards used to make sure the process is a legitimate one.

So yesterday I got my packet and couldn't wait to open it to see more photos of my cute baby. He is so cute with little black fuzzy hair sticking up and he looks more and more like Rosie every day. I have chosen not to post the photo out of respect for the birthmother. She is such a precious woman to me and I do not want to dishonor her by posting a photo of her as she holds her baby for a few precious seconds. She was very visibly crying and I'm sure extremely sad. But, I have a photo of her and Rosie as well. What a gift to give my children: both of them with their birthmother only one year apart. I will treasure those photos for sure. And, of course it goes without saying they have the same birthmom, so it's extra special to see the resemblance.



So, also included in the packet was the DNA map of both bmom and Eli. So, of course I compared it to Rosie's. Birthmom's DNA is exactly the same on both print outs which came as no surprise. And, Rosie's and Eli's is similar in so many ways.

Any result over a 90% match is considered positive. Rosie's was 99.993% and Eli's was 99.999%

I'll let you all know when we get PA which is the next step in our process!

Welcome!

What a great way to start this blog. Rosie and I happily announce that we are adding another addition to our family. I find myself going through the same things I went through with Rosie's adoption: the worrying, the anxiety, the pain, the joy, the immense love I feel for this child I have not met. I saw this poem somewhere and thought it was perfect.

Almost every night I go outside and say my prayers and now (yet again) I find myself looking up at the stars, at the moon wondering what my precious baby is doing at that exact moment in time. I feel closer to God when I'm outside and I feel closer to my baby. It's sort of a therapy for me as I long to hold this baby and give him the love I know he desperately deserves. Somehow I feel as I gaze up at the sky for those precious few seconds he knows I'm there loving him, praying for him, wishing for him.

Welcome to our blog originally intended for Rosie and me. So, the title is perfect. Visit as often as you like, feel free to leave comments and follow us as we journey through the adoption of Rosie's biological little brother. We are so happy to have him. Welcome to our family Elias Joseph!

Rosie and Me....and Eli makes three!



Kisses in the Wind
I hold you in my heart and touch you in my dreams,
You are here each day with me, at least that's how it seems.
I know you wonder where I am... what's taking me so long,
But remember child, I love you so and God will keep you strong.
Now go outside and feel the breeze and let it touch your skin...
Because tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.
May God hold you in His hand until I can be with you.
I promise you, my darling, I'm doing all that I can do.
Very soon, you'll have a family for real, not just pretend.
But for tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.
May God wrap you in His arms and hold you very tight.
And let the angels bring the kisses that I send to you each night.
--Unknown