Well fellow bloggers, I haven't updated in long time for several reasons. The first reason was because on one of my previous posts from like October, an anonymous blog stalker commented on my eagerness to get a baby and said that I was naive to think that we would get a newborn. That really upset me, so I did everything but delete my blog account. But, dear friends, my God is bigger than the opinion of an anonymous blogger. And since that time, well, here is the story...
WE HAVE OUR SON! Ethan Christopher Sherman is here and he is the absolute joy of our lives. The Lord has heard our prayers and granted us a beautiful, healthy baby boy. For those of you who want to read the how and when, here goes:
On Monday, November 22, 2010, my sister, Allie, through talking to one of her friends, heard about a birthmother who was looking for a couple to adopt her baby boy due in January. Allie didn't want to get our hopes up, so she sat on the news for a day. On Tuesday, November 23, Allie called me and told me all she knew. It sounded too good to be true, which is exactly what Chris and I said. We didn't act on it. But Allie knew in her heart that this could really be the answer to our prayers. She and my mom kept praying about it. The whole situation nagged at Chris and I all through Thanksgiving. Then, on Saturday after Thanksgiving, Allie talked to the woman who was helping the birthmom try to find adoptive parents. Allie felt that this baby could/would be ours, so she called us. Chris called the woman and got all of the facts (which I will not disclose out of respect for the birthmom).
On Monday, November 29, 2010, Chris and I met with a lawyer to discuss a private adoption. She was skeptical that it could be pulled off in such short notice because she though we hadn't had background checks, adoption classes, or a home study yet... BUT we HAD since we had started the DHS process. This would be a private adoption (without DHS, who we had been with from the beginning). From that moment on, we were a GO.
Over the next few days, we kept in contact with the woman who was helping the birthmom and by December 3, 2010, we met the birthmom and her family to eat. That night, it felt real. This birthmom wanted us to raise her baby. She was giving us her child. It was a lot to take in. But the Lord has had His hand in this from the beginning. Everything has gone so smoothly that only the Lord our God could orchestrate such a beautiful, miraculous, and speedy journey.
We officially started "telling people" after the birthmom signed the first set of adoption paperwork on December 13th. On December 18th, my parents and Chris and I painted the baby's room.
On Monday, December 20, 2010, Allie and I went for a day of shopping before Christmas. We even went to the hospital where my baby would be born and met the nursing staff. We then went to eat. While eating, I got a phone call. The woman helping the birthmom said through tears, "I'm glad you painted the baby's room because he is coming today!" He was coming 4 weeks and 5 days early. A flood of emotions came over me... I was about to be a mom, this was it! What if the birthmom changed her mind, what if the baby isn't ready and he has trouble. My mom and my sister and I started praying and I was very calm by the time Chris and I walked through the doors of the hospital.
At 8:26 p.m. our son was born. The birthmom said I could be in the room, but the nurse who was supposed to come and get me didn't, and I made it into the room just after he came out. He was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. From that moment on, the birthmom allowed me to be "mom". Even when the doctor tried to make her hold Ethan, she told the doctor 'no' that Ethan was to be given to me. I texted Chris and told him our son was here. 5 lbs 6 oz and 17 in long
I have so much respect and gratefulness for this young woman who, knowing she could not raise her child, chose to give him to me. She didn't 'know' me. She had read about us, she had met us once, she had seen pictures of us. Those of you who think badly of young unwed pregnant women, don't ever criticize them in my hearing. It takes women like her, whatever the situation, for someone like me to have a child to hold in my arms. Babies are no mistake and this young mother chose life for her baby. In doing so, I am the mother to a son.
In the next few days in the hospital, Chris and I got to be with Ethan every moment. We took in every second with him. The birthmother came by to hold Ethan and to give us a note. A portion of it read..."you think you are the ones who are blessed, but it is me who is blessed to have found you...I know you will be great parents."
On December 23rd, we took Ethan home. My parents, my sister and her girls, and my Granny were waiting to welcome us. We dove headfirst into parenthood and haven't looked back. On Christmas day, we went to my mom's with our baby boy, Allie and Travis & Taylor & Kanna, and Granny.
Little side note: My sweet Granny has been with us through every loss that Chris and I have had. After her stroke last March, I wasn't sure Granny would ever get to see our children. In the hospital (before Granny was very clear about what was happening to her), she kept talking about our baby boy. We kept telling her that we didn't have a baby boy yet (we hadn't even started the adoption process yet). But she was insistent that we had a baby boy and that he had dark hair. Months later, mid-summer, when we told Granny we were beginning the adoption process, she kept saying she wanted us to get an infant. This was hard for me to explain to her that we might not. She was insistent. Then, she and my mom kept saying that it would be amazing if we got a baby for Christmas. So for Christmas, we got our baby boy... and he has a lot of hair :)
On Monday, January 3, 2011, the birthmom signed her final paperwork. We are now awaiting the official adoption date before the judge on February 24th.
The past month has been the greatest adventure and the Lord continues to have His hand all over this journey. I got maternity leave from teaching and Chris got 4 weeks paternity leave from work, so we have been able to be with Ethan every moment.
The Lord has been faithful and has granted us the desires of our heart. Ethan is thriving. He is such a blessing to us and Chris and I thank the Lord every day for giving us such a precious gift. As of Thanksgiving, my arms were empty, and by Christmas, they were full. Thanks to all of our friends and family for the prayers and the gifts to Ethan. He is our miracle baby. We are a family. Love to all!
