More crafty goodness

I made this scrapbook for my personal trainer (yes, I have one although I know you can't tell). He had a baby girl a month ago. Each page is a holiday in the next coming year and a space for a photo.

I'm back!

Wow, time flies! But, I am back and ready to blog. It has been a very busy few weeks. I finished the semester at UOP and we began our state standardized testing at the school. Also, one of our kindergartners passed away in a drowning accident. He had been at school on a Thursday, went home and drowned in his pool. The next day we had to tell his fellow classmates and our staff. The following week was just as tough with funeral services and continuing to work with the students in his classroom.
On top of this, we've been dealing with the financial struggles of our district and multiple layoffs. I received a pink slip and had it rescinded just this last Thursday. It was many weeks of waiting.
Very emotional last few weeks. Glad to finally have a bit more order.
I have started my first summer session of classes. Statistics for 4.5 hours two nights a week...it's about as intense as you can imagine.
Not much with the adoption...still working on paperwork. Reference forms went out to our list of people we hope will say nothing but nice things about us! :)
Will blog again soon this week...

Tell It Like It Is Shaila!

Yesterday Mark and I spend a 10 hour day in one of our required adoption classes. This one focused on international adoptions. Shaila is the international adoption guru with our home study agency. She took us through a day of things to think about that Mark and I had not honestly even thought about. She held nothing back and definitely told it like it is! By 10 our brains were exhausted, by 1 we were overwhelmed and by 5 we were wondering what we have gotten ourselves into. It didn't change our mind, if anything we felt like a unified team even more ready to commit.

I considered Shaila a sign, more of an angel actually. Shaila is an Indian woman that has two Indian children she adopted over 17 years ago (domestiaclly, which I still can't believe!). She not only knows the legalities of just about every country, but she can relate to how it feels to be an Indian woman going through the adoption process. See...an angel to help me through this.

Shaila spent some time talking about the reactions of adoption from different perspectives. I very much connected with what she was saying. Since telling folks we are adopting, it's not always the same reaction you get as if you say, "I'm pregnant!" You don't get asked about your emotions, physical state, planning for baby, etc.... as you do when you are physically pregnant. It makes you worried about how your child will be treated/viewed when they arrive home. This is such a difficult journey that is very misunderstood. So, yes, we are pregnant! It just may take longer than 9 months to deliver our baby. :)