And I'm Back

Okay, I'm finally back to add a blog. It's been a while, I know. After many comments (aka complaints) during our trip to Iowa last weekend from our very supportive and interested friends about us not keeping up with the blog, I thought I should get back on the horse, at least in an effort to appease our audience. By the way, it was so much fun seeing so many old friends last weekend. It was very therapeutic for me to go back to Des Moines and Garner and see so many faces I haven't seen in, oh, probably 8+ years.

Anyway, I'll try not to talk in circles here since Roger has already been so kind as to update the blog on what we're doing since our failed attempt at in vitro in August. No, we are not doing any more IVF. Yes, we have decided to adopt a baby from Ethiopia. For any Texans out there reading this, that is in Africa. (Sorry, inside joke.) I know it came as a somewhat shock to many people to hear that we decided so quickly to do an international adoption after only our first attempt at IVF, but we actually had been seriously contemplating adoption before we ever decided to do IVF. When we first realized we were having problems conceiving (like late '06) we said "if we can't do this naturally, we will adopt." Then we decided to try an IUI....and then a second time. Then I decided I should try IVF. See how nothing ever goes like you think it will? We set limits for ourselves and then busted right through them anyway. Well, after one round of in vitro, I realized enough was enough. AND, the funniest thing about all of this is way back this past spring (man, that seems like a long time ago) I told Roger we would take the year off and then start the adoption process at the end of '08. Well, we're still right on track with that original plan. We just ended up not taking '08 off and threw in the roller coaster ride of in vitro instead. So now we're off that roller coaster ride and have hopped on the adoption ride. So far this ride is much more fun. It involves me buying baby clothes and a Johnny jumper instead of poking myself with needles every day. Yes, shopping for our future baby may be a little premature, but I really just can't help it. I am limiting myself only to things that are exceptionally cute and also on sale.

Why Ethiopia, you ask? Well, if you had told me five years ago that I would someday adopt a child from Africa, I would have told you you're crazy. All I can say is God works in mysterious ways but ultimately has a plan for each one of us, and we finally feel that we (me and Roger) have realized what our plan is. As soon as we decided we weren't going to do any more IVF, we were introduced to some really amazing people and their really amazing kids who happen to be adopted from Ethiopia. All living here in Springfield, MO! We had no idea. There's actually quite a few families in our community who have/are adopting from Ethiopia, and it's been so much fun and so exciting to learn of this amazing support network that already exists! As one door shut, another door was opened to this wonderful opportunity. So that is how we came to learn of Ethiopian adoptions. And, of course, there's always the factual statistics of Africa -- like how there's literally millions of children orphaned by AIDS, hunger, tuberculosis each year, and the numbers just continue to rise. No, adoption is not the solution to this world crisis, but we can make a difference to at least one.

Okay, enough blogging for one day. I have a whole lot more to say. I have lots of different emotions and thoughts each and every day about the adoption process (good, bad, and scary), our future child, etc., and I promise to share more. For now I should get back to my real job so I can make some real money so we can continue to pay for this very real experience.