September Update

We're still waiting. I don't want anyone to get too excited about news that hasn't come yet. We are working our way up the waiting list and we know that any time now we will have news about a match.

Quick recap:

We started this whole process in January. The research, choosing an agency, orientation, and the beginnings of the home study. We read books, we took classes, we filled out a LOT of paperwork, and we were interviewed for hours to make sure we were ready for this. We put together a profile book and a video that explains who we are, about our home, and the family we are building together.  At the end of March, just after our birthdays, we completed our home study and moved to "match ready."

Now it's September and we are in our 6th month of being match ready. That's 5 and a half months of knowing that somewhere out there people are looking at our book and our video to decide if we are the perfect family for their little one. Most of the time, we have no idea when our profile is being shown. Nightlight shows our profile in situations that fit the preferences we have shared with them. If there is a situation that is borderline what our preferences are, they send us some basic information about the case and let us decide if we want our profile shown.

Honesty time.

Garrett and I both MUCH prefer to not know when our profile is being shown. At the end of each month, we get an update email that lets us know where we are on the waitlist and how many times our profile has been viewed. Those emails are awesome because we see all the work that has been going on in the background. We know that we've made the top two or three choice several times and that the main reason others have been picked over us is because those others have been on the waiting list a lot longer than we have. For those cases, we know what state we were shown in and any comments the mother had about our profile and that's about it. We don't know any specifics or even any basics about those cases.

When we know our profile is going to be shown, we have more information. We know what state. We know a little about the family situation. We know when our profile will be shown. That little bit of information that we're given means everything. We know that if we agree to have our profile shown that could be the first things we ever know about the child that will be ours. There have been times when we know our profile is being shown in Colorado on Friday at noon. So you better believe that Friday we do everything we can to distract ourselves...but we usually don't get much done. It's harder when we don't get these matches because we had just enough information to get excited about a possibility that very suddenly disappears when a different family is chosen. It's strange because we're disappointed we didn't get the match, excited that another family did get a match, and a little relieved because if you didn't get this one it's because there's a better match out there for you.

This season is a hard one. It's hard to wait. It's hard to plan ahead. It's hard to not get attached to the tiny bits of information we learn about cases. BUT, we're still thankful. We're thankful for friends and family that are on this rollercoaster with us and for the support our people give us. This kiddo that we don't know yet is SO loved. A peek in the baby's room at our house shows just how spoiled they already are.

Waiting is hard, but the wait will be worth it.

 Thank you for hanging in there with us and we hope to have exciting news for you soon!

We love you guys!