Pause...

So, the termination of parental rights hearing was this morning. We were hoping for a quick process but we hit a little snag. Both biological parents have contested the termination.

"What does that mean?" you ask. It means there will be a trial so they can each plead their case. They have to prove that they are able to take care of themselves and the baby. 

We aren't too concerned, though. It's just a minor delay. The trial is set for the end of October. For now, we just continue loving her and giving her a great home and family.

Walkin' Tall

Hello, reader people. It's been a while since our last post. On July 1, the baby moved in with us and we officially became her foster parents. We have been extremely busy with the little one and we are loving every minute of it. She is a bundle of joy and the most entertaining person I've met.

A couple weeks later, we had a "Welcome To The Family" party for her. A lot of people showed up to meet her. As always, she was happy to let anyone and everyone hold her. She is great around large groups of people, which is good because we both have pretty large families. Ashley, our moms and a few others did a great job planning and setting up this party. It truly was an awesome day!

Since then, we have seen her learn quite a few new things. She says a few words, like mama and dada. Cat and dog. She also says cup and has been trying to say bite. The other day, the dog sneezed and she decided it would be fun to mimic her and faked a sneeze of her own. Complete with the head nod and "Chhhh" sound. She now does it when anyone sneezes and, at times, for no reason at all. We have also started fake sneezing just so she'll do it. It is one of the funniest things I've seen. She loves to play and laugh and really only cries when she's tired.

Most parents we talk to ask how she sleeps. To which I have to fight the urge to say "laying down" or "with her eyes closed." Yes, I know, smart aleck-ness is my friend. Seriously though, she's a really good sleeper. She's usually asleep by 9 or 9:30 and sleeps through the night. Most mornings she's up by 7, but occasionally gives us a little extra shut eye and stays asleep until 8. She also naps twice a day.

The biggest new development is that she took her first steps a couple weeks ago. Until this week she wouldn't take more than a few steps at a time and she wouldn't do that very often. Now she is getting more brave and trying to walk more. Soon she will be running and I can't wait!

These next two weeks are going to be crazy. Wednesday is going to test our nerves. The termination of parental rights hearing is happening then. Luckily it's in the morning so we won't have to wait all day to get a call from her social worker. We understand that the court could issue a continuance or they could terminate parental rights. Of course, we want the latter but are prepared for either outcome. We think. There is also the possibility of someone else in the biological family trying to get custody, but it's pretty late in the game to be stepping up. We are praying that the court realizes that she has already bonded with us and has a good, happy home here. It is indescribable how much we love her already. She physically looks like she could be our child and she has many of the same characteristics and mannerisms that we do. We really feel like she was meant to be part of our family.

Her first birthday is coming up in a couple weeks too. We (mostly Ash) are planning her party and getting more excited (both of us) by the day. Ashley has come up with a great theme and lots of good ideas. It's going to be amazing!

So that's the latest chapter in the Sharp Evolution. We will get better at updating more frequently. Thanks for reading. Until next time...

Homecoming

As we sit on a plane headed back to California, I thought we should update you on the baby situation. We started getting visits with her shortly after Ashley penned our first post. She is an adorable bundle of joy. She is always happy and takes to new people well. We found this out by bombarding her with her new grandparents and aunt on our first all-day visit. She'll stare at you for a minute but then she's all smiles and love.

When we were matched, we already had a trip planned to Texas to see my sister and her family. We asked if we could take the baby with us, but since the vacation was so close, we weren't able to do so. Apparently it takes about a month to get a court order to take a foster child out of state. So we agreed on a visitation schedule with her social worker and foster mom. We had a few visits, including an impromptu overnight. She was great for us every time and we fell deeper in love with her. 

About a week before we left, Ashley got a call from the baby's social worker saying we can sign paperwork to become her foster parents and bring her home shortly after our vacation.

So we set it up to have some time with her on the night before we left and took her out to dinner. After dinner we set up post-vacation/pre-homecoming visitation. It was difficult knowing we wouldn't see her again for a week, but we knew it was good to take that final baby-free vacation. Ashley dubbed it our "Babymoon."

We had a great time in Texas and bought the baby a bunch of stuff. So much stuff that we had to borrow a duffel bag from my sister so we didn't have to pay fees for an overweight checked bag.

So now, as we fly over some mountains and farms, I'm anxious to get home. We have another visit tomorrow and we can't wait to give the baby her new toys and clothes. And a bunch of hugs and kisses. Then we will have a few more visits, including an entire weekend. 

I guess y'all (yeah, I just spent a week in Texas) want to know when we get to bring her home. Ashley said we were hoping to have her home by the end of June. Unfortunately that's not going to happen. Instead, we have to wait. But we don't wanna wait! We can't wait! Can't wait to welcome her into our home. On July 1st we're going to smother her with love and affection and give her something every child, every person really, needs and deserves. A sense of family. A sense of belonging. 

The Evolution Begins

Since our wedding in July 2008, Jason and I have been trying to add to our family. We have struggled with infertility and the price tag that comes with getting treatment. One first time guest at my parents annual Super Bowl party in 2012, planted a seed in our heads. She told us how her son and daughter in law we're adopting through the foster care program in their county. She told us a little bit about how the process worked. But after that night, I sort of forgot all about it. Being a foster parent was something I never thought I could do. Bringing a child into my home, falling in love with them and then to have to give him or her back to their "real" parents was something I felt my heart couldn't take. 

Fast forward to mid April-an article appeared in our local paper about a Foster Family Agency (FFA) looking for foster parents that are willing to adopt. A term they called "concurrent planning." I posted a link to the article on Facebook with a quote that said "I hope we can go to this!" This was the first my husband had heard of this plan of mine...and he found out from Facebook. Needless to say he was a little confused. I wasn't thinking about that when I did it, I was just thinking how much we wanted a child and I wanted to see what this program was all about. 

We went to the orientation in May and then decided foster to adopt was the route we wanted to go to build our family.  We went to our first training but no body seemed to be able to answer any of our questions regarding the process. Then, while we were waiting for the next training the following month, we received a voicemail from the "trainer" asking us to attend the training we had already been to. Not only that, she called me by another name. I called her back and left a voicemail that we had already been to the training she called us about and that in her voicemail she called me by the wrong name so I wanted to make sure she had us down properly in her log. I didn't hear back from the FFA for over a month. By that time, Jason and I were concerned with even moving forward with them. If they couldn't keep track of us now, what was it going to be like when we had a child placed with us? 

Although that particular FFA was not one we felt comfortable with, we decided to pursue the process anyway. We decided to go straight to the source; our county's Human Services Agency. In September we went to the county orientation. They were able to answer many questions we had and referred us to their contracted adoption agency to start our home study. Between October and March, we had three home study interviews with our adoption social worker. She interviewed us individually and as a couple. And for five weeks between March and April, we had to attend 30 hours of training at the local community college. A few more weeks of waiting for the home study to be completed and then creating our family book was all that was standing between us and one of the happiest days of our lives.

That first Tuesday "matching meeting" (this is where our adoption social worker meets with the county social workers and they talk about the available children and try to find a match between them and prospective adoptive parents) rolled around and there was no phone call from our social worker. We were not surprised by this as it was only the first one. Still, neither one of us could sleep that night. We prayed that it wouldn't be long before we got that call that would forever change our lives.

Let me tell you, I love my sleep and was grumpy the next morning because I hadn't slept well in two days. I was too anxious & excited to sleep. The day after the matching meeting, the morning at work passed slowly and, as I was eating my lunch at my desk, I see our social workers number pop up on my cell phone. I though "oh my God, oh my God!! Could this be it?" I answered the call warily; our social worker spoke and I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing. The county had already found a match for us! In one day?! Could this really be happening? Oh yes it could, and yes it was. I wrote down all the details about the little one as I could and once I hung up, I feverishly text my husband to call me as soon as possible. He was at work and I didn't know how long it would take him to get my text so I decided to just call him at the store. When I told him we were matched with an 8.5 month old little girl, his voice broke as he spoke to me. I don't remember what he said, I couldn't even think clearly. I was overwhelmed with joy that we would soon be welcoming into our home and hearts a little girl. 

May 29, 2013 we got to hold our baby girl for the first time. Overcome with emotion as I held her, I broke down in tears. I watched my husbands face light up when holding his daughter for the first time. There really are no words to describe the way we felt. Unfortunately, because of the way the foster program works we were unable to take her home with us that day. Next up is visits with her so she gets used to being around us. A few hours long visits, a day, an overnight and a weekend visit. We hope to have her home by the end of June. From the beginning of the process working with our county to the goal date of having her home with us, it will be approximately 9.5 months. It's sort of like we are giving birth to a ten month old! 

Jason and I cannot wait to get her home and update our readers, families and friends. We can't thank you enough for all the love, support and encouragement you have given us during this process. We are truly blessed. Until next time...