The story of Ada Grace, Pt2 ~

Two years ago September 30th ~

Today we woke up knowing it was the last day to wake up with Daddy and Grandma Pam here with us. We had a rather large agenda for the day. Dorthy wanted us to stop by her apartment to meet AG's halfsister, K & her daughter J. One of the wonderful ladies from Family to Family Adoptions Inc. was there with us as a neutral person to keep things positive. While we were there Dorthy held AG, asked us some questions, allowed us to ask her some questions. We were able to get all of AG's half siblings names and birthdays...and Dorthy's 2 granddaughters names and birthdays as well. We tried to keep it as brief as possible, took a couple of pictures and were on our way.

We had talked that as long as we were that close, we would drive to Galveston Texas and see the gulf. We went to the beach and took some fun pictures, even let Ada Grace put her feet in the water! It was so much fun, starting already at 3 days old our little princess was getting compliments about how beautiful she was and still is! Those compliments have not stopped since! We were able to eat at this little local place in Galveston where Jason and Grandma had what they claim to be the 'BEST SHRIMP EVER!' They look forward to eating there again if and when we go back to Texas...and you all know that the only reason we would go there is to work with Family to Family again and add to our family through adoption.

When we returned to the apartment it wasn't long before Jason and my mom had to pack up their things and leave me stranded there with my new baby. I did my best to send home what I wouldn't need so when Ada Grace and I flew back in about a week I wouldn't have too much stuff to worry about. It was rather emotional saying goodbye to my husband. Here is something that we had prayed for for so long, and he was having to return home to work. I have to say, it wasn't AS hard hugging my mother good -bye, although there were plenty of times through the next 6 days that it would have been GREAT to have her there! But something about becoming parents and having to send one away just didn't seem right. The only thing that kept me knowing that things would be okay was the fact that they wonderful ladies at Family to Family promised that if I needed anything at all to give them a call and they would be more than happy to help me out!

After Jason and my mother left, I cried for a little while...but ultimately I just held my baby girl and could not believe that I was finally a Mommy! I decided it was time to give her the first sponge bath. I also had to do a little laundry, but otherwise it was just bonding time.


Two years ago October 1st ~

What a crazy/wonderful day! While it is in my nature to be in church every time the doors are open, I have to admit that we didn't go to church this Sunday. My husband and mother were still driving home and I didn't really have any idea where a church was, let alone being able to get there! Instead, Ada Grace and I just spent more time forming the bond as mother and daughter. We walked and bounced alot because she had troubles (still does!) have dirty diapers...but what a wonderful day it was. I was a Mommy!


Two years ago October 2nd ~

How amazing! Waking up to hearing a newborn baby crying, wait...that newborn is MY baby! I remembered back to hearing mothers in the past complaining about how their 2 month old wasn't sleeping through the night and they were having to get up and rock and feed their little ones...I remember holding back tears on numbers of occasions thinking, "if only I had a baby to rock and feed in the middle of the night!" Well, because of adoption...I now had that very precious baby! And I really didn't think the midnight feedings were all that bad. I jumped at every opportunity to have her awake to cuddle and snuggle. To the point that there were times I just thought about waking her up so I could see her beautiful eyes, hear her cry, and know that it wasn't a dream!


Two years ago October 4th ~

The day we were originally told that Ada Grace was going to be born, and she is already a week old! Where does time go?!? Since she was already a week old we had to go the doctor for a check up. One of the wonderful ladies at Family to Family adoptions, Inc agreed to drive us there. The doctor said that you were very healthy and had no concerns at all! We were brought back to the apartment to spend the rest of the day together! We also had to start thinking about packing our things up, as we would be flying home on the 6th.


Two years ago October 5th ~

Once again the wonderful ladies at Family to Family came through for us...Dorthy had requested that she have one final visit with Ada Grace before we flew home. I, of course, didn't want to go alone...so one of the fam2fam ladies came with us, if I remember correctly it was the founder of Family to Family, Maxine. It was a short visit, Dorthy took pictures and said good bye. After the visit was over, we went back to the apartment...Maxine came in and just checked up on us. Made sure things were going well and that we were all set. I thanked her for helping to grow our family! We spent the rest of the day packing and getting ready to go home!


Two years ago October 6th ~

Jennifer from Family to Family Adoptions, Inc picked us up to drive us to the airport in Houston. What a wonderful time we had with all of those ladies! Maxine, Debbie, Jennifer, Belinda, and Pat...they took such good care of us, and of Dorthy. I cannot imagine an adoption going any smoother that ours did! When we arrived at the airport Jennifer helped us in as far as she could go...it was so nice to have help with the luggage! We boarded our plane and had a great trip. Our first leg of our flight we sat next to a wonderful lady who had lots of helpful advise about how to take care of Ada Grace's skin and hair. We had a layover in Salt Lake City, and they it was a short 45 minute flight home. Upon arriving at the airport we were welcomed by a large group of people...some that I had not even met before! It was such a blessing! Our pastor and wife, our 'adopted' west river Grandparents, some wonderful friends and 9 of their 11 (at the time, now 12) children, a friend that I had only met on the phone, DADDY, and surprise! Grandma Pam! Our friend had made little pink frosted cookies, there were balloons and signs all over the place. How was I not suppose to cry? What a welcome home it was! I still remember that day as if it were yesterday...crystal clear!

This journey is definitely not over, but the most exciting part it. I just want to take this chance to publicly thank Maxine and the other ladies at Family to Family Adoptions Inc. for the wonderful treatment they gave to us in this very exciting time of our life. I remember telling my husband that the name of the agency really fits, you very much feel as if they are family and are helping our family! It has been fun over the last two years to be in contact via email and phone with the ladies that played a big part in growing our family! We pray even now that the Lord would allow the funds to come in so that we could work with Family to Family again and add to our wonderful little crew of Jason, Ashley, Ada Grace, and Ethan.

If anyone is considering adoption, I would highly recommend them to at least call Family to Family. This is their website...you can find their contact information there!

2 years ago, the Ada Grace story! Pt1

So since I was not in the blogging world 2 years ago when all of a sudden AG came into our lives, I thought some of you might like to relive the story with us.

2 years ago September 25th~
We got a phone call from Family to Family Adoptions Inc. telling us that there was a birthmother whom was due on October 4th (1 week and 2 days away) who was going to be considered a 'hard to place' situation. When asking what they meant by 'hard to place' the first thing that they said was that they didn't have any families that were ready to bring home a baby that quickly and the second thing was a much more unfortunate reason. I asked about the health of the baby and was told that the birthmother was carrying a perfectly healthy African America baby girl. They realized we wouldn't be able to get the money together in 9 days, but did encourage us to have at least $10,000 when we arrived in Texas. I told them that we would have to pray about this, talk to each other and to the banker before we could say yes. They said that was fine because we needed to fax them our profile and homestudy so the birthmother, we will call Dorthy, could learn about us and decide if we were the family for her baby. I made many phone calls and talked with my husband and prayed for a miracle. When going to bed that night we pretty much thought that there was no way that this was going to happen because we couldn't afford the cost of adoption in that short of order. I put my head on my pillow and cried and prayed that the Lord would do a miracle.

2 years ago September 26th~
We woke up this morning sure that life was just going to continue on like it had for the past 4 1/2 years of our marriage. Jason left for work around 7 am like always, and did some housework and then had to leave for work at 9:45. While walking to work the adoption agency called us and said that Dorthy would love for us to adopt her little girl and I responded that we hadn't heard back from the bank, so didn't know if it was going to work out...would let them know as soon as I did. Well, at about 10:20 the bank called and told us that even though we had been turned down for a $10,000 unsecured loan before...they were able to give it to us this time but we would have to make an appointment at the bank in Belle Fourche and sign some papers and then the money would be available 24 hours after that. So I called the agency (probably my husband first) and told them that we knew that we could get the first $10,000 at least and we would start making plans to come to Texas. They asked if we would come a few days early so we could meet Dorthy and ask her questions and answer questions she may have for us. We agreed we would leave either Saturday or Monday depending on what we could get for plane tickets. My boss told me to go home and we would talk about my work schedule after I returned from Texas with my beautiful baby girl! What wonderful bosses I had/have! I believe that I spoke on the phone with Dorthy that afternoon for a short time. But most of the afternoon was spent on the phone.

2 years ago September 27th~
I woke up earlier than normal because I was SOOOOO excited! Jason went to work like normal and my goal that day was to nail down our plane tickets and get situated to go to Texas in a few days. While making phone call to travel agents (we didn't have Internet then) I received a phone call from Family to Family stating that we needed to get to Texas ASAP because our baby was coming TODAY! This was one week earlier than what we were expecting and less than 24 hours after we heard from the bank that this was going to be possible! I called Jason and couldn't get him on his cell...kept trying and he wasn't answering. Finally I called his place of work and got his bosses cell phone number, whom he was on a job site with, and called it. Sure enough Jason was working in an attic and couldn't get to his phone so through his boss James, I was able to tell him that he needed to come home because we needed to get to Texas to meet our princess! I in turn called my mother to tell her to meet us in Sioux Falls in 6 hours because we were going to Texas to meet her Granddaughter! She was so excited! I quickly packed up some things for myself and Jason and then dug out of storage some of the things that we already had in preparation for a baby! The car seat, some clothes, some lotion, bath soaps, hair do dads, etc and we were on the road! We did meet up with mom who had 1/2 to pack and 5 1/2 hours to shop for pink stuff! And the three of us headed off to Texas! We drove straight through the night and the trip was about 26 hours long! Our Ada Grace was born at 4:44 pm CST!

2 years ago September 28th~
We arrived to Family to Family Adoptions Inc in Richmond Texas at about 1:00 pm very tired, but excited none the less! There was some paperwork to sign and the $10,000 check to write...one blessing was that we were able to get another $8,000 loan from the ABBA fund in North Carolina that gives interest free loans to Christian adoptive couples...what a blessing! So we only have $4,000 left to come up with! Anyway, after signing the paperwork, meeting the ladies at the office, and having a drink of water...they drove us to the hospital to meet our Ada Grace! We arrive there around 2:30 so she was about 22 hours old! At first AG was in the nursery and we were brought into Dorthy's room and chatted with her, but she being a wonderful person called the nurses in almost right away to bring AG to us! What a wonderful experience! She was so tiny and perfect! She has lots of soft, black, curly hair and wasn't as dark as she is now. Daddy held her first, we asked if it was okay to take pictures and Dorthy said "she is yours, of course you can!" Mommy held her next, I do not even know if there are words to express what I felt at that moment, something that I had given up on...this little miracle that God had given to us! After all the troubles that we had with adoptions before this we just thought we would never be parents! It took fractions of a second of having her in my arms to know that I was her Mommy and life as we know it had just changed! Grandma Pam got to hold her next. Oh how fun to see my mother hold her first grandchild, one that she had waited for for such a long time! Belinda, one of the ladies from Fam 2 Fam, was in the room with us the entire time. I think we only stayed for 2 1/2 hours that day because we were so tired from the drive. It was so hard to leave that hospital knowing that precious hours were ticking away in our daughters life in that hospital nursery! But we had decided that we were not going to remove her from the hospital until the 48 hours papers were signed by Dorthy relinquishing her parental rights. So we grabbed a quick bite to eat at a golden corral, dropped off the film at the local WalGreens and went back to the little apartment that I would call home until October 6th. Grandma and I went to Walmart and bought a few snacks, and of course some PINK baby things! We also got me set up for the week that I would be in Texas without Mom and Jason and would be making meals and things of that sort while waiting for the ICPC paperwork to go through so we could bring Ada Grace home to South Dakota. What a wonderful day it was!

2 years ago today (September 29th)~
We went to the adoption agency first thing to make sure every thing was in order. Today was the day that the paperwork would be signed at around 5 pm and we would be able to bring our baby girl back to the apartment with us! The ladies suggested that we pick up something for Dorthy as a gift to her and so we bought a flower arrangement and a stuffed animal, if I remember correctly! Grandma Pam also found a white teddy bear with the state of Texas embroidered on it chest...that was for AG though! After that we were able to go up to the hospital and see our baby again. We actually spent several hours there that day, and we were able to get arm bands that allowed us to take Ada out of the nursery into private rooms and spend time with her, without Dorthy in the room. It came time to take hospital pictures and do the paper work. The ladies at the adoption agency were a huge help in all of this. We did not actually get the chance to say good bye to Dorthy because it wasn't made clear that we would not actually see her again. She did get time to say good bye to AG, but while we were doing our paperwork and nurses were going over newborn care with us in one room, Dorthy was being released from the hospital and signing her paperwork in another room. When we finished with our papers we were expecting to go and have this awkward good bye and instead the founder of Fam2Fam walked us out to the car...actually funny story...I received new mom treatment and was wheeled out to the car in a wheelchair with AG in her infant carried on my lap! She was ours! It was around 5:45 and we were officially parents forever! We went back to the apartment and made phone calls, took pictures, and of course studies every inch of her beautiful body! It was also a very sad day for me! I knew that tomorrow (Saturday September 30th) Jason and Mom were going to have to head back to SD and I was going to be left in a scary new place without transportation with a new baby! But we enjoyed every last bit of it! We went out to a steakhouse for supper and showed off our beautiful baby girl! And came home to get some sleep. I honestly do not remember having to wake up that night...maybe I didn't sleep! I don't remember! I just remember knowing that God had given us a MIRACLE! Stay tuned for the rest of the story day by day as they come!

Daddy took us out for Pizza!

Last Sunday nigh after church Jason decided to take us out for pizza and I happened to have my camera along so while we were waiting, we had some fun photo ops!

Ada Grace and Daddy, take 1 Ada Grace and Daddy, take 2
"Scrunchy" face!
Looking at the moon
Mommy and Ethan, take 1 ~ and it's a good one!
Daddy and Ethan playing the scrunchy/crazy face game!
Our handsome little man!

Wonderful Labor Day

Although it was a little chilly (we didn't make it out of the 50's) we managed to bundle up the kiddos and go for a family walk. We everything that has been going on this summer, we just haven't gotten enough of those in! Anyway, Labor Day is one of the days Jason gets off and we are thankful for Daddy's days off!

Here are the kids in their coats waiting for Mommy...they give hugs often these days!Ada Grace with her hat, scarf, purse, and baby....she is ready for anything!
As long as Ethan has is thumb and his blanket he is good to go!
AG thinks her baby needs her own seat and buckle
We walk the bike path and there are two parks on the loop that we usually walk, of course AG sees them about a mile away and we get to her "wing, wing...WING" until we arrive! I always tell her she needs to ask Daddy if we can stop and swing. She just loves it so much

I believe this face tells all!
Ethan was having to concentrate very hard on swinging yesterday, he got ahold of some wheat last week and is having some struggles here and there. Normally he likes to swing and is just a smiley as his Sissy about it

We also took the kids down the slide, last year E loved it and AG didn't think it was so great. This year, E could take it or leave it and AG kept wanting more. Just so you all know, Jason let me go down first to "polish" the slide...actually he wanted me to dry off the morning rains before he took the kids down! We each took both AG and E down one time.

Of course I cannot tell you about a walk we took without telling how BEAUTIFULL the Black Hills of South Dakota are! Seriously if you haven't been here for a while or ever, it is time to book a reservation in the Hartung Hotel! One of our church guys owns the lot to the left of the Spearfish Creek in this picture.
This is coming up on the other park, the one we usually stop at....just so pretty!
AG and E were telling their Daddy (pushing the stroller) a big long story! They LOVE going for walks.
More Spearfish beauty

Here is our favorite park. The slides aren't great for parents to take their small children down though...so if we are going to slide we stop at the other park. But this one has all sorts of fun things to do!
AG was very quick to point out the duck at the fish hatchery in town
The kids love watching the fish and ducks at the hatchery
The fish...
This is another view from the fish hatchery

This is a place called Indian Hills
After we returned home from our walk the kids and Daddy were relaxing on the playroom couch, before we sent the kids to take a nap! But Grandma Pam wanted to see pictures of their new fall outfits! She is so silly...but here you go Mom!
Ethan's made him look like such a handsome man and Ada Grace's was just too adorable with the little plaid knickers and her sweater!
My MORE THAN ADORABLE son!
We had a great Labor Day...the kids took a nap and Jason and myself worked on a project that we have been trying to figure out. When the kids woke up we grilled hamburgers and then watched a movie. Of course the kids only made it half way through, but then Mommy and Daddy got some special time together!

We love "Daddy Days!"

Ethan Alexander

This picture cracks me up! If the kids are allowed into Daddy's office (our formal living room) these days you can often find Ethan in the dining room looking down at us! I guess it makes him feel big or something, but the other day I caught this picture....he is such a happy little guy {most of the time!}

Sunday Evening

Well what a better way to wrap up the evening of our 6th anniversary than playing with our children. Some people may not agree, but we have talked about having children since our honeymoon! And when it looked like we might not have children, we just cannot let them go often...even for a few hours! We are thankful to god for the wonderful blessings he has given us in Ada Grace and Ethan.

Right now they are doing everything Mommy and Daddy are doing. I thought this was just too cute, Daddy was laying on the floor and Ada Grace and Ethan just joined right in! Ada Grace says, "Welax" (relax)Daddy was also giving horsie rides
Ada Grace is really into telling stories, but while doing this she has to get herself into 'story telling position'...
Loving Daddy
Our little beauty
All 4 of us have been seeing the chiropractor for a while now, just once a week to keep us in great shape...at least our backs! Anyway, now AG thinks she needs to be a chiropractor to anyone that will let her!
Resting with Daddy

Telling Daddy another story
Handing out smiles on the way home from Rapid
There was a really nice picture of Ethan sitting in this chair smiling so sweetly, but I thought this one fit his personality a little better!
Our snuggle bug...but only when he is tired~
Playtime with Daddy is always a favorite of both children

A little behind!

Last month we had the privilage to watch little Slater again and had such a wonderful time with him! It was fun having 3 one year olds (well Slater was 4 days away from turing one) around for the day! Here they are having a snack! Slater kept trying to steal Ada Grace's! After a while she just starting handing them over!We spent much time outside that day, I got out the triple stroller and we went to visit Jason at work...the babies happened to be there. James and Christy's little girl was 4 months old and Jamey and Kellly's little girl was about 1 month old. The kids enjoyed the babies! We also went swimming in their little pool and running through their new spinkler (at the time!)
Ethan doesn't have any swimsuits that stay up on him at this time...the two he does have are 3-6 months and they do not stay up!



Checking things out
Ethan doing the same
Slater was a champion at crawling around on the sidewalk he is much more adventurous than my kids ever were!
His cute little John Deere camo shirt was just too cute for me!
Any time that we get the chance to play with Slater here and there is so much fun. We are so excited to have kids close in age for our kids to grow up with! (And for their parents and their friendship!)