Aunt Beth

Beth is Michael's sister. Sometimes I think she is the girl form of Michael. Good sense of humor, weird pet peeves, dark hair, and cool eyes.

I love her square, it is so her!

She sent a cool poem called Wishes. And wrote a sweet note as well.

Here is a little excerpt from the poem.

If I Could Have My Wishes
If Wishes Did Come True;
I Would Wish for Happiness,
and A Long Full Life for You.

Thanks Beebs!

Charles and Brandy De Cosa

Charles and Brandy bummed around with us in NYC a few times (they were there for treatment as well.)

Brandy is a great friend who is a wonderful support to everyone on our chat boards.

They gave us a square of the fabric they are using for their daughter's room. Which is perfect because we have been going through this together for so long.

They sent a song to the baby called "God Bless Us All." They are thinking of using the lyrics to the song on the walls of their baby's room. I love that!

"God Bless Us All" performed by NRBQ
Time to say my prayers now
Someone's listening up above
Time to ask the Lord to bless
Everyone I love

God bless the postman
Who brings the mail
And bless the cowboys
Out on the trail
Bless the man who waves to me
When the train goes by
Bless all the pilots
Flying through the sky

Bless every spaceman
On my TV set
And bless our servicemen
Please don't forget
Bless the circus acrobats
Never let them fall
God bless the ones I love
God bless us all

Bless Mommy and bless Daddy
Who come each time I call
God bless the ones I love
God bless us all

Child Proofing Your Home vs. Home Proofing Your Child

Michael and I were laying in bed last night talking about installing plug covers and cupboard protectors to child proof our home.

Then I had this funny thought, "What if we Home Proof our Child instead of Child Proof our Home?"

I had a funny image in my mind of a little person wearing a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads and oven mits. That was funny!

This is the closest thing I could find to it.

(For the wobbly walker.)

We had our home study today and it went well. I think we will be approved to adopt in a week or two. This was record time! Two and a half months!

Christopher, Elisabeth, Emma and Makayla Wozniak

Elisabeth is one of my dearest friends. We got to stay with them for a few weeks when Michael was working in Sarasota. She was the best person I could have been with at that time because that was when I found out that the NYC treatment had failed. She was everything a friend should be to help me get through it. I also very much enjoyed spending time with her little girls.

Christopher chose a fabric with stars. He sent a lullaby that his mom used to sing to him and he now sings to Emma and Makayla. The girls call it "Daddy's Lullaby" The first line is, "The stars are out, the moon is up."


Elisabeth chose a Winnie the Pooh fabric because she fell in love with the characters and simplicity of the story when she began buying things for her babies. She sent a sweet quote by Christopher Robin.


Emma sent a scrap with lions on it because she has a lion blankie that was passed down to her from her mom (it was originally a gift to Elisabeth from her great uncle).


Kayla's Grammie recently found a blanket that had belonged to Elisabeth when she was a little girl and she gave it to Kayla. Kayla was instantly attached to it and she sent a square that looks just like the material from her special blankie.

The Home Study is Scheduled!

Our case worker is going to do a walk-through of our home next week to determine that there is adequate space for a child and that they will be safe here. So, I have to do some child proofing. I've already done the plug covers and put the medicines and cleaners up high. I still have to buy a fire extinguisher and put on my little cabinet guards. And of course clean, clean, clean!

James, Jane and Nico Yap

Jane is another friend from our website. She sent her square in the mail with a sweet note. The quilt square they chose comes from the bedding that baby Nico's great grandmother made for him.

Shelley, Jerry, Davis and Jessa Gray

Shelley is another friend from our website. She has been wonderful in helping me to manage it and all even with her twins arriving. They are getting so big now!

Frank and Teri Remsen

Teri is another friend from the website who is pregnant with her first little one as well. Frank and Teri got a package of quarter flats for the quilt. This will be good for me to tie everything together in the quilt.

Thanks guys!

Justin and Lynn LeVaughn

I had lunch with my friends from the infertility chat website that Michael and I created. Some of them brought squares to the lunch. This square is from my friend Lynn. She and her husband visited us in NYC the last day we were there. She was there for a quick procedure. She is now pregnant with her first little one through treatment in NY. I can't wait for our future play dates!

Lennon - currently Fido

As promised, a picture of mom's dog.

His name is Lennon, my mom and dad are calling him Fido. Hence the desire for name suggestions. :)

The Dewberry Family

Soon after I started this project, our friends from church, the Dewberry Family, got a great job offer and were able to move to Utah. We miss them a lot but, we're sure this is a good thing for them. They sent us two squares. A boy's square and a girl's square and said for us to choose the one we want to use. Well, I'm going to use both!

Grammy's square

My mom picked out this cute square. She hasn't finished her scrapbook page yet.

Mom and Dad got a new dog today! A big German Shepherd. Anybody have any good doggy name suggestions?

Personal Interviews

We had our personal interviews with our case worker today. It went well. She just asked questions about us and our family similar to what we had already answered online. We are close to being approved. We are waiting on one background check, for our case worker to write up her review and for the home study visit. I'm glad it is going quickly.

We are posting this website on our online profiles so birth parents can learn more about us:

www.michaelandelena.weebly.com

Rocking Chair!

I got a Pottery Barn rocking chair yesterday through Craigs List. It was a great deal! It will go in the office for now. And when I want to change the slip cover they have good ones at Wal-mart!

Mommy's scrapbook page

This is the page I made to go with my Christmas square.

We finished our birth parent letter and we have personal interviews with our social worker this week.

Grandpa Bori - a.k.a. "Grampy" or "Poppy"

Anyone that knows my Dad knows that he loves John Deere Equipment (he recently sold his John Deere Dealership).We knew his square had to represent that.

Here is his scrapbook page (I helped him make it, because he thought he would "have to put on a pink skirt" if he made it). He did write the sweet note on it though!

Auntie Nattie

Natalie chose two fabrics and was able to finish one of her scrapbook pages. She took the other one home to finish it. The first fabric Natalie chose has I Love Mommy and I Love Daddy written all over it.

I had so much fun with my family and Michael's family for Christmas. I wish everyone could be around all the time!

Squares from the Pierce Family

Jennifer, Alyssa and Natalie all came to visit for Christmas for a few days. While they were here we did some scrapbook pages for the squares they had picked out.

Jenny and Alyssa gave a piece of a little dress Alyssa wore when she was a baby. Its blue gingham with a big flower. Alyssa made several scrapbook pages for the baby. She was having such a good time with the fun scissors and paper! She also helped me choose bedding sets I like for the baby's room.

If its a boy: http://www.distinctivenurseries.com/Splash-by-Migi--4-Piece-Crib-Set_p_387-6826.html

If its a girl: http://www.distinctivenurseries.com/Bubble-Gum-By-Banana-Fish--4-Piece-Crib-Set-_p_322-1039.html

Jenny also gave a piece of the baby blanket she used to wrap Alyssa up in.

Wade sent a square and scrapbook page with Jenny and Alyssa. He sent a jeans square and a cute care bear page.