While We Wait: April 2016 (Month #4)

Adoption Related Stuff

• April was a slow month for us in terms of adoption. Unlike the previous few months, we didn't have any situations presented to us. And nothing else major adoption-related happened. While of course we can't WAIT for our adoption to happen, it also was okay to have a bit of a "breather" month. Navigating the various situations that have come up has taken a lot of energy and it was nice in a way to get to regroup, have a chance to rest, and get ready for whatever God has in store for us this month.

• There was one workshop offered by our agency on post-delivery referrals. This means when a family gets a call that birthparents have chosen them for a baby that is about to be born or already is born, so there is very little lead time to get ready (between the call and placement - of course the family may have been waiting for months or years before that!) We learned that these types of placements happen in about half of adoptions, so we have a fifty-fifty chance that this will happen to us! During the workshop, two couples who adopted through our agency last year shared their stories. Our takeaways are that you always need to be flexible with adoption - things can and do change very fast, so you have to go with the flow; and that the time around a placement is highly emotional for everyone involved. It sounds so intense! What a ride this is....

• The only other adoption-related news is that Bethany bought a book called Breastfeeding Without Birthing that had been recommended by adoptive moms who breastfed their child. Yes, it is possible to breastfeed an adopted baby! We had no idea. While we're not sure whether we'll attempt this or not, it is good to get more information about how it can be done. 

Other Stuff We Did

• Good friends from Connecticut came to visit us this month, so we did all the touristy stuff in DC: the "Catholic tour" of the John Paul II Shrine, National Basilica, Franciscan Monastery, etc., and the "tourist loop" of the major downtown monuments and museums. The weather cooperated for our downtown stroll - whew, we had forgotten how far apart all the monuments are! We walked 9 miles :)

tulips at the Franciscan Monastery

We had our wedding pictures taken in these gardens!

On the Lincoln Memorial steps

World War II Memorial with the Washington Monument in the background

• We indulged in some live theater by attending a showing of "Pride and Prejudice" at the Catholic University drama school. We enjoyed supporting actors-in-training and the prices were a lot better than professional theater! Plus, Mr. Darcy [says Bethany].
• We also had a fun "farm" day on a farm in Virginia where we buy eggs, bacon, etc. The farmers are friends of friends (and attended Bethany's same college) and they have a drop-off once a month at a location near where we work, so it's easy to put in an order and pick up some delicious farm-fresh goodies. They hosted a "come and see" day at their farm and it was really fun! The setting was gorgeous, in the hills near the Blue Ridge Mountains, there was live music and food trucks and adorable pigs. It was a treat to get out in the country!

We hope your April was great!