Rooted in Trefoil to Rooted in Sand

I've been soaking my mind in parenting magazines since we started to consider adoption. I always come across an article that discusses unsolicited advice from people with children. Now, I always like to hear everyone's perspective on having kids. It allows me to understand your struggles day to day. I've heard the "just you wait" "you'll be exhausted" "times may be rough" etc. etc. I completely agree when people tell me that these are things that I MAY come across or experience. The key word, MAY. We have to remind ourselves that not everyone's experience is the same, even with adopted children. We all experience stress, heartache, joy differently. What one person may see as a hard time, might be a positive experience for someone else. I also, was reading a blog by an adopted individual from India. She was discussing her name and how at first her American parents wanted to change it to an English and/or biblical name. I lo...

First and foremost, I want to give all the glory to God for the insane blessing he has bestowed upon me and my family. Last week, I was offered a case coordinator position at Carle Foundation Hospital & Carle Physician's Group. It's a salaried position and I'll be moving into a management-bound position. That will set me up, should I ever bounce around Carle to be able to apply for higher positions. I don't know if I will do a lot of that as the position I've obtained is so good that people typically retire out of it. I am so excited to get out of office administration and do something that is more challenging. There's definitely administrative aspects to the position, but I get to dive into healthcare and that's something I genuinely enjoy. I'm still overwhelmed with excitement, and knowing that I'll be 1 of 6 case coordinators in Carle -which has like 7,000 employees - and the team members I already know and am familiar with. This is going to...

Hey Friends!!! Trying my hardest post more than once a month, and I've been failing left and right on this. So perhaps we try this again. I cannot believe that September is almost over. This month has flown by. We actually went to Tulsa for my first trip there at the beginning of the month. Drove down and spent time with family on Tyler's side. I think I love Tulsa and I could totally move there. Yeah.  When we got back it took us a while to get back into the groove of work. We've been so busy that our 3rd wedding anniversary crept up on us. I'm so blessed to have a husband who puts me first but also has a good heart and positive energy. He's such an amazing husband. So as we inch closer and closer to OCTOBER(what!?!?!?!), we'll begin our online training for our adoption. We actually have fantastic news and that is we will  be starting our home study visits with ICM at the beginning of November and finish up by January/February. I know it seems...

So sorry friends, we haven't updated in awhile. Let's do a quick recap.... July - We've been quite the homebodies in effort to save money. Most evenings we are watching movies, playing with the girls, and doing chores. I had a wedding to coordinate and it was a swelter of a day. While it was fun and beautiful, it was hot and humid. The bride remained gorgeous throughout it tho. Home study Update: In effort to give us a bit more time to save, we've pushed our home study to begin Jan 2018. What some people don't quite understand is that there are things that need to be in place by the start of our home study OR before the last visit. Tyler and I need to finish getting our pre-home study paperwork completed, this includes his autobiography, our guardianship paperwork, a fire escape ladder for the upstairs, three fire extinguishers - one for every level of the house, carbon monoxide detectors throughout the house- this might include an upgrade to the alarms in the h...

Ok, so I can totally respect people asking questions about the process of adoption, like where do all those funds go and how do you know you're donating to the right organization or couple when you assist with adoption? All great questions and thoughts and each are totally valid. The reason I bring this up is because I had someone question us PUBLICLY on Facebook (post since deleted) and not in a very kind way. Here's how you know people are adopting for real and not for scam.......you KNOW your friends. Most of you know or have known my medical struggle and our want to be parents. We would NEVER take from others to spend that which we raise on non-adoption related things. For someone to suggest that in a rude manner is so bizarre to me. I don't mind having the conversation in private.  If you don't know you can send funds you receive to your agencies for them to hold -similar to putting funds in an escrow account. Same as when you apply for a grant, you don...

Sometimes you need a shirt to get you through!!! These shirts go to a great cause.....they assist with the ever-growing cost of our adoption to bring Baby Schmidt home to us. I need to sell 5 by Jul 5th in order for them to print! Get yours now, and beat the summer heat!!! https://www.bonfire.com/adoption-is-the-option/

FINALLY!!!!!! We have collected donations from amazing people throughout Champaign and Savoy!!!! Our garage has been full with items from kitchenware, to kid items, to books, to I don't know what is in that box; and we're about to unload all of it this weekend!!!! Hello Garage Sale Weekend!!! If you're in the area, drive on through!! To get to Prairie Fields: Get on Neil St and follow it til it becomes Dunlap. At the intersection of Dunlap and Old Church Road, turn left and go over the tracks. PF will be the first subdivision on the left hand side of the road. Houses will be marked with posters, signs, balloons, etc.