Home Study

We are moving into our final steps. We should be hearing from our social worker tomorrow to set up our times for our Home Study. We have nothing to worry about but now that it is here my nerves are unsettled. It was just a step before, something to check off the list. Now that it is here and we are about to answer some serious questions I am wondering if we should have studied?
What is your parenting style? I don't know hand me kid an I will get back to you.
What do you and Jason argue about the most? depends on my mood
Who will discipline the child? depends who is home

All jokes aside we are nervous and excited. Knowing this is a step and it will be over soon gets us through it. Also knowing it will make us better people and parents because we will know our parenting style and how we want to discipline our child before it arrives will make parenting a slight bit easier. I did say slight so please no comments on how hard parenting is, we know!!!

We are so excited! We are getting the room ready because we believe in our hearts that we will be picked soon. We want to be ready. I have been researching cloth diapers, strollers, getting the perfect dresser. All the fun stuff. We are holding back a bit though for some reason it still feels like we shouldn't get anything because we are not  preggers or have the baby yet. After we are on the list we could get a baby by xmas or xmas of 2014 so we don't want to tease ourselves with having a nursery all ready to go but we also want to be excited when we look in the room knowing our baby is coming. We have decided we would like to get the room set up by January and we will see how it goes.

-LC

The adoption book looks awesome!  Really proud of what we put together.  I also scanned it into separate .jpgs and also made a .pdf of it as well so we have a digital copy.  We might post different pages here and there, but if you would like to get a copy of the .pdf just email us and let us know.

- JB

Our Books are IN!!!!

Wow less then a week our books got printed, bound and shipped! They arrived this am but we weren't home so I am debating to go get the between 415 and 5pm or wait till Monday.
hmmmmmm....what to do!!!

Expecting?????

So everyone is pregnant! I see women at work, out shopping and know they are expecting. There is all this excitement because we can physically see they are pregnant and we get to congratulate them, touch their bellies and ask really intrusive questions. Well I am also expecting and I want people to know. I want the attention from complete strangers about how big I am, ok maybe not..I want to talk about becoming a mother,I want to talk about which crib to buy or what stroller is best, what formula is bad, what bottles to use, which are the best cloth diapers but I don't have a huge bump sticking out of my abdomen so women usually look me over. Yes, your right I could speak up and just join the conversation and spill the beans that I am too expecting, through adoption, but I have yet to work up to that. There are a lot of things I will never experience as a woman, but all I want is people to treat me like I am a expecting mom, a mom who is nervous and wants to know what the best is for her baby, to share what I should know stories. But I do know that the only way I can be apart of all of it is to start the conversation myself, walk into that baby store and ask questions. I will do it. Yes I will.

Our Profile book

Well last night we finally put the last touches on our book, made sure it was perfect and I am sure when we get the 8 books in the mail there will be something we missed. For all of you who do not know what a profile book is we should explain it. This is the book about us , our life and what we see for our family in the future. This is the book the agency will give to birth moms looking for a family to parent their child. So no big deal or nothing, absolutely no pressure. yah right!! It has been changed numerous of times and finally after a month of working it on it we feel it represents us.  It is hard to squeeze who you are and all your hopes and dreams of becoming a family into a small little 20 page book. Usually the profiles go to the agency and family and friends don't get to see the book. Since we are sharing the entire process with all of you why not share our book.

We hope this works, click on the link below,
LOGIN jayandlaurenburns@gmail.com
PASSWORD: adoption
and then when a little book appears on the shelf click on it and go to preview. Enjoy!!

http://www.picaboo.com

JB and LC

Ever put together a book about your life in 20 pages or less?

  I'm watching Lauren pour her heart out into our adoption book, going page by page, adding pictures, quotes, and stories about our lives and our families and it's pretty awesome!  We have both put in a lot of time into constructing a book for the birthparents that best describes our lives, but man has she added so much of her creative artistic energy that this book is great, and sums us up perfectly.
  Using an online website called "pickaboo" to put the book together, and I know we'll be very happy with the printed product.  But it's not easy to summarize your life for someone, because we don't want to leave anything out, but don't want to put too much or make it too complicated!  It's a delicate balance but I think we've done it, and we know that someone out there is meant to read it and love it.  So we will be sending it to print tonight/tomorrow, and then the next step... the homestudy.  Hopefully in the next couple of weeks.

Life is short!

A friend just lost her brother in a horrible car crash, my uncle is fighting for his life, and I hate it! It makes us realise no matter what tomorrow will bring us, we need to love and experience today! We plan our lives for tomorrow, saving for rainy day, having children, retirement, trips. Sometimes we forget to enjoy the day as it is, weather and all. Enjoy the moments of waking up and letting the dogs out. Our daily routines become boring and when they get suddenly taken away in tragedy those are the moments we all want back. The moments you wake up next to your partner in bed, the beautiful drive into work, the first sip of coffee in the morning. We need to cherish just living and realise how special that is.

I love all the people in my life and all the moments I share everyday and every time I see you!

P.B.T.L.L.F.

My Dad and I have always had a close relationship, as he is someone I have always looked up to on how to act as a man, and now more importantly I am realizing more about how he has taught me how to be a father.  He is a man of great patience, poise, and professionalism.  He has a subtle wit and calm demeanor which made me always respect him, and I never want to let him down.

Once of the signatures my Dad used to sign a lot of my Birthday cards with was "P.B.T.L.L.F" or Pal, Buddy and True Life Long Friend.  It was that little signature that only he and I really knew about (or understood), and something that I am excited to pass on to my own child on their birthday cards.

So looking forward to my own P.B.T.L.L.F. someday real soon


- JB

Books I want to read to the little one!

I thought it would be a good idea to post books that I loved when I was a kid, and that I am looking forward to reading to a special little someone.  These are the ones I can think of right now, but will add more as they come to mind  :)

- JB

Just check this little box here...

Well just sent away questionnaires today for the adoption agency. Ones we *each* individually had to fill out, about ourselves and each other!  It's real interesting and fun to have to check off boxes about your spouses personalities and habits. Fun... and a little nerve racking, but we both were happy with how honest we were and how we understand each other.  Knowing and talking about each other's strengths and weaknesses is how you grow as a couple, and I know for a fact that being with Lauren has made me a better man!

It's also really interesting to analyse how your own parent's raised you, and what your childhood was like so in turn how you would raise your own child.  Makes us think of all the hard work and sacrifices that our parents did to make us who we are today, and simply motivates us more.

So another step in the process complete!  Looking forward to the home study soon.

- Jason

Thought this was a nice thought to share while passing time!

Thank you!

Thank you all for the love and support. We are prepared for a long adventure but know that we can do it with you all behind us. We have faith that when the right baby comes into our lives it will be absolutely perfect.

Thank you,
JB & LC

Adventures in Adopting

So the Adventure begins! We are on our way.We have completed the first couple of steps in the adoption process and now just waiting for our home study. We have already experienced some stress and emotions we never thought this process would bring so early. We have each other and soon a child!