I don't want the snow to fall

The season is growing cold.

I don't want the snow to fall,
it makes me think of another year past.
The thought of not having you,
for another winter, long and cold.

I don't want the snow to fall,
even though our Love outlasts,
the waiting and the pain,
of not having you to hold.

I don't want the snow to fall,
when we see kids outside playing.
Knowing that we sit inside waiting,
for the phone that doesn't ring.

I don't want the snow to fall,
the spring was our season of hope.
We said the "sun was coming",
but now we know that we must cope.

I don't want the snow to fall,
but we must know the sun is still shining.
Behind the grey whispers of cloud,
the chill, and the damp cold snow.

I don't want the snow to fall,
but we know we must keep going.
Because while we stay strong knowing,
our spring will come again.



- Jason

30 People we bet you didn't know were adopted..

Lauren and I tend to meet people all the time, that when they find out we are adopting, tell us about how they, or someone in their family or friend had gone through the adoption process.  We love hearing their stories.

But on a fun note, did you know these famous people were adopted?  Many are individuals that we admire, so it makes us want to know their life story even more:

Maya Angelou (poet and author)

Truman Capote (author)

“Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you owe them a lot.” – Truman Capote

Eric Clapton (singer)

John Lennon

President Bill Clinton

“Perhaps there is no greater miracle than finding a loving home for a child who needs one.” – President Bill Clinton

Nat King Cole (singer)

Bo Diddley (musician)

President Gerald Ford

Jamie Foxx

Faith Hill

“I have a lot of respect for my birth mother…I know she must have had a lot of love for me to want to give me what she felt was a better chance.” – Faith Hill

Scott Hamilton (professional skater)

Kristin Chenoweth (actress)

John Hancock (U.S. Founding Father)

Steve Jobs (co-founder of Apple)

Eartha Kitt (singer, actress)

Art Linkletter (TV personality)

Nelson Mandela

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” – Nelson Mandela

Tim McGraw

Sarah McLachlan

Ray Liotta

Marilyn Monroe

Melissa Gilbert

Frances McDormand

Ingrid Bergman

ICE-T

Michael Oher (NFL Football player, story inspired The Blind Side)

“It’s true that we can’t help the circumstances we’re born into and some of us start out in a much tougher place than other people. But just because we started there doesn’t mean we have to end there.” – Michael Oher

Edgar Allen Poe

First Lady Nancy Reagan

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt

Babe Ruth

Leo Tolstoy (author)

Michael Bay (movie director)

Dave Thomas (founder of Wendy’s, children’s advocate)

“Everyone’s got to be for a child to have a home and love. I mean, I don’t know anyone who would be against that.” – Dave Thomas

Our 3rd Home Study

We met with our Social Worker today, to complete our 3rd official Home Study assessment for our adoption process.  It's exciting to talk about the adoption, but more importantly I think Lauren and I both enjoyed looking back on the year that was.

What is a home study?  Well to become parents through adoption, the agency needs to make sure we qualify, both as people, and the proper living environment for the adopted baby.  Now don't get me wrong, over 2 years ago when we had our first home assessment it was one of the most difficult things we both had probably gone through up until that point.  You explore everything about yourself, and in your relationship.  How you are as people, how you react to problems, how you fight, how you plan to parent, etc.etc. the list is long and I'm sure you all can guess what kind of questions are asked.

But now at this point, we need to update our social worker as to how things are, how we are coping, any changes in life, and in home.

So being able to see how far we have come in our own personal, but also professional lives over the past year was rather gratifying.  Lauren and I have both grown a lot, making new positive connections with more incredible people who are helping to enrich our lives, and really creating an even more loving home that is prepared for the little one.

If there was one word that came out of the meeting in reflection, it was how "balanced" we have become.  Lauren of course is now working full-time as an artist (which is her dream), and her business is not only growing and becoming more successful, but it has helped balanced her soul and given purpose to the hard work she has put in.  For me, it is pretty similar.  I've been able to have the courage to out-grow where I was working, and move on to a new job that not only allows me to have more balance... but embraces it.  Our passions are both being fulfilled, and in some ways are grateful that when the adoption happens it really will in fact be at the right time (sounds cliche, but really is true!).

Plus, coming out of a meeting with our social worker just empowers us to be more ready, and gets us excited.  We couldn't be more happy then when she is able to tell us how both Lauren and I have changed and grown since our first assessment over two years ago.  

Many couples have given up by this point, and we know it.  But being able to reflect on the past year just gives us more resolve that we are moving down the right path.

Can't wait for the next step!  Not long now.

Jason & Lauren