The WHOLE story

I know people have been waiting to hear the WHOLE story about Blake but honestly there really isn't a lot of story to tell... We had exactly 26 hours to get ourselves ready! Yeah... pretty scary right?!

So... there is a little bit of background so here we go.

Most of you know we have been waiting for a while now on this crazy journey of adoption but how long... We had a few meetings and things with LDS Family Services but we were "officially" an approved couple since 9/20/07... yeah, it had been a long wait. We honestly didn't really have a lot of things happen during the two years. Some people have "close calls", some people have contact with multiple birth mothers, some have failed placements, we didn't have any of the above. I am actually glad that we didn't. I know that the waiting was hard but I am not sure that I would have been able to handle a failed placement or thinking that each time I was contacted by a birth mother that "this time it was going to happen". So I liked the idea that "no news was good news', even though two years of silence was awfully hard to take.

So... fast forward and here we are on Saturday, November 7th. I am at Super Saturday at the church and Dan is at a service project with church as well. Dan's elder's quorum president gets a call from his wife who happens to be a nurse in the NICU. She is asking us for our caseworkers phone number. Some might see this as a total sign, but she has done this before and nothing has happened. We have also known of other babies that have been born before and nothing has happened. And, after being around for two years we don't really expect much. Not that we had lost hope... but we just didn't think that every time we heard of a baby automatically assumed it was OUR baby! So... Dan gave her the number and that was all.

Sunday was our big adoption/foster care fireside. We headed to the chapel and our caseworker Brad was there. We held the fireside and everything was very normal. We did speak with him and did mention the little baby that was born on "Saturday". We were just checking to make sure he had made contact and that everything was okay. He said he had contacted the social worker at the hospital and he even showed us a picture of a new little baby boy and said there was going to be a placement on Tuesday. But... he also said he was going to be leaving early in the morning to head to Kansas City. As he left the building he said he would "be in touch". None of this was out of the ordinary because after all we are the FSA Co-chairs and it is National Adoption Month and we are in touch with Brad a lot and we have another big activity on the 21st of the month.

So... I didn't sleep very well Sunday night because I just couldn't get this little guy out of my head. I didn't look at his picture that Brad tried to show us because I was too scared. I didn't want to see him and fall in love and then not get a call, but something kept me up all night thinking... "what if that is our son?"

Monday... Dan went to work as normal. I got up and started my day as normal. 11:00am came and everything changed. Rick Perry the agency director called. He started talking about the fireside the night before but I knew there had to be another reason he was calling. He then started talking about a little baby that was born on Friday. He then said that Brad had left word that they should call us and that this baby should be placed with our family if we so desired. WHAT? Could this really be happening? Rick is no longer working on the adoption side of things so really didn't have much more information. He honestly didn't even know if is was a boy or a girl and I didn't know if I was suppose to say... so I didn't! He said he would find out more information and have RoseMay call me back. She was the social worker who had talked with the birth mother.

We hung up... I of course called Dan and told him what had happened. A few minutes later RoseMay called me and gave me more information about the baby. She told me a little baby boy had been born on Friday and was already released from the hospital. She said he was healthy and just waiting for a family. She said she too didn't have a ton of information but did provide some additional help and answered questions for me. She told me we had to give her an decision by 2:00pm and if our answer was "yes" we would be picking him up at the LDS Family Services office the next day at 1:00pm.

I then called Dan back, relayed the info she had given me... and took only a few seconds to know this was to be our son. We called her back and made the arrangements to go and pick him up the very next day.

That night was a whirlwind. We had nothing. We had to go out and buy a few little things, but I didn't want to go overboard. I was still skeptical. I wanted to be sure I had that little guy in my arms before I told anyone and before I had too many things. I wanted to know this was real.

Tuesday, November 10th at 1:00pm we walked into the LDS Family Services office as Dan and Aranne and by 2:00pm we walked out a family of three! Adoption is amazing and the Lord has His hand in all steps. We are so excited and so thankful for our friends and family and their love and support for us over the past two years and especially right now. Our hearts are full!

Weekend Wrap-Up: A busy weekend

This weekend was a lot different than last, that is for sure! Well... since the big news on Tuesday Auntie Laura decided she had to make a trip to Vegas to meet the newest member of the family. Robert, Lisa and the girls were going to come as well but a bug hit the family and so it was decided best that they not come this weekend. That was a bummer but we know we will see them soon and they will have a chance to meet Blake, besides... he isn't going anywhere!

So... we spent the weekend hanging out with Auntie Laura and getting to know Grandpa Al a little better too!

Blake also got his first rub down... not a real bath since we are still waiting for his cord to fall off (which did this morning actually!) He was a great sport. He a few loud screams but not too bad. He was also able to sport a great mohawk afterwards and that was awesome.

We also went and registered at Babies R' Us and picked up a car seat/stroller.. figured he probably needed one of those (we had borrowed the one we picked him up in).

Sunday was topped off with Blake's first Steeler's football game. We lost but that is okay... it was still a great family event.

On a side note... He is a great sleeper and eats good too. Again we are just so blessed to have him in our home and so excited to be Blake's parents. We know he won't always be glad we are his mom and dad... but he will just have to deal with it!

New Addition

We had a new addition to our family today and we could not be more excited... We want to introduce everyone to our new son... Blake Aaron Urbancic... He was born on Friday, Nov. 6th at 9:11pm and weighed 7lbs 12oz and was 18.5in long...

We have been waiting a long time for him to join our family but could not be more excited about his arrival. We wanted to share a few pictures with you but will share the rest of his story in the days to come....

 

Weekend Wrap-Up

What a weekend.... I think I learned that things don't always go as planned!

Friday I was still not feeling great... Thursday was NOT a good day. I had a terrible migraine. I mean a really bad one. I ended up at my doctor's office to get a shot and I hadn't done that in a LONG time. So needless to say Friday I still wasn't feeling fantastic. I had a lot of things I wanted to get done and needed to get done...but people had other plans. It wasn't a bad thing really. We ended up going to a local high school football game and then out to dinner after. It was fun.

Saturday morning there was an adoption 5K charity run waaaay on the other side of town and I really wanted to go, BUT I was suppose to be helping out at our ward's Super Saturday. The run started at 9 and our activity started at 10... So you do the math?! I can't run that fast! I had to make a tough decision because I really wanted to do the run, but I had committed to helping a few weeks ago so I went to Super Saturday. The classes were great and then it came to my class (card making). I had all my cards ready to go but people's bellies were talking to them and many choose to have lunch instead of make cards so I ended up with a lot of cards not done when I got home. A little disappointing especially since I really wanted to be at that 5K run!

Then as it turns out when I get home my sweet hubby is outside digging in the dirt and tells me we have no water... just a nice leak instead. WHAT? We were suppose to do this, and this, and this... not have to fix a water leak all day! Oh well... Life goes on...

Sunday turned out great though. We were helping out with the FSA adoption and foster care fireside for the valley. We were nervous because we didn't know how many people to expect, what to expect from the speakers, or anything really. But the night was a success. Everything went off really well. The speakers were great. There was a great turnout and the night was just perfect.

Families Supporting Adoption

A lot of people ask me now that I work completely from home.... "What do you do all day?", or "Are you bored?", or "How do you stay busy?".... well the biggest answer to all of these questions is usually FSA! 


I am so excited that we started our adoption process at the time that we did, and got in with the group of couples that we did and have the idea to raise our hand and say that we would help out with that first activity, because that has helped us out in so many ways. 


I spend a lot of time, probably a little too much, working on FSA projects, thinking of things we can do in the future, trying to make things run smoothly, organizing the activities, writing the blog over at www.nevadafsa.blogspot.com, planning the next meeting, you know... all of the behind the scenes kinda stuff.... and I LOVE IT! It keeps me involved, keeps me inspired, gives me hope, and reminds me of the miracles that happen through adoption, because of adoption and that will one day happen for us. 


I really am grateful for the support network of Families SUPPORTING adoption and hope to continue to be a part of it for years to come (hopefully this means after we have been placed with a little one of our own!).

November has arrived

November is here and it is for sure my favorite month... It is my birthday, Thanksgiving, the weather gets cooler and we get to pull out the sweatshirts, and most importantly it is National Adoption Month and we are able to bring adoption to the front of people's minds. I love this opportunity. I wish it came about more often!

"The 2009 National Adoption Month Theme


This years theme is "Answering the Call - You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent. There are thousands of teens in foster care who would love to put up with you."

This year's theme of adopting teens from foster care builds on the Ad Council's new public service announcement (PSA) campaign of the Children's Bureau, the Adoption Exchange Association, and The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids.

The main focus of National Adoption Month has been and continues to be foster care adoptions. There are approximately 129,000 children in foster care in the United States waiting for adoptive homes.

There is a strong need for adoptive families for older children, teens, children of color and sibling groups. The 2009 focus is more toward the African American community."
From About.com

Happy Halloween

I hope everyone has a great Halloween and enjoys the Trick or Treaters... My father-in-law sent me a cute story and I thought I would share it with you as you celebrate the day....

"A Halloween Tale


Bob and Betty Hill were vacationing in Europe, as it happens, near Transylvania. As they were driving along a rather deserted highway, it was late and raining very hard. Bob could barely see the road in front of the car. Suddenly the car skids out of control! Bob attempts to control the car, but to no avail! The car swerves and smashes into a tree.

Moments later, Bob shakes his head to clear the fog. Dazed, he looks over to see his wife unconscious, with her head bleeding! Despite the rain and unfamiliar countryside, Bob knows he has to get her to medical assistance. He carefully picks her up and begins trudging down the road. After a short while, he sees a light and heads towards it, which is coming from a large, old house.

He approaches the door and knocks. A minute passes. A small, hunched man opens the door. Bob immediately explains, "Hello, my name is Bob Hill, and this is my wife Betty. We've been in a terrible accident, and my wife has been seriously hurt. Can I please use your phone?"

"I'm sorry," replied the hunchback, "but we don't have a phone. My master is a doctor; come in and I will get him!" Bob brings his wife in.

An older man comes down the stairs. "I'm afraid my assistant may have misled you. I am not a medical doctor; I am a scientist. However, it’s many miles to the nearest clinic, and I have had basic medical training. I will see what I can do. Igor, bring them down to the laboratory."

Igor picks up Betty and carries her downstairs, with Bob following closely behind. Igor places Betty on a table in the lab. Bob collapses from exhaustion and his own injuries, so Igor places Bob on an adjoining table.

After a brief examination, Igor's master looks worried. "Things are serious, Igor. Prepare a transfusion." Igor and his master work feverishly, but to no avail. Bob and Betty are no more.

The Hills' deaths upset Igor's master greatly. Wearily, he climbs the steps to his conservatory, which houses his grand organ. For it is here that he has always found solace. He begins to play, and a stirring, almost haunting melody fills the house.

Meanwhile, Igor is still in the lab tidying up. His eyes catch movement, and he notices the fingers on Betty's hand twitch, keeping time to the haunting music. Stunned, he watches as Bob's arm begins to rise, marking the beat! He is further amazed as Betty and Bob both sit up straight!

Unable to contain himself, he dashes up the stairs to the conservatory.

He bursts in and shouts to his master:

"Master, Master!

The Hills are alive,
with the sound of music !"

Knott's Scary Farm Weekend

This is pretty much the best place to go for Halloween. I have been going here since I was in high school... They still do the same things and it still scares me! My heart pounds at just the thought of going but every year I decide I want to make the trip to California to go to Knott's Scary Farm and every year I have a blast!

I have learned that the more scared you act are the more the creatures/monsters come after you... so I try really hard to not scream! Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. This year I was able to actually get some pictures with them.... I think it was because I was there with Cindy who just talked to them all and Brian who is 6'5" and they were scared of him....

Visiting our German Friends....

Karen and Aranne in Weisbaden at the warm Hot Springs that are just in the center of town....

Dan and Aranne in the old Downtown part of Frankfurt

The castle that we stopped at and took a tour of while in the Rhineland

The Mende family!! Philip, Karen, Emilie and Annemarie... This was on the ferry that we took across the river to the castle

Dan and Aranne in the beautiful Rhineland wine country

Overall we had a great time in Germany. We were able to spend time with Karen and her family (the girls were hilarious and so much fun). We were also able to have wonderful food. Karen cooked for us everyday! We were spoiled. We also saw the intimate city where they live of Weisbaden but were able to go into Frankfurt and see the sights there as well.

We had a great trip from start to finish. The time went by too fast of course and we didn't get to see everything, but we had wonderful weather, great time with friends we consider family and experiences that we will never forget. We hope to be able to go back again, and again and again!!!!

Less than 24 hours in Paris

So with less than 24 hours in Paris... what were we going to do? Well... as soon as the train stopped we pretty much hit the ground running, that is what we did!

We had made a list of things that we wanted to try to see and knew we would only be able to see a few of them. Overall I think we did a pretty good job, considering the traffic (never complain about traffic unless you have been to Paris and seen what they deal with - CRAZY!), and the fact that we don't speak a lick of French and had no idea where we were going and started our 24 hours at 2pm!

We were able to spend some time in the Louvre Museum which was amazing but really should have been a few days itself! We walked about near the river Siene and saw the street vendors and enjoyed the beautiful weather we lucked out on that day. We headed to Notre Dame Cathedral and were greeted with some singers outside. We saw the Moulin Rouge, and when I say saw I only mean the outside! We walked through the park just on the outskirts of the Eiffel Tower and then had crepes and were able to be there just in time for them to turn on the lights and see it in all its glory. Really a sight to see in person.

It was a great day! Busy, but one we for sure won't forget and one that was worth the business of the train trip and the extra stop on our way to Germany.

A little bit of London..and MORE

My first agenda in London was to go and see BIG BEN... of course! Everyone knows I am a huge Steelers fan and their quarterback is "Big Ben" so I had to see the real thing...

We also took a trip to Harrods and did a little shopping. That place is crazy. Five stories high and a complete city block. There are restaurants, a grocery store, any kind of clothes you could need, you can buy ANYTHING you can think of, at any price.

Dan and I also took a day and ventured out of the city a little bit to do a little more sightseeing. We jumped on a big red bus and went out to see Stonehenge, the ancient city of Bath, and also Salisbury. All three were beautiful and amazing.

Stonehenge - obviously

At the Roman Baths... thought to be healing but realized that the pool was lined with lead and was killing them! Oops!

The Salisbury Cathedral.... Simply breathtaking!

We had a great time in London. I had lots of "firsts" actually. First time on an Underground..or subway. First time on a tour group. First time seeing all of these sights of course. First time in a castle.

We left London and were headed for Paris...via Train (another first) and there were more firsts waiting for me there!!!

Mr. and Mrs. Sims

The wedding was such a great day. The weather was perfect. Lina looked beautiful. Everything ran smooth. I don't think you could have asked for a better outcome.

It was the reason for our trip and what a great reason. It was so great to be there and to share in the day. It was also special for Lina that my dad was able to come and be a part in the wedding. My dad was able to walk her sister Hanna down the aisle when she was married and he was able to do that for her as well since their dad has passed away. This is a big honor for my dad but feel like we are family anyway.

It was a fun day and also fun to watch the English and Swedish traditions join together. Gary is a great guy and it is great to get to know him better. He just better treat our Lina right....