Congratulate me!

Lori · #1 10-21-2003, 09:10 AM

Hi everyone,

I know this is way off topic, but I'm hoping the moderator (Hi Brian!) will forgive me. I just haven't posted much for so long, and most of the people I know post on this board, so I thought I'd put this here.

The last time I had news like this to share (the birth of my daughter, Madeleine, 3 1/2 years ago), I was unable to post it because the Penguin was shut down. Imagine my dismay when I came here last week to discover the Penguin was missing! I'm so glad you are up and running again, Marty!! Hi Lis!

Okay, you can congratulate me because...l'm a mommy again! This time, to 3 beautiful children! No, not triplets...I didn't even have to endure a labor and delivery this time. About a year and a half ago, my husband Mike and I started thinking about adoption. Adopting older kids. We felt we had a lot of love to give, and there were a lot of kids out there who needed some, so we decided to find out about the process. Actually, we really felt that it was God prompting us...Mike and I had both been "secretly" looking into the adoption thing on the internet for about a month or so before we approached each other about it. Imagine our suprise when we each discovered that the other had been up to the same thing without our knowledge!

Anyway, we went through the very long process of completing a home study, where they basically find out all of the details of your life, down to who your best friend was in 1st grade, and what brand of underwear you prefer. (Okay, it's not THAT detailed, but almost.

) And then we waited. And waited. We probably submitted our homestudy a hundred times in interest of certain children, and never heard a word. We had decided that we would focus on adopting a sibling group, since we heard that they were more difficult to place than a single child; we also wanted to because we know a lot of sibling groups get broken up to make them more "adoptable" and we just hate the thought of that. Finally, in April, we saw a group of children who just captivated us, and so we submitted our homestudy (yet again). We made phone calls to express our interest. Well, six months and many hold-ups later, they had narrowed the field down from hundreds of interested parties nationwide to ten. Which then got narrowed to 3 prospective families. Which then got narrowed to 2, us being one of them. At this point we were allowed to meet the children, and if we thought we wanted them before, you should have seen us when we met them. We didn't want to have to leave! They are so beautiful and darling and sweet and funny and endearing and all of the things that kids are, good and bad. So we had the pins-and-needles wait of our life last week, as they were choosing last Friday between us and another couple, who we knew nothing about. As far as we were concerned, we felt we had a 50/50 shot; we had to assume we were on equal footing with the other family.

Finally, we heard Friday afternoon - they chose us! I can't begin to express how thankful we are; we have come to love these children, and in our hearts and minds we were already their parents; now we get to make it official!!!

So, we are adopting a boy, age 7; a girl, age 5; and a boy age 4. We are so thrilled! Of course, this means that this post will probably be my swan song. I already have 3 children that keep me too busy to really come and visit the Ledge; add in another 3 and you probably won't be seeing much of me from now on! It is estimated that they may be permanently placed with us in a month; between now and then we will have a series of visits with them, the first being this weekend where our biological children will meet our adoptive children for the first time. We and our kids are SOOO excited. Once the children are placed, it will be six months until finalization takes place and they are legally our children. So, in a month I will have in my household an 8 year old daughter, a 7 year old son, a 6 year old son, a 5 year old daughter, a 4 year old son, and a 3 year old daughter! Whew!!

You know what is going to happen now, right? Yep, I'll get pregnant. With twins.

Oh, and Bob, Kristin, Julie, and Brian who we met in Pittsburgh after the FM show - if you read this, yes, these are the same children we told you about back in May! Woo hoo!

Anyway, guys, I just wanted to share our joy with you and to say somewhat of a "goodbye" for the time being. I know I really haven't been posting a lot anyway, but this sort of makes it official that I will retreat into lurkerdom (at best). The Ledge has been a wonderful outlet and resource for me for the past 7 years, and I've made some wonderful friendships here. I hope to pop in now and again, but we will have to see. If you don't see/hear from me, just know that I'm out there somewhere being a Mommy, and continuing the conversion process on the next generation of FM fans...

Love to you all!
Lori

hayley · #2 10-21-2003, 10:17 AM

Congratulations, Mommy. That's so exciting, and those children are definitely receiving such a blessing by coming into a household and family as loving as yours. That's so exciting.

Now that I'm all grown up (21, with a full-time music industry job and a 401K! ;-) ) I guess I'll just have to deal with losing my former Ledge mommy :-)

Anyhow- this is so exciting! Congratulations, Lorelei!!!

Gypsy-Rhiannon · #3 10-21-2003, 11:12 AM

Congratulations Lori. Those children are very lucky to be part of your family

Pip

Josh2003 · #4 10-21-2003, 01:51 PM

LORI!!!!

Congratulations!!! I am so happy for you and Mike! These three kids are very, very lucky.

I wish you the best of luck with everything.

love
josh

Johnny Stew · #5 10-21-2003, 02:05 PM

Aw, Lori, that is such wonderful news! I'm so glad to hear that!!!
I cannot think of a better family for those three children.

You're one of the sweetest, kindest souls I've known... and I know you'll be just as terrific of a mother to SIX children, as you've been with three.
(Someone better nominate you for Mother Of The Year!)

{{{hugs & love}}}

rhiannon1119 · #6 10-21-2003, 02:07 PM

Lori... this is wonderful, awesome news! I am very happy for you! Congratulations and the best of luck with everything!

Michelle

darklinensuit · #7 10-21-2003, 02:10 PM

Those kids are lucky tohave you as a mom. Best wishes.

- Jake

gldstwmn · #8 10-21-2003, 06:23 PM

Congratulations! People like you make this world a much better place.

jwd · #9 10-21-2003, 08:03 PM

Lori,

Congratulations! That's such a huge responsibility you two are taking on. I admire the both of you SO MUCH. It's so sweet that those kids are getting another chance at being part of a family. God bless you all and I'm sure that the love you're putting into all of this will come back a million times!

I'LL MISS YA! Do try to stay in touch.

Joe

sara1998 · #10 10-21-2003, 11:35 PM

Hi Lori! I had to do a double-take when I saw that you posted! Congratulations! I am so happy to hear about your "new" children. Best of luck to you and family!

Maria

TwoTricky · #11 10-22-2003, 06:29 AM

What a wonderful story to wake up to this morning!!!

God Bless you and your wonderful family

Wishing you all a lifetime of good health and much happiness

dissention · #12 10-22-2003, 08:20 AM

Congrats, Lori! That really is fabulous news.

You're very blessed.

The Catdancer · #13 10-22-2003, 08:33 PM

Congrats, Lori!!!! That's really great.
Debbie

KathyD · #14 10-22-2003, 11:25 PM

Congratulations Lori! Hope you pop in every now and then to let us know how the "brady bunch" is doing! Very lucky kids to have a sweet lady like you for a mom.

Lori · #15 10-23-2003, 03:22 AM

Thank you, everyone, for your incredibly kind words and well-wishes. We are truly blessed.

We just found out that we will have the kids for an overnight stay at our house the weekend of Nov. 1st, and they will stay for an entire weekend with us the week after. Their caseworker says that they should be here permanently by Thanksgiving. My birthday is November 22 - I think I will be getting an AWESOME gift this year!

Thanksgiving and Christmas are going to be SO special - we have 3 more very important things to be thankful for, and what more precious gifts could you ask for for Christmas?

We just made a marathon trip to order furniture last night...4 twin mattresses, a set of bunkbeds, three headboards, 2 dressers, 2 chests, a mirror, and a futon later...and we know we've just scratched the surface. Good thing they were offering the "6 months, same as cash" thing!

Is there anyone here who is adopted and can share any words of wisdom with us? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, guys.
Love,
Lori