Adoption Chronicles: 1 week old!

Happy one week birthday, baby Addison!

This little girl has brought such joy into our lives this past week. It has been an incredible change for us since bringing her home, as any other parent can attest to. After 8 years of marriage, you get used to a pretty "selfish" lifestyle. You can sleep, eat, shower, and use the restroom whenever you feel like. I never would have called those selfish desires before, but am realizing that I am still surviving (even thriving perhaps!) without being able to do the above... when I feel like. In most cases those things are still happening, but there's a new boss of us now. No longer are we the decision makers. There is now an 8 day old baby ruling the roost and calling the shots.

I have to admit though, she is taking it easy on us for sure. I have been taking the night shift, leaving David to get as restful night of sleep as possible, and then he relieves me in the morning so I can sleep for a few more hours. Thankfully, (and I'm sure due to the hundreds of people praying for her and this whole transition) Addison seems to have figured out the difference between day and night already. According to her birthmother this is not something she understood so well in utero, so this came as quite the relief. For the last 2 nights she's only woken me up one time prior to our "changing of the guards" around 7:30 in the morning. After a bottle, quick diaper change, and reswaddling she's back to sleep within 15 minutes and this momma is back to bed for another 3 1/2-4 hours. I don't think I could ask for a better 1 week old!

In other news, since we are adopting out of state, part of the reason we planned to be here in NY for so long was because something called an ICPC had to be approved in both states before we could take Addison across state lines. We were told to expect this to take up to 2 weeks, possibly longer (time line starting once the birthparents signed their papers). Another result of all of your prayer, the papers were signed on Saturday before discharge, the lawyer sent them on to NY state on Tuesday who then immediately over-nighted them to MN on Wednesday and we received word by Wednesday afternoon that the ICPC was approved and we are free to leave at any time. Unbelievable! We aren't packing our bags yet however, because we've got very special plans scheduled for this weekend.

This Sunday afternoon we will be doing an entrustment ceremony. The ceremony is designed to give the birthparents some closure and symbolically hand Addison over entrusting her to us. Often times this type of ceremony would take place at the time the adoptive parents receive the child, however our situation is a little different with us being from out of state. Our birthparents felt that it would be better to do it closer to when we actually leave. Your prayers have been felt in an unbelievable way this far. Would you please pray with us for this ceremony on Sunday? Pray especially for Addison's birthfamilies that God would continue granting them with peace and comfort.