Finally we have a "Date" set for Our Homestudy With Lori our Social Worker..

Hey everyone,

yep we actually have a date set for Sat Jan 9th, 2010 at 12:30 for our Homestudy.. YAY !!!! well we had to reschedule a few times due to some BUMPS in the road but we are staying with jan 9th, 2010 and that way we will have the homestudy done and move forward finally. We aren't billionaires but we are going to make this work and we want more then anything to be parents and Jewel, Trisden, Sakura and Bella want a buddy to play with and sleep by.. those are our dogs aka: kids .. They are spoiled rotten and can't wait to spoil the New Addition .. We will finally be a happy family soon ..

To fill you in a bit with my Infertility issues:

On Friday Dec 4th, 2009 :
We went for a consult to talk to Dr. Trolice (my Fertility Doctor) and he had some bad news. He told us that I couldn't bare any children . I was extremely upset , he said i have Pre mature ovarian failure which is pre menapausal. So he told us about our options were to egg donor and adoption and we told him since he told us last time when they did blood testing on i got results for an ovarian aging was a -7 and i guess normal range is + numbers so it was a low egg reserve. So i was just hoping , but i guess god wanted me to find another way to have a child (where ever it may be from),which my husband and I are going to do if we have support or not. I just hope with all the emotional, mental and physical stress this has caused and all the bumps we have had together that my family will support me especially my DAD and BROTHER :) ... I am so close to my brother and i don't ever ever want to lose that bond even though he is overprotective and stuff but that's my brother. But also DAD i want you to be proud of you being a grandpa to whatever background it is .. I love you dad and jeremy and want you both to be apart of this journey with us and be happy and let us be parents and continue on with the adoption plans and just be a support system as well as an uncle and grandpa !!! thank you love you so much !!!

Thank you for all the support bloggers and family and please continue this journey we are finally about to begin ..

Step 1 : selling my husband's 2006 BMW 650i Convertible (his dream car)

To be continued ......


xoxo
~ Jennifer :)

Just a minor update: Financing adoption

So, through this whole process Jen and I were always wondering how we were going to finance this adoption. We've done several steps and were able to start paying things off (homestudy paid so far is a nice start).



We have been scared though with the economy about the rest of the adoption as with the sinking housing market we can't borrow against our home like many people I've talked to have done.



So next best thing. I'm selling my car... I know it seems like deja vu, I sold one car previously already during this journey and that went to the homestudy and other fees. But this car was the one that was supposed to be my dream car. I have new dreams now, I want to be a dad at any cost.



I'm actually sort of excited because if this sells decently then the adoption should almost be fully paid!



It's been up on craigslist and should finally post to autotrader today or tomorrow! Jen sort of feels bad about me getting rid of the car I was wanting, but I'm actually ok with it! I'm really excited to have what in my mind was the biggest hurdle of any adoption done and over with!

So... That's it for now I guess, Keep you all informed soon hopefully!



-Jose-

We are still alive!

Well.. just a note to everyone out there in blog land, we are still alive! Contrary to what our blog has shown, we've been alive kicking and active.

Unfortunately it's been Jen and I dealing with changes in our lives. Everything from work, to family, to friends everything has been changing sometimes ever so slightly, and other times not so much.

Soon I will give a more formal update I promise you all! Till then I wish you all the best. Hopefully we will be able to share some good news, just busy trying our hardest to kick the bad news to the curb!

-Jose-

Stress, Complications, and Confusion

So, some of you out there in the blogosphere might have been wondering where our updates have been. I have to admit, I’ve been a bad blogger recently! Things in our little slice of this world has been interesting to say the least.

To re-cap the past 2 months:

1) I found out I’m getting laid off Oct. 1st

2) We had to put our adoption on hold, as costs were starting to add up, and the job situation was being thrown into chaos.

3) AFTER we had put our adoption on hold, we were approached by someone to adopt their child, (she was 2 ½ months pregnant)

4) We got on a natural high and back in the swing of things excited as all heck!

5) Shortly after we were told that there would be a few expenditures we’d have to make if we wanted that child, maternity clothes and such… cool we were all game!

6) Soon after that, we were told that she would also have to move in with us for the remaining 6 ½ months!

Now not saying that we were absolutely 100% against the idea, It really was hard to say no to it after this, but we just aren’t prepared for that. Furthermore, we don’t know much about the habits of this person, manners, needs… So needless to say we’ve taken the road that we were back on and holding strong.

We are hoping and praying to everything we can that things find their path. I’ll tell you though, as I’ve been on the job hunt, it sucks feeling helpless! I mean, with my background and expertise in sales, marketing, management, technical support, 3d graphics… I thought something should surface but as of yet nothing. I’ve even looked at jobs requiring travel thinking that would broaden my chances but still no luck.

Jennifer has since applied to another job with a hospital (it’ll be her first job back in a hospital since her car accident that left her with herniated discs [they’ve since been fixed]).

I write this actually as I sit at work reflecting on what steps we need to take as a family to ensure that the end goals are accomplished. We are trying to take it day by day… but eh stress can be overwhelming.

On a side note I have to say, I’ve been reading a book on Buddhism and it’s been putting my mind at peace, at least while I read it!

Hope things are well for all my friends out there! We will land on our feet so don’t worry about us ^_^! Just it’s never fun when livelihood is threatened.

Till we know more I’ll probably just post the goings on of our life.
We love you all!

Jose & Jen

Wating for the LSW to call US !!!!

Geeesh, Waiting is the pits sometimes.. I know this whole waiting process will give us a Beautiful crying, peeing, pooping baby !!! i can't wait !!!! But the homestudy place received our papers and check . They assigned us to a social worker and we ARE PATIENTLY waiting for her to call us !! but we have been waiting only 2 days and we are going a bit nuts.. we want her to call !!!! we want to start this home study process ASAP !!!

P.s. If anyone has any info on any good length adoption loans please let us know the info on that, we have ones in mind and talked to 2 already but they are 5 ish year loans and we want to see if we can find a LONGER time frame if at all possible if not then we will have to do with the 5 year one.

Thanks again for all the supporters of the blog mommies and family and friends !!!
we really appreciate the encouragement from everyone....

have a great 4th of july weekend everyone !!!

xoxo
Jennifer

Nursery Chair Rail done + MORE!

Well... Thanks to Juan and Alicia who came over today the chair rail has been knocked out! We had opted to not due crown as we though it would take away from the height of the room... (ceilings only about 8 ft) 

1) Image of TV wall where the Diaper changing table is, and our vase with the Sakura Blossoms (you'll see this as a re-occurring theme)

2) Our Crib w/Migi Sakura blossom Sheets/Comforter/Side skirt/bumper/mobile/and throw blanket

3) Another view of the Crib, you can see the closet off to the right (still brainstorming ideas for that one).

4) Open view of the room. Above the blinds is the Migi Sakura blossom window valance.

5) A close-up view of the Window valance showing the Sakura Blossom details. (btw disregard the fact that it's wrinkled, everything was put up for photo shoot and test placement, so we need to wash and Iron!)

6) Close up of the Sakura blossom floral arrangement in our rattan vase. This arrangement was put together by my sister Lizzie for our wedding shower! I think it would have a beautiful home here amongst the other details.

7) Sakura blossom floral/Rattan Vase, under Migi Sakura valance.

8) Up close of Bedding set to show detail. Everything in the room is Sakura blossoms, Our Miniature Pinscher is even named Sakura! All the dogs love the room!

9) Proof that even our dogs are ready for a little one! Bella adamantly protecting the diaper changing table... If anyone gets near the baby, she is ready to defend!

NURSERY IS PAINTED!!!!!!

Ok, so we are rounding the corner on one of the last phases of our Nursery!!!

It's been officially painted, and as we speak one of my best friends Juan, is coming over to help me install Chair and Crown moulding in the room!!! 

Below you will find the photos of the rooms progression since our last post!

1) Jewel - our Dalmatian supervising my work!

2) Facing the side of our house - Started taping with "blue painters tape" But re-did all the tape work to Green "frog tape" It is AMAZING and I will never use blue painters tape again. When I did the bottom half of the room I found the brown bled a little through the edges of the blue tape. This green tape keeps perfectly cut clean lines, its' amazing! (and it comes in it's own canister for storage and was only less than a dollar more than the other tape, well worth it for the lack of stress!)

3) Facing towards inside of house into the Hallway - to the right is the Office, and the door you see through the doorway is the "Jack n Jill" Bathroom.

4) The closet, inside the closet will change as well. We currently have the wire racks that most new homes are given by their builders.

5) View of the big wall where the Crib will go against -and some of my masterful tape work. Thankfully my wife Jen kicked in and helped with the taping because man it was taking FOREVER! Btw, the lines look like they aren't straight but it's just the camera and weird angles. Mental note - D-SLR before baby gets here...

6) Last photo of taped room before you see the finished product below!

7) As you can see, it's morning and the Green tape is off!!! WOOHOO!!! It turned out!

The photos don't do the wall justice, these stripes are almost an illusion as they are the exact same color pink, just one stripe done in flat paint, and then another in semi gloss. It is a great look going into the room because the stripes sort of fade in and out as the light hits them in different ways!

8) A good example of what I was speaking of above, as you see when the light hits the center of the strips they become very pronounced, but as it fades off so do the stripes. Such a cool look I think! Thanks to the internet for having people share ideas and DIY techniques!