Cute Kitty Thursday!

This is about how we all feel after preparing for the home study visit.  It's done, Twiggy. Relax.

If you want your cute kitty on "Cute Kitty Thursday!", email me pictures at twocatsandacradle@gmail.com.

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One Year Down

We are still waiting for our baby to be.  As of August 17th, we've officially been waiting a year.  I have to say the year went by fast.  Personally, I think the wait has been good.  It has given me some time to reflect on what it really means to adopt a child. I have learned so much in the past year and my concerns at the beginning of this process are no longer an issue.  We are ready!

So what does the one-year milestone mean?  It means we have to update our home study which is rather simple compared to the initial home study.  Background checks are done again in case we did anything rash in the past year.  We have to get a another physical. You're supposed to get those once a year anyway.  Our social worker comes by our apartment again to make sure everything is in order.  She's coming tomorrow! Can you say clean-a-thon??? Finally, we have to pay $450 to have the home study update done.  It's all worth it.

I am trying to take a much more relaxed approach to the social worker visit this time.  I went a little crazy the first time.  On Sunday, we did some extra cleaning and I tested a coffee cake recipe to serve on Tuesday.  Marlon had to talk me down a couple of times, especially when the coffee cake didn't turn out perfect.  Mopping the floors is on the agenda for Monday night.  I'll head home a little early on Tuesday (I love my boss) to straighten up a little more and make coffee cake or brushetta or both (I can't decide) and freak until she gets there.  I know there is nothing to stress about, but I can't help it.

We've also decided to use this one-year milestone to freshen up our profile.  We've been spending most nights re-doing our adoption look book.  Blogging for a year has definitely helped me with my writing skills.  I am an executive assistant at publishing company and I am surrounded by talented book people every day. I am hoping to have absorbed some of that talent (osmosis, maybe) and will be able to create the best adoption book EVER!  It is already way better than the first one.  If we need some help, some of my wonderful colleagues have offered to look it over and help us make it the best adoption book EVER!  I am so grateful.

If you have a moment on Tuesday, think of us.  Send a prayer or positive thought our way.  I'll try not to burn the coffee cake and try to breathe.

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Cute Kitty Thursday!

This week's cute kitty is the adorable Magnolia Mae McDermott aka Maggie, Miss Maggie, Love Bug, Sweet Potato, Pumpkin Love.

When she's misbehaving, her momma calls her Stink Butt or Smelly Cat.  

Look at that face, I don't think Miss Maggie is ever in trouble for long.

If you want your cute kitty on "Cute Kitty Thursday!", email me pictures at twocatsandacradle@gmail.com.

♥ Our puzzle piece fundraiser is still going! Click on the fundraiser tab to get your puzzle piece! Or if you simply want to make a donation, click on the Donate button to the left. Thank you!

Cute Kitty Thursday!

Here is my sweet Twiggy in her favorite place, my lap.  I love my Twig, Twig.

If you want your cute kitty on "Cute Kitty Thursday!", email me pictures at twocatsandacradle@gmail.com.

♥ Our puzzle piece fundraiser is still going! Click on the fundraiser tab to get your puzzle piece! Or if you simply want to make a donation, click on the Donate button to the left. Thank you!

Survey Results are IN!

In a recent blog post, Survey Says, I asked young women to answer 10 questions about adoption.  I had a great response and really appreciate these ladies taking the time to help us focus our adoption search.  I thought I would share the answers with you, as it might help other waiting families.

All of the women surveyed were between the ages of 15-25.  The responses I received were not from expectant mothers or from women that have ever placed a child for adoption.  I just asked them to think about what they would do if they were in a situation where they were considering adoption.

The answers are in order of most common response.  I found some of the information quite interesting and helpful.   It certainly has me considering ideas I had not thought of and I hope this information helps you too.

Where would be the first place you'd look for information about adoption?

1.    Internet

2.    Doctor

3.    Planned Parenthood

4.    Government website

5.    Blogs

6.    Church

7.    Agency website

8.    Personal website

Who would you discuss your options with? your doctor, pastor, guidance counselor, etc.

1.    Doctor

2.    Parent

3.    Planned Parenthood

4.    Therapist or counselor

5.    Pastor

6.    Significant other

Would you answer an ad placed in a newspaper?  What kind of newspaper?

1.    Most answered no. 

2.    Those who answered yes said they would answer an ad in a local reputable weekly or in something like an artsy weekly.

Where would you pick up a touch card (like a business card with the adoptive parents information)? On a bulletin board at your school, laundromat, grocery store, coffee shop, etc.

1.    Local coffee shop not at Starbucks

2.    School

3.    Doctor’s office

4.    Grocery store in a good area

What information would you want to see on a touch card ? Picture of the couple? Expenses paid? Open Adoption? Counseling available? QR square? Other?

1.    Picture of couple

2.    Expenses paid

3.    Open/Closed adoption

4.    Website for both an agency and personal

5.    Counseling available

6.    Phone number

7.    Email address

8.    Location

If you were doing a Google, Facebook, YouTube, etc. search, what exact words would you type in?

1.    “Giving up child for adoption”

2.    “Putting baby up for adoption”

3.    “Adoption”

4.    These had the same number of responses, they are in alphabetical order.

·         “Adoption how-to”

·         “Adoption resources”

·         “Benefits of adoption”

·         “Is adoption the right choice?”

·         “Parents looking to adopt”

·         “Private adoption NYC”

What social media sites would you search for adoptive parents? Facebook, YouTube or other social media sites?

1.    Facebook

2.    Twitter

3.    Blog

4.    Agency website

Would you feel more comfortable about a family by viewing an agency's web-page for potential adoptive parents or a personal one?

1.    Everyone thought it was important to have both. The agency website gives credibility; the personal shows the couple’s personality.

What information would you want to see in a perspective adoptive parent's profile?

1.    Age

2.    Job

3.    Years of Marriage

4.    Why you are adopting

5.    Values

6.    Hobbies

7.    Open or closed adoption

8.    These had the same number of responses, they are in alphabetical order.

·         Education

·         Family life

·         Financial status

·         How you met

·         Number of other children

·         Pictures

·         Statements from friends and family

What other factors would you consider in selecting adoptive parents?

1.    Relationship with extended family

2.    Strong marriage

3.    Nice place to live

4.    How many children the couple wants

5.    Parenting philosophy

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Cute Kitty Thursday!

Edie only reads them for the quizzes. She's such a glamour puss.

If you want your cute kitty on "Cute Kitty Thursday!", email me pictures at twocatsandacradle@gmail.com.

♥ Our puzzle piece fundraiser is still going! Click on the fundraiser tab to get your puzzle piece! Or if you simply want to make a donation, click on the Donate button to the left. Thank you!

I Think I Can, I Think I Can...

My procrastination confession has led to a little bump in motivation. We had a rainy Saturday so Marlon and I went through our adoption brainstorming notes and survey responses.  We looked at our current adoption book and made notes about what we wanted to change.  It is amazing to me that what we thought was terrific a year ago, isn't so terrific now. We can definitely do better.  We have a to-do list, a plan and a new deadline.

Now for the hard part - selecting pictures from the last year, taking some new casual pictures and reworking how we want to present ourselves.  Our current book seems very generic; we need to add some personality.  If anyone has great pictures of us, email them to me. If you have any of stories that you love about us, tell me! Time to get creative!  Not only are we going to do a new look book, but also a personal website and touch-cards to send to family and friends.  All ideas are welcome even if you don't know us!  We have 21 years of togetherness, it is hard to narrow down what best represents you as a couple and why we would make great parents.

So if you catch me on Words with Friends for extended amounts of time, message me and tell me I need to be working on my adoption project.

♥ Our puzzle piece fundraiser is still going! Click on the fundraiser tab to get your puzzle piece! Or if you simply want to make a donation, click on the Donate button to the left. Thank you!

Cute Kitty Thursday!

Edie snuggling in the towels with her rubber duck toy.  Adorable, but get out of my towels!

But MOM, I am so comfortable.

If you want your cute kitty on "Cute Kitty Thursday!", email me pictures at twocatsandacradle@gmail.com.

♥ Our puzzle piece fundraiser is still going! Click on the fundraiser tab to get your puzzle piece! Or if you simply want to make a donation, click on the Donate button to the left. Thank you!