Making Our Family Complete - Our Adoption Journey

Faith and Hope

2012-02-07T18:05:00.000-08:00

February 7, 2012 -- To say that adoption is a test of Faith and Hope is an understatement. This journey to complete our family has reminded me that no matter how capable I am, no matter how hard I work, no matter how smart we are, or how much money we have, it doesn't really matter in adoption. It really is all in God's Hands and His timing.

As I've prayed and cried out to God, I've found comfort in the following two songs and hopefully anyone else on this crazy, heartwrenching journey will too.

I pray that God will be with you on your journey whether it be as prospective adoptive parents, expecting parents considering adoption for your child, birthparents greiving the loss of a child, or adoptive parents trying to be the parents your little one needs and deserves. May your Faith arise and your Hope be in the Lord!

Please leave us a post sharing your journey.

Adoption Bloggers Interview - Meet Katelyn from My Angels from God

2011-11-16T18:50:00.000-08:00

November 17, 2011 -- I am very excited to participating again this year in the Adoption Bloggers Interview Project. It is such a great opportunity to meet wonderful people who have been touched in some way by adoption. This year I was lucky to be paired up with Katelyn from My Angels from God. I had never read Katelyn's blog before so it was a special treat to get to know this very special person. Katelyn is a birthmom, adoptive mom, and biological mom. Wow!

Katelyn placed her beautiful daughter, Ally for adoption in May of 2007. Little did she know the little boy, Cayden who would one day become her son, was born just three weeks before Ally. She later met and married Cayden's dad and adopted Cayden who is now 4 1/2 years old. Seven months ago, Katelyn gave birth to her youngest son, Jaxson.

In the interview below Katelyn talks about her experience as a birthmom and adoptive mom.

Can you share a little about your story as a birthmother?

I found out I was pregnant very early. In fact the first pregnancy test I took was negative. 2 weeks later it was positive. The birth father was LESS than supportive when it came to the pregnancy. His first response was that I should get an abortion. I was enraged. Then after I decided adoption was the right choice he stated "I'm never going to allow you to give away my child.". I was furious! Because he was active duty military and currently stationed over seas he had to sign either acknowledgement papers or relinquishment papers. I was nervous that he wouldn't but after a lot of fasting and prayer I knew he'd sign (with a little push from me). He did sign. Being pregnant with Ally was the most emotional experience of my life. There were days I would cry over the smallest things. I got nasty emails and phone calls from Branden and his family numerous times. I moved part way through my pregnancy to draper ut (I lived in layton ut so about 45 minutes away) because I felt like I couldn't be "free" in the community my mother and family was raised in.

How did you find the adoptive parents you placed your daughter with? What did you look for in potential parents for your daughter?

I met with a case worker at LDSFS when I was just 6 weeks pregnant. I talked with her and knew that I needed to come up with a list of things that I would want in an adoptive couple. It could range from very personal things to strictly physical things. I left the agency with the determination that I was going to imagine up the most PERFECT people in the world. That way when I didn't find their profile I would still parent. Here is the list that I came up with:

The father: needed to be taller than 5'11" but couldn't be shorter than 6'4", needed to have brown hair brownish-green eyes(that is the color Branden had), needed to have served a mission, needed to have at least a 4 year degree, needed to weigh between 150-200 pounds (that's right I even went to weight), needed to hold a calling in the church, needed to be from utah, needed to like doing things outdoors, needed to like horses, needed to have at least one brother of his own.

The mother: needed to be taller than 5'4" but shorter than 5'8", needed to have blonde hair, needed to have blue eyes, needed to be fair to olive complextion, needed to weigh between 140-160 pounds, needed to have served a mission, needed to have at least a 4 year degree, needed to be willing to be a stay at home mom, needed to be from utah, needed to like doing things outdoors, needed to like horses, needed to like scrapbooking, needed to know how to sew, needed to have at least one sister of her own.

I also didn't want them to have any other children. I wanted this to be their first, I wanted this to be special for them.

You have an open adoption with your daughter and her adoptive parents. What does that look like?

I have an open adoption in the fact that the communication is open and her family allows me to visit on occasion. Honestly over the years the "openness" has changed. For the first year I saw Ally and her family about every other month (if not more). It was perfect for me. I needed that time with the family to heal from the pain of placement. I had my first visit with Ally on May 23, just over a week after I placed. We had originally planned that the first visit would be some time in June but I was going through withdraws. Not baby withdraws but family withdraws. Now I get emails when Lori has time (they have now adopted 2 more children since adopting Ally so they are a family of 7) and I visit them in their home about 2 times a year. Once around Ally's birthday (May) and once around Christmas. I know the adoption will continue to develop in openness and I'm fine with that. Ally know's I'm her birth mom and she grew in my belly. I will only be part of her life as long as she (and her family) wants me to be.

What have been the biggest rewards and biggest challenges of an open adoption?

The biggest reward has actually come with regards to Cayden. His adoption is semi-closed because his birth mother made some poor choices regarding Cayden that were very harmful to him. He has serious emotional trama when he thought about his birth mother (he still does). After one visit with Ally Cayden realized that having a birth mother isn't always a bad thing. He realized that a birth mother can love you and not hurt you. Ally and her mom Lori played a HUGE part in that realization for him. The only challenge I have ever had with regards to open adoption is fearing I'll say or do something wrong (that hasn't happened with Ally and her family but with Cayden's birth mother and I fear I'll say something like she has). I NEVER want to cause Ally and her family any stress or pain.

You are both a birth mother and adoptive mother. How has being a birthmother helped you as an adoptive mother?

Because my adoption isn't the classic from birth adoption I don't know that it's helped me as an adoptive mother. Sometimes I actually feel like it's hurt me as an adoptive mother. For the longest time I put aside feelings that I should close Cayden's adoption because I understood what his birth mother felt. Had I realized that it was a different situation sooner rather than later I could have saved Cayden a lot of pain. But sometimes when I think about it I have a better understanding for how difficult being an adoptive mother is. Dealing with a birth mother can be stressful. I think after becoming Cayden's mother I have realized I can't ask for as much from Lori. She has a lot going on and I don't need to add to the stress of that.

What one piece of advice would you give to an expectant mother considering adoption? What advice would you give potential adoptive parents?

Think first about what your baby needs. No mater what decision you make it's going to be hard. Parenting is hard for you... Placement is also hard for you... But the thing you need to remember is that it shouldn't be hard for your baby.

Patience is a virtue... I wasn't blessed with it... God may be attempting to teach to it to you... Learn quickly my friends. HA! but no seriously every baby has a home. It may take time for the baby to come to your family. And there may be times where you feel the baby is right... it has to happen on the lords time. Every baby has a family.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Thank Katelyn for taking the time to share a little piece of you life with us! I've enjoyed learning more about you and look forward to following your blog in the future.

Make sure to head over to Production, Not Reproduction to read more interviews with great adoption bloggers. Also make sure to visit Katelyn's blog, My Angels from God.

Help Us Finance Our Adoption by Shopping

2011-10-24T16:54:00.000-07:00

October 24, 2011 -- Dear Family and Friends,

If you are reading this blog, you already know our exciting news! We have decided to expand our family through adoption!

How can you help? Besides sharing our profile with everyone you know that may be considering adoption....

For us, the difficult part of this process - other than the waiting - is the expense. As some of you may know, adoption expenses include agency fees, legal fees, document preparation costs, travel expenses and more. We have been saving for some time, but are still seeking ways to raise more funds for our wonderful venture.

We recently learned of a program through OneCause and the National Adoption Foundation that we think will help us make our adoption dream come true. OneCause is a nontraditional fundraising program that will help us earn the funds we need through everyday opportunities, such as shopping at hundreds of name-brand merchants online or in stores and catalogs, through purchasing gift certificates, by using the OneCause credit card, or through a variety of other easy programs.

We're really excited about this program and wanted to let you know that you can participate and help us build our family by becoming a member of OneCause. There's absolutely no cost or hassle to you - just do what you do everyday and we will earn credit toward our adoption costs! Plus with the holidays coming it's the perfect time to sign up with all the Christmas shopping! :)

Here's How You Can Help

Become a registered member of OneCause. Simply go to www.onecause.com and register as a OneCause member. This only takes a minute and you'll be on your way to helping us out.

Once you have registered, find the "Dues Crediting" field at the bottom of the online registration screen.

You will see a field called "Benefiting." Enter our registered email address and your contributions will automatically begin to benefit us.

Our Registered Email address is: adoption@makingourfamilycomplete.com
Begin shopping at hundreds of OneCause merchants online, in stores, and through catalogs. You'll earn a merchant contribution on each purchase, a percentage of which will go toward our adoption credit. Remember to begin all of your online shopping at OneCause so we earn credit!

That's all there is to it!

Please call or email us with any questions you may have regarding our situation. We are always excited and happy to talk about this wonderful adventure. When our child arrives home to us, we will contact you with our happy news. Thank you so much for helping us bring our child home.

Register with OneCause and help us build our family! www.onecause.com

Adoption Bloggers Interview Project

2011-10-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

Production Not Reproduction is again hosting the 2011 Adoption Bloggers Interview Project. We did this back in 2010. I had the very special opportunity to interview Lara of Pocket Full of Prose (Read my interview here.)

How can you get in on the fun?
If you blog even occasionally about adoption, you are eligible to participate. Everyone who registers by October 28 will be paired with another adoption blogger. You will have two weeks to get to know their blog and send them some questions by email. On November 17, we'll post the interview on our blog and our partner will post their interview of us.

Registration ends Friday, October 28. Check back on November 17 to see who we interview!!!

Register Now

Safeguarding The Rights And Well-Being Of Birthparents

2011-10-02T17:42:00.000-07:00

October 2, 2011 -- I have been extremely fortunate to connect with some wonderful birthmoms through Facebook. I have learned so much from these incrediblely, strong women.......

...about how to make sure that any expectant mother (parents) that we work with have exhausted their parenting options and are sure that they want to place their child. I've also learned the importance of an open adoption and discussing what that means to both parties before placement takes place. In addition, open communications is critical for this relationship to work. Each must trust that the other has the child's best interests at heart and want to work together.
I'm readinga report from the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute that I want to share: Safeguarding The Rights And Well-Being Of Birthparents. Although it is from 2006, it seems extremely ahead of its time. I'm still reading it but so far I highly recommend it. Read it now.

Please leave me a comment with any tips / advice anyone has to offer from a birthparent, adoptee, or adoptive parent prospective. The one thing I am learning is you can never prepare too much to adopt.

9/11/2011 - Where Were You?

2011-09-11T14:41:00.000-07:00

9/11/11 -- Where were you on 9/11/01?

I think all of us vividly remember exactly where we were on that September morning. I was at work in NJ (about an hour away from NYC) when I got a call from Ray telling me a plane had hit the tower and then I called my brother as soon as I hung up. At first everyone thought it was some sort of freak accident. I started scouring the Internet for information. Then my co-workers and I ran to our TV studio edit room, and probably 20 of us crowded into a 8X10 room around a 14" TV as we watched in disbelief as a second plane hit the other tower, and shortly after we watched the Towers fall. Then we heard of the Washington DC plane and the one that was grounded in PA. We quickly rushed to our desks to call our family and closest friends.

Being in communications, it was time to quickly spring into action. Since so many of our co-workers were working in and around the World Trade Center, we needed to make sure they were safe and relay that information to their families and co-workers. We were so excited to learn that none of our coworkers had been harmed physically at least (although many were traumatized from the events). So many of our friends and family nearly missed being in that area for numerous reasons...from cancelled meetings to missing their train to one who went back home because she had accidently put on one black shoe and one blue and couldn't go to an important meeting that way. Then we went home to be with our families. I met Ray (then my fiance) at the house we had just bought and were remodeling. We painted and worked on the house as we listened to the news on the TV in our empty family room. We wondered if this was the "end of the world" as we knew it. We sat right in the middle of all the things that went on that morning and wondered if it was over or just beginning. Would we be starting our life together in our new home hoping to start our family or would this be the end?

As the week went on, we unfortunately started hearing the not so happy news that many friends, neighbors, and family had lost loved ones and some of our client companies had lost numerous employees in the towers. Many of our friends were called as rescuers to go to Ground Zero to help in the rescue effort, which quickly became a recovery effort. :(

Now 10 years later so much has changed in our lives. We stand in long lines at the airport to take our shoes off and be "scanned." Our bags are checked to enter amusement parks. That sense of security that nothing can hurt us is no longer within us. There is that little bit of fear that not everyone in the world is good. Since that time my mom has battled cancer and my dad passed away. BUT the most important are all the good things that have happened in the last 10 years. Our house has become a home. I married my soulmate, and together we welcomed two wonderful boys into the world.

Let us all remember how truly blessed we are and what a great country we live in! God Bless America. Where were you that fateful day? Share your memories.

First Day of School

2011-09-09T19:43:00.000-07:00

9/9/11 -- This has been an extremely emotional week!

My youngest went to Kindergarten on Tuesday. It was an emotional day. I was so excited for him as he started his new adventure, worried about him because he's a daredevil, and sad to see that my little guy is turning into such a big boy. Now I just need to get the photos of them getting on the bus uploaded. I tried not to embarrass them too much. :)
The best part of the day was watching them both get off the bus with huge smiles on their faces. M was talking a mile a minute about his new teacher, old buddy from preschool he saw at lunch and his new BFF. The next day he was up at 5am and ready to go. I told him go back to bed for an hour. Then he had his shoes and backpack on 1/2 before the bus comes and was worried he'd miss the bus. Too sweet!

Another bittersweet part of this week is that my little guy is growing up so fast and we thought by now we'd have a baby in the house and this week just drove that point home. :(

Last night as we cuddled before bed he brought up the possiblity of having a little sister or brother and told me he would be a good big brother. She could share his room, he'd teach her to do things, and he'd feed her and share his teddy bears. Boy, he is growing up to want to do all those things. Very seriously tells me adamently that he'll help do everything EXCEPT he will not change a diaper!! LOL!!

To cheer me up, a FB friend told me to remember:
"Hang in there....and I've sent my youngest to Kindergarten 3 times....you never know what your youngest might be."

Here's hoping she is right! :)

Ray and Lois' Adoption Journey

2011-09-02T08:58:00.000-07:00

Welcome

Hello and thank you for taking the time to learn more about our family, and our life. We have so much to offer a child: a family filled with stability, love, potential, and two boys excitedly waiting to be big brothers.

We are Ray and Lois. Our family consists of a father, a mother, two loving sons, and an energetic dog. Being parents has brought us days filled with joy and laughter. We desire to have another child to cherish; love and nurture, and we look forward to expanding our family.

We would provide your child a safe, warm, loving home in a community filled with friends and lots of playmates. Moreover, your child would definitely not be lacking for hugs and kisses, especially from their older brothers. Both emotional and financial stability are important to us. We would not take lightly the responsibility to provide for the future needs of your child. We work hard to maintain this stability by investing for the future for our family.

Having been an early childhood teacher, education is also very important to me (Lois), and we work hard to instill a love of learning in our children. We cuddle up on the chairs in their rooms and read each night before bed. This has become a welcome treat for both boys. Being involved in our children’s school is also something to which we commit time and energy.

We are an extremely close family who love spending time together. Whether we are watching our oldest play soccer, swimming at our swim club, walking on the Jersey Shore, visiting Lancaster, or playing on a local playground, we are always on the go and love being outdoors. The boys enjoy spending time with their grandparents who live close by and who love to spoil their grandkids rotten. They also love going fun places with their uncle. During the winter, you may find us all curled up on the couch watching a football or hockey game, or just hanging out in our family room that is overrun by toys.

Laughter is a huge part of our life. There is nothing as infectious as the laughter of a child, and both our boys sure know how to laugh. Believe us when we tell you that our two little men can make pretty much anything or any situation humorous. Just hearing their laughter cannot help but bring a smile to our faces.

After the birth of our second son, we felt our family was just not quite complete, and that we were still missing a member. We would love to add another child to make our family complete, which is why we have begun our adoption journey. We are praying that God will bring the right addition to our loving family, as well as help you in making one of the most important decisions in your life.

Words are inadequate to express how thankful and honored we are that you would consider our family to adopt your child. We can promise that we will love and cherish your child for the rest of our lives.

Best wishes,

~ Lois and Ray

About Lois

2011-09-02T08:57:00.001-07:00

"A Mother's love grows by giving." ~Charles Lamb

Lois is a smart, loving woman who is always caring for others. She is the best mother a kid could ask for.

Having grown up spending almost every weekend on her uncle’s farm with her grandparents, Lois was at home with the cows, and farm animals. As a child, her family owned ponies and horses, and she was in the saddle from the time she could walk. She grew up in a small, rural town with her dad, mom, and younger brother. Her mom and brother still live today in the house her grandfather, dad, and uncle built. Unfortunately, Lois’ father passed away a few years ago, but Lois is extremely close with her mom and brother, and they talk to each other almost daily.

Education has always been important to Lois. She received her BA in Early Childhood Education from the University of Richmond, and was an elementary school teacher for several years. She obtained her MBA with a specialization in e-Business in 2005. Lois volunteers with the PTA, and helps with the school book fair twice a year. She reads to the boys each night at bedtime, and is working hard to instill in them a love of reading, and learning.

Just after the birth of our first son, Lois became involved with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society after learning of a little girl in Texas battling leukemia who was the same age as our son. Lois took the initiative to form a team of walkers in this little girl’s honor. The team included more than 1,000 walkers from throughout North America. and to date have raised more than $1 million to help find a cure. In 2006, Lois was honored with the prestigious Vision for Life Award, which recognizes individuals who further the Society’s mission by having the vision and determination to “look outside the box” to create the first ever National Friends and
Family virtual team.

Her biggest vice is her fear of scary movies. However, she is a sucker for romantic comedies. She has recently taken up sewing, and looks forward to making items for a new baby in the house.

About Ray

2011-09-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

"A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty." ~Author Unknown

Ray is an amazing guy who is not only a wonderful husband, but a fabulous friend. He has a huge heart that engulfs his family and friends.

His gentle, fun-loving spirit shines in his role of dad. He loves doing things with his family, and there is never a doubt that his family is his #1 priority. Whether he is kissing and hugging the boys at bedtime, snuggling on his chair, or playing on the floor with them, he enjoys his family time.

Ray grew up in the suburbs with his mom, dad, and sister. His favorite activities were riding his bike and building forts with his pals.

An incredible friend, Ray works hard to maintain long-term friendships. At our wedding, his groomsmen were all his elementary school buddies who he has grown up with, and are still his friends today. This unwavering friendship was particularly tested when one of his best friends was facing cancer. While others pulled away, Ray made the extra effort to travel more than an hour to visit is buddy in the hospital several times. He called him daily to check in, and lend an ear at a time when he was needed the most.

When it comes to sports, Ray is a huge Pittsburgh fan. He loves watching the Steelers play football, and the Penguins on the ice. He was a Penguins fan when they were last in the league, and was very excited to see them win the Stanley Cup in '09. To relax, Ray takes his Harley Davidson '03 Fat Boy out for a scenic ride through the local countryside.

Ray realizes how blessed our family has been, and feels it is important to give back to better the lives of others. He has been a member of the Elks Special Children's committee volunteering his time with the local special needs children. He fundraises regularly for the Special Olympics, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and Race for a Cure. He involves the whole family in these events to help instill a sense of the importance of giving back to our children.

You can tell a lot about a man by how he treats his mother. Ray adores his mom and would do anything for her. If that is any indication of what an incredible guy Ray is, you know we are very lucky to have him as a husband and father.

Photo Gallery

2011-09-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family." ~Anthony Brandt

Our Friends

2011-09-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

Friends: family that you can choose for yourself.” ~Author Unknown

Still living in the same basic area that we grew up in, we are lucky to have many old friends close by, as well as the new ones we have made over the years. Many of our friends also have young children, so there are lots of ready-made playmates.

I have also been fortunate to belong to group of wonderful working moms who all have a child the same age as our oldest. These women have been an amazing support network over the years as our children grow together.

Our Home

2011-09-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.” ~Author Unknown

We own a comfortable home in the suburbs with a fenced backyard. The family room is the gathering place, and where you will find us most of the time when we are home. The wonderful neighbors and lots of children to play with make it the perfect place to raise a family, and we plan to be here for many years to come.

Our Community

Our small, community school has wonderful teachers who love teaching and realize the importance of instilling a love of learning in their students. The low student to teacher ratio gives them quality, individualized

attention. The parents play an active part in the school, and I volunteer at the school as often as I can.

There are many great parks and playgrounds nearby. The boys love the opportunity to run, jump, and climb on the jungle gyms, or all just go for a quiet walk together.

Living in between two large cities, we have the best of both worlds; the culture and opportunities of a large city with the small town feeling of the suburbs.

Our Boys

2011-09-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." ~ Proverbs 22:6

We've been blessed to have two wonderful boys who we adore. Each is a unique individual who brings their own special qualities to our family.

Our oldest son is a sensitive soul who loves deeply, works hard, and is a good friend. He loves to play soccer, read, and learn new things.

Our youngest son is an independent, free spirit who is determined to forge his way in life on his own as much as possible even at the young age of four. He works hard and plays hard. His laugh is infectious. He loves playing sports.

Both boys love riding their bikes, taking walks and playing at our local playgrounds. They love playing catch and tag with the four footed member of our family, Jack is a very energetic Jack Russell Terrier. We've also recently added two guinea pigs to the fold, Snickers and Dishy.

Both boys are adorable, bundles of joy who love each other to pieces. They are anxious to have an addition to our family.

Our Life Together

2011-09-02T08:14:00.001-07:00

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
~1 Corinthians 13:13

We met through mutual friends who set us up on a double date, because they thought we were a perfect match. I guess they were right. Our first kiss rang in the Millenium New Year's Eve 2000, and the rest is history. Today, these two special people in our lives, who introduced us more than 10 years ago, are the Godparent's of our oldest son.

Engaged on Valentine's Day in 2001, we tied the knot on June 1, 2002 in front of our family and friends. This day was doubly special to our family because on that very same date my parents had said their vows more than 38 years before. We danced the night away with more than 100 important people in our lives. The next morning we left for our honeymoon in Hawaii.
Our relationship is a partnership built on a very strong friendship. We truly enjoy spending time together and work together to make our family work. Honesty is also a very important component to both of us.

Ray and I both come from close families with large extended families. My dad and Ray's mom each have five siblings, and my mom is one of three. The families get together regularly for special events and get-togethers.

When it comes to work, we both have solid, established careers with our respective organization. I just celebrated my 15th year anniversary with my company. I handle web development and e-marketing in the Marketing Communications Department. Having been with the same company for such a long time affords me the opportunity to work a flexible schedule and have the ability to work from home on a regular basis. This has been so important while having children. I also have a mommy blog where I share great products and news with other moms, and have even invented a product for moms based on my experience. Ray has been with his company for almost 12 years as a forklift operator. He works second shift so he gets the chance to spend the morning with the boys, and get them off to school.

Having two boys, definitely keeps us on our toes but it's a very good busy, which makes life worth living. We love attending school, sports, and church events. We also enjoy spending quality time together as a family. The weekends are our time to unwind and have fun. You will rarely find us sitting at home on a weekend. Just ask our moms.

Our Family

2011-09-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

“The love of a family is life's greatest blessing.” ~Author Unknown

Ray and Lois have been extremely blessed to have wonderful, close family.

Ray's Parents

Grandmommy and Grandpoppy live 10 minutes away, and enjoy spending time with the whole family. Ray definitely inherited his huge heart from his mom who loves people and is extremely social. Ray's dad appears outwardly to be the tough guy, but we know different. He has been known to be seen playing horsey on the floor as two young boys jump on his bad back. There is no doubt that his grandkids are his pride and joy. Grandmommy is retired and grandpoppy will be retiring shortly.

Having placed children for adoption herself, Ray's mother realizes the importance of finding a good family to care for your child, and is excited that we are looking to provide that family to a child.

Ray has a large extended family of four aunts, three uncles and lots of cousins that keep in touch throughout the year.

Lois' family

Mommom and Uncle Donnie (Lois' brother) live in a more rural area about 20 minutes away. They have a great big backyard to run and play in with cows and horses for neighbors. They own their own business nearby, and often stop by for visits on their days off. They love to have the boys come to visit so they can spoil them rotten.

Lois also has a large extended family with four aunts and three uncles just like Ray. Her extended family totals more than 40 wonderful family members that all live within an hour of each other. The tribe includes her cousins, and their children ranging in age from 2 to 25, and even one grandchild added in the mix. Each year they commit to getting together for a family reunion with a different family member hosting each year.

Stay Safe During Hurricane Irene!!!

2011-08-25T19:06:00.000-07:00

August 25, 2011 -- These type of events are so much scarier once you have children. When I lived in Richmond, I went through two pretty severe hurricanes and this time it's scarier just thinking about how to keep the boys safe in the event that it does hit NJ. Ray and the boys put all the outside stuff away tonight. I'm filling water bottles, we've got plenty of food, but not sure what else we really should be doing.

We cancelled our trip to Lancaster but we may have actually been safer there but they still do not know the path of the storm and we didn't want to be away from home if it hit farther west. Mother Nature is a women so of course she is unpredictable to even the most trained professional and high tech device ;)

Our prayers go out to all our friends and family up and down the East Coast. Stay safe everyone!!!!!

Introducing The New Family Truckster

2011-08-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

August 5, 2011 -- Introducing the new family truckster. I absolutely love it....

....I knew it was time to trade in our very reliable Honda Pilot which was reaching 100K and was coming up on desperate need of some serious work but what to replace it with?

I had been looking at mini-vans and none of them just seemed to be it. I looked at Odysseys and Siennas and I just wasn't ready to be a mini-van mom. Plus the colors of the ones that were available were all silver and white with light interior. Hello, what genius puts light colored interior in a family vehicle? We needed the space of the minivan to accomodate our family and hopefully our new addition but none of these were doing it for me.

And then!!!! I got the best of both worlds with the 2011 Toyota Highlander SE when I saw it on the lot and the crimson color is amazing! A sporty SUV exterier, a roomy interier, 3rd row seating that is easy accessible with a pass-thru. It also drives like a dream. Now I just need to learn all the cool, new features!

Happy Earth Day and Happy Easter

2011-04-22T14:34:00.000-07:00

April 22, 2011 -- Happy Earth Day and Happy Easter from Ray, Lois, and the boys

Congratulations to the winner of the DD GC

2011-04-22T14:06:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the following Making Our Family Complete visitor for winning the $10 Dunkin Donut gift card as part of our Ultimate Blog Party Giveaway:

Commentor #5 - SuzieCue

Please come back again and visit us soon!

Ultimate Blog Party Post

2011-04-01T05:28:00.000-07:00

April 1, 2011 -- Happy April Fool's Day. This is one of my favorite times of year to be a blogger, The 5 Minutes for Mom Ultimate Blog Party time. It is a great opportunity to meet new people, gain new followers, and WIN great stuff.

WELCOME if you are coming from The Ultimate Blog Party. Let me introduce my blog and my family. Making Our Family Complete was created to follow our adoption journey toward completing our family with a little princess. I'm Lois. I'm married to a wonderful guy named Ray and have to incredible boys, ages 5 and 7. You can learn more about our family and our desire to adopt here. We would appreciate if you keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we continue on our path. And if you hear or know of anyone who is considering adoption for their child, please share our site with them.

DOOR PRIZE

Now what's a party without a door prize, right? I am giving a way a $10 Dunkin Donuts gift card. To enter, just leave me a comment by midnight (EST) on April 8, 2011.

Extra chances to win

Linking to this contest.
Follow us on Twitter.
Following us with Blogger.
Having a link or button to our site on your site
Tweeting about this giveaway.

Just leave us a separate comment for each letting us know. Make sure to share your links with us.

Now head over to the Ultimate Blog Party and join in the fun and get your chance to win tons of of prizes.

Easter Outfit Shopping

2011-03-27T19:18:00.000-07:00

March 27, 2011 -- This weekend we all found our Easter outfits. I bought a really cute floral sun dress at Dress Barn and it's a size 18!!! I'm down from almost a 26 and hopefully keep the downward momentum. I haven't bought a new dress in years, so this is extra special. I even bought earrings and a necklace. This was my 2nd choice on the right, but you'll have to wait until the photos to see the one I picked! ;-)

The boys and Ray got teal dress shirts and matching ties. Boy, do my men clean up nice! Now I just need to make our appointment for our photo at Sears. I just love Easter photos because everyone's clothes are so bright and cheery and so are the backgrounds. Gets me excited for my favorite season: spring and for my birthday.

Our 5 year old is going through a "dress handsome" phase. He wore a dress shirt, tie and dress shoes today for shopping. He definitely did look extremely handsome. Plus he got a haircut from daddy this week and was brushing his own hair. And guess where he got the idea to dress up? From the Wimpy Kid Movie. LOL! Well, I will take it however I can get it because up until this point I couldn't get him out of super hero t-shirts, sneakers, and sweatpants. :)

Getting into Shape - One Year Update

2011-03-09T18:02:00.000-08:00

March 9, 2011 -- Well just wanted to share my one year update on my goal to get healthier and thinner. Here goes:

Lost 53 lbs.
Cholestrol - Total = 163. My bad is down and good is up.
Blood sugar - A1C1 is down and fasting glucose is still within normal levels
Go to gym 3-4X/week

I still have more weight to lose but I definitely feel and look a lot better.

Updated our adoption profile!

2011-01-15T19:03:00.000-08:00

January 15, 2011 -- So excited! Just updated our adoption profile and sent it to Winkfish to get copies printed. Can't wait to see them and send a copy to our agency and the new referral service we are joining. I updated it with no photos of my skinny husband and hopefully after losing 50 lbs. I look at least somewhat better too.

Check it out online: http://www.makingourfamilycomplete.com/scrapbook_sm2.pdf.

Adoptive Couples Retreat

2011-01-15T17:59:00.000-08:00

January 15, 2011 -- For those of you who have adopted or like us are in the process of adopting, there is a great opportunity for you. It's an Adoptive Couples Retreat being held March 18-19th in Orem, UT.

Learn more about it at: http://www.retreatforadoptivecouples.blogspot.com/