For those of you who don't know, we've been following Kelly Haramis' column on her - and her husband's - journey to adoption. Her latest story published last Sunday in the Trib and it focused on her referral. She finally knows what her daughter looks like!
Anyway, Jennifer emailed her a letter of congratulations and it published in today's Chicago Trib.
VERY COOL!
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Merry Christmas!
It's hard to believe it's a week before Christmas! Where has the year gone?
We started 2006 in the process of filling out our paperwork and getting fingerprinted for our adpotion process. At that time, we were thinking we would have our child(ren) by now. My how things change.
We realized over the weekend how we haven't done any new updates in regards to adoption -- the original purpose of this blog. We got sidetracked with remodeling our kitchen. So, we wanted to take this opportunity to get back to the heart of our blog.
We're waiting! We're waiting! We're waiting!
We don't really know what else to say.
It's also hard for people who are not going or have not gone through this process to understand the issue with the waiting process.
So we want to try to explain...
It all boils down to one thing: there isn't enough supply to meet the demand. We've been told by our social worker that there are two families for every paperwork-ready child.
We were originally told that our wait would be six-to-seven months from our LID. Now, it's nearing the 15-month mark. We've also read on various blogs that it will approach 18-months from LIDs by Spring/Summer 2007.
In fact, we still haven't been approved by CCAA as they have only gotten through DTCs through January 2006 (we're April).
Our LID is April 24, 2006. At best, we'll get our referral toward the end of June/early July of 2007. At worst, it will be toward the end of October/early November of 2007. Obviously, we're hoping for the summer! We would really like to have our child(ren) home for the holidays. The 2007 holidays, that is.
It's now starting to get hard. The two couples that we met through our waiting families group have both received their daughters this year; and, we're the last of our inner-sanctum. While it's great to see up-close-and-personal how their daughter's have affected their lives positively, we're still pining away for our child(ren).
We're trying to keep a positive outlook. We will get the child(ren) that is(are) meant for us. As a matter of fact, that's one of the greatest [and weirdest] thing we see... how the children are matched perfectly with their parents. It seems as though they have the exact same personality traits as their adoptive parents. The kids haven't even been home or with their adoptive parents for six weeks and they are just the perfect match. It's so cool.
On Christmas Eve, we will have officially waited eight months, which is over the half-way point. And, if you get deeper into the thought process, our child(ren) have probably been born.
Here's hoping she's safe, warm and being well cared for...
We started 2006 in the process of filling out our paperwork and getting fingerprinted for our adpotion process. At that time, we were thinking we would have our child(ren) by now. My how things change.
We realized over the weekend how we haven't done any new updates in regards to adoption -- the original purpose of this blog. We got sidetracked with remodeling our kitchen. So, we wanted to take this opportunity to get back to the heart of our blog.
We're waiting! We're waiting! We're waiting!
We don't really know what else to say.
It's also hard for people who are not going or have not gone through this process to understand the issue with the waiting process.
So we want to try to explain...
It all boils down to one thing: there isn't enough supply to meet the demand. We've been told by our social worker that there are two families for every paperwork-ready child.
We were originally told that our wait would be six-to-seven months from our LID. Now, it's nearing the 15-month mark. We've also read on various blogs that it will approach 18-months from LIDs by Spring/Summer 2007.
In fact, we still haven't been approved by CCAA as they have only gotten through DTCs through January 2006 (we're April).
Our LID is April 24, 2006. At best, we'll get our referral toward the end of June/early July of 2007. At worst, it will be toward the end of October/early November of 2007. Obviously, we're hoping for the summer! We would really like to have our child(ren) home for the holidays. The 2007 holidays, that is.
It's now starting to get hard. The two couples that we met through our waiting families group have both received their daughters this year; and, we're the last of our inner-sanctum. While it's great to see up-close-and-personal how their daughter's have affected their lives positively, we're still pining away for our child(ren).
We're trying to keep a positive outlook. We will get the child(ren) that is(are) meant for us. As a matter of fact, that's one of the greatest [and weirdest] thing we see... how the children are matched perfectly with their parents. It seems as though they have the exact same personality traits as their adoptive parents. The kids haven't even been home or with their adoptive parents for six weeks and they are just the perfect match. It's so cool.
On Christmas Eve, we will have officially waited eight months, which is over the half-way point. And, if you get deeper into the thought process, our child(ren) have probably been born.
Here's hoping she's safe, warm and being well cared for...
Saturday, December 09, 2006
It's done! It's done! We can't believe it's done!
Yes, it's been more than two years in the making and three months of Hell! But, our kitchen is finally completed.
Check out the photos below...
Here is a look at our family room. The only things left to do in here are to convert the fireplace so you can see the arch, replace the ugly blue carpet with the wood laminate that's in the kitchen and hang drapes.
Check out the photos below...
Here is a look at our family room. The only things left to do in here are to convert the fireplace so you can see the arch, replace the ugly blue carpet with the wood laminate that's in the kitchen and hang drapes.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Only nine more days...
and the kitchen project will be done. We think.
We expanded the kitchen project into our family room and spent the past four days painting the family room.
Our family room has cedar paneling that had been painted a stark white. We wanted to warm it up by painting it a tan color. We also had beams that are now painted a deep, dark brown. The room is finally warmed up and looks like a lodge. There are two things left to do to our family room: 1) flooring; 2) fireplace -- convert to gas and purchase a new screen. We've discovered that our fireplace opening is curved and not square; so we would like to enhance that feature.
Below are pictures of both our family room and kitchen. Our countertops, sink and faucet will be installed on Dec. 5. It will be a glorious day in the McFatridge household so that we will get our half bath back to its regular function.
We hope you had a great Thanksgiving.
We expanded the kitchen project into our family room and spent the past four days painting the family room.
Our family room has cedar paneling that had been painted a stark white. We wanted to warm it up by painting it a tan color. We also had beams that are now painted a deep, dark brown. The room is finally warmed up and looks like a lodge. There are two things left to do to our family room: 1) flooring; 2) fireplace -- convert to gas and purchase a new screen. We've discovered that our fireplace opening is curved and not square; so we would like to enhance that feature.
Below are pictures of both our family room and kitchen. Our countertops, sink and faucet will be installed on Dec. 5. It will be a glorious day in the McFatridge household so that we will get our half bath back to its regular function.
We hope you had a great Thanksgiving.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
So close...
Well, our kitchen is nearing completion.
It has been two years in the making. In the Fall of 2004, Kevin Taulman and I began the process when we removed the drop-ceiling the previous owners installed.
I took the first step in becoming a man by purchasing a sawzall from Home Depot. I removed the hanging cabinets over the peninsula and its soffit with my new sawzall.
Then it sat for a year.
We bought lights and went to three different remodeling companies. Finally, we decided on Benson Stone. We worked with Kelly to design our new kitchen -- picked out cabinets and granite.
Hired a contractor.
Bought a faucet.
Hired an electrician.
Hired a second contractor.
Fired our first contractor.
Bought hardware for the doors.
Everything should be completed next week. THANK GOD!
We are so tired of the dust, everything on our dining room tables collecting dust, and cooking only with a microwave -- something my mother has mastered. Did I mention that we have to wash our dishes in the bathroom sink?
That just isn't right.
To view the photos, click HERE to view the slideshow.
It has been two years in the making. In the Fall of 2004, Kevin Taulman and I began the process when we removed the drop-ceiling the previous owners installed.
I took the first step in becoming a man by purchasing a sawzall from Home Depot. I removed the hanging cabinets over the peninsula and its soffit with my new sawzall.
Then it sat for a year.
We bought lights and went to three different remodeling companies. Finally, we decided on Benson Stone. We worked with Kelly to design our new kitchen -- picked out cabinets and granite.
Hired a contractor.
Bought a faucet.
Hired an electrician.
Hired a second contractor.
Fired our first contractor.
Bought hardware for the doors.
Everything should be completed next week. THANK GOD!
We are so tired of the dust, everything on our dining room tables collecting dust, and cooking only with a microwave -- something my mother has mastered. Did I mention that we have to wash our dishes in the bathroom sink?
That just isn't right.
To view the photos, click HERE to view the slideshow.
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