Our Family Portfolio

August 31st marked the completion of our first month of waiting!  Strangely enough it doesn't feel like a countdown yet nor has the reality sunk in that being a waiting family means we could actually get a phone call inviting us to become parents!  For us its felt more like summer break after finals.  We did it, we got certified, and now that the project is done its time to take a break and do fun stuff!  Whoo Hoo!  Though we fully intended to embrace the waiting period by enjoying this time before life changes, I didn't expect it to be quite so effortless, without the overbearing question of "When will it happen?"  Hey, I'm just fine with this emotional break.  If we can have a few months before having to ward off the anxiety of waiting, I'm all for it!

During this month we did stay plugged into the process by finalizing, printing, and turing in our family portfolio.  Expectant parents ("birthparents" once they actually place their child for adoption) and prospective adoptive parents are both free to specify what they are or are not open to in a match.  All adoptive parents provide the agency with a family portfolio that consists of a letter, a summary page about their family, and multiple photo pages.  This general format is required, but each adoptive family customizes the number of pages and photos, arrangement, captions, topics, letter, etc.  After counseling and at the right time, expectant parents are then shown porfolios from all families they are open to and who are in turn open to their circumstances.  The agency encourages them to select one family to meet and then go from there. 

Here is a sampling of our family portfolio:

Now that our 10 copies are turned in, the agency will hand it out when there is an opportunity without notifying us and if expectant parents want to meet us the agency will call to make arrangements.  The social worker who has been counseling the expectant parents will be there to facilitate the meeting.  If we are curious as to whether or not we've been shown we are free to call at any time.

Please pray for the child that God is preparing for our family, and for the birthfamily that will give him or her the gift of life and be a blessing to our family.  We are so thankful to be certified and that we can dream of parenting, as a friend put it, no longer as an "if" but "when."