Meeting the birthmom

Hi everyone!  We are insanely busy this week, but I know everyone has been waiting patiently for an update on our meeting with T.  So I will take just a couple minutes out to share with you how it went.  The short story is that it went great! :)  Here we are at the airport waiting to board for OKC!!

We met up with her on Friday at the lawyer's office - she was running late - she overslept & finally got there an hour late! :( OH well, it was worth it when we saw her face (and her belly!) for the first time! :)  We shook hands at first, but I immediately pulled her in for a hug.  It just felt like the right thing, like many of you have said.  She brought with her her best friend/roommate.  Glad she came - she helped fill the awkward silences at times and was very cheerful and bubbly.  We went to lunch afterwards for about an hour and a half, two hours.  T. looks just great, healthy, and is a beautiful girl.  She filled us in on her life, as we did ours.  We talked about the adoption, about the continuing issues that surround her life and the adoption.  But my motto has been, if there weren't issues, there would be no need for adoption!

She was extremely nice.  I won't lie, it was hard at first not to touch the belly :).  We do feel like this was a good visit, and almost wish we could have made it down sooner.  If any of you moms-in-waiting are considering meeting the birthmother, I highly recommend it.  And this is coming from someone who wanted absolutely no contact with her at first, just wanted the baby and be done with it.  But that's not realistic... there's a girl carrying that baby for 9 months, who so unselfishly has decided that this child would be better off with someone else than with her.  It was an honor to meet her.  She said towards the end that she felt this adoption, with us specifically, was "meant to be" and that we haven't been too pushy in our communication with her, which she really appreciated.  That was good to hear, since we weren't sure how often to call/text/email!

Out of respect for her, I will not post the exact details of all the ins & outs, and all the "issues" surrounding this case.  However, many of family & friends have asked what they can do to help.  Here's how you can help our adoption:

1)  Pray.  We are coming up with a list of specific items for you to pray about in regards to our adoption of Zane.

2) Buy a cookbook.

3) Buy an item from the Chosen Child series over at Worthy is the Prize.  Half of their proceeds sold in this collection will go towards our adoption specifically.  You just have to mention or choose our last name - McLamb - from the options!!!  You can choose from the t-shirt (ask for Oklahoma as the state!), necklace (ask for any name on it, including our baby's {Zane}), adoption band, or half loop.

4) If you're in the area, come to our Spaghetti Dinner, tentatively scheduled for Sept. 16th.  More info coming.

5)  Book a Thirty-One party through me!  It can be solely an online party, with online orders ... soooo easy!  But all commissions I make through 31 will go towards our adoption.

6) PRAY.  We cannot say this enough!

Thanks for all your love and support.  Here are the specific prayer items:

• A full-term pregnancy.
• A healthy baby.
• No drama or trouble from the birthfather between now and the birth, and at delivery time.
• That we will be provided enough time to make the delivery!  This includes finding a good straight flight with no layovers.
• That the Lord will provide financially.  {our adoption is paid for, by cashing out a retirement plan but now are making monthly installments on that (ouch), plus the cost of multiple trips to OKC, plus me not working full time until I take boards (studying), etc. etc.}
• That T. will be steadfast and at peace with her decision to make an adoption plan for this child.
• That no legal pitfalls will occur during the adoption process, and that it will process quickly and smoothly.

Coming up in the blog future (you won't want to miss):

• More about our trip to OKC (sightseeing, hotel disasters, flight flubs)
• House fun!  We've redone our back patio, rearranged the living room thanks to a much-needed baby item purchase!, and have been diligently working on the nursery.  Pics to come on the patio, LR, and nursery {specifically: changing out the "midget fan", highlighting my experience with the paint hog, adding a "crowning" achievement to the nursery, and others}
• A cool partnership with one of my long lost sisters at her blog and a giveaway involving WOTP!!

Love,