Sunday, December 21, 2014

Introducing Paris Josephine Alexander


Paris Josephine Alexander
November 28, 2014
5:40am 
6 lbs 10 oz
19.2 inches 
Perfect gift from God!!  



Living in the desert with such a blessing...

(Written December 5, 2014 ~ back posted)

I said before, each step of adoption has trials and difficulties, and each feeling harder than the last!  I am just so grateful the birth mom signed her rights away as planned, because for about 24 hours it was iffy and we had to rely on the Lord during that time... praying we would stick with her plan to let us become the parents... But she did sign, and later that day, November 30, we were released from the hospital with our baby girl, and moved into a temporary GA house, with family of friends.

At this point, I am "imprisoned" in the state of Georgia, with a new born who could be ripped from my arms in the next few days,... we have 5 more days and 4 hours until the revocation period is over, and the birth mom has until that time to change her mind and take our baby girl!  How in world would any mom handle this waiting period without the grace and guidance from our Lord?! Seriously... This is hard enough, even knowing He is in control... because each and everyday I fall deeper into her! 
God is good, He will not fail me! 

"just the two of us..."
This sweet hand floors me everyday!!!

The days and nights drag on as I do my best to learn her alone, Steven is back in Alabama working so we can give her the life she deserves.  He comes to visit us on the weekends, but the rest of the time it is just us girls, and in the evenings our host and hostess who have taken in this new momma and newborn.  Angels! Thank you Lauren and Steven, and sweet Evelyn!!!  Thank you Christa and Jeremiah, and beautiful Briee!!
You gave shelter and refuge to a total stranger who was a stranger to this new role of mom...
May God Bless you more than you could every imagine!!:)

(Written December 10, 2014 ~ back posted)

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!! The waiting is over, she is OURS!!!  For better, for worst... she's stuck with us!! Praise the Lord!!  I'm still in Georgia, waiting for Alabama now to approve us to come back home, the state of Georgia has done everything they were suppose to- thank you GA!  I wish we could be with Steven to celebrate this exciting moment, but for now we are apart... only 2.5 hours away but feels like galaxies...

We wait, and we pray, and we wait and we pray.... day in, day out... And we learn each other, one-on-one attention... She's learning me and how I will always be there for her when she needs me, and I 'm learning her like what each of her cries mean, and her body language... And the way she breaths when she's in a deep sleep, and her gentle coos, etc... she's breath-taking!!!  I really wish babies came with individualized owners manuals, that would make these first few weeks so much easier.  Especially during this time of being guests in someone else's house, in a foreign state and away from my beloved husband and new daddy...


She's such a beautiful blessing, and all I want to do is take her home and enjoy her, in our house, show her her room I have worked so hard on and share with her Steven.  We have waited so long for her to come into our lives, I don't understand why we have to endure this additional waiting period, it's so painful... Is it insensitive of me to want to just coast for a little while, and enjoy her after so many years of waiting and praying for her?  I know God has a plan, but like most of His plans, I don't have a clue as to why we have to go through this!!  I just have to hold on to Him and trust Him to continue to lead us!  




The hospital:

(Written at the hospital, the day she was born, November 28, 2014 ~ back posted....)

The call came in the middle of the night, Steven and I bounced out of bed to start our 2 1/2 hour drive to where Baby Girl Alexander was to be born "within the hour". Needless to say we both had to drive as safely as possible but as fast a possible. The feeling that over came us during that LONG drive was unlike anything else... Adrenaline. Nerves. Excitement. Fear. Joy and Panic...


How will first contact  be for both of us mamas? Will she fall in love and change her mind? Will the family cause a dramatic scene and make this adoption more complicated than its "planned" to be? Oh man, this is going to be a long 12-ish days till its "official and secure".


I am sitting here with her, I just feed her for the second time and she's now asleep on my chest- I am breathing her in and praying she is breathing me in. I want her I know my scent...to know me... to need me... She is simply breath-taking! Smells and feels incredible and I can easily fall head over heels in love with her once this is official. For now, I love her like all the other beautiful baby who has graced my life. I believe  God has a protective barrier over me I feel until this revocation period is over and we are no longer at risk of her birth mom to want her back and change her mind. Once that day and time comes when she is truly ours, watch out!!!! This volcano of emotion and love will over flow and explode.


"Thank you Jesus for this beautiful baby girl! Thank you for this brave and selfless mom! Thank you for allowing our lives to cross in such a mind-boggling way! Thank you for your provision and your grace over Steven and I as we continue to walk in faith with you! Amen!"

What?!? I have a baby mama?!?:)

(Written November 20, 2014 ~ past posted)

The crossing of two lives:

    It's an interesting and terrifying emotion, to meet the woman who is willing to give birth to (your) child and give her to you, AFTER creating and carrying her within her body for 9 months!!!  What do you say to her??? Thank you just doesn't feel like enough!!! Bringing her whoopie pies that my mum and I baked just days before definitely doesn't feel like enough... especially for all that she is giving to us!
 Really, is there any way to actually thank her?? Nothing feels like it's enough!
    Meeting our baby mama couldn't have gone better, I think... We were all extremely nervous, which is normal and appropriate. But it's a lot of mental work, because you're always questioning what to say and going over something in your head to make sure it sounds right before you say it out loud. You want nothing to "ruin" this connection and endanger the adoption. You have to approach the days ahead with a guarded heart "just in case" and be respectful of words you use or how you say something. Adoption has many stages of difficulties, and just when I think we're in the hardest part of it, another harder part comes up... BUT we have flown through and are nearly to the end and yet the beginning. The beginning of a new
and exciting journey with sweet baby girl Alexander. And I can't wait to start this new journey!!:)
   I want so much for our birth mama.  She is delightful, pretty, well prepared and shows so much more bravery and courage than I could ever have shown at the age of 21!!! I am bubbling over right now thinking of her, I am so extremely proud of her!! She's making such profound choices, showing such maturity and acting so selfless!

"Lord Jesus, I ask that you bless her with a fruitful and abundant life; with many blessings and a bright future! In the months to come, give her a peace that transcends all understanding and a confidence in her brave decision that she made out of love! Give her the resources and opportunities to go to school and get her degree that she desires and is able to build the life that she dreams of having! Comfort her on hard days by wrapping your arms around her, reminding her that she picked a devoted couple who will love this sweet baby girl with all their hearts and who will move mountains for her! And on good days, may she bask in your glory and all the blessings that you have for her! I thank you for her and how
our lives are forever crossed and I am so grateful to her! Amen."

"The Call"

Written November 23, 2014.... (back posting now that the news is out)

It was somewhat of a normal Thursday morning, I was just starting a load of laundry when I received "the call"... Our social worked called and told me a birth mom had picked our profile out of a whole pile, she was drawn to us immediately because of our dark hair.  Later she "fell in love with us" more after reading all about our "fun lives", our close knit families, our travels, my Child Development degree and our plans for the future. We later found out she likes us so much she wishes we could adopt her!:)
     After recovering from the shock that this was finally happening, I received more details. Like the fact that she was due within two weeks of this call- this baby girl is coming and coming fast!!! Please believe me when I say that this is and always was a God thing!!  Only He could work out the details of this situation and birth mom for us, so perfectly, we could see from the beginning, from this first call the finger prints of God all over it!!!:) He is so good!!
    Another wonderful blessing at that moment was that my mum was here with us visiting so she was the first person to know that Baby Alexander was to be a girl and she was coming very soon!!  She and I danced around the living room to the "Happy" song and cried and prayed. It was a beautiful moment between mum and daughter and soon to be mom and daughter.
    The days that followed were a made dash to finish the nursery and prepare the house. The timing was perfect with my parents visiting, we were able to knock out the remaining big projects that needed to be done so then Steven and I could focus on the smaller details. Fixing up the nursery has always been important to me because for 9 months I haven't "housed and protected" baby Alexander, that was out of my control. But what was in my control was the home and bedroom, household security - so I have put a lot of time and love into her room. Even on a budget, she has a nice space to call her own!:) Needless to say I have been "nesting" since we started the adoption process in February so it didn't need too much. And much thanks to my amazing parents who have helped so much on her nursery!
    So now we are, nearly a week and a half later from when we received "the call" - the nursery is ready for a sweet girl to come home to, my luggage is packed and several bags are packed for baby girl Alexander. She is due tomorrow- time has flown by since the call, we are ready!!!!!