November - Adoption Awareness

November is National Adoption Month!

Since we are in the process of trying to adopt a child through foster-adoption, this month is especially important to us. So, throughout November, I will post on various topics about adoption, in hopes of raising awareness for those children in need.

I was personally curious how November became National Adoption Month, so I did some research. 

It has been celebrated for 34 years, starting in 1976 when former Governor of Massachusetts, Michael Dukakis, declared an adoption week to promote awareness for the need of adoptive families for those children in the foster care system. 

Then, in 1984, former President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Adoption Week, under Proclamation 5280. This full week of awareness was formed largely from the Adoption and Welfare Act of 1980.  This federal law, enacted on June 17, 1980, directly targeted the growing issue of foster children placements in multiple foster homes. This act promoted the idea that a permanent placement with a foster family (if reunification with the birth family is not possible,) is in the best interests of the foster child. Funding for foster/adoptive families is also included in this act. Prior to 1980, it was left to the individual state's discretion to provide funding to foster/adoptive families; yet, with this act, all states were mandated to offer subsidies (in the form of financial assistance) to adoptive families.

In 1995, under former President Clinton's leadership, Proclamation 6846 was passed, expanding adoption week to the entire month of November. In celebrating National Adoption Month, Clinton said that while recognizing the achievements of raising adoption awareness, it is also vital to look at how much work still needs to be done. In 1998, Clinton directed the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a unique and targeted plan to utilize the Internet as a key tool in finding homes for foster children.

Each year, in early November, the President issues an official proclamation to announce National Adoption Month. Last year, included in President Obama's proclamation, was the reminder that over 100,000 children are still without the basic need; that need of a family. In 2010, President Obama signed the International Adoption Simplification Act, which removed unnecessary barriers in international adoption. This Simplification Act, in conjunction with the Adoption Tax Credit (expanded as part of the Affordable Care Act,) makes adoption more affordable to families.

Many state governors also issue state proclamations in November to help raise adoption awareness and encourage citizens to become involved in helping children in the foster care system.

Although adoption may not affect you directly, chances are, it is important to someone you know. If anything this November, at least become aware of the importance of finding forever families for the children in need. Finding families for children in foster care is not an issue that will ever go away. The need for awareness is constant and two-fold. While we raise awareness for the children in need, it is important to remember that many families (like ours) would not be able to build our family tree without adoption. 

Fall Frolic in Apple Hill

One of our favorite fall traditions is to spend a weekend day in Apple Hill. 

Some of you may not be familiar with Apple Hill, so here is a brief background. Apple Hill is a group of ranches; not one ranch, nor just a geographic area. It consists of over 50 ranches, that are collectively referred to as Apple Hill and are part of the Apple Hill Growers Association. I could not find a decent size full map of the area, but below you can see it in its entirety, split into east and west sections.

The ranches are east of Placerville, west of Pollock Pines and about half way between Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe, on the north side of Highway 50. The ranches differ in size and varietals, producing everything from apples and other fruit, pumpkins, Christmas trees, livestock, beer, and wine. The sweet delicacies that come from these ranches are literally mouthwatering. Depending on their production crop, some ranches are open year-round, while other ranches, especially those producing apples and pumpkins, open after Labor Day. They stay open as long as their fruits last; this is unfortunately, left up to Mother Nature. The Christmas tree farms generally open the day after Thanksgiving, although, some do open the weekend before.

With all this fun that Apple Hill offers, during peak season (late September through October,) it does tend to get crowded. We have our usual route that we follow and tend to keep away from the most popular ranches, closer to the highway. Apple Ridge Farms is always our first stop and this year, a good friend of mine, was having her son's third birthday party there. It was a perfect way to start the day. Apple Ridge has a petting farm, where you can feed their many goats, sheep, chickens, and rabbits. They also have one of our favorite pumpkin patches and offer a fun Hay Maze for the kids. This year was extra special because we got to do all of our favorite things there, and spend a short time with the birthday boy. 

The birthday boy helping me pick out our pumpkin

A ranch resident

J feeding the goats. Boy, do they love to eat!

J in the stocks

Scarecrow Shan

After Apple Ridge, sometimes we hit other pumpkin farms, depending on if we found the "perfect" one. Luckily, this year, our pumpkin was already tucked in our backseat, so we headed to the local hot spot, Jack Russell Brewery. It is the perfect spot to have a picnic and sample some delicious beer. They do offer wine and cider, but we are partial to their beer, While J goes for their Red, my favorite is the India Pale Ale (IPA.) It is an ideal place to people watch and spend a couple hours. On busy weekends, they always have a little craft fair. J bought me a gorgeous butterscotch amber (I love amber and never knew there was a butterscotch version!) If you like amber as much as I do, check out Ocean Amber. 

My butterscotch amber pendant

Entrance to Jack Russell Brewing Co.

Pick your poison!

The next stop on our Frolic trail was definitely the most delicious. Rainbow Orchards (they don't currently have a website, but are listed as #10 on the map.) Open since 1977 and situated on more than 300 acres, Rainbow Orchards offers a wide variety of fruit, but they are most known for their homemade, warm-from-the-oven, Apple Cider Donuts. While there is always a wait for these true delicacies, you won't be disappointed when they hand you a warm bag full of these donuts. They literally melt in your mouth. It's a good thing we only get these once a year. Although they are made with apples, I don't think they are on the healthy list.

After Rainbow, we hit a few local wineries, then headed home. If you are in that area, Crystal Basin Cellars offers some good red varietals. 

It was a wonderful day and our official start to fall. Because the area is so vast, there are so many places we didn't visit. Perhaps a trip up after Thanksgiving is in order...after all, nothing smells better than Christmas tree farms. 

And hopefully next year when we go, we can introduce Baby g to one of our favorite fall traditions.

Happy Fall!!!

The Haunted Disco

One of the most important things we can do while waiting for Baby g, is to keep busy. How? 

By hosting a Haunted Disco Bunco!

I have been in a Bunco group for the past year and a half and it's been so much fun. We have a phenomenal group of ladies, who, through this silly game, have become very good friends. There are 12 ladies so each of us has to host once a year. It's a couple hours once a month to let loose, chat, eat good food, have some cocktails and of course, roll the dice looking for that coveted Bunco.

Since my month was October this year, I combined two of my favorite things; Halloween and Disco, thus creating the Haunted Disco. The gals had to wear either Disco or 70's attire and they all looked fabulous!! I kept my menu in the Halloween/70's theme:

Appetizers

Warm Ear Wax - Cheese Fondue

Brain Souffles - Mini Quiche

Wine/Spirits

Vampire's Kiss - Red Wine Sangria

Wormified Sludge - Jello Shots

Entrees

Zombie Upchuck - Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Monster Mash - Macaroni and Cheese

Salads

Bird Droppings Mix - Salad with Ranch

Frog Eyes Salad - Ambrosia

Dessert

Coagulated Blood Flow - Chocolate Fountain

Crunchy Bones - Rice Krispie Treats

The Halloween decorations were easy. I had all of them and they are up every year, regardless of an event. I found some great Disco Decorations online at Oriental Trading Company (a stellar site to get inexpensive decorations or tableware.) I even got crafty with a Disco Ball by gluing tinfoil over a child's ball and then adding some small, square mirrored tiles to it. 

While you were not able to join us at the Haunted Disco (you had to be on the VIP list,) I invite you to check out the photos from opening night.

Welcome to the Haunted Disco...

Disco Wall Deco

Pass these guys as you enter...

Stayin' Alive, Stayin' Alive...

Mantle Deco

Entrance 

More Haunted Fun

My lava lamp from high school

Notice the foil Disco Ball

The Haunted Cuisine...

Wine/Spirits Station

The Disco Divas!

The Bunco Roll-Off. J was our "ghost" player

Did I mention I have the best husband in the world? Thanks for all your help J! 

One of the Disco Divas did a groovy post on the Haunted Bunco...check it out at Then I Got to Thinking. 

We had to shut down the club after this one crazy night, but who knows, maybe we'll open again someday. After all, like any true Diva knows, Disco will never die.

Where We Are...

It has been quite a while since I posted; truth is, there is not much going on. We are just WAITING.

A lot of people ask me how things are going in our foster-adopt process and that makes me happy. It is nice to know that people care and are interested in this process. Unfortunately, I'm afraid my answer will usually be the same. We are in the waiting game.

The foster-to-adopt process through Liliput Children's Services, is basically a two part process. First, and the stage we are currently in, is getting certified to be foster and adoptive parents. This includes the nine week training course we did, background checks, reference checks, CPR/Water Rescue courses, Livescan fingerprinting, in-depth home study interviews, doctor's releases, and so much more. There is a lot of components to this part and it does take time. We are often waiting on other people to complete various components, so once we do our initial tasks, the timing is really out of our hands.

Once all the above is completed, we will be certified as foster and adoptive parents, and we will enter the system as "available." And yes, this in itself, begins the real waiting. You can be matched up in a couple months, but more than likely, longer than that. Our goal right now is just to get into the system and we hope to be ready and available in the early part of 2013. 

This process is a huge lesson in both patience and letting go of control. I tend to like to control things so the latter is the hardest for me. However, we truly do not have control over this situation and have to trust that it will happen for us, when it is supposed to. Some days, it's easy to accept this; other days, it seems like we are chasing a phantom dream. 

So, in a nutshell, this is where we are and where we will likely be for the near future. I have to remind myself that I had never heard of Lilliput until January of this year. We started our training in February, so we are actually doing pretty well. It is comforting to me that we have a plan to build our family. And when the day finally comes that we have a child, all this waiting and anticipation will be a distant memory.

Family Photo Book

It has been a while since I posted...not much going on, I guess. We are waiting for our home study to be written and approved. So much of this process is learning to have patience, as the timeline is out of our control. I think we're both trying not to think about it too much; living life as normal. It is not always easy and for me, I try as often as possible to remember that...

Some exciting news...we did finish our Family Photo Book! A Family Photo Book is what other social workers see, along with our home study. It is a basic book of photos and captions about who we are, what we like to do, etc. We are so pleased with the way ours turned out and it was a blast to do! If a child is old enough, he/she may also be given the book to look at. 

Here are some pages from our book. The colors may be distorted since I took the photos with my phone.

The cover of our Family Book.

Been waiting so long!

So true!

One of my favorite pages. 

The only thing missing is you...you will make our life complete.

We are both so excited to start our family. But, until that time comes, we are enjoying each other and our life together. Although we don't yet have our child, this time before he/she comes is important. Soon, it will never again be just the two of us. So, here's to enjoying everyday together; each day is special.

Happy Birthday Hubby!

Happy Birthday to my Amazing Husband!!!

Click here for some birthday background music
(this song always reminds me of J)

38 years ago today, a great soul was born.

J in 1975

Little did I know that this sweet guy would become my husband. It's funny how life works out; how a California girl and Puerto Rican boy meet and fall in love. 

My little muscle man

My favorite young pic of J

J as a teenager. Can you see his 'stache?

I have said this many times, but I am such a lucky woman to have met this man. He is the love of my life, my best friend, my support...my everything. There are decisions I have questioned in my life, but marrying him is the best one I've ever made. His smile and laugh are two things that I cannot do without.

The Birthday Boy

I have known him for over 13 years now and I have seen him grow into an exceptional man. He takes such good care of me (and our fur babies) and I cannot wait for the day that our little one calls him "Daddy." 

J's Birthday Decorations

How can this monkey not make you smile?

We love to celebrate our birthdays...this year's theme is birthday Monkeys! Two of J's favorite things are Nutella and Ferrero Rocher Chocolates so for his birthday dessert, I am making Nutella-Rocher Cupcakes. 

Can't go wrong with these ingredients

Yum!

So Happy, Happy Birthday to my sweet J!!!

Handsome Hubby

Love that smile!

Here's to your 38th year! May all your birthday wishes come true. I know every wish of mine came true the day I met you.