I have a quick update about all things Zappa family from the past few months!
Health:
My health has remained fairly stable, which we are thanking God for! We have come up with a plan of getting spinal blocks about every 12 weeks and that has seemed to help keep things tame. I am able to call and get in before the 12 weeks should I feel the pain is out of control but he has started using a steroid in his blocks to help them last longer and that seems to really be making a difference which I am so grateful for. It has allowed me to keep up with my busy work schedule and not have to constantly feel lousy and in horrible pain. I did have a minor surgery for some personal things on March 18th. I didn't really tell many people about it because it was for something that is personal and intimate so without going into detail much, I ended up with an infection of the incision site and then my incision opened up. We worked on treating that and then I began having some kidney pain any my urine turned about the color of coke. We did run some kidney and liver tests and there was some elevation in my numbers that meant they just weren't functioning ideally. My amazing surgeon did diagnose me with a bad UTI, one that wasn't symptomatic, that may have led to a kidney infection. I have been on three antibiotics now for all of those issues and we did discuss the possibility of hospitalization to help with everything going on but we are holding off on that right now, thank goodness. I have felt pretty lousy and completely run down. I only took a week off of work after my surgery and so I went back most of last week and then with this new infection and kidney and liver stuff, I did end up taking yesterday and today off of work and I am hoping to go back tomorrow. My surgeon is amazing and I trust her wholeheartedly. She has been incredibly kind and supportive through all of this which has made all of this so much easier to deal with. After I am all healed from this, I know I will be feeling good!
Adoption:
As of April 1st, we have officially been a waiting family for a year! It blows my mind that we have already been waiting a year! It really did go quickly! We have a contract with our adoption agency that is two years long. We have been told that most everyone who works with them has the opportunity to adopt in those two years. We were also told that the "average" wait time is 6 to 18 months. I know that God's timing is nothing short of perfect, my heart just wants to be a mom so bad! Paul and I have our nursery completely finished and my mom just got us our stroller and car seat which we need to get put together! Every time we run errands or go to the store for something, I find myself in the baby section, picking something little up like a cute gender neutral outfit, bottles, diapers, or bibs. I am slowly picking up things we may need but also things that make me smile. We have really enjoyed this whole process and continue to enjoy getting ready for whatever sweet child we will be blessed with! With us being incredibly open to age, I know that some of the diapers, bottles, and clothes we buy might not be what we need, but we know that at some point, between us and our siblings, all these things will be used!
We continue to educate ourselves the best we can on all things adoption. I have a real desire to talk to adult adoptees so that I can get their perspective on what it is like to be adopted, things they love, fears they have, and pain or grief they have felt. I really just want to try my best to understand every side of this adoption triangle. I would also love to talk to any incredible mamas who have placed a child for adoption. I know that I will never completely understand it all but my goal is to be as educated as possible so we can support our child as best as possible and also support their incredible first mama in whatever way she wants or needs. I have had a handful of people reach out at different times and tell me they have been thinking a lot about us and our child or having dreams that we were matched and met our child and it makes my heart happy! It also keeps us hopeful that there is a child out there for us. My awesome cousins, who live in Miami have fostered and adopted and they were just up to MN visiting. Paul and I had the opportunity to talk with them and it was really a great conversation for us to have! I had told them that often I do really well in this wait but that some days I am impatient because I am so ready to love a child and be a mama. I also was telling them that I have found so much peace from something someone from the agency told us when we first began our journey. She just said to us, "Isn't it amazing that God already knows who your child is?!" Anytime I get impatient I just remember that and know that His timing is perfect and the child He has chosen for us will be perfect!
Infertility:
Paul and I have not been exploring infertility options and are just enjoying each other and our adoption journey. We eventually will go back to it when we feel the time is right but for now we are just enjoying everything else we are doing!
Life:
Paul and I have both been so busy with work! We are also busy spending time just the two of us and of course with our dogs and families! My sister is getting married in August so a lot of our spring and summer will be spent getting ready and celebrating that! We also just were asked to be in our wonderful friend's wedding for June of 2020 and we are THRILLED about that!! We are loving how busy life is and absolutely can't wait to add a sweet child or children to the mix!! The busier, the better!!
I apologize again for how long this update has taken and my hope is to get on more often to post about all things Zappa family! I am also hoping that there will be an update soon that I get to share our sweet child with you all!