EXCITMENT

December??? holy cats how life gets away! Lots of amazing things have happened for the Erlandson's since December! Here is the really short version... December: Started to get our foster license, but mid way through there was a tugging at both Brian and my heart to stop the process. We didn't know why but we listened. January: I got pregnant! What What?? It was an amazing moment. February: Sadly 7 weeks into my pregnancy I miscarried. But I was lucky to have 2 of my best friends from GA in town to help me through it. March: I turned 28...I know there are so many people that wish they where 28 again but I had a really difficult time with it. Until... April: Brian turned 29!!! Now that made me a bit happier to be 28! Brian and I took a 10 day trip to GA to get out of our 'funk' that we had been in for the last few months, and man o'man was that fun! May: Wow May goes down in the record books...here's where the story begins... May 9th I was photographing a wedding with a friend of mine and I kept getting a phone call from my Aunt, than my sister kept calling. My first reaction was ok what happened? So I snuck away for a moment to call my aunt back and this was our conversation...(actually rewind to October, My aunt called and said there her best friend's co-workers daughter was having a baby and giving it up for adoption, and wanted to know if she would be out of line to mention Brian and I. I of course said she could tell her about us, but didn't give it much thought after that since it seems like everyone knows someone and wants to tell them about you. So we swept it under the rung and really didn't think about it again.) Ok fast forward to May...here is the conversation that my aunt and I had when I was able to call her back... He jeanne its Jill. oh my gosh Jill you know my friends coworker who's daughter is putting her baby up for adoption. yeah well she is asking about you and Brian and wants you to call her mom. Hu?? yeah yeah crazy I know. Jeanne, I am shooting a wedding and going for Margaretta's with the girls tonight, and you are telling me that there is a pregnant woman out there waiting on me to call her mom...holy crap my biggest worry was if i was going to have my Margaritas on the rocks or frozen...holy crap...ok ok (as I am scrounging around the car to find a pen or something sharp to carve the number into something) Ok whats the number. Umm Umm ok ok... I called Brian who was on the way home from the cabin (where the cell phone reception is not good) and all I was able to get out was..."remember when Jeanne called in October about that chick that was putting her child up for adoption? Well she is asking about us"...and the phone went dead! So poor Brian had to drive all the way home 3 hrs. He said it was the longest drive of his life! So I hung up the phone and made what was the most important call that I have ever made at that point in my life. I called the birth mothers mom. She and I chatted for a while and she told me all about her daughter situation and their family. She ended the call by saying, "ok well here is my daughters social workers number, she is expecting your call" I hung up the phone and cried in my car in the driveway. Still at this point I hadn't had a chance to tell Brian what was going on in detail. Finally he came come and we talked about it as we waited for the social worker to call us back. Finally she called and we talked some more about the situation, she asked us some questions and asked that we send in a 'Dear Birth Mother' letter along with some pictures of the two of us and our family. Remember this all is taking place on Saturday and she wanted all this by Tuesday so the birth mother could look at it on Wednesday along with 5 others. So Brian and i frantically wrote the most important letter of our lives. The social worker said that she was going to put our letters and picts in with the other 5 families and not tell the birth mother that we where the friends of her mom's coworker. Just so that there wasn't any pressure. We got a call on Thursday morning saying that the birth mother picked our profile along with another couple, and that she wanted to meet us on Monday. So after 3 sleepless nights I finally picked out an outfit that screamed...I'm hip, I'm fun, I would be a great mother to your child, I and responsible, and I am classy. :) We met the birth mother and two social workers at a restaurant. Brian and I where so nervous. But oddly enough the birth mother said she was really nervous too and after that we all calmed down and where able to chat and get to know one another. She asked us lots of questions and we did the same. Our meeting lasted about 3 hours, as we where getting up to leave, the birth mother asked if we wanted to feel the baby..aahh it was perfect. She let us know that she would know by the end of the week since she was meeting with the other family on Wednesday. Both Brian and I thought the meeting went really good. We just kept telling our self's that we are good people that deserve a baby and if it is not this child it would be another. So the next morning I called her social worker to give her some information that she needed and she told me that the Birth Mother wants to go with us. That she didn't want to meet with the other family, she said it so casually that I made her repeat it a few times. When I hung up the phone both Brian and I where in shock. Since she is due June 10! So it was exactly 5 weeks from when we found out. There was so much to do in 5 weeks...home study...finger prints....get a nursery done...finish all our half done projects. We met with the birth mother again and went over the birth plan and other stuff. She asked that I be in the room with her during delivery and that I cut the cord!!! I was blown away we where really just hoping that she would let us come to the hospital at some point. So to be in the room and cut the cord is so amazing. She also asked if she could name the baby. Both Brian and I thought that would be pretty neat if she did that (as long as it wasn't something really crazy!) Luckily it was a name that both Brian and I loved, something we never thought of be when she said the name it was perfect. She named HIM Garrett, we picked the middle name so his full name will be: Garrett Gregory Erlandson (Gregory is my dad's name) June: Garrett's room is complete! Being that it is a semi open adoption Brian and I where invited to the birth mothers parents house for a BBQ to get to know than and the birth mother on more of a personal level. We had a blast. They are all such great people. Brian and I are excited to start a relationship with them. In the main time Brian finished a bathroom downstairs and a bedroom for when Grandma and Grandpa come up to visit (and hopefully decide that MN will be there new home instead of D.C) June 10th (the due date) came and went. Now Brian, our hospital bags and I all sit waiting on the phone call. Every time the phone rings our hearts jump with excitement. The birth mother is really good about keeping us in the loop on what is going on. She has emailed us every day for the past few days letting us know whats happening. She went to the dr today and is not dilating yet. So if she is still pregnant next Friday she has another appt to check the fluids and figure out what happens next. At that point she will be 11 days over due. So lets all pray that she will have our baby this weekend. My parents are coming up on the 20th (Saturday) to see their first grandchild! Please keep Brian, Garrett, the birth mother and me in your prayers as the next few weeks are going to be emotional for everyone. And i promise to keep you all in the loop!