all that baby stuff...

This post is really about giving you new readers a little peek into last year. Next month is March. At the end of March 2009, I got the phone call that made me jump up and down: we were matched with a birth mom, Vanessa. Baby girl was to be born in early May, and to say we were thrilled in an understatement. Totally.

Very quickly we started gathering up baby stuff. It came pouring in from various friends, near and far. Our church was so excited and I received tubs and tubs of little girl clothes in all sorts of sizes. We spent hours in BabiesRUs, looking at things and making decisions. I took a friend Kenda (hi, Kenda) with me when I went to register and she walked me through all the little things that we would need. Yes, I did leave the husband at home for that one, but he got to come with me when we registered at Target.

I scoured Craigslist for several things. We had already purchased and refinished a crib before the match, but we were looking for a travel system. ***Yes, I know, many baby books advise against people buying carseats secondhand. We inspected this seat and were happy with the condition, almost like new.*** This one seemed like we would be able to use it for a boy later on should we adopt again. I washed the cover and wiped everything down with Clorox wipes to make it brand new. Then I began using my Snoopy stuffed animal to practice with the straps and buckles. It isn't easy to get little arms and legs into those straps.

Yes, we practiced. I made Charlie practice too, and the closer we got to the due date, the more the baby things sat out where we could see them. We made that fateful trip to Walmart I posted about the other day, and bought diapers, wipes, pacifiers, and basics. We had a small amount of formula, but I really wanted to wait and buy the kind the interim care people were using so it would not be a change for the baby. We packed the diaper bag and had it by the door, ready to go should we need it quickly, although we would in reality have an appointment to go pick up the baby.

I have a drawer full of bottles and stuff in my kitchen and every once in awhile I accidentally open the drawer, and am surprised. It seems like so long ago that we were preparing for her homecoming and surprising our moms for mother's day by revealing the name to them. The year seems to have gone by so slowly, and fast at the same time. We really did think we were going to have another match by now, and it just hasn't happened yet.

Charlie (light of my life, husband of husbands) said something really profound the other day: faith is believing that God can send one baby from all the babies in the world to the tiny, Christian adoption agency that we felt called to use. He's so right, isn't he? There are many times when I have trouble believing that it will happen, and he's such a solid rock. He reminds me that God hasn't forgotten us.

So, for now, I have all sorts of baby stuff just waiting to be used. It'll get used someday.