To Our Adoption Journal
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Our two little MONKEYS!!
JUNE 2, 2004
We met with our social worker Megan in Manhattan and went over profiles of several children.  We read about Victoria but didn't have any information about Brendan yet.  We were VERY interested in these two.  Megan said as soon as she got Brendan's info, she would get it to us.  She also told us that our chances of getting caucasian children under 5 was slim and we could wait years to adopt through the state.  We left feeling a little low.  Meanwhile, we continued on with our international adoption plans.

JUNE 16, 2004
Megan emailed us the information on Brendan.  We read it and asked her to submit our home study right away for these two.  She also was able to mail us a faxed black and white photo of the kids from last Christmas which we got in the mail the next day.  Although the picture wasn't the best quality, i could tell that they were ADORABLE!  Megan informed us that their staffing (this is where social workers, foster parents etc.. meet together to decide who the children's parents will be) would be sometime in July.  Meanwhile we were getting information on a 2 yr old girl and 18 mo old boy in Kazkhstan.

July 9, 2004
Megan called and said that they had narrowed the families down to 5 and that we were one of the final 5 families.  She also said that their staffing would be help on Monday, July 19.  We were excited but we kept it quiet just telling our families and close friends.  We rationalized that this was still only a 20% chance of getting these children.  We continued to pray that God would give these children a christion home that was meant for them. 

July 18, 2004
The day before their staffing and I was EXTREMELY NERVOUS but Nick was as calm as he could be.  We requested special prayer from our Sunday school class that God would control this situation and the children would have a wonderul home and if it was meant to be with us, we would feel so blessed.  I hardly slept a wink that night but was still not trying to get my hopes up.

July 19, 2004 DECISION DAY!!
I was up early and nervous as could be.  Nick left for work around 5am so I was stirring about.  Around 10am Megan called and said that the panel of people at the kids staffing would like to have a conference call with me. That's when I really FREAKED OUT!  I was SO nervous waiting for that phone to ring.  Luckily, my friend Rachel and her kids came out to sit with me while I waited.  Around 10:45 (I think) the phone rang and it was them.  I answered the questions as best I could through my shakey voice.