Many are the Plans

A Fully Abundant Life

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 18:07:00 +0000

My ladies' Bible class has just begun a study of Ann Voskamp's "One Thousand Gifts". I can't wait to see where this quarter leads, but having just listened to the first couple of chapters, I'm convinced this study will be challenging. She suggests that the fall from grace in the garden of Eden was a result of ingratitude. Humankind had perfect fellowship with God, but became discontented. We wanted more...we had been shielded and mercifully blind, but now we see all the evil this world is capable of producing. The author shares multiple events in her life that have lead to a hardening of her heart and begins to ask the hard questions. Is there a God? If so, is He really good? Can He really be trusted with our lives and hearts? If you could change your story, would you?
She mentions a passage I had not considered. King Hezekiah asked God for 15 more years. 1 Kings 20:2-3. God answered his prayer, but that resulted in his son Manasseh and all his mess. Even before that, Israel asked God for earthy kings despite His warnings. He consented in the short run to teach them to rely on Him in the long run.
I am so thankful God hears all prayers, but I pray for wisdom to know what to bring to Him. Looking back, I can sincerely thank Him for some of the unanswered prayers. :) God is good. He can be trusted. In complete faith I can say I would not change my story.
Can we eat the manna daily? Can we be thankful for the mysteries? For the unexplainable? He did not send the Israelites anything within their comfort zone. He brought them something that looked unusual. It was good, but strange. It was sustenance, but it didn't vary. Again, we became discontented. Ingratitude for the manna brought back the snake. We are the Israelites...we have seen the wonders of the Almighty and still we forget. There was no hoarding of manna, but a daily nourishment of God's grace. We still need a steady diet of the Bread of Life and never forget to give thanks for it.

We had our first class this past Wednesday night and a question posed to the group was: Has there been a time in your life that was hard and painful and looked nothing like a gift? When you look back, can you see the gift wrapped in pain? My eyes filled with tears, but I couldn't raise my hand to share. I've found peace with losing my baby, but am I actually grateful for the loss? I am at peace being childless, but can I sincerely call my barrenness a gift from God?.....Maybe.
Is it our world-warped eyes that make blessings look like curses? Maybe losing my baby isn't where my mind needs to be focused. Maybe that's the devil showing me the fruit on the tree that I shouldn't have. Maybe I need to be looking at the garden FULL of blessings that are mine for the taking! The three days I had with my "Little Foot" are a blessing that I still have with me! The memories of those days are beautiful and wonderful and I carry them with me. That blessing is not diminished because of it's duration. Time is of this world, not my world. I am not of this world anymore, so my joy of those three days are not confined to those 72 hours. The blessing I received, I still receive if I'm willing to accept it and not be distracted by the fruit that God has set apart, NOT for me. Whatever that fruit may be. To borrow a concept from the movie "Interstellar", love is not bound by time. God IS love. Therefore, the blessings he gives are also not limited by the dimensions of this world.
Here I raise my Ebenezer and say, "Thus far the Lord has helped us." 1 Samuel 7:12. Therefore, I have no reason to think that will change because He does not change. This world was not created that I could feel happy all the time with everything I could possibly want...money, success, travel...This world is a training ground. I am given opportunities to practice living as a disciple of Christ every day. Can I be grateful for that opportunity? Do I remember to give thanks Daily for the honor of showing Christ to the world? Even when it really hurts? To paraphrase Ann, the miracle is always preceded by gratitude.
Matthew 15:36 - Christ gives thanks for the insufficient loaves BEFORE they are made sufficient.
John 11:41 - Christ giving THANKS while a friend lies in his grave.
Luke 22:19 - Less than 12 hours before suffering the cross, Jesus giving THANKS for the bread, His very body about to be broken. Literally giving thanks for the toruture he was about to endure because He knew the purpose...how this had been the plan since the garden.
Romans 1:20 - "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been CLEARLY SEEN, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." Through gratitude, my world-warped eyes become clear.
I'm so grateful the Lord's purpose will prevail, in all and through all and today I will do my best to be truly grateful for it ALL...even the strange manna and my insufficient abilities and offerings...and even for friends in the grave. I will give thanks and watch the miracle.

What I've learned from Mary Kay

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 03:53:00 +0000

Last November, a friend of mine, another music therapist, asked if I'd like a free facial. She shared that she was a new Mary Kay beauty consultant and needed to practice presenting the products and instructing others how to use them. I didn't think much of it, but was grateful for any excuse to meet up with a friend and have coffee. Well, by the end of that night, I was SOLD! From the first swipe of Fancy Nancy lip gloss, I was sold on the products; but then, I became sold on the company...What is this phenomenon that Mary Kay created and what made it so special to have lasted so long?
Almost a year has gone by and I'm still finding more answers to those questions, but one thing is very clear. Mary Kay is a culture of caring.
This company cares about each individual woman. They offer extensive opportunities to learn from intelligent, successful, and generous women. The things I've learned from Mary Kay and her company are applicable in almost every other area of my life. Please ask me sometime about all the reasons Why I Love My Mary Kay, but for now, let me focus on one lesson I've learned.
When getting to know people, we tend to ask a lot of questions. Desperate for some thread of commonality on which we can begin to build a relationship. After several minutes of playing the '20 questions' game, we've either found something else to discuss or the conversation lags and we realize we are probably not looking at a future BFF. However, in my Mary Kay business (and in most encounters throughout the day), I don't have that much time. People are either excited and impatient to begin their facial or they just need to get back to the business of being them! :)
So, Mary Kay came up with a great way to get to the meat of the conversation much quicker. Don't ask a question, but make a request.
"Please tell me about yourself."
So simple, so elegant, and so under-utilized. You simply request information and then LISTEN! Don't jump on the first thing they say that you know something about...just listen.
The very first things out of their mouth will probably show you the road map to their heart! It answers so many questions: How do you see yourself? What do you value most? What takes up your time and energy?
Chris and I both cringe when meeting new people and we inevitably get to that part of the '20 questions' game when we have to answer, "No, no children", smile politely when they assure us there is no hurry/still time, and then assure them we have not been living under a rock and have, in fact, 'considered adoption' (I'm not even sure what that question means anymore). We've reached the awkward lag in conversation already and we know essentially NOTHING about each other! No, I have no children, but that does not define all that I am. I end up making a joke about how I have three
'Fur babies'. It lets them off the hook by moving the conversation forward, but I hate doing it. I love my animals, but they are not my children. I love my nieces and nephew, but they are not my children. I love my clients who I've seen grow and develop for years, but they are not my children. I am not a parent, but my life is beautiful and full. My cup still runs over with blessings being constantly poured on me.
"Please tell me about yourself".
No risk of judgment in giving the hard, but honest answers. Simply an open invitation to share the real you. What is important to you? What takes up the spaces in your heart?

Finding Peace.

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Mon, 23 May 2016 18:22:00 +0000

Another Mother's Day...another negative pregnancy test...but I didn't breakdown! As luck would have it, Sunday morning during worship, I sat next to a woman who had lost a child, a teenager, several years ago. She shared with me later this was the first year for her to attend worship on Mother's Day. Sadly, she became very emotional and wasn't able to stay. It got me thinking again about grief and how tricky it can be. She acknowledged the next day that nothing specific happened to set it off...at some point, it was just too much. I totally get it. Our grief is on different levels, but similar paths.
This morning, I was so completely convinced I was pregnant. I was seven days late with no sign of spotting, cramping, or sugar/salt cravings...very unusual, even for me!
But...like I said, negative. Even as I was waiting those LONG three minutes, I was excited to know, but not anxious...at all...For the first time EVER, I was totally ok with whatever the answer would be. I was so grateful! Feeling the beautiful fruit of the Spirit for which I had been praying for so long...God granted me His Peace! I know grief will visit again, but that's ok. My God is big enough to handle whatever I am willing to give Him...and then use it for some good. We serve a mighty God.

Grateful

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 03:10:00 +0000

I was just looking at the different countries where this blog has been read. It's amazing how small the world has become and how common our stories and struggles are for ours to permeate into so many people's hearts. There's a blog I read regularly called "He Remembers The Barren" and while I do not agree 100% with the author's theology, I have to say she has been a welcomed voice of comfort, faith, and support when I feel completely alone. Many times, the most recent post is not the most applicable at the time it is published, but sometimes it hits the nail right on the head...these thoughts were inspired by one such post:
There have been so many reasons to feel grateful this past month...spending time with each other and with our families...we both found ourselves saying, 'it's kind of nice that we don't have children...doing things like [spur of the moment dinner dates, afternoons/evenings out] would be so much more complicated if we had to arrange child-care'. I don't mean to be flip; I'm simply sharing how we express our sense of peace about our circumstances.
I've found that recently, the hardest struggle has been with the world. The world is a broken, lost, evil place. The only hope and joy we have is that Christ has conquered the world and given us sweet redemption from the pain and loss to which the world is doomed. So, it's only fitting that when my eyes are not on Christ, but looking at things/people in the world and of the world that I experience physical pain. People who are given incredible gifts and not only squander them, but actually abuse them! Our gifts, whatever they may be, are from God and are entrusted to us for a time that they may be used to bring Him glory. Matthew chapter 25 tells us about the foolish man who hid his master's gold for fear of losing it. What I see the world doing to its children is so much worse than hiding them! I see them forgotten, abandoned, abused, aborted!! How dare we treat our gifts with such disdain?! It's not grief for my own loss that I feel; it's actual anger and resentment to others. I can be at peace with my lot in life and be grateful for the gifts I do have, but being at peace while there is such evil in our midst...nearly impossible.
So, where does that leave me? I guess it's a challenge. If it's so easy for me to see other's failings by not using/cherishing their gifts...that must reflect something about my own life. What gifts am I hiding or squandering? As this new year begins, that's my focus! I will show others how grateful I am for my gifts by USING them! :) When you give someone a sweater and you see them actually wear it...how great is that? God has given me the most precious and beautiful gifts imaginable...It's time for me to put them on...I've put on Christ in baptism, so what does that look like? What WILL it look like?

Back burner

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 03:32:00 +0000

By no means are we 'done' with this process, but we've come to the decision to put it off...at least for now. It would be so easy to say, "well, they must not really want a child as much as they say"...and that couldn't be further from the truth. However, we are both frustrated with the process and the expense..not to mention the nagging thoughts that we still just really want a biological child.
I came across this quote the other day and it hit me right between the eyes...
"Frustration is when your expectations don't line up with your willingness to make it happen." [If anyone knows who originally said it, please let me know!]
At first, it hurt...being unwilling...sounds a lot like being lazy. However, I considered that word for a while...unwilling...not eager...unenthusiastic...to have qualms...to have misgivings...those all seem to be easier to swallow.
Yes, we are hesitant to invest time and money; we have misgivings about the emotional investment; we are not enthusiastic about jumping through hoops to prove to someone that we are capable of providing for and raising a child. So, hence the frustration.
The youth minister at Webb Chapel Church of Christ had some really wise words a few months ago. He taught an entire lesson on how to know what God's will for your life may be...he made lots of good points, but the one that stuck went something like this: If God has not blessed you in a certain area; perhaps it is not his will that you use the gifts you do not have! [lol...is that a double-negative?] I may feel in my heart that I could be THE BEST dancer since Ginger Rogers, but God has certainly not blessed me in that area, so I can know with a fair amount of certainty that being a dancer is not the best way for my life to bring glory to Him. It made me take a good long look at myself...my gifts...my blessings.
Even though I started this post AGES ago, it seems almost fitting to post it now...the day before Thanksgiving. I am so grateful for all the blessings in my life and there are so many ways I can use my gifts to serve others. The last thing I think anyone wants is for their desires to become a stubbling block...we cannot allow the gifts OR the withholding of gifts to drive a wedge between us and God's love and grace. He is good; He is wise; He is worthy of our trust and praise.
Like I said at the beginning, this is just our story...I don't know if this post will prove to be a period or a comma, but we have faith and hope and love...No matter what, God reigns!

Thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers! Your support and love mean so much to both of us!
Happy Thanksgiving!

Frustration

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 03:19:00 +0000

Summer is over...maybe not according to the weather forecast, but in terms of having extra hours in the day to get stuff done, it's gone! Don't get me wrong, it was a great summer filled with family and fun. Important things filled our days and weeks, but sadly, not much progress in terms of The Stack. So now, as I look at the quickly filling calendar and realize how fast fall will turn into winter, I'm extremely discouraged. We know all too well the busyness of the orchestra season and the school year. Weekends are not our own. There are late nights followed by early mornings.
A few big things that still need to happen are our 6 hours of parenting classes, CPR/First aid certification, scrapbook, confirmation of insurance timing for the kiddo [keep reading for more on THAT!], and financial reports.
We did get a FEW things done this summer...namely our physicals! lol Our doctor has affirmed she expects us to live long enough to get a kiddo raised up. ;) We also completed our family trees (they want to know the educational and health background of EVERYONE!), our complete health history, and floor plan/dimensions of our home.
So, back to the insurance - this is interesting since I hadn't considered this an issue previously - We have to ensure we have coverage for a child AT PLACEMENT. So, kiddo gets born...rights are waived...when we are allowed to bring them home from the hospital, they need to be covered. This is an issue because there are many things that we probably will not have until the consumation of the adoption 6 months later [like a social security number for the kiddo]. So, if our current insurance will not cover a dependant at birth/placement, only at finalization, we'll have to purchase additional insurance just for the kiddo until that point. Not a huge deal, but again, just more time and money!
I'm trying to not get too 'down' about all of this and specifically trying NOT to think about all the couples that were at the same orientation as us, not to mention those who attended the June orientation, who probably have all of their stuff done and IN. :( I am completely apathetic about so much, sometimes I forget my annoying competitive side...the annoying part is that it rarely motivates me to action; it just makes me feel worse about my current state...how worthless a trait is that? lol

Pushy, pushy, pushy.

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 03:24:00 +0000

So, I've mentioned this before, about adoption being a very proactive experience; we're very purposefully 'making' something happen that is typically reactive. I do want to be the kind of person who does things purposefully, intentionally taking steps to make myself and those around me more like Christ. So, I can't really explain why this annoys me. Please believe me when I say that I do understand where they are coming from and I'm probably making more of this than it really is. However, in my completely biased, one-side-of-the-fence, limited point of view, it's a tad ridiculous.
Part of THE STACK is to fill out a spiritual plan for your family. We describe how we came to our faith and how we intend to share that faith with our children. I get it, 'Christian' is right there in the name, so they of course want to make every effort to place children in homes that will teach Christian values. But, come on...as if everything else weren't enough...the prodding into our finances, the required reading and classes, the examination of everything we are and believe...now I have to explain,in detail, how I will teach this child whom I know NOTHING about yet? C'mon. I'm sure they just want to ensure we spend at least a few minutes considering that future conversation, but it's not going to be just one conversation or even ten conversations! It's going to be everything my child will see me do, hear me say, feel me imply for the rest of my life. I'm not going to 'teach' them to be Christian; I'm going to Show them what a Christian life looks/feels/sounds like. I'm going to teach them the word of God. There is no other plan. Genesis to Revelation...anything less is too little; anything more is too much.

Just FYI, here are the questions. How would you answer them?

How do you plan to share your faith with your children? Please be specific.
Discuss your thoughts and feelings regarding the importance of parental example in teaching and developing spiritual values in your children.
If you recognize the need for changes within your life to accomplish the outlined plan, please identify what changes are needed and how/when those changes will be initiated and accomplished. Please be specific.

Ephesians 4:29 says to...'build others up according to their needs...' Forgive me, I'm taking it a little out of context, but how can I explain "specifically" what I will say to teach someone when I don't know them or their needs? We all come to our faith differently albeit similarly. I know however my child learns, God will provide the words they need to hear.

On a side note, I'm amazed how much my view of 'openness' with the future birth mother of our child has changed. I not only am willing to have ongoing visitation with her, but I am actually excited at the thought of having her present at holidays and important life events for our child. I pray wherever she is, God is already at work in her heart as well.

Poem and the 'old friend'.

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 17:48:00 +0000

"Burial"
Today I closed the door of the nursery
I have kept for you in my heart.
I can no longer stand in its doorway.
I have waited for you there so long.
I cannot forever live on the periphery
Of the dream world we share, and you
Cannot enter my world.
I have fought to bring you across the
Threshold of conception and birth.
I have fought time, doctors, Devils, and
God Almighty.
I am weary and there is no victory.
Other children may someday live in my
Heart but never in your place.
I can never hold you. I can never really
Let you go. But I must go on.
The unborn are forever trapped within the
Living but it is unseemly for the
living to be trapped forever by the
Unborn.
E. Van Clef

Taken from: "Children of Open Adoption" by: Kathleen Silber and Patricia Martinez Dorner

So, so beautiful! Just had to share it!
This is another part of our 'required reading'. I loved this...she describes grief as an 'old friend'. I thought on that for a while...imagine your home, busy, messy, crazy...then, the doorbell rings and someone you haven't seen in 15+ years is on the step. For the sake of the analogy, let's say you're not immediately thrilled to see them, but instead start thinking about all the ways this is NOT the right time for visitors. However, you're a gracious host, so you invite them in, clear off the couch, maybe make up the spare bed, allow them in your world for a short time, but then (hopefully) they leave. The thing about old friends is that they may not be who you would necessarily 'choose' to be with at that moment, but they are familiar...an updated version of the same old stories...you probably know what they're going to say before they say it, but you still listen...you allow time for that conversation. But what happens if that old friend decides to take up permanent residence? Anger, resentment, frustration, bitterness? So it is with grief...it can pop up unexpectedly, but if allowed a little bit of space and patience, it will move on. I think this is a nice reminder for everyone to give ourselves a break! Have as much patience with your own heart as you do with others'.

A Huge Family Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 22:10:00 +0000

So, I finished reading the first book of our 'required reading': "Dear Birthmother: Thank you for our Baby" by Kathleen Silber and Phylis Speedlin. Such a thought-provoking collection of letters. So many things were hard to read, but I feel so much better about our future relationship with the birth mother of our baby. It's hard to put into words, so let me share with you the images that came to my mind as I read the final chapters of this book. I picture myself with a small toddler in their bedroom saying prayers before bed. On the wall, there are several frames: a picture of their birth parents, letters from one or both of them, a picture of us all at the hospital, and a picture of us in a courtroom six months later...As we pray, we name each member of our family, praying for grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and we name the birth parents and possibly the biological grandparents, praying for their safety and thanking God for the gift they gave us. A few years later and a 10 year old child is trying to complete a family tree for a school project. What a family tree that will be! Putting aside the fear of there being 'empty' branches on which we have no name to insert, to be able to have a visualization of the number of people involved in the bringing about of this amazing child will be so beautiful!
Let me pause to mention a few quotes from the book...
First, this poem that I'm sure you've seen or read at some point:
"Legacy of an Adopted Child"
Once there were two women; who never knew each other
One you do not remember; the other you call mother
Two different lives shaped to make yours one
one became your guiding star; the other became your sun
The first gave you life and the second taught you to live it
the first gave you a need for love and the second was there to give it
One gave you a nationality; the other gave you a name
one gave you the seed of talent; the other gave you an aim
one gave you emotions; the other calmed your fears
one saw your first sweet smile; the other dried your tears
one gave you up - it was all she could do
one prayed for a child and God led her straight to you
and now you ask me through your tears the age old questions through the years;
heredity or environment - which are you the product of:
neither my darling - neither
just two different kinds of love.
- Anonymous
Second, the definition of adoption:
"Adoption is the process of accepting the responsibility of raising an individual who has two sets of parents." They delve pretty far into a discussion on semantics...the gist being, don't label your kids. You wouldn't introduce them as: Suzie the cesarean daughter or Audra the math illiterate ;) lol Likewise, your adopted child is simply, YOUR CHILD. The other thing that stuck out was the phrase 'the process of accepting the responsibility'. This is not a one-time event that finalizes and completes our family. This is a life-long commitment to help this child realize their gifts, inherited and learned, to share with the world to bring glory to God. They will have unique needs that we will have the responsibility to meet. It is up to us to make 'adoption' a commonplace word in our home so that there is no shroud of mystery. It is up to us to make available the opportunities to know more about their heritage.
So, back to the family tree:
Imagine your own for a moment...what each branch brought to your life, your childhood, your emotional and spiritual development...it's very humbling for me. I consider my grandma Betty...her beautiful love for people, ALL people. Her own dad never set foot in a church building that I know of, but she raised the most Godly and wise man I know! He inherited her love of people and his Dad's musical talents. Those gifts and passions were then passed on to me in the form of using music to help people. WOW! I love looking at myself and seeing my Omi's nose, my Papaw's hands which are also my brother's, Mom's eyes and body shape, Dad's cheeks and chin. All make me, me, but this body is temporary, the legacy I cherish is the legacy of love and compassion for others; the things I've learned from my family and have developed into gifts I can use to share God's love. When I married Chris, I was not looking for the other half of me...I was made complete and whole when I put on Christ in baptism. However, I never imagined the gifts that he, and by extension his family, would bring to my life. I think that's how I would like to explain adoption to our child. We are a family right now...complete and happy...however, who can possibly predict the gifts and happiness that a child could bring us? Likewise, this child will have not only my family's legacy of love and faith and Chris' legacy of familial responsibility, but also the genetic heritage of two other people and everything their respective families passed on to them. This child will have four branches with a direct path to them...yes, we all have our faults, but we forgive those...I'm so excited about the possibilities!

Is this God's 'plan'?

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Sun, 24 May 2015 21:50:00 +0000

I know it's always good to care for children who do not have their biological parents [James 1:27]. However, I've struggled a bit with how right it is for us to accept a child to raise while their parents are still living. I do realize most of these children are being saved from the atrocity of an abortion. However, I feel there is a fine line between a person who finds themselves in a situation they did not ask for and someone who made (sometimes habitually) decisions to engage in activities that lead to children knowing full well they lack the resources to care for those children.

Again, responding to what I've read in 'Dear Birthmother' by Kathleen Silber and Phylis Speedlin, I read over and over that the birthparents simply want something 'better' for their children. They want their child raised in a comfortable home with a loving mother and father. Who doesn't want that? But here's my issue...please read this excerpt:

"I realize he's your son now. We all have played such a vital part in his beginning. I gave him life and then I gave him to you. You will shape that life and make him into a fine young man. I am so glad he has you. I am so glad you're there for him. I couldn't have found two better people to be his parents if I had done the choosing myself. After he was born, I started believing that God does work in mysterious ways. He gave me the son I had always dreamed of. Then He made it possible for me to give my baby a family. Something I wanted so much for him to have. And He gave you the child you wanted so much. I'd like to think God planned this from the very beginning."

Now, God certainly can use anything to work out His plan. Based on almost every account recorded in the Bible, He enjoys using the broken, weak, small, and lost to do incredible things; it brings the glory to Him. However, I have a problem with thinking giving a child to be adopted is ever 'really' "His plan from the beginning". (if you really wanna split hairs, God’s plan from the beginning was shot in the foot as soon as Eve had herself a little snack, but I digress…)

I don't fret about this for my sake, but for the birth-parents. How much should I really encourage/enable them to give me their child when I feel like I 'should' be encouraging them to create an environment that would enable them to keep and care for their own child? I know these women spend, ideally, months in counseling before the birth of their child to determine if adoption really is the best option. I have to have faith that they understand what they are doing.

I'm having a hard time articulating exactly what's in my heart, so stick with me...How can I tell, and is it really for me to know, if someone is giving their baby away because they would otherwise abort the pregnancy, or if they just don't feel they can afford a baby or give them a 'stable' life? How do they know God didn't give them that baby to do something amazing in their life? Perhaps making the selfless decision to give their baby to someone who desperately wants one IS the something amazing?

The only biblical example I can think of is Moses' birth. First, his mother selflessly sends him off in his basket, trusting God to spare his life. Then, when he is found, Pharaoh's daughter sends for Moses' own mother to look out for him until he was weaned, probably two or three years! Now, every example from the Old Testament has to remain in the context of God bringing His plan of salvation to the world, so not sure I should read too much into that example. However, I know the practice of wet-nursing was fairly common for hundreds of years. Also, thinking about people who employ nannies to essentially raise their children...Plus the idea of boarding schools...are you not sending your child to be cared for by another? Are these concepts really so different from an open adoption? It may very well be that I'm putting way too much into this...Proverbs 22:6 says 'start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it'. Whichever way a child comes into my life, 'starting them off on the way they should go' is really my only job and concern. Right? I hope so.

Here's another gem that kept me up for most of a night...again a quote from the book previously mentioned:

"The realities of adoptive parenthood”

1. Adoption is a lifetime experience.

2. Adoptive parents will never totally parent their child; and adoptees will never be totally parented by their adoptive parents.

3. Birthparents remain a part of the adoptee's life.

Number 1 – sure, I got that.

Number 2 – say what now?...you wanna bet? (feel free to picture the best 'momma-bear' face you can imagine right now)

The book goes on to explain in this way:

“There are no first or second-best parents in this human experience. There are only adoptive parents who can never give their biological heritage or genetic future to their child and birthparents who cannot raise a child born to them. Both sets of parents in reality experience an incompleteness and loss. The child, in turn, can never be parented by one set of parents. He needs the adoptive set to provide the nurturing and shaping part of parenthood. He needs the biological set to provide genetic past and future.”

One may say, well the nurturing and shaping is really the ‘most important part’…ok, then how come people spend HOURS on Ancestry.com? Because we want to know where we came from! It IS important! So, before my over-defensive response completely ruined my entire night of sleep, I recalled one phrase from orientation, “we’re not talking about co-parenting”. I have to keep telling myself this when I begin to feel defensive. We are not co-parents, but the birthmother/parents will ALWAYS be a part of my child’s life whether through their presence or their absence. Period.

Down from the Mountain

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Thu, 07 May 2015 16:01:00 +0000

We all know the feeling. When you've had a 'mountain top' experience and feel ready to take on the world and then you actually return to the real world. Not a bad place to be, but the harsh realities sink in. After the orientation, I was on fire. I just knew I would need a few weeks to get everything read and filled out and we'd be well on to the next phase by now. ha! What I did not count on was the feeling of absolute resentment and bitterness at the necessity of having to do all this. I thought I had already dealt with all THOSE issues, but you know how emotions can be...unpredictably cyclic. How much easier it would be if we could just have our OWN kid!! So, I took a few days' break from reading and typing. But then, a bad day hit. The Munoz animals decided to go crazy (particularly the orange one). I was so unbelievably frustrated that I soon found myself ridiculously crying in the middle of my living room wondering 'What are we thinking? We honestly want to add more mess and stress to this house?!' I just had to tell myself that even the best/strongest people second-guess themselves sometimes. I shouldn't let one or two days of frustration get in the way of something I've wanted for YEARS.

So, mini-meltdown was soon over and now we're back to work.

Small accomplishment: I finished reading the informational section of the application pack.

Something interesting that will have to be discussed/agreed upon with the birth mother: the first 48 hours. Just hearing that number sounds like an eternity to wait, pray, and wonder if everything will work on in such a way that you will become a parent. However, there is so much that has to happen for the baby in that time period! Important bonding time could be missed forever if everything isn't arranged well beforehand. For example: who will be the first to feed or change the baby? Will baby sleep in nursery or in room with birthmother? Who keeps the hospital memorabilia? Who decides what they will wear coming home? Will the birth mother want us to meet her extended family?! Likewise, will she want to meet OUR families? It all goes back to how ‘open’ is an open adoption?

Some of our required reading consists of a book of letters to and from birthmothers at varying points in the child’s life. Of course it illustrates the benefits of an open adoption, but the truth is (even stated in the book) there hasn’t been ample opportunity to research and know the risks of the open adoption route. Up until about 30 years ago, EVERY adoption was closed…tight! It was then a very slow process convincing adoptive parents to loosen the reigns a little. The justification being that the questions of the adoptee will be answered directly by the only person who can answer them. These children no longer torment themselves with wondering ‘Why didn’t my mother love me? Why didn’t she want me?’ They can hear directly/in-directly from her why she chose this path for them. Also, it puts the control in THEIR hands. They decide if, how, and when to pursue a relationship with their birthmother/father.

So, I’m still completely convinced this is the correct path for us, but I just pray that God works in the heart of the birthmother who may choose us. I pray we will all want the same things for our baby and that we will be able to have a loving and respectful relationship.

Eating an elephant.

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Sun, 19 Apr 2015 00:34:00 +0000

When you first think about the paperwork involved in an adoption, you know it's got to be extensive. You think you have some concept of its volume...especially if you've bought a car, a house (that sounds a bit insensitive...a child isn't a 'thing', but you get the idea)...Well, lemme tell ya...as much as you think it's going to be...it's more...much more. :) They were very kind and gave us everything on a USB, but we heard from folks that adopted back 'in the day' that the binders were five inch binders completely full!! Granted, some of the forms are just to read and initial and some are merely instructions on how to fill out the other forms, but still! I've been working for a week on three forms! I'm not even done with them!
What makes it difficult is the nature of the 'questions'/check lists. We have to categorize all these conditions/disabilities into 'unacceptable', 'acceptable', or 'willing to discuss'. So, here's the deal: I don't feel comfortable checking anything less than acceptable if we're talking about issues that run in our families anyway because obviously that would be a concern if we were able to conceive. However, things that are not already in our gene pool, but still 'possible' (muscular dystrophy, seizures, heart defects, cleft palate, etc...) make things a little tricky. So, just lots of prayer and time to mull things over.
This blogging stuff is new territory for me...it's so completely one-sided...I feel like I need to finish with "so what's new with you?" :)
But on that note, if anyone has questions or comments...I'm all ears! [in a manner of speaking]

Orientation (continued)

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 01:37:00 +0000

Day 2:
This was the emotional day. There were three panel discussions. One each from adoptees, birthmothers, and adoptive parents. Without going into a lot of detail, I will say there were a couple things that stood out and I feel they will 'stick' with me for a long time.
The first is this: I seem to have a habit of underestimating the heart of a child. For a while, my biggest fear was whether an adopted child would love me as much as a 'real' child. Wouldn't they always wonder about their birthmother? Wouldn't they always wish [at least partly] that they were a 'normal' child? Even now, writing these out, I realize how silly they sound/look! What child doesn't wish they were more 'normal'?! What child, at one point or another, thinks, "What am I doing in this family?! I am so completely different from all of them!" So, giving myself a smile and a mental shake of my head, I heard something so insightfully obvious...do children not usually have two grandmothers/grandfathers? multiple aunts/uncles? Am I arrogant enough to think their hearts are not capable of loving every one of these people for exactly who they are? Listening to the adopted children (adults now) talk about their parents sealed this in my mind: They KNOW their parents! They LOVE their parents! They are able to say, "I look just like my birthmother, but she hates Italian food...I definitely take after my MOM." Those are some of the most comforting, beautiful words I have ever heard from a complete stranger.
And the second: the birthmothers showed such compassion and love for the couples they entrusted with their child. I realize I was hearing from three representatives, the ones that maintained at least some relationship with the agency months/years after-the-fact, so hardly the majority. However, for them to sit in that room staring at 20 faces of complete strangers, sharing intimate details about their experiences, and having the courage and compassion to actually help make ME feel better about all this?! I am still in awe. They offered advice as to how to support the birthmother and shared what not to say/do. What was again very eye-opening, was the blatant differences in each of their stories. Literally, not one adoption story is just like another.
I won't say much about the adoptive parents' panel, because honestly, I found it to be the most frightening and least helpful (not a reflection on anything except my current emotional state: the people were lovely and their children were precious).
I will backtrack to share this gem: before any of the panelists arrived, a staff member shared a story that flattened every single one of my toes and twisted something sharp and pointy right into my heart. A woman who had experienced two miscarriages and a stillbirth was to be the adoptive mother. At the hospital, the birthmother had signed away her rights and was standing in a room with the couple she had chosen. Just when the birthmother is about to place her baby in the woman's arms, she [the adoptive mother]says, "I can't do this" and takes off down the hall. The stunned birthmother looks at the adoptive father, says, "Hold your baby" and takes off down the hall after this woman. She catches up to her and proceeds to say, "This isn't the same...you've lost babies before, but this is not. the. same." Apparently, knowing the pain of losing a child was not something she was willing to inflict on anyone, even if it was their choice.
I was sitting near the front, so I don't have a clue what was going on behind me, but I turned into a tearful mess...for pete's sake, it's not even 9:30...HOW am I gonna sit here all day with stories like THIS?
But, thankfully, that was the only breakdown. Incidentally, I believe that particular adoption worked out...I really can't say for sure because I was...a mess.
It did make me think some other things though...those that have studied the behavioral sciences and the therapist/client relationship have dealt with counter-transference. In one 'picture' I have in my head, I'm in a hospital room with a woman and we are just sitting together, hugging, and crying. In another, I am unable to go into the room because how can I ask this woman to witness MY tears? To share in MY grief that I feel for her? I'm not talking about the happy tears when I look at my child; I'm talking about the 'can I really allow this woman to do this?' kind of tears. I can not and will not ask her to deal with my sorrow for her anymore than I can ask her child to deal with my feelings of incompetence from infertility. So, dear friends, All of you who have promised to pray for us, may I ask this of you? Be really specific in this matter for me. If I am put in this position, may God please equip me to be there FOR HER. May the words, "I'm sorry" NOT escape my lips. I applaud the courage and wisdom of the birthmother in this story, but I can't say it was right for her to be put in that position. Making me feel better about what is happening is not her responsibility.
I know this was a lot; thanks for listening.

Orientation Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 02:24:00 +0000

Before the formal application can be submitted, each couple must attend a two-day orientation. The first day is filled with hearing from each staff member about their job and how it ties into the overall vision of Christian Homes: a Christian Home for every child. The staff walked us through the adoption process step-by-step and shared their anecdotes. They included the good, the funny, the ironic, and the devastating scenarios they have witnessed over the years.
A couple things that I did not know: rights relinquished to an agency is an irrevocable agreement! Contrary to relinquishing rights to a private attorney. This really put my mind at ease knowing there would be a time when we could 'breath easy' again without fear of being separated from our child. Also, the parameters of an open adoption are negotiable. The birthmother may not want contact at all, but typically will ask for at least photos and updates for the first couple of years. However, post-adoption agreements are not legally binding (at least in Texas). The staff did make a side note to mention since they do assure the birthmothers that they will be providing the children with CHRISTIAN parents, it is very important to uphold those agreements as much as possible. I had no idea there were so many varying factors!
So, this is the basic plan: Ideally, we will be selected by the birthmother a few months before the birth in order to build a relationship with her. Then, we arrive for the birth. Depending on our relationship with her, we may be able to be with her and witness the birth, we may be waiting in a room in the hospital, or we may be waiting in a hotel room in town. She is required to wait 48 hours before being presented the option to relinquish her rights. This does not mean she has to sign; one scenario described was a cesarean birth. The birthmother wanted her baby there in the hospital while she was there recuperating; FOUR long days for the adoptive parents to wait. So, assuming she signs, we are free to take our baby home upon his/her discharge. During the next six months, the agency is the conservator of the child. Then, at four months we are eligible to apply for the finalization of our adoption. This can not happen before the baby is six months old. At this hearing, it is technically a lawsuit between us and the agency (a very nice lawsuit where we're all on the same side) :) At this point, we receive an amended birth certificate. We will be able to change the name of our child if we wish and we will be named as the parents of the child!
Let me back up a bit and talk about the biological father. There is again many contributing factors, but the readers' digest version is this: if they have not waived their right upon the birth, they have 30-42 days to contest the placement and adoption. So, even if the mother has signed and the baby is placed with us, that is just the first 'hurdle'. Approximately a month after the birth, there is a termination of rights hearing. This is the second hurdle. The staff of course had the devastating stories and words of caution, but at the end of the day, they say it's fairly uncommon. I would have preferred them use the word 'rare', but they didn't.
The first day was mentally exhausting, but on the whole extremely encouraging!

Let's try this again...

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Sun, 12 Apr 2015 20:58:00 +0000

Almost exactly 12 months after our first contact with Christian Homes, we were back. Older, wiser, and growing more impatient by the day. ;)
They had an orientation coming up! Could we get everything in on time?!?
No matter where we go in life, there will always be such a special place in my heart for our church family at Western Hills in Fort Worth. Our friends did not hesitate one minute when we called desperately trying to get references submitted by the deadline.

A little more about Christian Homes: in 1962, 'Christian Homes of Abilene', a ministry of Highland Church of Christ, provided foster care for young needy children. In 1975, a similar ministry began in Tyler by the Glenwood Church of Christ. This one was called 'Christian Services of East Texas' and focused on children rescued from neglect and abuse. The agencies merged in 1999 and by 2006 was operating under the current name "Christian Homes and Family Services". There are many different agencies and avenues to adopt a child. However, this organization spoke to my heart in their care and ministry to the birth mothers. They are provided free prenatal care, an apartment (when needed), food, clothing, counseling, etc...These costs are not passed on to the adoptive families! The mothers work with their case workers on identifying what is best for their baby. They identify key elements they want for their child. They are shown profiles of couples who match their criteria and make a list of the top three. If the first couple agrees, a match meeting is held and birth mother/caseworker/adoptive couple/adoptive caseworker discuss expectations and compatibility. If everyone agrees, great. If not, the process repeats with the other two choices. If you haven't noticed, these adoptions are all open; however, there are varying degrees of openness. More on that at a later time!

Well that just figures...

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Sun, 12 Apr 2015 20:19:00 +0000

We were THERE! Emotionally ready, psyched about taking those first steps to achieving our dream! It was only a matter of time!
After contacting Christian Homes, we learned their process began with a preliminary application that included references from several people: parents, church elders, ministers, neighbors... So, this was not going to be a quiet/private process. We were going to have to let everyone 'in' on our plans. Ok, that's cool. We got started.
Of course, everyone was just as excited and eager to help in any way! We are so blessed!
However, just as the paperwork started to get submitted...the little boxes of our checklist were getting checked off...I had a feeling. A gut feeling. I had since chunked out all my charting sheets that had been maticulously documented with every temperature fluxuation, odd feeling, hormonal swing that had occured in the past three years, so I really had to use my brain, a scary thought! How many days had it been? I couldn't be...but what's going on? Knowing the next box on the checklist involved the payment for the orientation weekend, I wanted to be absolutely sure before writing that check. So, on a whim, I stopped by the store on my way home. I took two tests because it was beyond anything I dared think possible. I was pregnant. Through tears of joy, the one thought that kept coming was...'if this moment is all I get, it's more than I thought possible'. I had that thought again when Chris got home. At least I, for one time, got to experience the pure joy and elation at telling the man I love more than anything in the world that I was carrying his baby. It was perfect.
The following three days were filled with so much joy. But on Monday morning, that gut feeling was gone...something was wrong..I just knew it. Long story short, by the following Thursday, it was officially a miscarriage. There are no words, so I won't try, but I will say a special thank you to the wonderful people in my life who acknowledged this as a real loss and shared in my grief. The validation you offered meant the world to me.
So, what now? For the first time in six years I had something that I had only dreamt of having...a chance. If it happened once, it could happen again! Chris and I decided to put the orientation on hold and give it a few more months. A 'few more' turned into nine.
I'm going to go on a tanget for just a bit to share my feelings on fertility treatments. Everyone has to make up their own mind what will work for them: emotionally, physically, and spiritually. There are things we were just NOT going to do, expenses we were NOT going to incure, and chances we were NOT going to take. However, Clomid seemed harmless enough. Well, my body just didn't care for it. Not only did it not work, but it made me feel really horrible for an entire week afterwards, both times. So, no more of that. Again, we had already come to terms with the question of whether we wanted to 'get pregnant' or 'be parents' more. Very different things. We decided to put our energies towards 'becoming parents', not 'getting pregnant'.

How did we get here?

noreply@blogger.com (Audra Munoz) — Sun, 12 Apr 2015 20:10:00 +0000

Chris and I married in May of 2005. I assumed, as many do, that children would follow in a timely manner. I took birth control pills for three years naively believing I would know when we were 'ready'. We were ready when I finally got a 'real' job as an activities director at a nursing home. We were ready when we bought our first house. We were ready when we adopted our three animals. We were ready when those animals were still living after three years! I think you see where this is going...

When we had been officially off birth control and trying to conceive for one year, I went to the doctor wanting answers. Simple, quick, fix-it answers. He response was simple and very quick, but broke my heart. Infertile? Seriously? Me? What did I do wrong? Why?

I remember feeling so embarrassed. An odd emotion looking back...why not anger? why not confusion? Sadness, yes. But mostly, embarrassment. I think for the next two years, Chris and I were both in a little bit of denial. Surely, just a little more time would do the trick. 'Oh yes, I see what you're doing God. Sure, we'll wait on you. We have faith."

When 2011 came around, we started talking about adoption. Only between Chris and I because I was still very embarrassed. How silly would I look when I shared my diagnosis of infertility and then turned up pregnant just months later? So, we attended a one-day seminar all about fostering and adoption. Rather I should say a one-morning seminar. Everything was great until a very good-intentioned person in a session about fostering-to-adopt said very matter-of-factly, "This is not a cure for infertility. If you have not worked through your own issues, don't put that pressure on a child. They are not there to fix you." ouch. [Cue the waterworks. Exit hastily stage right.] Truth hurts kiddo.

So, my wonderful husband held my hand the entire way home and filled my ears and heart with words of encouragment, love, and an unwavering faith that something wonderful was meant for us..."You're all I need; everything else is icing."

It was after this that I began to share my heartache with others and began to acknowledge my emotions for what they were...grief for a very real, but intangible hard-to-put-your-finger-on-it loss. I cried for the child I did not have, for the child I may never know, for the family I had imagined. Grief is tricky; it sneaks up on you. The families at the grocery store, the fussy toddlers in worship services, diaper commercials, the beautiful and exciting announcements of other's pregnancies! Constant reminders everywhere. I know enough to know that men and women grieve differently, but other than that, all I can say is, we took turns. When I was having a rough time, he held me. When he was asking more questions and researching possibilities, I listened.

In January of 2014, we were 'ready' again. But this time, we were different. We got very specific in our prayers. We just want to be parents. Even if that means our child is born of another woman, I want to be 'Mom'. We contacted Christian Homes and Family Services in Abilene, Texas. We had since moved on from that area, but still remembered the name and figured it was a good a place as any to get started.