Jury Duty

 

For Real

I received a summons for Jury Duty. My immediate reaction was, "Oh shit." Not because it's a terrible thing, but because we live in Fulton County and it means I have to drive downtown during rush hour traffic (I have to check in at 8am). BLAH.

The flip side is that I am a little excited. I had to fill out a special survey and mail it back in. I guess based on my answers they have some info on me???? No clue why they asked if I had State Farm or Allstate insurance (We have Allstate). So it was odd... but whatever.

I will have to call the day before and see if I am needed still. If I am, I will drive to Turner Field (where the Braves play) and park in the yellow lot. Then a shuttle will drive me (and the others called for jury duty) to the Fulton County Courthouse. 

One thing that has me worried is this... what if I go and then I'm not picked (or not needed)? Are there shuttles constantly going back and forth from the court house to the yellow lot? I certainly hope so. And what if I am picked... how long will I be needed? Would I be sitting on a case immediately or would I have to come back for one?

 I've only received a summons on other time (when we lived in Holly Springs). I called the day before and I was not needed so I never had to go. I was dreading that one too because we lived in Wake County and I would have had to drive to Raleigh. Looking back, I'd take a drive to Raleigh over a drive into downtown Atlanta any day.

I do hope that if I am picked, that I get to serve on a REALLY interesting case. I think the whole process is pretty amazing and I know there are people who are NEVER picked for JD. I could have deferred it because I'm the primary care provider for a child under the age of six... but I figured to just get it over with.

 Hopefully, whatever the case is, I'll find it worth my time. I'm dreading driving all the way down and just having to turn around. 

Steve is going to work from home and take care of Gus while I'm gone. I guess we'll have to wait and see if I am needed or not!!

Update on Adoption #2

 

The Completed Home Study Packet

We got our FBI fingerprint/criminal history report on Monday. Talk about incredible... we got our prints taken on Friday, mailed them Saturday and then we had an email Monday afternoon saying that they were ready. I printed them and then added the reports to our GIGANTIC packet. Had we used the FBI directly it would be 6-8 weeks before we'd get anything back... so strange that by using Accurate Biometrics, we were able to have them get them on our behalf and it was a two-day turn around. 

Anyway... I had hoped to have everything ready to mail on Wednesday, but I still needed the last part... the pictures of us as a family and then one of the exterior of the house and one of a bedroom. My Shutterfly order came yesterday so I had everything ready to be mailed this morning!

Now we wait. 

And wait... and wait... and wait. LOL

We know that the soonest that we can have a home study visit scheduled is mid-October, but it's all out of our hands at this point. I remember this part of the adoption process with Gus. It was so much easier to just let it go and have the stuff that's in my control be finished. While in some ways, it's easier having the control, in others, it's just more stressful. Now it's out of our hands and we just have to wait for a call saying that everything is good and we can schedule the visit.

I'm having mixed feelings about the visit. One part of me is elated that we only have to have ONE visit (as opposed to the usual three). I LOVE that it's cheaper... that's for sure. But I feel like we have one shot to get it right and if something's wrong, I don't know what happens. So I'm stressing about making sure that EVERYTHING is baby-proofed. I think I'm going to cook a bunch of food just before our visit so that the house smells like food... and not like... pets.

Anyway... just wanted to quickly post the latest. In my honest opinion, getting the home study packet completed is the most time-consuming process. There was a lot that we had to include:

• FBI Criminal History/Fingerprints
• GBI Criminal History/Fingerprints
• Notarized copies saying we give them permission to do a background check for abuse and for a criminal record.
• Signed forms saying we won't abuse our child and saying that we understand that spanking is not allowed, and one saying that we understand the risk factors of SIDS and that we'll do all that we can to make sure we avoid those risk factors.
• Copies of rabies vaccinations for all our pets.
• Extensive medical history/physical with 5-panel drug screen for me and Steve
• Physical exam for Gus with a signed document saying that he's up to date on all vaccines.
• Pictures of the home, a bedroom, and each person in the family.
• Copies of: each of our birth certificates, divorce decrees, marriage certificate, adoption decree, medical insurance, drivers licenses, car insurance, a water/utility bill, a letter from Steve's employer stating his start date and salary, and tax returns.
• An autobiography of me and Steve (separate) answering their specific questions (mine was like 20 pages I believe).
• A form with all our expenses and income.
• 911 Call History reports from places that we've lived in the past five years.
• Four letters of reference. One had to be from my former AP since I worked with children.

 So as you can see... it was A  LOT.

I'm just glad to have it done and pray that everything was submitted as needed and we're just waiting for the visit. Once that's scheduled and happens, we have to wait for it to be written up and then they'll send it to us to have.

It's good for a year (I believe). If we don't have a baby placed with us before a year, we will have to go through the whole process again. :-(

I'm exhausted... off to bed. TGIF (in 15 minutes)!!!

Scary Moment!

 

My Sweet Boy

This morning Gus and I were in our comfy clothes and decided to build the train tracks on the floor and play together. He and I were having a ton of fun and then I got a text from my friend Lesley asking what we were doing. I had hoped to eventually get motivated and head to Target and Kroger, but wasn't sure if it was going to happen today. She invited us to meet up at the park and I declined.

Then I got a text from my friend Kristina asking what we were doing and she asked if we wanted to meet at a different park or come to her house and play in the backyard. I declined both. Then after texting for a bit I decided that it's a gorgeous day, and sure, we'd go out.

We ended up all meeting at the park that Lesley was at and when we arrived it was getting warm, but was tolerable. Kristina arrived a little bit later with Dillon and the kids played while we chatted.

 

Gus and Logan

 

He LOVES the swings!!

Not too long after Kristina and Dillon arrived, Gus was playing under the play structure. 

All of a sudden, he started screaming a scream that instantly told me something was SERIOUSLY wrong. He came running out from under the play thing and was holding his left arm out and was so scared. I looked and there was a HUGE wasp on his arm. I swatted it away and noticed a giant welt on his arm and a spot of blood where the stinger had gone into his wrist. He had a second spot too which looked like he had been stung as well.

I didn't even know what to do. He was so upset and I tried to put my cold water bottle on it to cool it, but he didn't want anything touching it. Immediately, Kristina hopped on her phone and checked to see what it said about wasp stings and allergic reactions. Being his first sting, I wasn't sure if he was allergic or not.

Thankfully, he calmed down a bit and I could see that it was swelling but no hives or rash. His tongue and face didn't swell and he just looked like he was in a lot of pain. He kept giving me his wrist to kiss (I kiss all his owies) over and over because the pain was still there. :-(

I left immediately and we got home and I put some ice on it (he didn't want it) and gave him some Benadryl and pain medicine. He ate lunch and seemed to be okay. He snuggled with me and then it was time for his nap.

It was a scary moment and I'm just thankful that he's okay and his sting didn't cause more health problems. It made me thankful that he doesn't have any allergies (thus far) and made me realize how blessed we are to not have to experience the fear of discovering that he does have an allergy. I'm done with being scared out of my mind for a while!! Too much excitement for me!!

Productive Day!

 

Entertained while running errands

Today felt like a Saturday. 

Steve decided to work from home today so we could get some much-needed things done. We got up and headed to the Alpharetta Police Department so we could get our FBI fingerprints taken. It was super easy and no one was there but us, so the officer asked if we wanted to get Gus's prints taken too. We decided that it couldn't hurt to have them.

Gus had other thoughts about getting printed. He screamed and caused such a ruckus that another officer came in and handed Gus a Junior Officer sticker to try and get him to calm down. It didn't work. Thankfully, the fingerprinting officer was VERY patient and understanding and we were able to get all the prints that we needed for us and Gus. 

Then we drove twenty-five minutes over to Duluth so that we could get our GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) prints taken. When we adopted Gus, we didn't need ANY fingerprints, so it's different to need prints for not only the state but also for the FBI. You'd think the FBI would be sufficient... but no.

So we got our prints taken for the GBI and it's different from the FBI in that, we have to mail the FBI our prints directly and then they will send us the results (showing no criminal record) directly and then we send all of our completed paperwork to our home study agency (Partners in Adoption). The GBI is different because I had to login a few weeks ago to establish ourselves in the system and then I had to pay ahead of time for the printing services.

When we went today, we paid nothing at the Easy Mail place where we did our livescan prints. The GBI registration required a code from our agency and then after our prints were taken, I had to call Melissa at Partners and let her know that we completed the GBI prints. She can then access the system and get our info (because of the code used when we registered). So I talked to her today.

She's getting married next week and going to Europe for her honeymoon. I'm glad I was able to talk to her because we decided to go ahead and do the Accurate Biometrics program where we can get our FBI prints expedited instead of the usual 6-8 weeks, it'll be two days. Since she's going out of town, it's probably best to have everything together so I can put it in the mail.

When she returns from her honeymoon, she'll call us to schedule our home study visit. She said it'll be mid-October. Perfect!!

Steve went today and got our GA 911 Call History and that should be emailed to him next week. We also went to his doctor and got his completed medical form. So now... we just are waiting for the 911 Call History email, the completed FBI background check and then I had to order pictures from Shutterfly so that we can include recent pictures of all of us, a picture of the exterior of the house, and a picture of a bedroom.

I'll be SO HAPPY when we get all the paperwork done and sent in. I think I forgot about how overwhelming it is to get it all collected and organized. Once it's done and sent in... we wait for Partners to come and do our home study and then we've got the green light to adopt a baby!! WHOO HOO!!

I'm exhausted so I'm going to bed.Since today felt like Saturday, I wonder if tomorrow will feel like Sunday... which will make the actual Sunday feel like a bonus day!

No Longer Catholic

 

My new parish :-)

I did something BIG today. Something that I've had an itch to do for quite some time actually, but just never had the courage or gumption to go through with it. I left the Catholic Church.

I am was a "cradle Catholic" (a term used to describe people who have been Catholic their whole lives). My mom is a very involved Catholic, and has served as my spiritual mentor for my whole life. She's the one person who I respect and admire most and her opinion is ALWAYS considered and asked whenever I have these "itches."

I grew up with the Catholic Church being part of my identity. I loved going to religious formation classes and was so eager to be a teacher myself (I taught third grade RE when I was a junior and senior in high school). I always went to Mass with my mom and it wasn't something I gave much thought about.

When I went to college, I decided to explore a bit and see what other denominations were like. I immediately did not like the Baptist church-- too "in your business" and judgmental for my taste. I didn't like the Methodist church that I attended with a friend, and so I went back to the Catholic Church. 

After my divorce, I went through the Annulment process so that if/when I got married again, if the man I was going to marry was Catholic, I didn't want my divorce to be something that stopped us from getting married in the Church-- turns out it was never an issue anyway, Steve and I married on the beach and we were not married by a priest.

When I was in my post-divorce phase of my life (AKA when the most growth and development happened), I found a non-denominational church and I loved it. I loved the people, the music, the atmosphere... but I never felt at home and I felt like something HUGE was missing-- to me, Jesus was missing. I missed seeing him on the cross and there was nothing present that called to me and said I was in the right spot. So back to the Catholic Church I went.

I feel like my spiritual/religious journey is typical of many people in their 20s and 30s. Maybe not, but I think a lot of people go through events that cause them to question their beliefs and they're forced to analyze what they're looking for out of life.

So anyway... Steve and I met and our first date was spent going to Mass. It was a wonderful foundation to an amazing relationship and I always liked that we could worship together. It has always been very important to me to have a partner who is the same religion as I am, and share the same values, morals, and beliefs that I have. This probably stems from being raised with a Catholic mother and an Athiest father.

Before we moved to NC, Steve and I went to Mass each week. It was just part of what we did and it was just something that I had always done (this was all before June of 2007). I never had any "warm fuzzy" feeling when I went to church and never felt like I was in a place that I was meant to be. I just assumed it'd never happen and it wasn't something that did happen for most people. However, I had many friends that were very into their churches and they DID have that love... and I was jealous and wanted it too.

Once we moved, we stopped going to Mass. There was too much going on and we didn't make it a priority. When we adopted Gus, we vowed to start going back to Mass... and we did for a while. Then I started taking him by myself to the various 9am Masses. I was hoping to find one that I really liked... but it never happened.

As many people know, the Catholic Church has been transitioning lately, and the big changes started in November of 2011. The Mass is still the same, but the wording is totally different. Talk about feeling like a fish out of water-- 35 years of the same thing and then it's all different. There are cheat sheets for people to re-learn the wording... that's a really hard task.

So anyway, the last time I went to Mass was in October of 2011. I took Gus and he and I were sitting in the church (not the cry room because the sound system was disconnected and anyone in the cry room could NOT hear anything happening outside the room). Gus was 17 months... and he was very squirmy and chatty. He was discovering his echo and being noisy... and my priest literally shushed us. NOT KIDDING. He put his had to his mouth (the quiet sign) and shushed us. I was so embarrassed. It was that moment that I decided not to go back until Gus was older and was able to sit and not be a pain to deal with and try to keep quiet for the sake of being shushed again.

Then we moved and I found us a Catholic Church here in GA. There were two options and both were HUGE parishes and so I picked based on the name. The one time I attempted to go to Mass, I was running a bit late (not late but not as early as usual... I arrived in the parking lot as Mass was starting) and there were NO parking spots. It turned me off and I turned around and came home and never went back.

I want Gus to have a solid faith foundation and I want him to know the Holy Trinity. I never want him to not know Jesus and I want him to feel at home and welcomed into his church, just as I did as a child. What he chooses to do as an adult is up to him, but I feel that as a parent, it's my job to impart some morals, ethics, and to provide opportunities to develop his faith and character. 

The Catholic Church is wonderful for so many reasons. My faith, and what I believe whole-hardheartedly are Catholic tenants. 

• I believe that Mary was immaculately conceived
• I believe that Jesus was immaculately conceived
• I believe that the body and blood of Christ is the literal body and blood and not just a representation
• I believe that Mary ascended into Heaven
• I believe in the Holy Trinity and that each are separate yet one
• I believe in ONE Baptism
• I believe in the angels and the saints and pray to them for various things
• I believe in the sacraments

All that being said... there are some fundamental things that I DO NOT believe and the Catholic Church does believe. These are things that go against my personal beliefs:

• Natural Family Planning-- if someone wants to use birth control, I say let them.
• Not welcoming homosexuals
• Not allowing women to serve as anything more than a nun
• Not allowing priests to marry

Those are just a few... so I've been at a crossroads for a while. I feel like the older I get, the stronger my opinions are getting and the more passionate I am getting about what I feel is right. The problem is that I love the traditions of the Catholic Church, I love the tenants, but I cannot subscribe to the "social" or man-made things. So it's been really hard to feel like I'm "at home" with a religion that I've just found flaw after flaw with. 

Now, let me say that these flaws are what I personally believe. It's just my opinion. But... I have had a hard time staying attached to a church that I keep disagreeing with. The more the church changes things and takes (what I think are) GIANT steps BACK... the more I want out.

So I did some research. Part of this was talking to my mom about my feelings and thoughts, and I found the Episcopalian Church. I read a lot and did a lot of soul-searching and praying. I asked God to help me find my direction and to lead me to the path that I am meant to find. The more I read, the more I liked. The more I liked, the happier I got and the more hopeful I became.

I decided last month that I'd see if there are any Episcopalian churches near me. There are two. I then did some reading on the two and found that one is one of two in the Episcopalian Diocese of Atlanta that's considered "Anglo-Catholic." I immediately called my mom to see if she knew what this meant and she had no idea.

So I emailed the parish and asked to speak to someone about some questions I had. I went a week without hearing anything and I was starting to think it was a sign. Then I got an email from Fr. Tripp Norris letting me know that he was having problems with the website and anything submitted... so he wanted to touch base and make sure that I received his other emails (I had not).

He and I exchanged emails and decided that once we returned from our vacation north, we'd meet at the parish. That meeting was today.

I went into the meeting feeling incredibly nervous. He was super nice and very friendly and Gus played in the nursery while we chatted. Gus was very interested in Fr. Tripp and was more comfortable with him than I ever expected. He showed him his trains and kept smiling at him-- it was very interesting.

I got all my questions answered and found out some awesome things.

• The ONLY difference (fundamentally) between Catholics and Episcopalians is the "how" of the transubstantiation. This is when the bread and wine are changed into the body and the blood. Apparently Catholics believe there's a set process (I had no idea what this process is) and Episcopalians consider it a mystery.
• Anglo-Catholic means that they're an Anglican based (Church of England) parish with the same emphasis and traditions as the Catholic Church. They share the same sacramental rite.
• Because I am was Catholic and was confirmed, there is no process for me to convert. I'd be welcomed with open arms and no questions asked. :-)  The same is true for Steve.
• The Episcopal Church allows women priests, bishops, and archbishops.
• The EC openly accepts homosexuals and allows them to be open about their orientation (there are openly gay priests and bishops). In fact, there are several openly gay members of the parish and they're all welcomed and accepted (can I get an AMEN)!!
• They have all the same sacraments.
• Children in grades 9-12 are welcomed to decide to become confirmed. Unlike the Catholic Church, where you get to 7/8 grade and it's an automatic thing... in the EC, you make that choice for yourself. When you decide to be confirmed, there's a HUGE weekend retreat for all those in the entire Archdiocese of Atlanta (for the EC) to get together and worship, talk about their faith, and really get excited to become confirmed. This event reminded me a lot of Rainbow.
• There's two Masses on Sunday (one at 9am and one at 11am). The first one is the low Mass and it's more casual and the children's choir sings. Then between the two Masses is when they do Sunday School (the same as Religious Formation). 
• While the kids are in Sunday School, there are various ministires for the parents/adults. It's very cool.
• The 11am Mass is the High Mass and it's very formal and they use incense. It's the most Catholic-like of their Masses.
• They have some really cool ministires-- Theology on Tap is one where you meet at a bar/pub to talk about various topics while enjoying dinner and drinks (great for singles)... there's one called FEAST and it's for going to dinner together and becoming friends and enjoying fellowship (they have three groups-- one is for singles, one is for families and it's done at homes as a pot-luck and kids are welcomed and the other is at restaurants and no kids).

So anyway... I left the hour long meeting feeling really at peace. I really liked Fr. Tripp and everything about the Episcopal Church. I feel like leaving the Catholic Church is a no-brainer. I will get all the things that I love about the Catholic faith... and the social aspects that REALLY matter to me are aligned with my own. It's a win-win.

As a result, I am proud to say that I am no longer Catholic and I am now a proud member of the Episcopal Church! I sent in my official registration and our family is now registered with St. Columba's Episcopal Church! I'm excited to go to Mass this weekend and see what it's like!!