O.N.E. Posted about about 5 years ago

It’s your birthday Alice Ray and what a happy happy birthday it is! It is hard to believe we have loved you for 365 days already, but also only 365 days...? I feel like we have loved you for a lifetime. Ali - You are a force to be reckoned with. You have a strong beautiful personality. You love to make people laugh, you love dancing and rarely cry. When it does happen and you do get mad or sad,...

Our Almost Day Posted about over 5 years ago

How will I ever love another child as much I love the one I already have? Will I be enough, have enough, stretch enough to raise another child?   These are the questions that every parent asks themselves when they decide to grow their family. It was no different for Corey and I. We knew we wanted to have another child, but we worried about what that would mean for Braydon. We wondere...

Alice Posted about almost 6 years ago

20 months. 23 potential matches. 15 times we showed our profile. 2 times we were chosen. 1 baby girl.   Alice Ray was born on May 14th in Leadville, CO. She was 6 pounds, 4 ounces of pure perfection. Her birth parents were unaware of the pregnancy and decided to make an adoption plan when she was born. They also asked that the agency select the adoptive family. They felt that they ...

Easter Posted about about 6 years ago

Hi Baby - Mommy here... I mean adoptive mom. I know you have a mommy. I am missing you today and imagining all that makes you, well you. I hope you are happy today. Deep down I know you are.Holidays are hard. It is natural to plan holidays. What will we wear? How many Easter  baskets will I lay out at night? Will the Easter bunny come for two babies? Hallie would be (orrr I mean is) 6 months ol...

Two Strikes Posted about about 6 years ago

Welp. I did it. I tried something out of my comfort zone and told the world that we were having our profile shown to not one but two birth mothers. Unfortunately, that leap of fate did not help and now here I am doing exactly what I dreaded. We were not selected by either birth mother this week. I thought you would all like an update. Thanks for Keeping up with the Joneses. XO&

April Fools Posted about about 6 years ago

I wrote my last update after a conversation with my therapist, in which she encouraged me to write more often. “If you don’t want to write for the blog, then just write for you,” she said. That was so bizarre to me. I know many people who journal and I think that is great, but I couldn’t picture myself sitting down and just writing. Pen to paper? Definitely not. So I started my last update and...

Empty. Stuck. Tired. Posted about about 6 years ago

Empty. Stuck. Tired. These are the words I chose when my therapist asked how I feel in the 'dark' days.  I have been seeing a therapist for about a month now and I love it. I wish I had been seeing her throughout this entire process. If you are on the fence about seeing a therapist - do it! And don't look back. This past month has been filled with healing. I even have days where my head feels c...

The Teens Posted about about 6 years ago

Match #13 was a young couple living right outside of Dallas. They were high school sweethearts in a long-term committed relationship. The birth-mother was a first generation American and both her parents were born and raised in Mexico. Together the couple had decided to make an adoption plan for their child, so they could finish school and pursue their career goals. They were expecting a b...

Making Plans Posted about over 6 years ago

In the beginning, optimism was easy. It was easy to look at a future date and imagine. Imagine a life where I was covered in spit up, overly exhausted and still trying to kill it as a preschool mom. I found it easy to look forward to a time this was true. It felt right to say things like ‘2018 is the year we will being a baby home” or “next Christmas we will be a family of four.” I loved lookin...

Expiration Date Posted about over 6 years ago

At the beginning of the adoption process, after choosing an agency, it is full steam ahead to get approved. There are mountains of paperwork, interviews, training, home studies, FBI fingerprints, CBI fingerprints, Child Abuse clearances, letters of recommendation and on and on. This stage is challenging because there is SO much to do and to some (cough cough - me) it feels frustrating havi...

January 7, 2019 Posted about over 6 years ago

Ohhh 2018. What a year of change for the Jones Family. New House. New City. New School. New Friends. New Spinal Disc. New Job. We were challenged, healed, overjoyed and beat down.  2018 was perhaps the toughest year of our lives together and I would be lying if I said I was not relieved to have a new year ahead of us and a clean slate. Smell you later 2018.   Reflecting on the past 12 month...

Safe, Warm and Full Posted about over 6 years ago

Since the last update, we have been working with both the Oklahoma and Colorado agencies to determine our next steps. From both an emotional and financial standpoint, the biggest questions were (1) can we financially keep pursuing adoption? and (2) do we even want to?   Our first step was to settle our account with the OK agency, which took about two weeks. We had already paid the ...

One In A Million Posted about over 6 years ago

The youngest childhood memory I have was the night we went to the airport to meet my younger brother, Christopher. Christopher was adopted at approximately two months old and that night he had flown from New Jersey to join our family. I remember the snowy night and being snuggled in blankets during the drive to the airport. I remember walking to the gate and seeing him for the first time. At th...

Hallie Posted about over 6 years ago

We had been matched for weeks. It started to sink in. Started to feel real and everyday we got more excited. More attached. It was late. We were laying in bed. We had been thinking about names since we started. We wanted a name that suited the baby we were gifted. It hit me. Hallie.   “Hey CJ, what about Hallie…?” “Yeah babe, I like it.”   The next day, sitting at work I sent a text… “CJ, I t...

Anxiety Is A Postpartum B!tch Posted about over 6 years ago

After Braydon was born, I struggled badly with Postpartum Depression (PPD). My case of PPD started as ‘normal’ postpartum side effects and eventually manifested into a blow-out fight with Corey that ended in me locking myself in the laundry room for over an hour. Shaking. Crying. The whole nine yards. Coincidentally, this occurred the night before my 6 week postpartum appointment and so even t...

Isabel Posted about over 6 years ago

Fun fact about Grace, I am not a religious person, but I consider myself to be very spiritual. I believe in something - I am just not sure what 'that' is. I believe that your actions have consequences. I believe in the golden rule. I grew up going to church every Sunday. While I may be unsure about this whole God thing, I believe strongly and passionately in Heaven.   When I imagine...

I left my heart in Oklahoma... Posted about over 6 years ago

Well, maybe not my whole heart, but definitely a piece. This past weekend, we traveled to Oklahoma City to spend time with our daughter's birth mom prior to delivery. For the sake of her privacy, I will call her BM in these updates. BM = Birth Mom… Get it? :)   The trip was highly encouraged by our new case worker, Natalie, who has been working with BM since she first came to the a...

Hey Braydon - Still Want A Baby Sister? Posted about over 6 years ago

C&G: "Hey Braydon - Do you still want a Baby Sister?"B: "Nah..."C&G: "Oh really? Would you still be happy if we got a Baby Sister?"B: "Yes!"C&G: "Well that's good because there is a Baby Girl due Nov. 13th and she chose YOU to be her Big Brother!!"Yes - You read that correct. After a long wait, our family (and our village) was selected to be the adoptive family for a Baby Girl due N...

A Baby for Mommy... Posted about almost 7 years ago

After our last match with Brighton Baby Boy, we had a approximately a week and a half without any matches -- which was very healing. I have always been an emotionally charged person. Highs are high. Lows feel very very low. There is a saying, "It is both a blessing and a curse to feel everything so deeply." This has always resonated deeply with me and it could not be more fitting. Adoption...

Adoption Blues Posted about almost 7 years ago

I have been trying to write an update over and over again, but I never seem to finish. Partly because the updates have been so fast paced. Mostly because I haven’t had the heart. So here is goes...Since our last unsuccessful match, we have received 4 additional matches... All in which our family was not selected.  Baby Girl; Due August 12th; Scottsdale, AZ Baby Boy; Due October 19th; Reno, NV  ...

Matchmaker Matchmaker Posted about about 7 years ago

About a week and a half before Mother's Day, our day started out like any typical Friday morning. I was wrestling Braydon into his shoes, when Corey called…   C: "Grace - Check your email!" G: "What!? Now? I'm trying to get Braydon to school... Can I look later?" C: "No, it can't wait. Check your email!"   The email was from our adoption caseworker and the subject was 'B...

Cash Scanlon Phillips Foundation Posted about about 7 years ago

I am humbled and overjoyed to announce that we have received our first grant from an outside organization - The Cash Scanlon Phillips Foundation. The Cash Scanlon Phillips Foundation was founded upon a memorial fund for Cash Scanlon Phillips established by the Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation. The organization provides financial assistance to families who are eager to adopt as well as Co...

Closing Time Posted about about 7 years ago

It is an exciting and busy week for the Jones Family! Here is the re-cap:Closing on the sale of Longford Dr. Tonight, after months of hard work, we are officially selling our beloved first house -- Go team Jones! In January, Corey and I had asked for prayers of clarity on what our next step should be. Shortly after, it became apparent to both of us that it was time to list our house for sale. W...

Approved for Parenting Posted about over 7 years ago

When people ask us about the Home Study / Approval process for adoption, we have often compared the experience to getting approved for a Mortgage loan. Most people are familiar with Mortgage loans and the seemingly never ending paperwork, so it easy to relate to. That said, it feels like a lifetime ago that Corey and I (and puppy Bentley) were looking for our first home and my memory of g...

Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll Posted about over 7 years ago

Home Study Update, coming in hot… Last Wednesday, we had our second home study visit and our 'Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll' interviews. In order to facilitate our separate interviews, our case worker provided a four page questionnaire discussing the following: Sexual assault or sexual abuse Alcohol use Legal and illegal drug use Substance abuse or addiction Criminal history Los...

New Year -- New Baby Posted about over 7 years ago

Hi Baby -- Happy New Year!It is officially 2018 and I am hoping more than anything that this is the year that you join our family. I hope that somewhere out there you are already growing big and strong in your birth mom's belly. I hope that sooner rather than later we get to meet you. I hope you love our family and our home. Sweet baby, trust me -- you have a really cool Daddy, Brother and pupp...

Have We Been Quiet? Posted about over 7 years ago

Yes -- We are long overdue for an update and it has been radio silence over here. We have an adoption update and a life update, which will help explain the silence. Adoption Update:Our first home study went great. As I mentioned in my last update, I was very nervous for the safety check of our house. Of course our house is safe, Braydon is evidence of that, but since we do already have Braydon ...

Home Study Nerves Posted about over 7 years ago

Two weeks ago, Corey and I had our first meeting with the person at our adoption agency who will be conducting the home study and eventually will be matching us with a birth mom -- YAY! Of course she was wonderful and the meeting ended up being a 2 hour interview discussing our lives. We were asked about our families, friends, routine, religious beliefs, parenting style, and much much more. Tom...

Piece by Piece Posted about over 7 years ago

Our puzzle is here and a million times cuter then I was expecting! Within the first several days we have already received 14 donations! Look at all the photos below! We are feeling the love and are finally starting to feel like this may be real. Thank you thank you thank you. Also, don't laugh at my handwriting... it is hard to fit names on these tiny pieces :) The Adams Family:Andrew and Rawan...

CORE Training Posted about over 7 years ago

Last weekend we attended our mandatory CORE Training at the Adoption Choices office in Golden. It was a two-day session designed to give new adopting families additional information about the adoption process and what to expect throughout the journey. I have to admit that I was skeptical that we needed two full days to cover the information as I felt like we already had a pretty good understand...

Step Two: Home Study Posted about over 7 years ago

Right now, we are in the thick of the second step of the adoption process, which is the home study... This consists of lots of paperwork (think applying for a mortgage), child abuse clearances, FBI fingerprint clearances, references, physician's reports, CORE training (more on that later) and interviews both in our home and outside of our home. All of this needs to be completed and 'passed' bef...

Step One: Adoption Application Posted about over 7 years ago

Well it is official, we have submitted our Adoption Application! We have chosen to work with a private agency located in Golden, Colorado called Adoption Choices of Colorado. This particular agency was highly recommended to us by our friends and fellow adoptive parents (wow... that will take some getting used to).Step two is completing a Home Study, which means lots of paperwork, letters of rec...