Our friend who had the baby emailed to say that she had completed our reference and had it ready to go. Then she was in the hospital and forgot about it. She apologized for taking so long to get it sent, but said that she mailed it the week she returned home.

My husband came home one day early last week and told me that his mom had been talking to my sister-in-law. My sister-in-law wanted to know if it was okay to tell her best friend from church (the one who is pregnant and due in June) about our adoption plans. My husband told his mom that she shouldn't tell. We are waiting until we are approved, and I haven't even told the teachers at school yet. Only a few aunts and uncles and close friends know so far.

In a few weeks I am going out for dinner with my sister-in-law and her best friend and our husbands. Perhaps by then we will be approved and we can openly talk about adoption. We normally don't go out to eat with these couples, but we are being taken out for dinner as a thank you for work my husband did.

My nephew goes to the same preschool as the son of a girlfriend of mine. My sister-in-law and this friend were in charge of the preschool Christmas party. On Thursday at the party, a third mother, who attends my church, started saying to the other two that my husband and I should have kids because we're so good with them.

I believe that this topic came up because this woman from church has a sister-in-law who is pregnant with her first child and due in June. (Yes, now there are two women at my church having babies in June.)

My sister-in-law reponded to the statement by saying that she doesn't know much, but that she does think we're trying. Then my sister-in-law asked my good friend if she knew anything since I'm her friend. My friend said that I talk to her, but that she doesn't feel it's her place to share that kind of information. My friend is so great!! My husband and I are very thankful that she is so trustworthy.

When the third woman left, my sister-in-law said to my friend that she must know that my husband and I are dealing with some "stuff" right now. My friend said that yes, she does know. My sister-in-law wanted to know how long we've been trying (this surprised my husband since he's told his brother some things). My friend told her it's been a few years. My sister-in-law said that I don't say much to her. My friend said that I probably tell her things because she's gone through some of the same infertility stuff.

I think my sister-in-law feels a little excluded, but I really think my business is private and I have no desire to share it with someone who can never truly understand what I've gone through. I'd like to ask her how many kids she plans to have, but I won't. A little suspense is as good for me as for her.

I always got the impression that she wanted three kids, but lately the things she and her husband have been saying sound like they plan to stop with the two that they have.

Once my brother-in-law told my husband that my sister-in-law planned to go back to work part-time when their youngest (who was named)starts school. At our Christmas party my sister-in-law was talking about how she's going to have to have a garage sale to get rid of the kids toys they don't use any more.

Friday I had my principal/friend proofread the profile I've written. She gave me a few ideas for improvement, and told me that it's not boring and even got her a little teary-eyed while she read it. I believe that I finally have it done. It's 1,671 words long and about 3 1/4 pages long.

I will be putting together the whole profile book, with the words and pictures, after Christmas. We had our Christmas celebration with my husband's parents and brothers Saturday, so I got the final pictures taken.

I might get a new picture of my parents taken while we visit them in Seattle for Christmas. Also, my brother has been assigned to email me a photo of him with his new fiancee. It sounds like their wedding will be in late July or early August. All we are hoping is that if we have a baby by then, she or he will be able to go to the wedding in Canada with us.

Today my husband went to the police headquarters and brought the local clearance forms so we and my husband's parents can be approved for foster care. That means that our paperwork is officially finished. All that is left is the profile book.

Tomorrow we fly out to Seattle to visit my parents for a week. While there, I plan to look in my parent's garage and find all my boxed-up baby toys and take them back with us.

The next time I write will probably be after our foster care orientation or when we next hear from our case worker.

Merry Christmas!!