My principal had a meeting Thursday night at school with the Education Committee. This committee plays a key role in hiring new teachers. Many of the members had heard about my adoption plans and were wondering if they would need to hire a new teacher this coming school year. When my principal told them of my plans to stay as long as I am able to stay, they seemed relieved that they would be able to possibly keep me for a while and not have to get started on finding a new teacher yet. My husband spoke to one of these committee members this morning at church, and he seems willing to work with me so I can remain teaching as long as possible. I'ts a good thing that I am liked as a teacher, or I probably wouldn't have an opportunity like this.

Yesterday from 8:30 to 6:00, with an hour lunch break in between, my husband and I were learning CPR and First Aid. It was a long day. We didn't need the adult CPR training, but did it all anyway, and we both got certification in adult, child, and infant CPR and in first aid. We had to show how we could do everything using the manikins. It took quite a while because for each of the three age groups we had to demonstrate how to do rescue breathing, CPR, and how to assist in unconscious and conscious choking. It got my knees very sore to be the hard floor for so long.

My favorite part was toward the end when we got to work with the baby manikins. I'm glad I went with my husband, because for most of the activities you needed a partner. My husband got to put his arms around me to save me from choking, roll me over from my back to my front, and put my arm in a sling. I did the same to him. We're relieved to be completely done with our foster care training. I just have to notify our social worker of the trainint, and we are finished.

Today at church a friend called me over and said that she was about to talk about me to the group of ladies standing with her. She figured that I might want to tell them my news instead. One of the other ladies asked, "So, what's your news?" I said that I figured everyone already knew. Some said they didn't know my news. So I told them I'm going to adopt a baby. They were all really nice to me and congratulated me many times. They asked some questions, and I gave some answers.

I have found that whenever I talk to someone about adoption, that they find some way to connect themselves to adoption. Either they say they've thought about adoption, or they tell me about some relative or friend they know who has adopted or is in the process of adopting. I'm glad people do that, because it makes me feel like adoption isn't such an uncommon thing. It makes me feel more normal.

My sister-in-law has had a hard week. One day my husband said she was having cramps. A day later he thought she was miscarrying, and today she and her husband stayed home from church. When my husband offered to take over his brother's jobs at the greenhouses today, my brother-in-law accepted the offer. We figure my sister-in-law isn't doing too well yet.

It's ironic how things have turned out. A week ago I thought my sister-in-law would get all the attention, and no one would care about me. My sister-in-law hasn't even been in church since she announced her pregnancy to her family (so no one at church even knows about the pregnancy & miscarriage), and I've been the one getting all the attention.

In my husband's high school alumni newsletter which we recieved this week, there were two couples announcing domestic infant adoptions. One couple was present at the birth of their child, and the other couple brought their baby home only two hours after birth! I wonder what the circumstances will be when we meet our baby.