Well it is finally here I am going to meet & fetch Steffy. Wow who can belive that the time has gone so quickly.

Steffy's room is now full equipt & she has more clothes than me.

Take care all & thanks for all you support we should have pics up on Wednesday evening on the family website so fee free to pop in.

love you all.

Will be back here on Monday the 2nd April but will be checking my mail & will try respond ASAP

well Amanda's mom signed consent & is very happy that we are adoptiong Amanda & have agreed to letterbox contact.

We will she the social worker on Wednesday morning 8:30am for an interview & then we will go with her to the childrens home to meet Amanda.

Thursday we will visit her at the home.

Friday we will go to court to have her handed over to us & go fetch her. We will then drive 1/2 way home & stay in a hotel for the night & drive the rest of the way hom on Saturday..

This is all subject to change according to the Social worker.

I have been told that Amanda loves her dummy so I will be stocking up on dummies this weekend.

I will keep you all up to date with any info that comes my way.

Well today is the day that Steffy's mother is supposed to sign consent for her adoption. I honestly hope that she is not being pressured into this. I hope that she has received the correct counselling. Once she has signed consent she has 60 days to change her mind. 60 days is a long time in a baby's life.

I have to stay positive

Anyway Happy Birthday DH hope you have a great day you are the best thing to happen to the boys & I . We love u lots.

Well I have to write a letter to Stephanie’s birth mother. This must be one of the most difficult things I have had to do. I honestly do not know what to say to her. My brain has turned into mush. I decided to add the letters I wrote to Steffy before we knew about her.

Ok so this weekend we went & swopped all the clothes that would have been too small for Steffy. & because she is such a BIG girl we got her age 12-18 months. I started on the second blanket. We went & priced camp cots & car chairs that was a tad scary, but there is no way around it as we need them both.

We have organised out accommodation for when we go down to fetch her. We will stay with my ex mother in law for Tuesday & Wednesday night.

We decided to spilt the 8 hour trip in 2 days as we are not brave enough to endure the full 8 hour trip with 2 babies. It also give us an excuse to relax a bit with the baby before we hit home & are invaded by family. We have found a bed & breakfast midway between Durban & Johannesburg.

Well starting next Saturday the 24th March we are going to be really hectic, on Saturday the car has to go in for a service, we have to do the groceries & we have to go buy the car seat & camp cot.

Sunday we will be putting the finishing touches onto the nursery & buying Steffy age appropriate toys to keep her busy on the trip, don’t worry Keira will also be getting toys to keep her busy.

Monday will be a “normal” work day; Monday night I will be packing the bags for the trip.

Tuesday I will be bringing Keira to work as we will be leaving for Durban at 1pm.

Wednesday we will fetch Steffy.

Thursday we will visit Keira’s foster mother & then go through to the B&B in Harrismith

Friday we will head home & should be home at 2pm. Friday night we get to meet our niece who will be born by caesarean section.

Saturday we will relax at home

Sunday we go see my grandson

Monday we will be back at work.

oh here it goes, Baby is currently named Amanda, she was born on the 26 July 2006, thus making her nearly 8 moths old. She currently weighs 10kgs. I have been told that she is a large girl. Her birth mother is also rather large. The birth mother herself was an abandend baby & wants to have photo & letter contact with us. I have no problems with this as long as it goes through the social worker & that there is no direct contact.
The mother is giveing her consent for adoption on the 2oth of March & we will be fetching Steffy on the 28th. The people at work have been very supportive. My mother on the other hand was not al all suppotive & said this will cause problem within the family to which I said well then stuff the family . Steve & I & our kids are excited & want Steffy to join our family. The extended family can go take a running leap off a short cliff.

ok with that out of my system I wil be running around this weekend making linen for the cot & sorting out Steffy's clothes.

DH is insisting I call her STEPHANIE & not Steffy

take care all of you & thanks so much for all your support & helping me through this journey.