I'm back home with our new son, Jackson Reese Barkley. Right now, he's asleep in one of those little seats for babies that vibrate, snoozing while the rain comes down outside. Not a bad life.
Even though he's only been here a few days, this is a popular little guy already. Family and friends are making their way to see him and add to the already-mountainous pile of clothes for him. We anticipate a power struggle between our parents as to who gets to babysit him first and take him out on the town to show off to friends. I've already put down the deposit on a U-haul for the Christmas overload waiting on him and Rylee.
In all the happiness we're experiencing through this, my mind goes back to his birth parents from time to time. Amy and I got the chance to have dinner with them the night before the mother was induced. They are both great, laid-back people who had to make a tough, and brave, decision based on where they were at this point in their life. We'll be grateful to them forever for the trust they've put in us.
While in Texas, where we adopted him, I had a week alone with Jackson. Amy had to fly back early, leaving me to wait on the paperwork to clear. I was a little nervous, some people would say scared, at first. With our first I'd basically done the man thing and hang out in the background until Amy needed a break. This time it was all me.
We made it through fine. Only two instances where a urine spray went awry. I stayed with two different families while in Texas. Both were great and watched Jackson every now and then to give me a break.
Now that I'm home, I have an even greater appreciation and love for my family. It's a responsibility God's given me in being a role model for my children, working to be the best daddy possible and love their mother as Christ loved the church. It's a calling, but the greatest honor I can have.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Friday, November 10, 2006
What a week ...
It's Friday, Nov. 10. One week ago today my son, Jackson, was born in a hospital in south central Texas. I'm still in Houston, staying with people I just met today, waiting on the paperwork to clear so I can fly with the new member we've adopted in our family back to Georgia.
The past two month have been a whirlwind that I'm just not sure I have the energy to write about now. Long story short, Amy and I sought out an adoption plan and almost instantly were matched up with a baby. The birth parents saw our profile and wanted us to adopt their child. In addition to getting our paperwork done and making appointments for checkups and getting fingerprints recorded and having interviews made and getting references sent out and making plans for Rylee to stay with someone while not missing too much school and getting travel plans set, we also had to stay busy with our full-time jobs and prepare plans for our absence.
Pause. Inhale. Exhale.
Amy had to get back home in order to get Rylee to school and go to work herself. I'm still in Texas waiting clearance to transport our baby across state lines and go home. Rylee's excited about seeing her baby brother. Our families can't wait to see him as well. Everyone's jealous because for the time being he's all mine. Scary. Only one major fountain eruption during a change. That happened tonight and my new friend, John, was there to be my wingman in the cleanup.
The wife of the couple I'm staying with is the sister of a friend of ours at church. Like I said before, today was the first day I met them. Hours later they've opened up their home to me and my newborn. Like others we've met in this adventure, they're good people who could easily have come up with a reason we couldn't stay here, but didn't. We're thankful for them.
The previous few nights I've stayed with some relatives of Amy's near San Antonio. Same story. They were great enough to give me a place to stay. Not just that, but the mom and dad moved out of their own bedroom and let me have it. A king-sized bed to myself while the mom slept in a recliner in the living room and the dad crashed on an inflatable mattress in a guest room.
There are a lot of people for us to thank in all of this. Our church has been magnificient. So many people have provided gifts and time for us while we were gone. A group of ladies Amy works with at the church bought toys for Rylee each day we were gone. I've gotten wind of guys in our age group actually contemplating flying our here to help me out after Amy had flown back. My brother volunteered to drive out here if it helped get me back sooner.
I can't wait to thank these people personally. For the time being, it's a waiting game, though. I'm looking forward to that wait coming to an end.
The past two month have been a whirlwind that I'm just not sure I have the energy to write about now. Long story short, Amy and I sought out an adoption plan and almost instantly were matched up with a baby. The birth parents saw our profile and wanted us to adopt their child. In addition to getting our paperwork done and making appointments for checkups and getting fingerprints recorded and having interviews made and getting references sent out and making plans for Rylee to stay with someone while not missing too much school and getting travel plans set, we also had to stay busy with our full-time jobs and prepare plans for our absence.
Pause. Inhale. Exhale.
Amy had to get back home in order to get Rylee to school and go to work herself. I'm still in Texas waiting clearance to transport our baby across state lines and go home. Rylee's excited about seeing her baby brother. Our families can't wait to see him as well. Everyone's jealous because for the time being he's all mine. Scary. Only one major fountain eruption during a change. That happened tonight and my new friend, John, was there to be my wingman in the cleanup.
The wife of the couple I'm staying with is the sister of a friend of ours at church. Like I said before, today was the first day I met them. Hours later they've opened up their home to me and my newborn. Like others we've met in this adventure, they're good people who could easily have come up with a reason we couldn't stay here, but didn't. We're thankful for them.
The previous few nights I've stayed with some relatives of Amy's near San Antonio. Same story. They were great enough to give me a place to stay. Not just that, but the mom and dad moved out of their own bedroom and let me have it. A king-sized bed to myself while the mom slept in a recliner in the living room and the dad crashed on an inflatable mattress in a guest room.
There are a lot of people for us to thank in all of this. Our church has been magnificient. So many people have provided gifts and time for us while we were gone. A group of ladies Amy works with at the church bought toys for Rylee each day we were gone. I've gotten wind of guys in our age group actually contemplating flying our here to help me out after Amy had flown back. My brother volunteered to drive out here if it helped get me back sooner.
I can't wait to thank these people personally. For the time being, it's a waiting game, though. I'm looking forward to that wait coming to an end.
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