The False Alarm

Once we arrived we got our baggage, our rental car, and made the drive to Modesto, California to find a hotel and get settled before heading to the hospital.  Cole told us to just hold tight as we got all the information from the hospital.  

We found a hotel in Turlock, CA that was an extended stay hotel with a kitchen in every room.  We decided on Candlewood Suites and got all of our stuff settled and freshened up so we could head to the hospital when ever we got the green light.   We got antsy and decided to head over to Modesto (which was just about a 10-15 minute drive from our hotel).  We drove around for awhile updating everyone and getting super excited about seeing the birth parents for the first time. 

Cole then called and informed us that the doctors had finished doing all kinds of tests and her water breaking was a false alarm and that she was just leaking fluid.  They made sure she and the baby were healthy, checked his heart rate and made sure he was moving around.  They actually told her that he was incredible active!  Cole told us that the doctors thought she would go into labor in the days to come but if she didn't they would induce her on Wednesday.  So, we decided to stay in California because she could go anytime and we wouldn't want to miss the birth for anything.  He also told us that they really wanted to meet us and hang out.  He gave us her phone number and told us it was okay to call and set something up.  

We immediately called her (after running to the store to get a car phone charger) and she told us the story of her hospital trip again.  She unnecessarily apologized for this being a false alarm and was really sweet on the phone.  She reassured us that everything was fine with the baby and all she wanted was for him to come out when we has safe, health, and ready.  She asked us to meet them for dinner in about 30 minutes at a place right near where we were located.  

We met her, the birth father, and his parents for dinner at BJ's restaurant in Modesto, California.  It's a nice microbrewery/restaurant that is part of a very nice outdoor shopping center.  

The 2:00am Phone Call

We went to bed that night (Thursday-the day my sister and Will arrived) around midnight and were hoping to sleep in late.  Instead, my cell rang at about 2:00 am and we were totally sound asleep.  I don't even remember the phone ringing.  It was Cole from American telling us that the birth mother's water broke and to start to make plans to head to the airport.  He told us he would keep us updated throughout the night and morning and we didn't have to crazy rush but that we get ready to travel!

We were so excited and couldn't believe this was actually happening!  Although we were really tired, we jumped up and started packing.  (Actually, Brett asked if he could go back to bed for awhile first...:))  I had already started packing all of my stuff and the stuff for the baby so the majority was ready to go.  I went and woke up Laura and Will and they got up to help us out.

I don't know what I would have done without them!  They kept us calm and grounded as we tried to remember everything.  Brett got on the computer and booked a flight that left at 5:50 am to San Francisco with a layover in Denver.  Will got our car seat out of the box and detached from its base and packaged up so we could check it as part of our baggage.  We decided to fly with a little portable baby bed Elizabeth and I found at Babies'R'Us instead of lugging the whole pack'n'play.  Otherwise, we packed just the bare essentials for us as far as clothes and toiletries since we would just be hanging out in the hotel room.  We packed lots of outfits, sleep sacks, blankets, and bottles for the baby-thinking that we could buy stuff when we got out there.

Laura and Will drove us to the airport to catch our flight at 5:50 am.  I can't explain how perfect the timing was for them to be there to drive us to the airport and take care of things around our house after we were gone.  We will forever be grateful to them for everything they did!

The flight to Denver was smooth and uneventful.  I think we were just tired and both in shock that this was actually happening and that we would be meeting our son later that day.

When we arrived at our delay in Denver, we found out that our next flight was a little delayed and we had some time to catch our breath.  We heard from Cole that she wasn't at the hospital yet, that she was going to her doctor's appointment first.  He then told us that this could have not been her water breaking and just a leakage or "accident" and to hold tight and we would get back to us.  He texted us a little later and said that all systems were a go and that her contractions were only about 15 minutes apart so she still wasn't at the hospital yet but would call us when they got there.

While we waited for our flight I updated everybody!  Here is a picture of him drinking a beer at 8:30 am (to us it felt like much later since we had been up since 2:00 am and were up until midnight the night before) on our layover in Denver while booking our rental car for arrival in San Francisco!  The bartender actually brought out a second round for him, but as a responsible "dad-to-be" he declined :)

We got on our flight and headed to San Francisco.  On this 2 hour flight we both began our journals that we will one day be able to share with our son of the journey we took to get him!

Our Amazing, Supportive Family and Friends

We will never be able to thank and show our full appreciation to all of our family and friends who have embraced our situation as their own.  We have an unbelievable network of support around us that love us and are willing to do anything for us.  This baby is going to be so lucky to be part of the O'Daniell/Driscoll clan!

From the first phone call everyone of our family members and friends offered their help on anything from giving us baby stuff, taking us shopping, helping us with the house and basement, to helping me with my school work.  The day we got the initial phone call the Talbert's even invited us over for some yummy dessert.  It was so nice to hang out with them, Riley and, Jack and enjoy the moment.

We spent the first weekend in Chicago for Christmas and my parents and Laura and Will showered us with baby gifts as "special Christmas presents".  It really became real to us when opening the little lovey, rubber ducky, toys, and fleece orange and blue snowsuit from my dad.  It brought tears to my eyes that they were so thoughtful.  My mom hasn't been able to drive since the accident due to her neck brace so she said she was dying to go shopping after they got the phone call.  Laura and Will arrived at my parents a couple hours before we did that Friday and right when they got there Laura turned around and took my mom shopping for the baby!

The morning after Christmas day my mom, sister, and I went shopping to look at /buy some of the bigger items I needed to possibly travel with.  We went to Buy Buy Baby, which is an amazing baby store by the way, and spent the morning shopping and looking around.  When it was all said and done, we (my mom and sister) bought our stroller (via Elizabeth's research) , pack'n'play, car seat, a blanket, outfit, socks, a hat, and Sophie the Giraffe.  It was so nice to be able to spend that time with them just the three of us!

When we arrived back home, Brett went back to work and I became very busy trying to get the house in order before I went back to school the next week.  Elizabeth, Liam, and Annie came over on Wednesday afternoon and took me shopping at Babies R Us.  She helped me register for some more stuff and gave me all kinds of advice on a variety of baby items!

Laura and Will decided to make the trip down to St. Louis later that week to help us out in the basement and around the house.  They came on Thursday afternoon and Will immediately got to work vacuuming the dry wall dust down in the basement (god love him :)) to get ready to lay the floor.  Laura and I went grocery shopping, did laundry, and straightened up around the house.  The floor then got delivered later in the afternoon.  Ryan came over to help unload along with Will, Laura and I.  It was a team effort and we got it all into the basement before Brett got home from work.  Melanie brought a delicious dinner over and we all ate and hung out with the kids for the evening.  It was such a great time to for Laura and Will to get to know the Talberts.  The guys all worked in the garage painting all the trim and doors for the basement.

Melanie also gave us our first hand made gift for the baby.  A gorgeous and soft knitted hat!!  I had been dying to make him one but hadn't found the time.  It was killing me that he wouldn't have a hand made hat to wear right after birth.  What a precious gift with perfect timing!

Phone Call with the birth parents

We were lucky enough to get the opportunity to talk with the birth parents on a conference call on Friday, December 23.  The birth mother counselor, Cole, set up the call for all four of us to be on including him at 2:00pm.  Brett came home from work so we could be together on speaker phone to talk to them.  We also spoke with our counselor before hand and she gave us great advice on what to say, ask and how to do so.  That conversation just mostly reassured us that we needed to follow our instincts and just go with the phone call.

We talked with them for about 50 minutes and had great conversation.  They seemed like such super sweet, genuine, and mature people.  Of course, I cried in the beginning trying to express to them how thankful we were that they chose us and how much this meant to us.  We talked about things like what we wanted to name him, what color the nursery was going to be, their interests, why they chose us, her family situation (not supportive), how open they wanted to be, and how her pregnancy has been.  We were all nervous at first.  The counselors had told us that it would be like being on a blind first date.  We all loosened up after a while and the conversation flowed smoothly.

They are open to having an "open adoption" which is what we want as well.  They are comfortable with letters, phone calls, pictures, and e-mails.  They want to keep the visits open ended because they only want to meet if him if he wants to meet them.  They want it to be his choice when he is older--which is very mature of them.  They also asked permission to give the baby some gifts when he is born and as they gather stuff along the way after his birth--also so mature of them to ask us. :)

One of the first questions they asked us was what names we were thinking of.  We told them our name and asked them what they were thinking.  They told us a name they each liked.  It obviously was something they both cared about a lot for it to be the first thing they asked.  Brett and I talked about after the phone call and decided that we liked both of the names they came up with as middle names so we would let them choose the middle name.

During the conversation, she called the baby "our baby".  Hearing that was the most amazing thing ever.  It brought up so much emotion in me, I almost wasn't able to hold it back.  It was so reassuring for us to hear her say that.  I am sure she will never know it, but that one comment calmed my heart so much and allowed us to "jump in" with two feet and embrace them and our baby!

We were given each others e-mail addresses at the end of the conversation and told that we could talk back and forth as long as we copied the counselor.

We then packed the car and headed to Chicago for the Christmas weekend with my family.  It was so exciting to be able to be hours away from sharing the joy of our news with them face to face!

The Hours/Days After the Call....

In the hours and days after the call, we had so much fun sharing the good news with our family and friends.  It was so positively overwhelming to hear everyone's reactions to our good news.  We can't begin to express how much we are supported and loved by everyone around us.  The day we got the call was Megan's Grandmother's birthday and it was so awesome to call her to give her the news.  She said it was the best present ever and that it made her year!

This good news was just what both of our sides really needed.  2011 was a great year with many gifts,  but it didn't treat our family so well in the medical department.  My sister hit her head and got a traumatic brain injury that she is still recovering from, my dad continued to battle life in a wheel chair, my mom was in a bad car accident and fractured her neck, Brett's grandma was in and out of the hospital, and our sister-in-law has been battling a serious back injury and has been laid up for months awaiting major surgery.  So, needless to say.....this was the BEST NEWS EVER!! Everyone in our family needed and deserved such happy news!

Brett's grandma was in the hospital and he was able to tell her over the phone at the same time he told his parents.  She was so excited. She said, "I wanted another boy, I wasn't going to say anything about it but I'm so happy we get another boy!"  She's been battling pneuomia and TIAs and is back home now, but she says the thought of meeting the little guy is helping get her through it all.

We got all of the documents sent over to us that day and were able to have them signed and notarized by that afternoon as well as the full budget amount transfered over to the agency.  Brett working at a bank has it's benefits!  We also got the birthparents a card and each wrote them a note that was over-nighted to the agency along with all the original documents.

Since we are currently finishing the basement, Brett went into overdrive working feverishly down there.  We knew that we only had a couple of weeks to try to get it as completed as possible before the baby came.  I also used my time off to get as much done around the house as I could.  I had gotten the "nesting" bug just days before the call and had already started cleaning and organizing the house.

We are making the nursery upstairs into what is now the guest bedroom.  In order to complete the nursery we have to remove all the furniture in it and bring it down to the new guest bedroom in the basement.  This is the main reason we have to get our basement finished as soon as possible.  Also so family and friends can come to stay with us and visit the baby!

The basement in progress...

The Best Christmas Present Ever

We received our "call" on Wednesday, December 21, 2011.  I had just given the green light for our profile video and told American (the adoption agency) that they could post it on our website Wednesday morning.  I went upstairs to work in my art room, then about 10 minutes later the phone rang with a phone number that had American Adoption's area code. For a second, I thought it was them calling about the video but when I picked it up it only took my seconds to realize it wasn't.

It was Cole, a birth mother counselor, on the other end of the phone line.  He told me that he had a match for us and wanted to tell me the details.  My heart stopped in that instance and I was so overwhelmed with excitement, joy, and anxiety as I listened to the details.  I knew that I should stop him and tell him to call Brett so he could tell both of us at the same time, but I couldn't bare not to here the details as fast as I could.  Cole told me all about the birth parents and how perfect of a situation this was for us.  He also filled me in on the medical history and legal information surrounding this adoption.  All sounded like the perfect fit for us.

After hearing everything, I called Brett at work crying and tried to tell him everything.  It was difficult for me to get it all out so we called Cole back and he told us everything again.  He told us that the birth parents were due on Jan. 11th with a baby boy and they were located in California about 2 hours east of San Francisco. He also told us that they were a young couple who just wanted a better life than they could provide for their son.  He said they were sweethearts and a joy to work with.  We couldn't have been happier with this news.

This was really the best Christmas present ever!



Check out our video above that was posted to our profile: or go to Our Profile at American Adoptions and click on the video tab at the top of our profile!

It's all part of our story...

We have been waiting now for about 2 months...On one hand I can't believe how fast the time is flying by (it is November already!) and on the other hand the days feel like they creep by just waiting for that phone call.  I am sure all adoptive parents experienced these difficult times in the months they waited...

We did get a presented with a very complicated situation about 6 weeks ago that eventually did not workout for a variety of reasons.  It was a really enduring time for us but we know in our hearts that our baby is out there and will find us soon.   While we were researching and learning about the situation, we quickly learned how blessed we are to live in a city with such great hospitals and world-wide recognized specialists.  It is amazing (and comforting) to know there are so many caring and helpful individuals and institutions dedicated to the health and well being of children.

During this time we were really hit over the head with the financial obligation of having a child, especially if other conditions arise that demand more financial support than anticipated.  It also reminded us how quickly this all could happen and quickly our lives will change once we become parents.  While stressful, it all makes us that much more determined and hopeful to grow our family through adoption.   The path to become parents is never a smooth sailing one for anyone and we realize our situation is no different.  Everyone has a story and this is just a chapter in ours...

We are involved in so many things through out the day to pass the time.  Brett is working really hard on finishing our basement so our guests will have a place to stay and I am continuing to put all my creative efforts into our hopesodreams business.  We are also beginning to gather some necessary baby items and start to think about the nursery.  Maybe one day soon, we will actually decide on a paint color and begin to change the extra bedroom.

The other distraction we have had these past months has been the Cardinals in the playoffs!  We feel so lucky and blessed to live in such an awesome sports town.  It has been so exciting (just what we needed) watching the Cards win the World Series.  We even got to go to the best game in world series history...Game 6.  I can't describe how awesome it was to be among the 47,000 people going crazy in Bush Stadium that night.  What a way to get your mind off of things...

We are still working on our adoption video that will eventually be posted on our website.  It seemed a whole lot easier to film ourselves being interviewed for the potential birth parents in theory.  To actually sit down and talk to the camera is a bit scary for me.  We have already filmed a bunch of "short spots"  showing activities we love, aspects of our lives, and us interacting with children.  We have also interviewed some family and friends and just need to complete our interviews and a few more short spots.  Hopefully by the end of the week/weekend we will be ready to send in the video to the specialists at the agency who will work their magic with us.  After they finish a 5 minute glimpse our our life, it will be be posted on the website along with our profile for potential birth mothers.

We have also been busy researching and writing a grant through the organization Help Us Adopt.  An adoptive mom started this as a way to help people with the financial struggles adoption brings.  We spent many hours working on the application and will find out in December sometime if we are able to receive some assistance.  Regardless, we feel strongly about this organization and would love to give back to them when we are back on our feet one day.  Check it out at http://www.helpusadopt.org/.

-Megan