Maybe a Baby

It's been a long time. There's a lot to cover. Some is happy, some is sad.https://www.babylist.com/christa-brennan-holtzclaw

Brennan and Christa finally get back behind the mic to bring you an update. This whole process is very emotionally draining. We also explain why we probably won't work with one particular attorney.

Brennan and Christa are back at it - waiting for more information on an adoption situation. This time they are waiting while trying to also have a relaxing vaction.

We finally heard back on both of the situations we had presented for.Our Baby Registry:https://www.babylist.com/christa-brennan-holtzclaw

We're still waiting. It's a little scary to feel like we've been waiting a long time when it's for babies that are due in just a couple of weeks! We know it's got to be hard for the expectant mothers as well. So here's us trying to process our emotions.Also, we bring up a baby registry. You can see it here:https://www.babylist.com/christa-brennan-holtzclaw

Brennan and Christa give an update on the last couple of weeks. After not seeing any situations for a little while, they saw two in about a week that seemed like a good fit!

Brennan and Christa continue to wait to hear from their agencies. In the meantime, there's always something to do no the preparation side of things!

Brennan and Christa give you an update on the past couple of weeks.

A quick update this week. It looks like we've got a few agencies on the hook and we hope to be moving ahead very soon!Our main topic this week is trying to answer our most common question, and then getting side-tracked by emotions!

Brennan and Christa offer a brief update on why there was no episode last week.Mostly... we encourage you to educate yourself and others so we can try and make this a better country for us to live in, and to try and raise the next generation.

No huge updates this week, WHICH IS OK! We've been moving fast and stressing out about things recently, and suddenly we find ourselves in a holding pattern, but it's not where we want to be. This week we talk about a few disappointments. Don't worry, we figure out that we sound a bit whiny and check ourselves before it's all over.

You've heard Brennan and Christa talk a lot about situations, this week they try to give you a better explanation of what a situation is. They try. Each situation is unique, so it's difficult, and the word situation gets used A LOT because... it just fits.Of course, they'll give you an update on the week as well.*Also, Freya's barking from upstairs makes a few cameos... sorry about that*

It was a very productive week. You can see it as either, a couple small things got completed, or you can see it how we do - We did a ton and some big roadblocks are crumbling before us.We even got to see our first situations this week. It's all been very exciting and scary, which seems like it will just be the theme for the next few months.

The home study is almost done! Paperwork is basically complete, fingerprints are on their way, and one final zoom meeting is scheduled. Once the home study wraps up it's just down to completing a profile and selecting some agencies. Brennan and Christa are excited about moving on, but a little less excited about selling themselves in the profile.

Brennan and Christa give you an update on this week's progress on the home study.They also talk a little bit about misused terms that they're trying to correct.Mostly they'll talk about how things are moving a little faster than previously expected, and what that means to each of them.

A short episode this week. Brennan and Christa send out huge thanks to everyone that is helping with letters of reference. They also discuss having to change course a bit when it comes to fundraising. Most conventional advice for adoption suggests you have a party, a bake sale, or some kind of a get-together for a fundraiser... Obviously, that is not an option right now.

Brennan and Christa have been on this adoption journey for a while already, but they didn't decide that it was right for them at the same time. They weren't even sure they wanted kids when they first got married.Let them give you a quick home study update, and tell you sappy stories about how they decided to start a family.

Brennan and Christa took last week off for mental health reasons. So they dive right back into it by talking about what sort of a baby they are willing to adopt. Yes, it's as gross as it sounds when you're filling out the "Acceptable Child Worksheet"They get candid about their answers, and give thoughts and reasoning behind what an "acceptable child" means to them.

Brennan and Christa have had a crazy and stressful week, along with everyone in the United States and the world. With absolutely everyone talking about Covid-19 ("The" Coronavirus) it is definitely on their mind, and they explore how it could affect the adoption process. Homestudy documents, travel, home visits, birth mother visits - everything gets just a little more complicated when social distancing gets introduced.

Brennan and Christa give you an update on the past week. They've just talked to their consultant and gotten some information on the home study process. A little irony on local choices crops up, as well as a lot of paperwork.Then it's time to talk about balancing the adoption journey with wanting to live a somewhat normal life. How do you justify spending money when you also need to be saving every penny? (We just got through a super busy weekend of working, so cut us a little slack on the audible pauses this week. We're tired.)

Choosing how to actually start your adoption journey is hard. There's so much information out there and hundreds of lawyers, agencies, and experts that can all tell you the best way to do it. Brennan and Christa are chronic over-thinkers so this leads to some problem, but they'll tell you how they decided on going with a consultant. There are plenty more decisions still to be made, but they'll have someone in their corner now to keep them from diving down too many more rabbit holes.

Brennan and Christa (with guest appearances by goldendoodles Freya and Charlie) squeeze into the recording booth to start this journey of adoption. For the initial foray into this trip they give you a look into where it all started. How they came to decide on adoption, and why they're both excited and scared to get things started.(We're still figuring out some things, so the sound isn't phenomenal, and the dog bone chewing is louder than expected. Stick with us for this episode, and it'll get better next week)