Adoption Update

So Lisa (our case worker-- side note, is there a reason why social workers all have to be so beautiful?!), came over to do our second interview.

We finished out "home study" portion in Colorado, but they needed to review/recap everything now that we are in China. Just an FYI, part of the home study process is writing a 15 page autobiography about your life (talk about soul searching!). In addition, you have a 2 hour interview about your life (for each parent), and a 2 hour couples interview.

One of the couples interview questions asked was: What are some positive things you've learned about your spouse/things they have changed over the years that you didn't know or see when you first got married.

I loved this part, b/c Lisa just kept digging. Tim at first said a couple of nice things, and then she motioned him to continue. This is a question/answer piece you might want to try with your spouse tonight. You'll be surprised with what comes out, and you will fall madly in love all over again. Promise.

Things I learned about Tim over the years that I didn't know before we got married:
1. Tim used to not put much effort into keeping things in their place. Now, and in the last couple of years in Colorado I noticed that he started to help me make the bed in the morning, and the room would stay clean for days.
2. Tim is conservative-- he plays on the safe side. I realized the extent of that after he became a father and the financial planner of our family. When he heard a lesson at church about protecting your children from predators, he came up with some clear boundaries to instill their safety with others.

Also while he has been teased for being on the tight side at times, but at least we can go to bed peacefully at night.

3. Tim's a researcher. He reads the news every day. He doesn't make spontaneous decisions, but spends 10 hours researching to make a 2 minute decision. Then he never goes back. He is a planner. At the age of 20 he could tell you where he wanted to be in the next 20 years. He is disciplined enough to get there. Disgusting, isn't it?

Now, mind you, just like every real person, there are balances to our strengths. And to each of his good points he'd fight to say there are bigger holes in his swiss cheese. But all the same, I like him just he way he is. And I'm so grateful to be going through this adoption process with him while in this foreign land. Whatta a ride it has been being married to Timothy William Calton! Thanks Tim. As today is my 30th birthday, and I'm not doing much to celebrate it, I do want you to know my every dream has came true because of YOU!!