Pick for Your Friends

OK, so two points to start with-
#1- we are more than able to afford the adoption/foster process in our state, its cheap and we intentionally waited to begin until our finances were stable and plentiful.
#2- We have lots of friends and family who are far away and want to help. I can't seem to figure out how to have them "help" us prep our house for inspection, etc.

So, Len and I have been discussing the material aspects of the early stages of parenthood. There are lots of things to buy in preparation for kidlettes and our friends keep asking and offering . . .

So what do we do?
Option #1
Have a baby shower for an undetermined child? I don't like showers so much and I think it would be really weird to have a party for an unspecified child, also i think our friends would just use it as an excuse to party . . . wait, maybe this isn't such a bad idea.

Option #2
Thank people for their offer and that's that. Yeah, but when I sent my new nephew a onsie I embroidered for him, I felt really special and honored when his mama and papa posted a picture of him wearing it on FB (thanks L and N!). AAAAnnd some of the adults I was closest too as a kid, were folks who I could associate with something they had sent me. Materialistic? Yes. My mom and I lived far away from our family and that black cat doll my auntie sent me- meant the world to me and I cuddled her whenever aunt barb and I talked on the phone. In fact, now when I think about how I know my aunty loves me that stuffed animal is the first thing that comes to mind. I want all of my friends to have to opportunity to celebrate and show there love to our kiddo(s) and yes, I'm ok if that means my child might one day see Jen and think "This is Tia Jenny Rush- she bought me my sleeping bag"

Option #3
Start a "baby" registry when Layna had her BeastieBoy, CCM and I helped put together the baby registry. It was kind of fun. It was also SUPER FUN to check and see what people had bought (I like presents, what can I say) However, if any of you saw Len and I's wedding registry you know that we are not so talented and have a hard time taking such things seriously (we put things like toilet paper and 53 dvds on our registry)

Option #4
Kickstarter/fundraising- I am not holding an adoption fundraiser like the goddlies do. Nope, nope, nope. I am, however, considering Len's idea to start a page that lets people know what we need and how much those things cost, I like that it also allows them to give us handmedowns of items and lets us name the wierd things that foster parents need that are different from what birth parents may need ex. we don't need a breast pump, we do need to remove our shower doors.


SO those are my thoughts right now. Maybe i'll let you know where things land.

Meanwhile-
we're three classes in
PSMAPP stands for "Partnering for Safety and Permanence Model Approach for Partnerships in Parenting"
we are awaiting our CPR and first aid cards
we meet with our new family specialist in 6 days