This is getting a little real people!

Courtney invited us to Roosevelt to go to her doctors appointment and work out some of the details of the open adoption. Adoption is such a nerve racking process, and as adoptive parents we seem to become invisible. The birth parent is the focal point, which is fine, but the sensation of have no control is the worst (especially for me)! The appointment went well. We were all a little uncomfortable and awkward. It's a surreal situation, knowing that you are going to be raising the child in her...but Court is such an amazing, strong, intelligent, meticulous, shy girl. The doctor barely acknowledged Casey or me and that was our first clue that this is a truly small town and everyone has got Courtney's back and does not much trust outsiders. After hearing the heart beat we headed across the street and got a tour of the hospital. The charge nurse gave us a tour and reminded us not so subtly that Courtney and by extension the nursing staff was running this show. Courtney and her grandparents (who she lives with) knew EVERYONE! Both her grandparents volunteer at the hospital, so when I say everyone, I mean it. It was unreal. After that we went out to eat and settled on some of the outstanding issues. It was so nice having our two social workers there with us. They did a great job mediating it all. We agreed to one visit a year, and that we would communicate through Facebook. So we would create an account for the baby and Courtney would be her only friend. Here's to hoping it works... We also agreed that Courtney would call when she went into labor since it's such a long drive for all of us to get to Roosevelt. We talked about names. I really think she wanted to have more of a say in the name, but her Grandma seemed to reign her in, "It's their child and they can name it whatever they want, right?" We are really vacillating between three names; Courtney Lynne (Courtney we have loved forever but it might be a little weird to name her after the birthmother. Lynne is both of our sister's middle names. Although spelled Lyne and Lynn so we combined them), Jenna Rose (We just like Jenna. And Rose short for Roosevelt. We also found out it is Courtney's Grandma's middle name, so that might be nice.), and Ainsley Kate (We have loved Ainsley ever since there was a character named that on West Wing and Kate after me.) It was a good visit and this thing is starting to feel a little more real! Below is a ultrasound picture that Courtney emailed us, and a picture of the sunset on our drive home from the visit.