We decided that we wanted to dive right in and get involved in anything and everything concerning adoption. We were introduced to a group called Families Supporting Adoption through our caseworker Shannon and we decided to make the leap and get involved! We're just crazy like that!!! We emailed the Board Chair and she invited us to a board meeting last month and after one meeting (you read that right - 1 meeting) we volunteered to join the Board! We are now the official Activities Chair for the West Valley Chapter of FSA!
Now you may be wondering what FSA is so I copied this from their blog to explain exactly who they are and what they do:
“Families Supporting Adoption (FSA), an organization sponsored by LDS Family Services, seeks to promote a positive view of adoption. The organization has more than 5,000 members—including adoptive couples, birth parents, adults who were adopted, and adoption professionals—in chapters throughout the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand. FSA meets with birth parents and families, church groups, and community groups to share information and dispel myths about adoption. FSA is a local resource for adoption-related information in our communities—including television and radio adoption advocacy public service announcements—and actively enables and encourages the media to present accurate information about adoption. FSA provides education and support to families involved in the adoption process.”
As the new Activities Chair, James and I will be in charge of refreshments at all of the adoption mini classes held every other month; planning a summer activity for all of our members to meet and socialize to help to further advocate adoption throughout the community; and a Birth Mother dinner held in the Spring to recognize the incredible Birth Mothers in our local chapter. We're especially excited for the Birth Mother's dinner because they are truly amazing and this dinner will serve as just one little way that we can express our gratitude for them and let them know how special they are! We are thrilled to be a part of FSA and supporting such an awesome cause and we really look forward to meeting everybody and hearing about all of the amazing positive adoption stories out there!
A few weeks ago we went to the 2nd Annual Adoptive Couples Retreat. It was a BLAST! We went with our cute friends Courtney & Jenn that we serve with on the FSA board. The event started out with a mingle to meet other adoptive couples and then we went and played games with Cort & Jenn in their hotel room until the wee hours of the morning. Pictured above is me and Jenn and the cute little tyke with James in the pic below is Cooper - Cort and Jenn will finalize their adoption of this adorable little guy in a few weeks and we're so excited for them!
The second day of the retreat was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!! Jessalyn (the beauty queen between Jenn and me in the picture below) is such an awesome girl. She is a birthmom who knows firsthand the incredible blessings of adoption. She organized the entire event and we feel super blessed to have her as our new friend. We can't wait for the retreat next year! 
