I've Been Busy

***Edited in Pink for accuracy***

I have gone full speed ahead on creating the nursery. I painted the top 2/3 of the room white, the bottom 1/3 green and then painted a 3" thick brown stripe where the two colors meet. Then I repainted all of the trim because it was gross. I painted the tree from a post below on the wall instead of paying for a vinyl cutout (I am thrifty) and I painted part of a monogram on another wall. I only know my future child's last name (duh) so I only have an "S" in the frames. I am eagerly waiting to add the other two letters.
I used my grandma's old opaque projection machine known as a "magic lantern." I printed the tree and the letter S from the computer and just stuck the piece of paper under the contraption. It then projected the image on the wall. Much handier than an overhead projector, which requires plastic sheets, and not as cool as a modern projector from the computer, which requires lots of money to buy.
I traced the pictures onto the wall with pencil, then filled it in with brown paint. Because of the pencil, as I panted the wall got smudgy. So painted one coat of the brown. The first coat didn't look good. So I added another coat. Most of the tree looked good with two coats, but some areas needed yet another coat of paint. THEN I had to go back with white paint to cover up the pencil smudges. It was very tedious, but I think it turned out great.
I am not adding any pictures yet because I want it all done first.
My mom and sister took me shopping today in Indy and my mom bought a crib and mattress for me/future baby and I bought a dresser that doubles as a changing table. My wonderful parents drove the furniture to my house, carried it upstairs for me, and assembled it.
Now I am just waiting for the crib skirt... and the corner looks a little bare.

So while thinking about all of this adoption stuff my mind instantly went to school. Naturally. And I thought about the most common thing students are asked to do in school. Make a family tree. Now, I generally ask for this because I am nosy and I want to know about all of the kid's home lives. I want to know if they live with their parents, and if their parents are divorced, or if they have 16 brothers and sisters. (Making a family tree actually covers several Indiana Academic Standards, I don't do things purely for entertainment value...often.) But in upper elementary, middle school, and high school we were asked to make family trees to learn more about our heritage. This made me wonder what my future child will fill in. Will s/he fill in Sparky and me on his/her tree? Will s/he want to write his/her birthmother and biological father?
My sister assured me that worrying about filling in a family tree was not something to stress over at this point since I do not have a child, have not signed with an agency, or had the home study. But she was sure a book or the internet could help solve the problem when the time comes. Not that I am stressing, I just want to know.

Well, today, I found the answer. Here. The answer for primary grades is easy. The child will fill in my name and Sparky's name. We will be his/her parents. The suppliers of love, routine, discipline, food, water, shelter, etc.

In the second half of the article the author has supplied the Adoptive Family Tree.

The author says, "The first family gives the child roots, while the child's adoptive family forms the branches and new growth." I like it. I feel better now. Problem solved.

I will get back to you with pictures of the finished nursery. It should be done very soon. :o)