Thank you Shutterfly!

 When we signed on with Heaven Sent, they requested one profile book.  We had the decision to make whether it was going to be handmade like a scrapbook, or doing one of the photo books.  Regardless of which way we went, they would be making copies of it and that is what they give to their birth mothers.  I never understood that concept until recently.  The agency we signed on early with in Florida wanted five photo books.  I dug into our pockets and ordered five all with the thought that we would get them back.  That was probably my frugal mind working as well as how hard I worked on it and felt that if I'm ordering that many I want them back when this is over - probably to give out as gifts to our parents or something!  Anyhow - when we signed on with Georgia they too requested five books, so I ordered five more and had them sent over night.  That was stupid...  What I found out is that these photo books are given to the birth mom's when they come in to these agencies, then they take them home with them, look through them over and over, get them dirty - most of them come back with food stuck on the pages and so forth...ewe...  Or maybe they changed their minds and never contact the agencies again and just hopefully trashed our photo book that I worked extremely hard making.  Regardless what I learned was that I am in no way getting these photo books back and the agencies that handed them out are also not going to see them again.  So when they are out, they are out...

I know as of a few weeks ago, Florida has not had a chance to show our profile to anyone as of yet.  I also know that the Texas agency that had the one birth mom who narrowed her decision down to two families and when she picked, she didn't pick us.  Well that agency called us last week in hopes of me sending them more of our profile books to share with their birth mother's (they think we are a neat family).  So this time I only ordered two and didn't do rush delivery.  I was thinking to myself, if one of the birth mom's they are waiting to show our profile book to is meant for us, then they'll still be there when they receive our books.  They were.  We have been shown to three birth mom's in Texas since last week and no word yet.  Some of these women bring the book back (dirty), some of them change their minds and the last thing on their mind is my profile book.  That is crazy to me because that profile book is some serious business to me.  I get it though - I mean they are in a different position.  So with all that said, I understand now why Heaven Sent makes copies of everyone's profile book regardless of it's style and show's that to their birthmom's.  That helps us out financially.  I also learned that we made the right decision to do a Shutterfly photo book rather than a scrapbook...I couldn't imagine scrapbooking 15 + profile books.  That would be insane..  I also learned to value these books a little less - and when an agency says please send me some books, that means five or so not two.  Here I was again ordering five more to send to Texas yesterday.  Thank you Shutterfly for your many deals and free shipping!!