Sunday, June 24, 2012

Final this week...

I can't believe that this Thursday will be our FINAL Home Study meeting!  It is so surreal to me, well to us actually. 

Our case worker met with our lead minister on Wednesday, and according to him it went well.  Those of you who know Bill, will appreciate the funny and sarcastic emails that we exchanged regarding this meeting.  I was very impressed about how prompt he was!

I have been working on our profile book and it has gone very smoothly so far.  So much will ride on this book created by us, printed from Snapfish.  This will be what potential birthparents will look through to decide on a plan for their baby. 

On the way up to PA we completed our preferences sheet.  This sheet will give birth counselors a "yes/no"  answer to issues and concerns and what type of child we are willing to accept into our family.  While I would love to just answer yes to get a child faster, I know that isn't in the plans that God has for us. 

He has already orchestrated so much on our journey and he has the perfect family picked out to complete our family!  I have to trust Him and his timing.  While on our trip, I saw the cutest wall hanging that I wanted to buy but the lettering wasn't very readable.  It said:  God dreams a bigger dream than you can dream for yourself.  I want that to be stamped, sealed, and etched in my heart now more than ever!!!

After this meeting Thursday, if our assessment is approved, we will be a waiting couple for a placement to be adoptive parents!!!!!!

Friday, June 15, 2012

No Worries...

Yesterday was my first day of summer break and all I wanted to do was lay around in my jammies, drink coffee, watch the Today Show, and veg.  Instead, I cleaned scrubbed all the nook and crannies of this house to get ready for our case worker interrogation visit. 

I was not actually that nervous and didn't review through the mounds of adoption books to search for the right answers to tell her.  I did make one mistake...get on mtv.com and watch the Teen Mom: Adoption Special.  That wasn't too smart.  I didn't want my mascara smeared and show that I am in Ty's words "a basket case".  I have been fascinated by Katelynn and Tyler's story (I did get to chat with her on FB through Bethany earlier this year) because they used Bethany and her little one lives in Charlotte now.  She is such an inspiration to other moms and have been influential into their decision to adopt, and (wink, wink) go through Bethany. 

When our case worker arrived, my interview was first.  I was so glad that she wanted to sit on the couch and even gave her one of those lap desks to use :).  You know me, the hostess with the mostest. 

We talked alot and the time seemed to go by quickly somewhat.  When Ty got home from work, he went upstairs to pack for our trip and it was kind of weird talking about our marriage with him upstairs.  I did feel kind of weird then and I began thinking about how he must feel upstairs. 

I was talking with her for about two and a half hours and then I decided I needed to make a trip to Target and Kohls while she met with Ty.  Ty text me about 8:30 and said that he was done.  Yikes!

We have our last meeting scheduled for the 25th, but I would like to move it to the 28th because our profile book has to be approved by her before we print it.  At that meeting she will inspect the house, go over our preference sheet, and finalize any questions she has before she writes up our assessment.  Then WE WILL WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Over our vacation with Ty's family I am going to have to work on our profile book through Snapfish.  I like doing that kind of thing, so it should be fun.  However, this book will be SUPER important because our birthmother will select us based on this book.  No pressure.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Second one is coming...

This Thursday is going to be our second Home Study assessment meeting.  Our case worker will meet with me at 1:00 at our house and then she will meet with Ty at 3:00.


I am very curious about what we will discuss and how we will do.


I am going to be honest, myself, and keep an open mind.  That is all I can do.


EEK!  We are getting closer.  I must remember that nothing worth it is ever easy. 


Thanks for your continued prayers and support.

Monday, June 4, 2012

One is done...

We survived our first Home Assessment meeting.  We had to be at the meeting at 3:00 and as I left school, many co-workers were saying that they were praying for us.  I so needed that!

I stopped on my way to get my adoption file because our case worker needed a certain paper, although our file was complete.  That began to freak me out a bit.

The interview started with Ty and I reading some scripture and prayer~Colossians 1:9, Psalm 21:6, and Isaiah 12:2-3.  What a perfect way to start the meeting.

I was somewhat nervous at first and we had to start with our journey that led us to adoption.  That certainly took a while.  It was very detailed and personal, but they already know so much.  When we were discussing that, it brought back a lot of memories and recounted more of our journey that we so safely tucked away in our minds and hearts.  We also talked about what we understand about adoption, the birth mother, and how we are going to discuss adoption with our child.  Our case worker did say that Ty needed to answer some of the questions first because I was so extroverted.  Hee, hee.  We did joke and laugh and we all got along great.   Ty and I did disagree or have different opinions about one thing...but that's okay, just something that we have to discuss.

I honestly didn't really know what we could talk about for right at three hours, but we managed to do it.  I did feel my armpits get sweaty, well, because I was sweating bullets the entire time.  I think they set the thermostat hot to sweat it out of you like in an interrogation.

We tentatively set up the remaining meetings.  I am hoping that we can meet on the 14th and then finish up on the 25th.  If not, then we will have to go into July.  I really want to be done before then. 

The next meeting we will be doing the preferences sheet and then come to our house for separate interviews with each of us, yikes.  Then we have the official home visit....and then after she gets everything typed up, we WAIT!

Thanks for your prayers, I felt them today.