Our Home Study

My word!  That took almost 5 hours!  Our home study was a short preview of our home followed by 3 long interviews.  First she interviewed me since Stephen was still at work.  I'm an open book so I really didn't mind.  Then she interviewed us both once Stephen made it home.  Finally she interviewed him alone.  It should take a few weeks for her to write everything up and submit our home study.

The interview questions were very detailed.  They dealt with our marriage, our free time, our history with each other, our childhood, discipline ideas and history, how we would deal with certain behaviors, and what we would do about our cat.  I really expected most of the questions.  I wasn't too shocked about any of them.

After our home study we had to wait about 6 weeks for everything to be "official" on paper.  They kept coming back for more questions, most of which were about our cat or our siblings.  It seems like the questions that they asked as follow up questions should have been asked initially.

I'm not really sure how it all went.  We didn't see the actual home study.  Our next step is to wait and tell our FAD worker which kids we are interested in so that she can pass our home study along.  Fingers crossed!

(I wrote most of this back in February/March.  I wasn't sure if I should publish it or not.  It is hard to put into words what we felt during the home study.  We stuck to some very basic facts.  Thinking about adopting or have questions about the home study process?  Just ask!)

My Head Is Spinning

So much seems to have happened in the past week.  Some good....some bad...some I don't yet know.

Yesterday we brought home a new addition to our family...a 2 1/2 month old kitten.  We are calling him Prince Butters.  Big Steve refers to him as Butters.  He refuses to say Prince.  We'll see how long that lasts.  He is currently alone in one of our kids bedrooms with toys, litter, food, water, and lots to jump and climb on.  We will work on introducing him and Callie to each other slowly.  She is pretty territorial so we will see how it goes.  He seemed very shy at first.  He would hide when we came into the room.  Now he does some sniffing and slowly comes out when I am in the room.  The minute he seems me and I start making a petting motion with my hands his purr box goes crazy.  He is warming up to his daddy as well, just a little more slowly.

Today we are going to a match event.  As of right now I am very much against the very idea.  My husband and FAD worker both convinced me that I should give it a try anyway.  I do not want to go.  :(  Mainly I do not want kids to have to go through this.  I don't think it is fair for kids to have to play and feel like they need to put on a show in order to find a forever home.  It seems wrong.  Maybe my opinion will change afterwards.  I doubt it.

Thursday we were also notified via a phone call from our FAD worker that we have been picked to be part of a RAS for siblings we submitted our home study for.  Next Thursday our case manager will have a phone conference with their case manager and answer questions for each other.  This will happen with 2 other chosen families.  Then one family will be chosen to possibly parent these 2 cuties.  This is my understanding of the process.

Of course I'd love to be chosen.  I am trying not to get my hopes up.  I know that this process may happen many, many, many more times before we are finally matched with our babies.  I also know that our kids are out there somewhere only God know where they are or when we get to meet them.  Until then I can just do my best with each situation that arises and pray for strength and peace until the day we know.  So that's what I'll do.

I'll snuggle both of my kittens extra until I have my babies to snuggle!

Exactly How I Feel

I saw this photo and it made me think of you babies.  It is exactly how I feel.  I can't wait to meet you and hope you are happy and healthy wherever you are.

Still Waiting

Little Ones,

Last Sunday was fathers day.  We were in Portland for your uncles graduation.  I bet you would have loved being able to hang out with your cousins.  Your daddy wanted to go to the science museum.  I hope you love museums.  You'll visit a lot of them!  He wanted to practice teaching me about the different exhibits.  He thought that would make it easier to explain to you how things works.  He loves doing that.  He can't wait to start teaching you all about science.

He just got a telescope.  I know he can't wait to show you the planets, stars, moon, and the sun.

Some days your daddy can drive me nuts.  But he is going to be a great dad.  You will learn to love him.  He loves you already in his own special way.

We can't wait to meet you.

XOXO,

Your Waiting Mommy

Update....There is no update!

I started this blog with the hopes of keeping a record of our adoption journey.  Honestly, I'm just not able to.  Each time I have attempted to update I have started a draft and not been able to finish it.  We are officially 100% done.  We are just waiting.We have completed 100% of what we are expected to do.  We have officially been certified as an adoptive home for 2 children ages 0-8.  We have been provided a few different broadcasts to look at and have inquired into several children.  So far no match has been made.

This is what we expected.  We knew it would take a while.  We knew there would be waiting.  We knew that it would probably take several inquiries before we were matched. It is still hard.  Some days are harder than others.  I don't do well with quiet time or free time which really stinks because I have been very busy at work.  My stress level go very high in May and June.  I guess it is a good thing because it keeps me from having as much time to think about how sad I am that I wasn't able to take maternity leave.  I would really have loved to spend my summer with my kids rather than sitting around waiting for them.

Our kids are out there.  We don't know where.  We don't know when we get to meet them.  We are just waiting for God to show us what path he has for us.  We continue to pray for our kids wherever they are.  We pray that they are safe and cared for until the time that we get to be there to care for them and love them.

I will try and keep everyone updated ever so often if I can.  Although there really isn't anything to say until we can tell everyone that we are parents.  Hopefully that will happen soon.