1st Home Study Visit....

Today we had our 1st home study visit for the foster care/ adoption process... I got nervous because our case worker was late for our appt. After waiting a half hour and worrying that I had the wrong date and/or time for our visit I called the office and she said there was an emergency and she would be there in just a few minutes....

Once she arrived things went well. She started by doing a brief 'Home Health Report' on our house and property. She did not find anything she felt the health inspector or fire marshall would find wrong....

She asked us some background questions and then set up our appointments to interview my husband & I separately.... His appointment is next Thurs 4/29/09 and mine is scheduled for 5/11/09. She is also going to submit for our health inspection and fire marshall inspections to be completed. She said they would contact us for those dates and times...

So, visit #1 went well and I am ready for the next step!

Got the baby furniture.... Just need the baby!

Here are some pictures I have been meaning to add.... We invested in some gently used baby furniture from a close friend's daughter.... We've got it set up in the room....

We still need to get some decorations and make it more 'child' friendly but, we will get there!

Our first home study visit is still set for this Thursday(4/23/09) @ 3:30 p.m. Can't wait!

Another step further.....

We took another step today! I received a call first thing this morning from the home study case worker saying she received our paper work that we sent back and was calling to set up our first appt with her.... We made it for April 23rd, 2009!

I was so happy to hear from her again so soon! I am hoping the rest of the process goes smoothly & quickly too!

One step forward......

The call came! I just heard from the case worker that will be doing our home study! She was one of our trainers in PRIDE class and I really was hoping she would be the one to do our home study!

She called to say that the first step is to send us a questionaire for both my hubby & I to fill out individually and then send back in. She will review them and make notes of any questions she has and then call us to set up the appt for our first visit with her! So, today I feel like we took one step forward.... I have a face and a name to put behind 'home study case worker' now!

I am sooo excited! I teared up a bit when telling my hubby and a couple close friends at work....

I know it's a small step but, right now I will take it!

Trying to be patient.....

I am not really a patient person.... You would think that the 3 IVF cycles would've taught me patience.... But, they didn't!

We finished our PRIDE classes on March 4th and were told by our trainers that they would get our paperwork that we had been handing in together and give to their supervisor and she would let them know when to start the home studies.... I wait everyday to get the phone call from our home study social worker that he/she has been given the go ahead to start ours..... I know it's only been 24 days since class ended and only 17 of them have been business days... But, still I am anxious to get that call and have a date set to meet him/her and get this next phase started.... Ugh! Each day that passes I think-- maybe it will come tomorrow......

Today has been 2 months since we lost our friend MK... I miss her everyday... I think about her everyday... Some days it doesn't seem real still that I will not see her.... I hope she is at peace.... I see her hubby and want to ask him how he is doing but, am afraid he will break down and I know he is trying to be strong... I just want to tell him that I miss her very much and think of her everyday. He does talk about her and tells stories about her and does good.... I just don't want to be the one to make him sad.... MK was a wonderful wife, mother, daughter, sister, child care provider and friend.... She was a patient person.... I am trying to learn to be more patient too.... I hope I can be half the Mom she was when I am a Mom... I miss her so!

Well.... Maybe I will get my call on Monday-- or Tuesday-- or some day this week :-) For now I just wait and know it will come eventually!

PRIDE 'graduation'

Last Wednesday night (3/4/09) we had our last Foster Care/Adoption class.... We 'graduated'! We received our certificates, had an open discussion with some current foster care/ adoptive parents and had a nice dinner w/ our trainers and fellow classmates.... It felt so good to get that step in the process done....

The next step is to wait for the DSS Home study case worker contact us to start our home study.... Once it's started they have 120 days to get it completed.... It consists of at least 2 visits from our case worker, a Fire Marshall inspection and Health Dept inspection....

My husband had outpatient hernia surgery today (3/10/09-- actually it's already 3/11/09 so I guess it should read 'yesterday') and will not be able to do any heavy lifting for a few weeks, so this past Sunday we got some stuff done around here..... One thing we did together is finally got the old computer room cleaned out and moved in some of the furniture we bought a few weeks ago... We moved in the dresser, changing table and rocking chair... We need to put the crib/child's daybed together and ran out of time then all of the furniture will be in there.... I was excited to have a room look like a child's room....

I have a few other 'spring cleaning' type projects to prepare for our home study I hope to get done these next few days while I am off with my hubby helping him recoup from his surgery.... I feel like everything we do to prepare gets us one step closer to our future child sharing our lives, home and hearts.... I can't wait to get the call and set a date for our home study to begin.... Then the next step will start...

It's been a long day and I am tired.... I am going to bed now.... I will try to be back soon!

1 month ago today....

One month ago today I lost my good friend MK.... Today many people have joined together to have a pool tournement to help raise money for her family... My husband & I have bought a pool cue and case we will be raffling off... I also made some cupcakes for the bake sale... I hope we can raise a good amount of money to help her family.....

Miss you so much MK! Cannot believe it's been a month already......