Still Waiting

For those of you who are wondering, we are still waiting to be approved. Talked to the social worker in mid-August and she said it would be a couple more weeks. She emailed us last week with some last minute questions that she couldn't remember the answers to and said that she hoped to be finished and present it to her supervisor this week. We will keep you posted!

On another note, we are holding several garage sales to raise money...first one is this Saturday, Sept 17th, in Tupelo, MS hosted by Todd's parents and Matt and Jamie Baker. Thanks, guys for your support!  If you're in Tupelo this weekend, come on by and see us!

The next garage sale will be in Franklin, TN at our house-- October 1st, and the third one is in Birmingham on October 15th, hosted by Tara's parents. Thanks for hosting, too!

We are still taking donations of items to sell. for the Franklin and Bham sales..anything you're planning on getting rid of or giving to Good Will? We'll take it off your hands! Thanks to all of our friends and family who have donated so far! We are blessed to have so many supporters!

All Done Home Study!

So as of last Thursday, we are finished with the home study! I haven't updated in a while. Todd had his one-on-one two weeks ago. Mine was postponed b/c the social worker was sick, so I just had my one-on-one last Thursday. So, now we are finished. Just have a couple of little pieces of paperwork left to turn in and wait to be approved. It will probably be mid-August (which probably means the end of August) to be approved. The social worker has to type up a pretty in-depth report and then all the social workers at AGAPE will meet and deem us worthy or not of being parents. After that, we wait. Of course, we can look while we wait, but I'm not real sure I want to "look"...I mean, it's not like shopping for a pair of shoes...it's a child...how can you just pick one. Many have asked "how long?" The answer the case worker gave me is "at least a year". That was a little discouraging...a year!!!???!! It will then be almost two years from when we decided to do this...I'm gonna be an old woman by that time! Just kidding...maybe a little dramatic? Anyway...when all is said and done, it's all in God's hands...if he wants us to have a child next month, then we will. If he wants it to be a year, then it will. And it will all be perfect timing! I might need some of you to remind me of that every now and then! :) We will keep you posted! Until then, we wait!

Home Study #2

So I'm a little slow at posting this, but we had our second home study visit on Friday (June 3rd). The social worker came out to the house this time and did a walk through and another interview with both of us. She asked us about our parenting styles; how we were raised--what we would change and what we would do the same; about values that we would want to instill in our children;about religion and what our expectations would be for our children; and some other stuff.

After the walk through, we just had to get a couple of things to make the house safer-- extra smoke alarms--one at the ends of the hallways on both floors and carbon monoxide detectors--one for each floor. We also had to get an extra fire extinguisher for the second floor and a lock for the medicine cabinet. So, Todd did all of that this weekend and now we are ready for the next visit, which will be just me and the social worker this Friday. Then, Todd's one-on-one will be next week and then we should be finished.

We'll keep you posted...

Home Study #1

Had our first home study meeting today. We went to AGAPE and met with our social worker. It was basically a "get to know you" session. We were able to ask some questions...the only one we had was "what will the home study process entail?" She asked a bunch of questions about us...how we met, the engagement, our wedding, our jobs, what we do for fun, etc. She also asked us about what we disagree on...neither one of us could think of anything. I mean, we've had arguments before, but not over anything major and nothing that hasn't been resolved. I'm sure there's something, but we just couldn't think of anything...I'm sure thinks we're lying! We've actually both been tyring to think of something all day...nothing! Before we started she told us that if any issues are identified throughout the process that we need to work on before being approved, she would let us know...and that they don't expect perfect people. She didn't tell us anything today, so we must have passed round one!

The second meeting is scheduled for next Friday, June 3rd. It will be with both of us and at our house. The following two will be with each of us separately...Mine on the 10th and Todd's on the 16th, both at our house. So, while shes at the house during one of the visits, she will do a safety check of our home. (there's a long checklist of things they look for). So, we figure today wasn't that bad...kind of like a first date...just wanted to know the surface stuff....we figure she'll start asking us the really personal stuff next time (like about fertility issues, and what gets on our nerves about each other, maybe?).

So, we should be finished with the home study by the 16th. Then we wait for her to type up the home study and officially approve us. Until then we will keep on plowing through the paperwork! We have our physicals scheduled for next Friday, too, so we will be able to check that off the list. We still have to write autobiographies and do a emergency/fire escape plan, too. We'll keep you posted!

Let the Home Study Begin

We were contacted by our caseworker last week and scheduled our first home study for May 26th. I'm not real sure what to expect, but I think it will be an interview format to get to know us. We will actually go to AGAPE for this meeting. There will be 3 or 4 more meetings after that, one of which will be a home visit.

In the meantime, Todd and I got our fingerprinting done and are in the process of finding a PCP so we can schedule our physicals (I know, it's sad that we've been up here two and a half years and we still don't have a PCP, of course that just means that we've been healthy, right?).

Our reference letter forms were sent out to friends and family. Thanks to all of you who completed them and turned them in! (hopefully you said good things!) :)

I'll post again after May 26th to let you know how the first meeting goes!

The Final Class

Tonight was our last training class. Hard to believe it's been 12 weeks! It FLEW by! The class tonight was CPR/First Aid training. So now we are equipped with the knowledge to save a life! I just hope I never have to use it! And we have a handy little book on first aid and how to id the symptoms of and treat several different emergencies (gun shot wounds, head trauma, hypothermia, etc.). Again, hopefully won't ever have to use that! Not too much exciting to blog about from tonight.

So, we're supposed to be contacted within a couple of weeks by our assigned social worker to start scheduling our home study. We will keep you posted!

Last Thursday

So we are officially done with the PATH trainings! We even got a certificate! Wow! We just have the CPR/First Aid class next week to complete, then our home study will begin. For the last session, sessions 8 & 9 combined, there was a panel of adoptive/foster parents for the first part. They shared their experiences with us and we were able to ask questions. It was very helpful! The second part was just an overview of the adoptive process. Lots to take in! I will have to go back and re-read that section for sure!

I have to say, we felt a little emotional after this session. It kinda sunk in and felt very real for the first time. They even presented the group with two little boys (brothers) who are coming into AGAPE's care for a foster placement, but will likely be an adoptive placement. They asked everyone to "prayerfully consider". We don't believe these are the children for us, though, as they are 13 and 9 years old. We really would like to adopt younger children. Still, the fact that they could be calling us in just a few months to ask us to consider adopting a child (or two)...very real!!

After next week, we should be contacted by the case worker who is assigned to complete our home study. That process will begin and they will have 90 days to complete everything. We will have to schedule 4-5 home visits/interviews with the caseworker over the next several weeks. During this time, there will be more paperwork to complete. We will have to go get fingerprinted, get physicals, and prepare our home to meet their "inspection"...and did I mention...more paperwork?

Keep the prayers coming...