Adoption Saga Recap {Weeks 13 & 14}

Who's got good news to share? THIS GIRL!

Week 13 was just the same as the weeks before...

"Nothing new to report...blah blah blah"

But week 14...well, that's a horse of a different color! (Wizard of Oz, anyone?)

At the beginning of the week, I met with an Adoption Advocate. She was recommended to me as a great resource on all things adoption.

She didn't disappoint. 

She mainly works with people going to private domestic or international route. BUT she had some insight into DSS and really helped me get my head on straight about DSS's role in our adoption journey.

She reminded me that the role of DSS is NOT to give us a child. It's their mission to keep families together. Now, while I think that this causes more harm than good in some situations for the child, I understand that they are trying to fulfill their purpose. So, when I get discouraged about the lulls in forward movement, I just have to keep reminding myself of this.

I also have to remind myself that God has us on this path for a reason, and He won't let us down.

She also said that if we could come up with just a measly $25,000, we could have an infant in our home in 3 months. Yeah, don't see that happening!

So I came out of the meeting on Tuesday more informed, but a little deflated. By now you all know that I'm not the most patient person, so I guess I had gone into the meeting expecting to hear some great news and set out on a newer faster path to a child.

By Wednesday, I had resigned myself to waiting it out with DSS and I told God that I was ok to wait. (Not that He needs my permission to make me wait!)

In true God-style, He sent us just what we needed to know that we're on the path He wants us to be on...

Around lunchtime on Wednesday, I received an email from our case worker with everything we needed to get our home study going! AND I was able to schedule the training that we've been waiting months for.

Just take a look at all the paperwork we have to fill out to get ready for the home study:

1. Checklist for Home Study

2. Autobiography for Her (10 pages of questions)

3. Autobiography for Him (10 pages of questions)

4. Child Factors Checklist (This is where we specify the types of children we will take based on their history / medical information)

5. Disaster Plan (In case of emergency, we have to have a plan for evacuating our home. They have to know where we'd go.)

6. Discipline Agreement (Exactly what it sounds like. We agree that we won't spank. Which at first had us both a little confused, but when they explained that most of these children have been abused in some way, it makes sense that spanking wouldn't be affective.)

7. Family History for Her

8. Family History for Him

9. Openness Checklist (This is specifying what we will / will not allow where the birth family is concerned. This includes updates from us, sending photos of the child to them, contact with the child, etc.)

10. Medical Report for Him

11. Medical Report for Her

12. Financial Questionnaire

13. Medical Report for Other Member of Household

So now you know what we'll be doing this weekend! Whew!

I'm excited to get it all done though...that will mean we're that much closer to being 'list ready'.

Keep praying for us, we appreciate it!

Steps in Adoption Saga

1. Complete over-the-phone intake and provide email or mailing address to receive application {Completed 11/30/11 and again on 12/2/11}
2. Application completed {Completed 12/2/11}
3. Orientation at regional office & turn in application {Completed 12/12/11}
4. Complete SLED/ Fingerprints and Child Abuse Central register releases on all members of household 18 years and older {Completed 12/19/11}
5. Attend 14 hours of preparatory training to help with self evaluation of the types of children which would fit into our family
6. Fire and sanitation inspections completed on home by the Fire Marshal and DHEC.
7. Home Visits: adoption specialist visits the home and completes interviews for pre- placement investigation
8. Three/ Four References received and interviewed by adoption specialist {2/3/12}
9. Medicals on all family members
10. Provide copies of birth certificates, Marriage license and divorce petitions and decrees if applicable
11. During assessment we along with the agency assess qualifications and readiness to adopt
12. Approval received and we are considered for children along with other approved and waiting families
13. Placement committee selects us and notifies us of a child
14. We are presented full background on child/children for whom we are selected
15. We meet child/children and begin visitation with child/children
16. Placement occurs when child and we are ready for move
17. Post placement period begins and can continue up to 12 months
18. Finalization of the adoption in Family Court (Hallelujah!)