More stuff to do.......

Chris and I survived our first set of interviews with our social worker! We had a safe trip to Dallas and back and were glad to get home last night. Our meeting with Joy went really well. It took a little over 3 hours in all. We talked with her together and then separately. Most of what we talked about was stuff that we had answered in the questionnaire that was sent out with the application.

We should be able to attend the required 2 day Seminar during Spring Break, but we are waiting for confirmation before booking a hotel room. We now have more stuff to do. In addition to attending the Seminar, we are required to read 3 books and write a short report on each, get the house in better shape (according to check lists she sent us) and have our "Psychologicals" completed. Yes, we have to have a psych evaluation that is required by Russia. It involves meeting with a psychologist (of our choice), taking personality tests and having a personal evaluation as well as a marriage evaluation. What fun. Please, no jokes at this time!

Oh, we also have to put in writing our 'financial plan' for the expenses that will be incurred during this adoption process. In other words, we have to tell her how we plan to get the money we will need to bring our children home. Chris said (in the car on the way home yesterday), "I guess saying God will provide, isn't enough". We know that He will provide, but they want a more specific plan of action, such as savings, fund-raising activities, donations that we know about, grants/scholarships that we might be able to qualify for, etc.

Please continue to pray that the amounts that we need will be available when we need them so that the process won't be delayed because of the money. As of right now, we will need $300 for the Seminar (plus travel costs & hotel stay), $500 for the second half of the Home Study and $7000 for Buckner's fee after the Home Study is completed. Oh, we also need $750 + $160 for the Immigration services forms and finger printing.

Interview time...

Chris and I will be on our way tomorrow afternoon to Buckner's Dallas office to meet with Joy, our social worker, for the initial Home Study interviews. We are meeting her Thursday morning and will drive home afterwards. Please pray for safe travel there and back, as well as our state of mind (the interviews will take about 3 hours!).

We have a social worker!!!

Chris and I got an email yesterday afternoon from our Home Study social worker! We are really excited as this means that things will continue to go forward. Her name is Joy and she is located in Dallas. Unfortunately, it means that we will have to drive to Dallas to meet with her, but that is just part of the whole process. I called and talked with her today to set up our first set of interviews. She is available on Monday and Thursday mornings only, so we are going up next week. Because of mandatory TAKS training at school, I will have to be there Wednesday morning. Chris and I are both taking a half day off to drive up, spend the night somewhere and meet with Joy Thursday morning at the Buckner office. She said that it will take about 3 hours total, then we plan to drive home. We will have a joint interview and separate interviews.

Today, we got an email that included 2 check lists: Environmental Health & Fire Prevention so we can keep working on the house to make sure it is ready when she comes down for the house visit. She also mentioned that we will need psychologicals (required by Russia), but I am not exactly sure what that means. I guess we will find out!

Chris and I finally picked out paint colors for the main living areas (living room/office area/dining area/ hallway) and trim for the doors and door frames. Now, we just have to finish cleaning, sorting and getting rid of stuff! I knew that we were pack rats, just didn't think it was this bad.

We should be able to attend the required 2 day Adoption Seminar that is coming up in March once we get past the interviews next week. Thankfully it is during Spring Break so I won't have to take 3 days from school (Chris still has to take the days off). We have the three books to read and will start reading them next week. In addition, Chris and I are attending the Wednesday night Adult Bible Study class at church on "Shepherding A Child's Heart". I am going to ask Joy if it will count towards our required training/education. Hopefully it will, but we are enjoying it even if she says no!

Please continue to pray for us during this time, as well as for Joy. Don't forget to continue lifting up our children and their current caregivers!

Now the money issues (or lack of money) begin....

Still waiting...

We are still waiting for the email and phone call to begin the Home Study. I talked with Buckner last week and confirmed that they had all our paperwork. It was being compiled and would be given to the director to review. She would then assign it to a case worker (social worker) who will contact us for the first interview. They have a contract worker in the Houston area, so hopefully it will be assigned to her (or him). That would make it easier for meetings and for them to come to the house (less travel). Please continue to pray that the funds show up so that each step in this process will be able to proceed quickly.

Just waiting for a phone call...

We checked the FedEx tracking website and found out that the papers we mailed on Saturday arrived yesterday around noon and now we get to wait for the phone call to start the Home Study process. It is going to be hard to just sit back and wait.