Not much going on right now

Chris and I plan to have Joy (we haven't checked with her yet) come down at the end of May to do the house visit and last interview. Still haven't read the other 2 books yet, but we are getting more stuff around the house done. Chris painted the garage door yesterday, so it doesn't look so bad! I am still trying to get used to the latches on the cabinet doors and drawers. After 2 broken nails, I've decided that short is good. I haven't had time during the day to find out about a psychologist yet. With super needy sewing students, phone calls from the office looking for students, meetings in my free time, I haven't had much time. Lunch is usually during class, instead of the 15 minutes I might have during my lunch period. Oh well, 5 more weeks to go then I get lots of free time! Of course, that means I have more time to get everything done that needs to be done....

Overwhelmed right now, but it's getting better!

Chris and I are still working on the Home Study stuff. We got home around 11:00 on Friday the 20th, after sitting in the Seminar all day and then driving home afterwards. Talk about exhausted! It took us a few days to get semi-caught up on sleep, although I don't feel like I am rested yet!

It was a great 2 days, but we hadn't had much time to really talk about what we learned when we got an email from our social worker the following Tuesday evening asking when (in April) can she come down for the home visit. As she was going to be out of town the last weekend, and Easter wasn't a good time, that left the first weekend and third weekend of the month available. Talk about extremely short notice! Since we haven't completed everything in the house that is on the CPS check list, the visit will have to wait! It took 2 emails and 2 phone calls to convince the social worker that we are not ready yet (in more ways than one!), but she has accepted that this is our process and we will let her know when we are ready. The good news is that we don't have to have all the other stuff (2 books, psychological evaluations, financial plan, medical check list) done before she sees the house. It all has to be done before the Home Study process can be completed and Final Approval is given to adopt.

Of course, we will have to pay as we go (which is something we already knew and planned for), so that will slow the process down as well. We need $500 for the second half of the Home Study process, fees for the psychological evaluations & medical check list meeting with a doctor, and $3,500 for the 1st installment of the Agency Fee when we are given the Final Approval. Please continue to pray that the funds will be available when they are needed.
Chris has installed the drawer and cabinet latches in the kitchen, children's bathroom and our bathroom; as well as smoke/fire alarms in the 2 extra bedrooms and checked to make sure that the other ones work. You never think of all that is necessary until you get 2 check lists that CPS requires.

School has been rather busy lately, but should get better soon. My students are starting their sewing projects this week and that is always a good time for me. Chris is seriously considering going back to Wal-Mart part time this summer (after the home visit by the social worker) to earn more to go towards the adoption (and get the last 2 credit cards paid off). I have been working on more baby blankets to sell. Liz (my sister) and I spent the morning at the Seven Lakes High School 3rd Annual PTSA Garage Sale on the 28th and sold 3 blankets! One lady bought a nap mat from our online store: www.LandRDesigns.etsy.com when Liz reactivated it on Sunday the 29th! I am really praying that more will sell (when they all get posted). If you know anyone who is looking for baby blankets, Burpcloth Babies or children's clothing, please feel free to pass our store site on!

International Adoption Seminar

Chris and I attended the required International Adoption Seminar by Buckner this past week and it was great! We drove up Wednesday afternoon and came back after the seminar was over Friday night. It was a long and tiring trip, but well worth it all.

The Seminar talked about attachment & sensory issues our children may have and we will have to deal with as well. It helped that we both had finished the book: The Connected Child by Dr. Karen Purvis prior to the seminar as alot of what was discussed was in her book. We feel better prepared now, but we still know that there will be other issues that pop up when we get our children home. We also had a break-out session that was specific to Russia, and that gave us a better insight in what to expect as we continue in the process.

It was really neat to meet 2 other couples that are adopting from Russia that live in the Houston area (one is about 10-15 minutes away in Sugar Land, and the other is in the 290 area, which is still rather close)! They are both looking for 1 child, age 2 and under. We are already planning on getting together in May, probably at a support group meeting.

Chris and I are still really tired, but that is to be expected when given an overwhelming amount of information for 2 days and then driving home that second night! We did walk to the Celebration Station (it is next to the hotel we stayed at) to paly 2 rounds of Putt-Putt Golf Thursday night to de-stress. We had a lot of fun; Chris won both rounds (by just a few points)!

We now have a lot more to discuss and plan for, but God is with us and will provide. Attending the Seminar puts us about half-way through the Home Study Process...

One book down...

Chris finished one of the books we have to read "The Connected Child" and wrote his summary report. I started reading it yesterday at school, but didn't get very far. I should be able to finish it before we leave for the seminar on Wednesday. He started reading the next book "Adopting the Older Child". I had to find it on Amazon.com because it is out of print (was written in 1978), but it still has good information. Our social worker, Joy, said that she wanted us to read at least one book on adopting older children since we are asking for older children. I still plan to read the one my sister got us for Christmas, "Toddler Adoption" as part of my list since they may be older in age, but on an emotional/mental level of a toddler.

We are attending the required International Adoption Seminar with Buckner this next week in Dallas. We plan to drive up when Chris gets off at 11:00 on Wednesday and drive home after it is done on Friday so that we can pick up our dog from the vet on Saturday (it will save us about $60 at the vet's and one night at a hotel). It will make for a very long day, but we are okay with it. We had hoped to get together with friends in Burleson, but they are going to be in Houston visiting with their kids and grandkids.

As far as the other parts of the Home Study: psychological evaluations and getting the house ready, we are waiting until we finish with the Seminar this week. I have been a bit stressed out right now, so I need to wait and do one thing at a time. We have done little things around the house, but are waiting (for now) to do the big things.

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....