While We Wait: June & July 2016 (Months #6 and #7)

We thought we'd combine two recap months into one because these two months just flew by!

Adoption related stuff:

We did the required updates to paperwork that have to be annually updated: getting fingerprints done for background checks, going to the doctor and having forms signed saying we're still in good health, and submitting paperwork to the state to check that we haven't been convicted of child abuse. We did those in mid-June so now that's out of the way for another year.

Other than that, it's been slow in the adoption realm, largely because after we moved in July, we now have to update some additional forms that are house-related. (A home study only applies to one address at a time.) So for right now we're not eligible to be considering any adoption situations or having a child placed with us. It's only temporary, though! This is what we have to do in order to get back in the pool:

• Fire safety survey: list of safety standards to check off
• Fire inspection of our new home (by a county fireman)
• Map of new home with exits marked
• Emergency plan, like where we would meet if we had to escape
• Updated financial information
• Update to our personal bios, basically what's new between last time and now
• Visit by our social worker to our new home, and conversation with her about how things are going

Our goal is to get these things done in August and be back in the pool by September. Some of it is dependent on other people's availability (fire inspection & social worker visit) but we'll do our best! Then after these things are done, we won't have any major paperwork to do until either we adopt or another year passes and we have to update forms again. 

Other stuff we did:

We moved! That was definitely the biggest event of June and July: getting all packed up, moving, and getting unpacked. It's a lot of work but totally worth it. We feel so grateful for our new home, which we are loving!! All of the neighbors have been really friendly, and three houses so far have people in them who grew up there! This is a big difference from other places we've lived where folks have been more transitory (like us). We love being close to a pool, churches, a farmer's market, and in a very safe, pleasant neighborhood. And despite how much work moving is, it was a joy to spend time with family and friends that day - very convivial. 

Right after moving, we traveled to New Mexico for a week (crazy) for work. We were thrilled we both got to go on the same work trip!

At the top of Sandia Peak, 10,000 feet up

San Miguel in Santa Fe: the oldest Catholic church structure in the country

In June, Bethany had a nice visit to PA for Father's Day weekend to spend time with her parents and treat her dad to brunch at Cracker Barrel.

That same weekend, Dan went to a different part of PA to celebrate a friend's bachelor party. They stayed in a renovated barn in the woods and had a blast.

Dan helped run two major events at the JPII Shrine, one in June: a family retreat day, and one in July: a neighborhood-wide young adult festival timed to coincide with World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland. So that kept him busy!

Perogies - YUM

After Mass in the Basilica

It will be really good to have a breather now after such a busy two months! We are happy to have a more relaxed schedule in August, with time to get all settled in to our new home and to get all the "extra" paperwork done. The path to adoption seems awfully slow at times (admittedly, somewhat of our own doing) but we will keep pushing forward!