Now we're a little more than two months (+ a few days) into the home study for adoption #3, and here's where we're at:
Done
- Uploaded proof of medical, life, and car insurance, 1040 tax form from 2022, and Grace's birth certificate
- Pet license and vaccine records for Mr. Bailey (the easiest government-issued thing so far!)
- Fire inspection
- Fire safety survey + family emergency plan
- Autobiography updates
- Guardianship forms
- Employer / salary verification
- Certified driving records from the state - new
- Medical paperwork for the kids - new
- Medical self-assessments for adults plus physicals*** - new
- Four references - new
- Background checks (CPS and child support) - new
- Live virtual class about transracial adoption - new
- Three online classes - new
*** "Fun" story for this month's update, regarding my (Bethany's) physical ... I did it at the Patient First down the road, and went in at 8 a.m., having fasted since the previous evening for some blood work. I was feeling a bit hungry but generally fine (not there because I was sick, obviously). Well, when I was getting my blood drawn I started to feel WOOZY. Like edges of vision closing in, hard to form my words, but was able to say "I feel a little.....lightheaded" and hear the nurse's concern before BOOM, passed out. (!!) It was only for a bit, it seems, because I came to and the same nurse saying with concern, "Are you ok?" She had me lay down on the bed and someone else got me some ginger ale. Still feeling not superb but I just want to get home and eat something --- but when I was standing in the hallway to check out, all the sudden that ginger ale, ahem, comes up.... make that a first of throwing up in public, UGH! Back to the room again, someone found a bag of pretzels this time, and made extra extra sure I was okay to leave. Lots of concerned looks like, "you're sure you weren't sick when you came in here?" Oh boy - what a way to start a day!! Ah the adoption memories.....
Not done
- Some remaining financial information (stuff to upload that we missed initially, it's SO much information....!)
- Two online classes
- Fingerprints (they only take about 48 hours to be processed, and then have a "shelf life" of one year before we have to redo them, so we're waiting until closer to the end) -- planning on October 28th at a walk-in center
Working goal adjusted a bit: now we're hoping that getting the fingerprints done will be the LAST thing that is pending, so hopefully that will happen at the very end of October, allowing us to schedule our home study interviews in November / December - fingers crossed!
And one fun thing from this time period: we went to the annual adoption picnic hosted by our agency, which was really sweet! It's very kid-centric so there were lots of games for the kids to play, plus face painting, a playground, a cheerleading show (!), and a yummy grilled meats + potluck lunch. It was really nice! And so enjoyable to be around other adoptive families, since we don't have that many in our network, and barely any with young kids. It was great to have a place where Zelie and Grace weren't the only adopted kids but almost all the kids there were - to give some solidarity that other kids have a similar background to them.
Zelie getting her face painted
Grace as Wonder Woman
Hula Hooping
As always, thank you for your prayers!! Onward!!
