Paper, paper everywhere!

I spent the day filling and sending out requests for birth certificates, marriage certificates, dog licenses, etc. I have calls out to the MSPCA and doggie daycare in regards to getting letters of reference for Clyde's temperment, just in case. I tried to get a hold of the AD person today but just got voicemail so I'll try again next week. Still no application. So bummed as I really wanted to get it back to them this weekend so we could be that much closer. So again, it's hurry up and wait! Fine with me as long as I know we're moving forward. Had a great talk with one of the psychology professors today about transracial adoption and all that that entails. I am going to be learning alot if in fact we end up with a transracial adoption which is more than likely since there are, unfortunately, an overwhelming amount of African American children available in the state and we are open to any race and either sex. The AD person says that this will be extremely beneficial for us as far as wait time for our child. We could end up with our child home with us sooner than if we were looking for a "racial match". Yippee! I'm all for anything that brings our child to us sooner rather than later! I plan on going to the bookstore and getting a book on the State Adoption process AND transracial adoption (even though we could end up with a white child in the end). I want to be prepared ahead of time to bring a child of another race into our home. So off I go!!

Step One...Done!!

We got the call!! Yippee!! Supposedly they have already sent out the application so hopefully it is in the mail today and I can work on it this weekend. Then once we send that in a SW will come to the house and talk to us and check the safety stuff then we will get invited to the next session of MAPP classes!! Yippee!! Those go 8 weeks or we could a weekend intensive but she didn't have any info on those. I am just sooooooooo excited because she seemed to think where we are open to any ethnicity that our wait will not be too too long!! So here's hoping. I have already started rounding up the documents that we are gonna need for our Home Study and she has the info she needs to do the CORI check so there's a couple more steps out of the way!!! I am tinkled pink!! ETA: Upon arriving home, major disappointment as the package/application was not in the mail. Hopefully it comes tomorrow so I can return it over the weekend but I have a feeling it hasn't been sent yet. :(

Waiting is the hardest part...

I can't handle all this waiting but I know I have no choice. I just want to get this process underway so we can bring our child home. The coordinator/licensor isn't in the office again until tomorrow so I have no choice but wait. Hopefully we will not actually have to go to the informational session but can sign right up for the next session of classes. Especially since we know this is what we want to do and an information session isn't going to change that for us. I plan on talking to my friend today about her experience with the process and the issues that she faces raising her two F/A children. I believe she adopted them when they were both babies so I would like to hear about the bonding, etc. that comes with that. My biggest fear, I guess, would be that by adopting a preschooler we may never have that tight bond that I so want. I want this child to know that they are loved, safe and will be cared for forever in our family. I know they say that sometimes if children do not have a chance to bond with their parents at birth it can lead to emotional dettachment as they grow older...I wonder if you can ever get that back or something close to that? So many questions...

Call back!

Wow! Miracles of miracles...we actually got a return call from DSS within two days of making the initial call! Two years ago when I was trying to get information about doing Respite Care I never received a call back until over 6 mos. later when I finally contacted the state. By then we had decided that we wanted to go the fullfledge adoption route and began researching international adoption. As you can see, we have changed our minds a few times during this process but our desire to adopt has never waivered. We will bring our 2nd child home and hopefully within the year. Wishful thinking, yes but anything is possible. Anyway, the person who returned our call only works Monday, Thursday and Friday so I called her and explained that we are very anxious to get this started and would like to know when the next informational session is so we may attend. Hopefully I hear back from her on Thursday and we won't miss the upcoming session. I also received an e-mail from the DSS site that our information packet has been sent so I will be checking the mailbox every day until it arrives! I am so excited that we are finally beginning the process!

Our journey begins...

Well, after much discussion we have decided to look to Foster Adoption rather than China for our second child. The thought of a 2 year plus wait just kills me at this point as I really want to bring our second child home as soon as possible. So, phone calls have been placed, forms requested and informational meetings set up.