Getting Closer

Sorry about the lack of updates. Our lives are kinda hectic and most days, at the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is sit down on the computer.

We went to our adoption class tonight and now, we only have one more adoption class to go!!!  Woohoo!!!!  Next week is graduation week. So excited.

We had our first of three home visits last week. She called to schedule an appointment on Wednesday and when I told her that Thursdays worked for us, she set up an appointment for 2 o'clock the next day. Needless to say, the night before was a little hectic as we tried to clean and get ready for her visit. The visit was quick and pretty painless. She looked around our home, asked questions, and make sure that certain things, like the sink, toilet, fire alarm, etc, were in working order. We'll have to get locks for the cabinets under the sink where the cleaners are kept, but other than that, everything checked out fine.

Within the next month, we should be having our second and third home visits. The second one goes over our 14 page biographies that we filled out and we will discuss with the social worker exactly what we are looking for. The last home visit will make sure all changes have been made to our home and that we are ready for our home to be open to children. Once those home visits have been completed, our official home study will be typed up and we will officially be foster parents. (Official time frame could take a while, possibly a month or more as we are not the only family going through the process.) Even after our home is open, it could still be quite some time before a child is placed in our home.

As for the future child's room, it is a work in progress. We are working to get it ready for the new addition and that's not easy since it was being used as a home office. Things are in the process of getting shifted to other parts of our home while other things are being put in boxes to be stored. We're about halfway completed. As of right now, we have a rocking chair and a dresser in there and after this weekend, we'll have a crib and changing table.

We went and had our TB test on Monday and we go back tomorrow to get it checked. Once those papers are turned in next week, we will have 100% of our paperwork completed! That is a HUGE accomplishment.

At our class tonight, I went up to one of the families there to see if they would be willing to exchange info, allowing us to meet up and let our kids and future foster children play. Come to find out, they live less than five minutes from us in the neighborhood where we lived. Amazing how God can bring people together. I'm looking forward to getting to know them and their family and seeing what our futures hold.

As for Nate, he's still convinced that we are having "two of dem". I'm not quite sure how he's going to handle the news if we only get one baby, but we'll see. :)

Steps/Paperwork Update 5/7

Steps/Paperwork Update

Steps in the Process to be approved
1. Pre-Screening
2. Completing/gathering all the above material
3. 9 weeks of classes - Only 1 more to go!!!
4. Home visit - One out of three completed!!!
5. Home study completion
 
The list of things that we have to do/turn in as a part of this adoption process
(The ones we have completed have a line through them. Bold Items are items that have been turned in, but are still in the process of being cleared. (Fingerprints, etc) )

Foster Adoptive Family Biography
Medical Report
Request for Tuberculosis Statement - We go tomorrow to get it checked!
Central Registry Release of Information Form 
Finger Print Card -
Confidential Financial Statement
Corporal Punishment Document
Confidentiality Agreement
Driving Convictions Statement
Firearms Statement
Home Fire Escape Plan Worksheet
Individual Vendor Agreement
Reference List
Sworn Statement or Afformation
Dangerous Animal Policy
Removal Letter
Copy of Marriage Certificate-Copy
Pay stubs for each parent totaling one month's pay-Copy
DMV records for each parent-Copy
Automobile Insurance Cards-Copy
Automobile Registration Cards -Copy
Rabies Certificate for each pet-Copy

Steps/Paperwork Update 4/23

Steps/Paperwork Update

Steps in the Process to be approved
1. Pre-Screening
2. Completing/gathering all the above material
3. 9 weeks of classes
4. Home visit
5. Home study completion
 
The list of things that we have to do/turn in as a part of this adoption process
(The ones we have completed have a line through them. Bold Items are items that have been turned in, but are still in the process of being cleared. (Fingerprints, etc) )

Foster Adoptive Family Biography
Medical Report
Request for Tuberculosis Statement
Central Registry Release of Information Form 
Finger Print Card -Mine have come back, but Dave's have not.
Confidential Financial Statement
Corporal Punishment Document
Confidentiality Agreement
Driving Convictions Statement
Firearms Statement
Home Fire Escape Plan Worksheet
Individual Vendor Agreement
Reference List - 1/3 Have Been Turned In
Sworn Statement or Afformation
Dangerous Animal Policy
Removal Letter
Copy of Marriage Certificate-Copy
Pay stubs for each parent totaling one month's pay-Copy
DMV records for each parent-Copy
Automobile Insurance Cards-Copy
Automobile Registration Cards -Copy
Rabies Certificate for each pet-Copy

Speech Evaluation Checkup

Dave took Nate to his speech evaluation today and everything seemed to go pretty well.

For now, he's referred us to a speech pathologist to help up figure out what the next step will be. They will want to rule out a hearing issue, which we are pretty sure isn't an issue. They will also look more at his tongue and if the issue is really due to him being tongue tied. If so, they will send us to an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist and possibly have the skin under his tongue clipped. Doesn't sound too great, does it? :(

They also gave us information about speech therapy and how we can receive those services at a reduced fee since most insurance companies won't cover them.

So, overall, it's what I expected. Glad that they were willing to listen and help us get the help that Nate needs.

Speech Evaluation

At Nate's appointment last week (I still need to blog about that), I brought up three things to the doctor, hoping to get some answers. One of those things was his speech.

He's tongue tied and for a long time, he wasn't able to stick his tongue out past his lips. This is something that he's dealt with since he was a baby, but because he was eating and developing fine, they didn't want to clip the skin under his tongue. He's gotten to the point that he can stick his tongue out, but it's still tight and when he does stick it out, it looks like a w instead of a v. Crazy, huh?
There are some sounds that he can't seem to make and I'm not sure if the tongue is the issue or if it's an issue of him slowing down and working on those certain sounds.

The doctor was able to get us a referral and an appointment, which happens to be tomorrow at 1:30. I'm not able to go, but Dave is going to take him and I look forward to hearing what they have to say and if they feel that he would benefit from speech therapy.

Adoption Class #2

We have now completed our adoption class #2! Only 4 more classes and one make up session to go.

This class tonight was about family relationships. We talked about the importance of family and the important part they play in the lives of foster children. We discussed visitation with the bio families and the effects they have on the children.

We did a neat activity allowing us to see the people that we surround ourselves with. We were each given a cup and in it, we put in beads of certain colors representing the people that are in our family, coworkers, friends, etc. I was happy to see that my cup was not just filled with yellow (caucasian) beads. I want Nate and our future children to grow up knowing and interacting with different races and backgrounds.

Allison, the teacher, asked us tonight about the age we were looking for (younger than Nate) and told us that we will need to be ready at a moment's notice. She stated that these children don't come into the system very often, but when they do, it is almost always a quick placement. We'll need to be ready in case we get a call at 3 in the morning! 

I'm trying to not let my heart get ahead of my head. Trying not to stress and take a deep breath. There's so much to be done and prepared for. So excited about what the future holds for us.

Physicals and Well Checks

Today, Nate, Dave, and I went for our physicals/well check ups today. 3 appointments back to back. What fun!

Dave and I are required to get physicals as part of our adoption process. Along with the basic physicals, we had the privilege or giving a urine sample and bloodwork.

This is what Nate decided to do while at the doctor's office. :) He thought that they needed reorganizing and that they looked best as towers. Good thing that they were unused urine cups.

 Proof of my bloodwork.

I'll update more about Nate's checkup tomorrow (if I get a chance).

I can't finish this post without a funny story. It wasn't funny when it happened, but it is now and a great story to tell later on.

Because we were required to do bloodwork, we had to fast for 12 hours prior to the test. That meant that I hadn't eaten anything since 11:00 last night. It was torture to watch the kids at school eat yummy nachos while my stomach growled, but I made it through the day. My appointment was at 4:30 and by the time they were ready to take my blood, I was feeling kind of weak, sick to my stomach, and I had a killer headache. I made it through my bloodwork without any issues and was cleared to head home. On the way home, I started to feel really sick, so sick that I got the feeling that I needed to pull over, yet I was in the middle lane at a light and that wasn't an option. Needless to say, I'm thankful that there was a tissue box nearby and that I found out that I can drive while getting sick. Nate kept on asking me why I was coughing and I had to explain that I wasn't coughing into the tissue box and that I was sick. 

Now we wait for our bloodwork results to come back within the next week. One more step completed.