The portfolio is done & printed!

After my mom & I did the portfolio, I had to work up the courage to take it to FedEx/Kinkos to have it copied....I was so scared! But I did it. When I went to pick it up on Monday, it looked HORRIBLE! I refused to take it. I was so disappointed, I even considered just picking it up and making 3 more of the same thing...by hand. But Ben told me "no" and to have them try again. We went and picked it up today...Ben went with me. It looks much better, and they gave it to us for FREE! Yeah! It should have been well over $50 to have it printed and bound, but since they screwed up, we got if free. :)

Also, our homestudy is done. I mailed the check to the agency in Ohio so they could send it to the agency in Texas! All we have to do is go to the notary tomorrow to get some stuff notarized, and get more fingerprints. Something I've been thinking about...if I get arrested, I get my fingerprints taken "free" but if I want to help a child have a better life, I need to pay $5 per person/per card to have fingerprints, THEN I need to pay $48.xx each person to have them checked out! Are you kidding me? So annoying. But we'll have to do that early next week, so I can get it all in the mail. We'll be sending a big chunk of cash then, too...But they'll be showing our portfolio to Birthmothers! It's scary & exciting all at the same time!

More later..

The latest...

There's been movement on the adoption front!! Over the weekend, my mom and I put together our portfolio. At first, it was very stressful for us, but once we got going, we did great. I, personally, think it looks wonderful! :) We had fun, and it looks "bright & cheery" which were the requirements. I hope it's "bright & cheery" enough for us to be chosen my a birthmother. So, now I have to get a scrapbook and make copies of it to send to the agency.

Also, our social worker in Ohio (we have one in Ohio for our homestudy and one in TX at the agency), sent us a list of things we would and wouldn't consider in an adopted child. This form is also for foster parents to fill out, in terms of who they want to allow into their home...So after printing out FIVE pages, all the pages have TWO columns of "disorders" or "issues" that you have to say will consider or will not consider. Holy cow. Really. I can't even tell you how horrible of a person it makes you feel saying you wouldn't accept a child with some of the things listed, but I can't imagine taking in a child that is terminally ill or has been jailed for rape, crime using a weapon, MURDER...seriously? How many people check will consider to these? Fortunately, I emailed the social worker, and she said that they aren't going to use THIS checklist to match us to a child in TX. Also, when we do get chosen by a birthmother, we have the choice of whether or not we want to accept or decline the baby. We'll get her medical records and decide if it's the right fit for us.

I'll update again, soon...

Another update...:)

I'm getting better! :) So my latest update...after meeting with the social worker, we called the agency with a few questions. Being the "sales" rep that I am...I pulled a "Ben" and asked her if we paid half of the big chunk (the agency fee) that they need to start showing our profile, would they be willing to show it...if we committed to getting the other half to them when Ben gets his bonus...She said YES! So, I've got to get the profile done & the dear Birthmother letter (which is still causing anxiety)...I'll also be calling the references that they sent me, but I'm nervous about that, too. I don't like the "unknown," can you tell???? I think I'll do it while Ben's home, so we can do a 3-way call and both ask the questions and get the answers. I think things are often lost in translation. So, we're off an running. Right now, I've got to finish paperwork, I did the taxes so we could send those in, get the profile done, and do the dear Birthmother letter...Doesn't sound like too much...

I'll keep you updated...:)

The social worker visit...

Look at me...2 updates in about a week! I promised I'd be better. :) So, Johnna, our social worker, came for a visit Saturday. She's SUPER nice, and we've got a great rapport. She, THANKFULLY, gets Ben & Luke's sense of humor. She cracks up at Luke...LOL. So, anyway...she asked us a bunch of questions about our house (per the homestudy requirements), she asked us what we do when we fight (which I'm surprised didn't come out earlier), and if we went to church. Luke was sitting there when she asked that...We KNOW we need to go, but the thought of finding a church we like is so daunting that it just hasn't happened...yet. It will. I promise, we need to do it. So, Luke pipes up with, "No, we don't go to church because we don't want the pressure, and we have a Super Bowl Party tomorrow!" WHAT?!?!?!?!!? Ben & I just looked at each other, Johnna started cracking up, Luke just was as serious as could be...She also asked Luke where our "meeting place" was in case of a fire...As he continued to play with his playdoh at the table and not answer her, Ben & I looked at each other in a panic. I KNEW we talked about this, repeatedly, after he went to Safety Town...but would he remember??? Finally, he looked up and said, "We'll all meet at the mailbox, when we're all there, we'll cross the street to Miss Kathy's house." Ah...it stuck! We were both very proud of him!

Our next task is doing the "dear Birthmother" letter...which I'm having a REALLY hard time with and our portfolio which they give the birthmothers to look at while choosing a family. I feel like at this point it's so real, and it makes me nervous...the questions start coming...what if we don't get picked? what if no one likes us? what if she changes her mind? I'm working on my positive attitude. The social worker reassured us we'll do fine...:) We'll "look great on paper." So, now the tricky part...making that happen. We're also waiting on a couple of forms from Johnna and the agency to fill out and Ben's bonus...UGH. I'm hoping & praying that it will be here March 15, NOT March 31...the sooner the better...I'd love to have everything in by the time we go on vacation in March...That would make for a RELAXING one...:)

More later...