Home Visit 1

Wow - I do believe that was the longest hour and 15 minutes of my entire life! Patrick says it went well. I on the other hand need positive reinforcement from the person who is making the decision before I can feel really comfortable saying it went well. It's like a job interview really. In a job interview the interviewer asks questions and takes notes while the interviewee answers questions and waits for the next question. The interviewer is not supposed to reveal one way or the other how they feel about the interviewee during the interview. That's just the rules of the game. The interviewee leaves with a sense of how they thought they did, but ultimately still don't know if they "passed the test". That's kind of how today was. Our "interviewer" was very pleasant (and even laughed at a few of my random jokes - I was nervous ok!) and asked questions and took notes. We as the "interviewees" answered her questions and prayed we were conveying in our words what has been in our hearts for so long. The questions were what you would expect - how did you meet?, why do you want to be foster/adoptive parents?, what are your expectations?, are you willing to work with CPS to help the children grow and develop and maintain healthy relationships? We answered them, she wrote and we waited for the next question. :)

We sat in the living room the whole time. At some point it looked like she might have been a little cold and I would have offered to turn the fan off, but I was afraid I would start sweating more if the fan was off. So I was not the gracious hostess and left the fan on! :( Oh well, I guess that's the way it is.

She took down our email addresses so she can send us follow up questions as she is writing her report. She also scheduled us to meet on July 1st at 5:30 pm for the second visit. That visit will be with Patrick and I here together, but she will meet with us individually while the other is in the other room. I am looking forward to that meeting with anxious anticipation. I don't know if she will look at the rest of the house on that visit or if there will be other visits after the visit on 7/1. So for now it remains in God's hands as we move one step closer to completing this process. :)

Until then, keep those prayers going (and we will too!). Thank you all for your support and prayers this weekend!

Countdown Day 2

So I sit here this evening as we have finished cleaning for the night reflecting on the journey we have been on for, well almost six years. I am looking around the house and seeing that thankfully we have only our room to straighten up and the bathrooms to clean. So as I look around my house I realize how truly blessed we are. Not just in how far we have come in this journey, but also in how we have taken that journey. That sounds a little repetitive, but how you embark on the journey is just as important as the journey itself.

I look back at where we started and thank God that He really does know what He is doing. To think we could have been responsible for a child back then is almost funny! We were so young (still kind of are really!) not just in age, but in responsibility. We were newly married and dealing with the joys of learning to share our lives together. To have brought a child into that time of our lives would truly have been a mistake. But I also feel that we have had these challenges at just the right time. If we hadn't started trying to get pregnant when we did, I wouldn't know what i know about myself now. Leaving PCOS untreated could lead to more serious health concerns and to know what I am dealing with (and that I am not alone!) has really been important in my other health decisions. All of that to say that while it would be easy for me to look back on the last 6 years and think about all of the things that went wrong, I find it easier to think about who we have become and where we are now. I could easily think about what's "wrong" with me or with this whole situation. But why? We have a beautiful life, a beautiful home and we are actually ready this time. This is our time to complete this part of the journey and move on to the next one. It is really exciting and despite the fact that I am not looking forward to the rest of the cleaning, I am so looking forward to the reward.

Patrick and I both continuously are in awe at the love and support we have gotten from our friends and family over the years. Not because we don't expect you all to be those kinds of people, but it's that the support is for us. I can't tell you how many times we have heard "if there is anything you need..." or "you are going to be such great parents and any child is so lucky to have you!" or "everything is going to work out and our prayers are with you." To hear that every step of the way has been our strength and encouragement to keep going. So this post is two-fold. The first part is as above, reflection on where we started and how far we have come and having the peace of knowing we are finally ready. The second part is to make a small attempt to show our appreciation and gratitude for the huge role you have all played in getting us to this point. We truly could not have made it hear without you. I pray God may bless you with the same love and support every day - and hopefully you get it back from us as much as we have gotten it from you! :)
We love you all!
Stayd tuned for more as we get closer and closer to the final day!

Countdown to the Home Study - Day 1

So after a very busy weekend of one engagement after the next (I sound so popular right? :) ) we strolled into work this morning kind of looking forward to a break from our weekend. I checked my messages as I was turning on my computer and low and behold - a call from the person who is conducting our home study. I nearly fell out of my chair! This is it, I thought. We are almost there. Then as I was calling her back I had this scary thought that she would want to come over tonight!!!!! We had barely been home all weekend long and needless to say our gallivanting around all weekend meant the house work had been neglected. For those of you who know me and my dedication (or should I say tolerance?) to house work you know this is not an unusual occurrence. BUT, since the "nesting" phase has set in (oh about two months ago), Patrick can tell you he is now living with a COMPLETE STRANGER! I am always cleaning or organizing or folding something! I am a changed person. But I digress (ok, big time!). The first thought as I was about to say "Hello" in my most motherly and cheery voice to this lady is I am going to have to tell her our house isn't ready for her to come over and see it yet. Not the first impression I was hoping for! :)

But as God always does, He intervened and she graciously offered to schedule our first visit for this Friday (6/20/08) at 6:00 pm. I tell you all of those scary details for the purpose of you planning a candlelight vigil/prayer intervention for that night at that time - you know, just to be on the safe side! :)

Patrick and I came home tonight and ate a quick dinner of store brand cereal - so the nesting phase hasn't exactly extended to the cooking portion of our lives - I mean I can't change too much that Patrick will think I have been body snatched by aliens! - and proceeded to clean our little hearts out! So far the master bedroom and the nursery are in shape and ready to go! (BTW - if you didn't get an email to see the nursery photos, shoot me a quick email and i will send them to you.)

So the rest of the week will be nightly cleaning adventures as we divide up the rest of the house and clean and organize yet again for another night. Once the person doing our home visit (Adrianne) visits with us on Friday, she will set up the second and hopefully final visit then. I will be sure to keep everyone updated to start that prayer line again! :)

Till next time, Thank you for your prayers and support and God Bless!