Home Study Details

CONFESSION TIME...I have always wanted to do a blog, but never really had a good reason to.  Never felt like I had much to share that others would read.  Jonathan was worried I would get too busy and not be able to keep it up.  Well...I finally found a great reason to start one and Jonathan was correct in his thinking because here we are weeks/months later with an adoption update.  I'm sure you all are thinking...FINALLY!

First, let me say thank you to everyone for your prayers and concern with wanting to know how the adoption process is going!  It truly means a lot to us for people to ask questions and want to know how things are coming along.  Your prayers are being felt and we appreciate you lifting them up to God on our behalf.  Our prayer is that we are right in step with God's will every step of the way...not just in the adoption process but life too!

So...here's the update!  The home study portion of the adoption process consisted of three visits with our home study case worker.  The first meeting was just an initial introduction to the adoption process where we had some Q & A time and were presented with a huge binder full of information to read and paper work to complete.  It was very intimidating I have to admit!  The second meeting was an actual interview process where Jonathan and I were interviewed individually about our childhood history as well as if we were on the same page with parenting techniques, why we want to adopt, etc.  The third and final step of the home study and probably the most stressful for an OCD momma like myself...the inspection of our HOME!  Those who know me, know that I am very organized and like for everything to have a place.  Add several safety requirements and the need for a food supply should there be a natural disaster and this OCD momma was a bit nervous!  (For example, we had to have an escape ladder from the upstairs bedrooms?  I mean really?  Who has those?) Well, we did purchase a fire escape ladder, extra food and water, and some fudge from The Sweet Shoppe here in town (to bribe our case worker) and were all set.  I kid you not, the inspection took a total of 15 minutes walking through the house, him writing a few notes and taking pictures and we PASSED!  All the stress for nothing!  I'm convinced it was the fudge!

All the home study paperwork is finished, online courses are complete and now we wait for our case worker to basically write a biography about the Carl's.  We will proof the finished piece of writing compiled from all the notes our case worker made through our visits and paperwork and once it is finished, it will be sent through the immigration process.  People who call this a "paperwork pregnancy" weren't joking at all!