The Process... 

So, it has been awhile since I last updated the blog. Ross and I had our first home study meeting. Our case worker aka "adoption specialist" Christy Frans is really nice and is all business. We went through a ton of paperwork. The stack of papers that we signed and she talked about was at least an inch thick. We left the meeting understanding the adoption process better and prepared for the next step of the process. It was a little overwhelming, but nothing we couldn't handle.

I was super excited when I got home, so I logged on the A New Beginning website to look at the forms that we have to complete before our second home study visit. I quickly became overwhelmed. I had no idea how much is involved. Christy must have thought I was nuts when I was talking to her in our first visit because I was planning on having our forms turned back into her in a week. I wasn't going to let anything stop me from getting my measly little forms completed. After looking through the forms, my head hurt. There was so much on there that I never thought about. Questions about children with disabilities and what we are willing to adopt. Would you adopt a baby with club foot? A down syndrome baby? A drug baby? A pot smoking father? Tons of these questions. Ross and I quickly decided that we need to go through the forms together. I think that any couple should go through some of these questions before having children. You can never be too prepared.

Since it was the season of Lent and now the Easter season, Ross has been insanely busy. I have also been going crazy with youth events and who knows what else I do. We have not been able to sit and fill out the forms. We have done individual forms, but have not had time to sit and get everything together and finished. Awesome members of the church are letting Ross and I borrow their condo in Sun Valley for a couple of days. Most couples would go and sight see and other vacation activities. Ross and I are excited to be able to finally sit down and get our adoption forms complete. It gives us a time to relax and talk. Something that we have not been able to do for awhile. I know what you are thinking... "Just wait until you have kids... it is only going to get worse". I am sure you are right. Being at a bigger church has really kept us both busy. 

I am ready for our trip... ok, so I am not packed and have not made food to take with us, but I am mentally ready.

One side note- Ross and I have talked about things like... we want to make our own baby food and use non-disposible diapers. We understand that I will probably be the mean parent (I am just the mean one in general). We have also decided that we do not want to fill our house with a ton of baby things. We also do not want a baby shower until after the birth mom has signed away her rights, which is usually a week after the baby is born. We think it would be too hard on us if we have a full room prepared and the baby removed from our home. We might change our minds on this later, but for now this is how we feel. We can get a baby room together after the baby is born. A bassinet is a great place for a baby to sleep for awhile. Also, we will have visits from our "adoption specialist" after the baby is placed in our home until the adoption is finalized. We want to make sure our baby items are within the law. There was a huge change in the crib law last summer, so we need to make sure we meet the standards. One thing we have talked about getting and I went ahead and ordered from Totsy.com are non-disposible diapers. They come on Friday. I am so excited to get them. Diapers are something that every child needs. We felt that since we want to go the non-disposible route and they get really expensive when you first get them, that we can spread out the cost. We probably won't use them until we start getting solid poop. I just threw in that last sentence because I felt like it. :-)

Now I have written a ton and should probably be baking some muffins and packing for the trip. 

PS- if you think we are crazy for using non-disposible diapers then you probably have not seen the new non-disposible diapers. When Ross told me that our brother and sister-in-law were using them with their daughter, I thought they were insane. I was wrong. They are so much cooler now! I will have to post a picture when the arrive.

Have a WONDERFUL day!