Monday, May 13, 2013
Progress
Ahh... the wonderful feeling of accomplishment! After 21 pages of typed answers I have completed my application packet questions! My goal was to be done by May 20th and it is only May 13th so I feel great! Now Jesse just has to finish his questions before the 20th which might be a little bit harder! This week our evenings will be devoted to Jesse sitting down and writing his answers for the application questions. He usually tries to make up a reason why he doesn't have time to do them. Something like, I had to work late or I had to get up early so I am too tired! Today I ask him if he would rather have sleep or children because we all know you can't have both :) He actually does very good with answering the questions though especially since its not really his thing to sit down and pour out his feelings and thoughts. So all that considered he is doing great at coming up with some answers and getting the questions completed!
Friday, May 10, 2013
Paperwork!
We have been plugging away at all the paperwork and things we need to compile to give to the adoption agency. I have our birth certificates, marriage license, vet records, and tax form all copied and ready to give to our agency. We have completed the two applications for our Foster (Adopt Only) License that I will give to our case worker at our next meeting. These papers are needed along with our Fingerprint/Background checks, which thankfully we were able to complete at our first meeting! Jesse got his TB test this Wednesday and will have it checked today. We will both be getting our physicals done today as well! My TB test is up to date from working PRN at the Home For The Handicapped in Morton so I was able to get record of that from them. We have completed all the papers with basic information that we were given that needed filled out and signed for the agency. All these papers are in a file folder that we will be giving to our case worker at our next meeting.
As for the two pages of detailed questions; we are doing our best to get through them and give as much detail as we can. For some reason this seems to be a bit easier for me than for Jesse:) So far I have about seventeen pages worth of typed information just from me answering their questions. Jesse is working on it too but it takes him a little longer because he has to do it all in the evening after work and I am able to do it in my spare time at work during the day. When I say seventeen pages it seems like a lot! As I have been answering the questions though it isn't too hard. Maybe it is because I have time during the day rather than having to do it all in the evenings. Each question usually requires a lot of detail but if I just focus on one question at a time it doesn't seem to overwhelming. Jesse has been writing his answers and then I type them up for him. It is interesting to see how closely our answers match. It show that we know each other well and we really are husband and wife!
Our goal is to be done with the questions by May 20th. On the 20th we have a child/infant CPR class in Peoria at St. Francis. If we are done with the questions we will be able to meet with our case worker that after noon since we will be traveling to Peoria for the class anyways. In order to meet with our case worker though we have to have the application questions answered so we have been putting that as top priority! It is so exciting to get things crossed off the list and to be just a little closer to becoming parents. I am so thankful for how the process is going so far and I just hope it continues that way!
Now I better quit blogging and get back to my application questions!
As for the two pages of detailed questions; we are doing our best to get through them and give as much detail as we can. For some reason this seems to be a bit easier for me than for Jesse:) So far I have about seventeen pages worth of typed information just from me answering their questions. Jesse is working on it too but it takes him a little longer because he has to do it all in the evening after work and I am able to do it in my spare time at work during the day. When I say seventeen pages it seems like a lot! As I have been answering the questions though it isn't too hard. Maybe it is because I have time during the day rather than having to do it all in the evenings. Each question usually requires a lot of detail but if I just focus on one question at a time it doesn't seem to overwhelming. Jesse has been writing his answers and then I type them up for him. It is interesting to see how closely our answers match. It show that we know each other well and we really are husband and wife!
Our goal is to be done with the questions by May 20th. On the 20th we have a child/infant CPR class in Peoria at St. Francis. If we are done with the questions we will be able to meet with our case worker that after noon since we will be traveling to Peoria for the class anyways. In order to meet with our case worker though we have to have the application questions answered so we have been putting that as top priority! It is so exciting to get things crossed off the list and to be just a little closer to becoming parents. I am so thankful for how the process is going so far and I just hope it continues that way!
Now I better quit blogging and get back to my application questions!
Friday, May 3, 2013
First Adoption Meeting
Our meeting yesterday...it went great! We left feeling encouraged and ready to tackle the home study process head on! As we were leaving I told Jesse I felt so excited to begin. I felt like it was completely do-able rather than being completely overwhelmed as I thought I would be, wondering how we could ever become a waiting family! He told me it was probably really because of all the prayers offered on or behalf by you all. I couldn't agree more. So thanks to all who prayed for us and continue to pray for us as we start the infant adoption program. It means more than you could know.
We met with our social worker who will be leading us through the home study process and potentially a placement. She is so wonderful. She makes us feel comfortable and she encourages us about everything. We learned about each step that we will need to complete for our home study and then how a placement and adoption would take place. We also learned about different options for outreach to birth mothers rather than through Family Core. I will do my best to explain everything.
We will start by completing a home study through Family Core. A home study is required for any family wanting to adopt or foster. Each agency has a little different process that you go through but generally they are about the same. With Family Core the home study will consist of five different meeting with our caseworker. The meeting yesterday counted as the first one. The next will be after we finish the application packet. Then we will each have a meeting with our case worker individually and the last meeting will be when they come to our house to inspect and be sure it is a safe environment for a child. Through Family Core we will start by completing an application packet as I said earlier. In the packet we give general information about us, our jobs, finances, education, medical history, references, etc. Also included in this packet is two pages filled with detailed questions about pretty much every aspect of our lives. They want to know about us, our family, how we handle certain situations, why we want to adopt, our marriage and the list goes on and on! These questions are to be answered by Jesse and I individually. This seems to be the most time consuming part of the process. After Jesse and I finish the packet we will have our second meeting with our social worker.
Throughout the process there are a list of things that need to be completed and given to our social worker at any point in time. Here's a list of some of these things...
-Foster Family home license application and information
-Fingerprints/Background checks
-Medical evaluation of both Jesse and I
-TB tests
-Vet Records for pets
-Birth Certificates and Marriage License
-Tax Forms
-Online adoption training classes
-CPR certification
While we work on completing all of the above things we will have our individual meetings with our case worker and once we are done with everything she will come to our home to have our inspection/final meeting.
After completing our home study we will make a book of pictures and information, telling all about us and our life, to give to Family Core. They will show this book to birth mothers who are looking to make an adoption plan. The birth mother has the option to chose us and begin an adoption plan with us through Family Core. Usually birth mothers come towards the end of their pregnancy, but before the birth, to make an adoption plan. We were told that often the birth mother would want the adopting family to be there for the birth and stay in the hospital with the baby for the two days it will be there. This totally depends on what the birth mother prefers though. The birth father and mother then have 72 hours after birth until they can sign off that they are giving up their baby for adoption. During those three days they can change their mind at any point but after they have signed at 72 hours there is no way to reverse the adoption. After a placement there would be a few home meetings from Family Core to be sure the placement is working and the child is in a healthy environment. Finalization of adoptions usually take place in court around 6 months after the child is born.
Family Core, on average, places around 4 babies a year with waiting families through their infant program and they work with around 8-10 waiting families at one time. Last year they only placed two babies through their infant program. This means that it could potentially be a while, after becoming a waiting family, before we would actually be chosen by a birth mother. For this reason there are other options we can consider to become connected to birth mother. A few of those options are; using an attorney that specializes in connecting birth mothers and adoptive families, word of mouth to people who may need an adoptive family, or going out of state with some larger adoption agency's that have more placements each year. These are all options that we can consider doing to speed up the placement process. I will go into detail on them in the future if we would decide to pursue any of them. Last year Family Core also had two families use their home study services but became connected to birth mothers some other way than through them. So they do have families that use these other option, that I mentioned above, for accomplishing an adoption.
At our meeting yesterday it just so happened that the fingerprint guy was there that day! We were able to complete our fingerprinting for background checks at our meeting. This is great because it's one more thing checked off the list. The results of background check can also take anywhere form 3 weeks to a few months to get back so getting the prints sent off as soon as possible is really helpful!
Sorry this is such a long post! We learned so much yesterday and are looking forward to getting busy completing our home study so we can become a waiting family and be that much closer to meeting our child! We hope to be a waiting family by harvest or before. Thanks for the continued prayers!
We met with our social worker who will be leading us through the home study process and potentially a placement. She is so wonderful. She makes us feel comfortable and she encourages us about everything. We learned about each step that we will need to complete for our home study and then how a placement and adoption would take place. We also learned about different options for outreach to birth mothers rather than through Family Core. I will do my best to explain everything.
We will start by completing a home study through Family Core. A home study is required for any family wanting to adopt or foster. Each agency has a little different process that you go through but generally they are about the same. With Family Core the home study will consist of five different meeting with our caseworker. The meeting yesterday counted as the first one. The next will be after we finish the application packet. Then we will each have a meeting with our case worker individually and the last meeting will be when they come to our house to inspect and be sure it is a safe environment for a child. Through Family Core we will start by completing an application packet as I said earlier. In the packet we give general information about us, our jobs, finances, education, medical history, references, etc. Also included in this packet is two pages filled with detailed questions about pretty much every aspect of our lives. They want to know about us, our family, how we handle certain situations, why we want to adopt, our marriage and the list goes on and on! These questions are to be answered by Jesse and I individually. This seems to be the most time consuming part of the process. After Jesse and I finish the packet we will have our second meeting with our social worker.
Throughout the process there are a list of things that need to be completed and given to our social worker at any point in time. Here's a list of some of these things...
-Foster Family home license application and information
-Fingerprints/Background checks
-Medical evaluation of both Jesse and I
-TB tests
-Vet Records for pets
-Birth Certificates and Marriage License
-Tax Forms
-Online adoption training classes
-CPR certification
While we work on completing all of the above things we will have our individual meetings with our case worker and once we are done with everything she will come to our home to have our inspection/final meeting.
After completing our home study we will make a book of pictures and information, telling all about us and our life, to give to Family Core. They will show this book to birth mothers who are looking to make an adoption plan. The birth mother has the option to chose us and begin an adoption plan with us through Family Core. Usually birth mothers come towards the end of their pregnancy, but before the birth, to make an adoption plan. We were told that often the birth mother would want the adopting family to be there for the birth and stay in the hospital with the baby for the two days it will be there. This totally depends on what the birth mother prefers though. The birth father and mother then have 72 hours after birth until they can sign off that they are giving up their baby for adoption. During those three days they can change their mind at any point but after they have signed at 72 hours there is no way to reverse the adoption. After a placement there would be a few home meetings from Family Core to be sure the placement is working and the child is in a healthy environment. Finalization of adoptions usually take place in court around 6 months after the child is born.
Family Core, on average, places around 4 babies a year with waiting families through their infant program and they work with around 8-10 waiting families at one time. Last year they only placed two babies through their infant program. This means that it could potentially be a while, after becoming a waiting family, before we would actually be chosen by a birth mother. For this reason there are other options we can consider to become connected to birth mother. A few of those options are; using an attorney that specializes in connecting birth mothers and adoptive families, word of mouth to people who may need an adoptive family, or going out of state with some larger adoption agency's that have more placements each year. These are all options that we can consider doing to speed up the placement process. I will go into detail on them in the future if we would decide to pursue any of them. Last year Family Core also had two families use their home study services but became connected to birth mothers some other way than through them. So they do have families that use these other option, that I mentioned above, for accomplishing an adoption.
At our meeting yesterday it just so happened that the fingerprint guy was there that day! We were able to complete our fingerprinting for background checks at our meeting. This is great because it's one more thing checked off the list. The results of background check can also take anywhere form 3 weeks to a few months to get back so getting the prints sent off as soon as possible is really helpful!
Sorry this is such a long post! We learned so much yesterday and are looking forward to getting busy completing our home study so we can become a waiting family and be that much closer to meeting our child! We hope to be a waiting family by harvest or before. Thanks for the continued prayers!
Monday, April 29, 2013
Doors
We serve an almighty God that has a plan and a reason for all that He takes us through in this life. He is able to open and close doors according to His ultimate plan for our lives. We may never understand why God brings us through one door then closes the next and turns us back around to a new open door, but through trust and willingness He can work in our lives to create something beautiful.
God has opened doors for us to begin an infant adoption program. We are having our first meeting with Family Core in Peoria on Thursday May 2nd. At this meeting we should learn about different options available to us through their infant adoption program and learn more about how the process will go in general. We will also be given an application to fill out with many detailed questions about our life and upbringing. At this point I don't know exactly how the next few months will go and what all will be required for the home study and adoption certification but we should learn a lot at our meeting on Thursday. We are excited to begin this program but we also know that there could be difficult times ahead depending on how smoothly everything goes. We also know that we will be in need of a large amount of patience as we seek to follow God's plan, trusting that if one door closes He will open another. We could really use prayers for patience and trust in Gods plan and timing as we begin the infant adoption program with Family Core!
God has opened doors for us to begin an infant adoption program. We are having our first meeting with Family Core in Peoria on Thursday May 2nd. At this meeting we should learn about different options available to us through their infant adoption program and learn more about how the process will go in general. We will also be given an application to fill out with many detailed questions about our life and upbringing. At this point I don't know exactly how the next few months will go and what all will be required for the home study and adoption certification but we should learn a lot at our meeting on Thursday. We are excited to begin this program but we also know that there could be difficult times ahead depending on how smoothly everything goes. We also know that we will be in need of a large amount of patience as we seek to follow God's plan, trusting that if one door closes He will open another. We could really use prayers for patience and trust in Gods plan and timing as we begin the infant adoption program with Family Core!
Friday, March 1, 2013
God's Direction
I know there are many of you who are wondering what is going on with our adoption process. We had originally said our plan was to start infant adoption once I turned 21 in December, so you are probably wondering why we haven't started the adoption process and you can't seem to get a straight answer from us. I want to let you all know that we have been working toward an adoption plan but God has lead us to something a little different than we had originally planned. At this point we are very uncertain of what God is going to provide for our adoption future and so we don't really want to discuss it until we are more certain of where God is leading us and what HE wants for our future and our family. We could really use your prayerful support that God's will can be done as we have felt His direction and are seeking to follow where He leads.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Update
I'm sorry I haven't been posting at all for the last 4 months! Really there isn't much to say. As I said in my earlier posts we feel this is time God has allowed us to grow and prepare for what He has planned ahead of us.
After we found out we would be simply waiting for 8 months we decided to get a second opinion on our infertility. Along with the encouragement of a few people to get the second opinion so we wouldn't regret not knowing for sure, what could have been, down the road. We made an appointment at Mayo Clinic and went in July. They ran more tests and blood work and scans etc. and told us information that our other doctor did not. This was frustrating to learn that our first doctor gave us so little information and options but it was encouraging to learn more. After our visit we came home and waited to get the results from Mayo. They called a few days later with some more heartbreaking news. According to their results there was basically no way we would ever conceive naturally, unless God chose to perform a miracle that is! It hurt all over again because we were getting our hopes up for some good news. We were thankful to be given a second opinion and felt a peace that we did everything we could to have our own children.
So then we were back to waiting to begin God's work and to do His will. Some days our patience is tested as we long to be parents and have a little baby of our own to fill our lives and other days we are thankful that we have the opportunity to do what we want when we want and are not tied down with a family. We are thankful that the future is in His hands and that we can be at peace knowing that whatever it holds will be for His glory and will be His will for us here on earth as long as we continue to trust and lean on Him!
Friday, May 4, 2012
Parable of the Lost Sheep
I am going to try to explain something to you all that I read today and found very encouraging. I read Matthew 18:11-14 The parable of the Lost Sheep. When I read the heading to these verses I did't think much about it or how it could relate to me right now in life. I know the parable well and it seems sometimes it can be hard to feel God really speak to you when you open to something you read often or know well. But today as soon as I got done reading these verses I suddenly thought of exactly how this relates to our situation.
God would leave the 99 to look for the one lost sheep, showing us just how important one soul is to Him on this earth. It really jumped out at me that maybe there is that one soul that will be born to a family that will not teach it the truth and so we are being sent to bring a child to God! If I was important enough that God would put me in a loving family and show me the truth then He may have another child that He wants us to adopt and give that same gift. Maybe He is sending us to do some sheep (or lamb) searching for Him here on this earth. It is probably a little scary for the shepherd to leave the herd of 99 where he feels safe and comfortable just to find that one lost sheep but the importance of that one sheep is so great it is worth it. It may seem more desirable and more comfortable or stable to do what most people are able to do and have our own children but maybe God is calling us to find that one sheep that is lost. That one child that needs a family that will raise them to know Jesus as their savior. What about that one soul who doesn't have the family that will teach them about God? How important is their soul?
God would leave the 99 to look for the one lost sheep, showing us just how important one soul is to Him on this earth. It really jumped out at me that maybe there is that one soul that will be born to a family that will not teach it the truth and so we are being sent to bring a child to God! If I was important enough that God would put me in a loving family and show me the truth then He may have another child that He wants us to adopt and give that same gift. Maybe He is sending us to do some sheep (or lamb) searching for Him here on this earth. It is probably a little scary for the shepherd to leave the herd of 99 where he feels safe and comfortable just to find that one lost sheep but the importance of that one sheep is so great it is worth it. It may seem more desirable and more comfortable or stable to do what most people are able to do and have our own children but maybe God is calling us to find that one sheep that is lost. That one child that needs a family that will raise them to know Jesus as their savior. What about that one soul who doesn't have the family that will teach them about God? How important is their soul?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)