December was a busy month for our adoption process – we completed our books and mailed them in (like I shared before) AND we completed our home study! EEKS!
What this boils down to is two home visits with our social worker, 36 hours of classes (we got to do our last 3 classes online so we finished up earlier than we thought – yay!), filling out and turning in a GIANT stack of paperwork.
For the first visit I cleaned my house from top to bottom -more to satisfy my own neuroticism than because I thought she’d actually care. Like Bryan said “The stakes are high.” She walked through our house and looked in all our rooms… but probably didn’t care that I scrubbed the back of the oven:) The second visit, I cleaned and straightened up, but was a little more relaxed. Which is a good things, since she didn’t leave our dining room.
Our second visit was the 27th. It was a little bit of crazy timing to finish everything around Christmas, but it was a huge relief to be DONE! So now… we’re done with our part. The social workers are showing our books to birth moms and we could be hearing that there is a birth mom who wants to meet with us anytime! It’s a little wild because we could get matched with a birth mom during pregnancy or we could get a call that there has been a baby already born in the hospital. We basically say we’re kind of pregnant, we just don’t know if we’re 4 weeks, or 39 weeks. :) We’ve got a somewhat specific timeline we’re hoping in our minds, but we’re thinking we’ll get our baby sometime in the spring or summer!
The adoption process is a bit crazy because it’s the definition of ‘hurry up and wait.’ There is a TON to do in the beginning with classes and background checks and paperwork. Then when the home study is complete there is NOTHING to do. I’ve been working on the nursery and getting the room ready, but adoption wise all we can do is wait and pray. Appreciate all your love as you wait and pray with us!
Praying, praying, praying for you guys and sweet baby Lopina!
Thanks Kristin!!
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So exciting!! Praying for your little one
Thanks so much!!
So excited for you! Would love to pick your brain about the adoption process sometime, ie, suggestions of the agency you are working w/ etc.. one of my fears is that we will wait for years unless we agree to an open adoption.. would love to hear your experience thus far..
I had a question when you have t time to answer…. the 36-hours of classes did you have to o that because you used a particular agency or even if you did private adoption with just lawyers would you have had to do the classes also? And what were the classes about?
It was our particular agency’s understanding of what was necessary for the home study. I don’t think you have to take then if you’re just going through a lawyer, but every state’s laws are different.
The classes were foster parent classes. There were some topics that didn’t apply to us at all, but there was a few others that were so helpful. We learned a lot about the loss children experience in adoption, correct/ positive adoption language, questions and experiences your child may go through at different developmental stages, etc. For the most part I really liked them– it was just A LOT of time!
That is very helpful to know. I am mental health therapist by trade and have a lot of info from working with mom who give up their babies, but being on the other side is different ;) The classes sound helpful and maybe if we don’t have to take any then maybe we can elect to take a few that may help. I really appreciate your response. I know how busy you must be now with your little one. Thanks again.