Golly, this weekend had a lot packed in. I probably could write a small essay on just 8-12pm Saturday. So what was up? In short:
- Implemented a huge project Friday night/Saturday morning
- Ran over a dog Saturday morning
- Went to our first adoption training
- Watched Lexi in her first Tae Kwon Do exhibition
- Shopped for more house stuff
Want to know more? Read on.
Work
So the work thing was a little stressful and yeah, in a small way emotional. Things didn’t go exactly right on Friday night so we started at 7 and expected to be done by 10 but didn’t get done until 11:30 with the expectation we still had work to do Saturday. Saturday at 7:30am I hopped on my laptop hoping to read an email that everything was fine but no, huge show-stopper issue had come up. So I’m making changes on the fly but we had to get to this adoption training. It only happens once a month and gets filled up fast so I didn’t want to miss it. I just told my team that I had to go and I’d be back at 12. Thankfully my manager had baseball games to attend too so I wasn’t the only one with immovable plans.
The dog
So I take off to meet my mom a little frazzled about work and a little fluffy white dog shoots out right in front of me. I wasn’t going more than 35 and thankfully he took off back into his yard. I kind of froze in the middle of the road. Scott’s friend happened to be passing by in a large group of bike riders and it woke me out of my frozen state. I turned the van around and checked on the dog. It looked like he was ok except maybe a hurt/fractured/maybe broken front leg. The owners were very gracious and insisted on not taking my name or number and said they should have had him on a leash and he just got away. I was still shaken as it was my first time doing that. Scott’s friend thankfully had stopped and was hanging out with the girls who he knows well. I think that really helped calm them down and me as well as I knew the girls were being watched over while I figured things out with the owners.
The adoption meeting
So after finally getting the kids settled with my mom, I had to wake a very sleepy Scott up to get to the adoption training. He had worked all night and with only 4 hours of sleep you can imagine what kind of mood he was in. Honestly, it wasn’t bad, poor guy was just sleepy.
The meeting was basically an introductory meeting to foster care and adoption through DSS. They went through all the paperwork, which was a nice big stack and the process. For those wondering, this is basically the steps:
- We fill out the initial application for background checks. (which we turned in at the meeting)
- We get signed up for the 14 hours of required training (next one is scheduled for last weekend in April/first of May)
- We turn in all our paperwork which includes a 10 page autobiography of each of us, fire safety plan and the almighty check list of things you are willing or are not willing to accept in a child. They said it’s the most important 4 pages of paperwork you will fill out. There is everything from cheating, stealing, ADHD to HIV and sexual abuse on there. Four. pages. I can’t tell you how much we covet prayers on how to fill that out.
- Home study is scheduled.
- We are considered by a board on whether we are a good fit for a child.
- If they pick us, they present all the info on the kid to us.
- We meet the child at DSS
- We have weekends with the child in our home
- We spend 3-6 months with the child in our home with the knowledge that if it’s not a good fit, we are able to “give them back”. I hate to put it that way, but that’s basically it.
- After that time, we would work to finalize the adoption.
Whew. So see? It’s not an easy thing. They said just to get approved to find a match would probably be at the least 6 months.
They were very upfront about the situations they deal with at DSS. There was no sugar coating. They talked about kids drowning in pools, bio children shooting the foster children, kids disappearing during natural disasters. I mean, it ran the gamut and they were not afraid to be frank with us. Which is good. Yeah, it’s a little scary but I kept telling myself that God doesn’t give us more than we can handle and he had clearly led us to this so I turned in our application with peace and excitement.
Back to work
Because I’m sure you were wondering, it was after the adoption meeting we got things working with our project at work. I only mention it at all because it’s our last application that we worked on when I first came to the bank 10 years ago. We shut it down and started up the new and improved one this weekend. It’s always a little sad for me to sunset applications and I thought it was pretty appropriate that we closed out our last old/original application and I started my new full-time position in the same week. It wasn’t plan and I guess I found it a little poetic.
Lexi’s exhibition
Look at her out there with all those boys! Get it, girl! Also? Please notice the Great Dane with the green bow on her head. Good stuff.
House stuff
We bought the French door for the bedroom this weekend, picked out the fireplace and started looking for lighting. The guys were supposed to start the framing this weekend but they flaked. However, they’re supposed to be here 7:30 tomorrow and walls ARE going up this week. Next weekend will be super busy as they said Scott could put in the HVAC and him and his friend could do the electrical. Whew!
Also, this week I’m in the office THREE days. I haven’t done that in forever. Definitely going to be a whirlwind of a week!
Jill says
It’s always amazing what they tell you at an adoption meeting. It was things that never crossed my mind. Our adoption agency had to tell us in the hospital before we were getting ready to bring Kellan home that anytime between now and the final adoption we had to option to give him back. I was like “GIVE HIM BACK??!!!” That thought never even crossed my mind. I am sure they told you more things than what we were told, since you are going through DSS. But still the things they tell you, I never in a million years would have imagined. I am so excited for you and Scott!!
Amy says
I know, I kept telling myself that these were worse case scenarios!
Liz says
Oh my goodness. That’s a lot in one weekend!
I guess it is good that they tell you all that but it’s a lot to hear! What is DSS? The agency?
Amy says
DSS is Department of Social Services. I thought each state had it? It’s our government agency that handles issues with children/families.
dani says
Just now reading this…So excited for you guys that the ball is getting rolling on adoption. Can’t wait to throw a shower for you when it all comes to fruition!!!
Amy says
Looking forward to it!! Thank you!
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Liz says
Yes! We have one but it’s called something else. DYS. I had Haiti in my head, so I was thinking it was an agency that dealt with Haiti.
Amy says
When we first thought about adoption we were thinking to adopt from Haiti. As time has gone on, we have really felt led to make a local impact.
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