Number 4

So week number 4 is completed. Almost halfway finished. Frank is starting to get second and third thoughts, caught between excitement and being scared. I think these feelings are pretty normal. I have had my second thoughts as well, mainly because of where I am in my career path right now versus where do we want to be in house and family. I really would regret it if we didn't finish the process, I still look at adoptuskids with longing, and the more I think of it the more I want to have medical kids predominately. But that may change after a few foster placements.

We should start the HomeStudy aspect soon, as the case workers have started to be assigned. Of course I still have so much more paperwork to complete and hunt down and things to finish - medical release, find marriage and birth certificates(franks), Vet records for the dogs, and a few things notarized like the criminal background stuff.

We have to clean out Daniel's room in preparation for the final HomeStudy phase and Frank needs to rehome some of this things until we move into the new house which will have that issue solved.

So moving right along, slowly but still in the game all in all.

Homework

We missed class yesterday because hubby may have the flu and I had to study for big test coming tomorrow. Needless to say that does not stop the homework. I plan on working on my autobiography this weekend, and getting all of the paperwork we need to get going for the Homestudy. Starting next week they will be setting that up and pushing forward with the first of 3 visits for that process.

The autobiography is sort of daunting. I mean I had a pretty great childhood. I wasn't abused, there wasn't any domestic violence, there was not an alcohol abuse. My parents were involved with us when we were younger, but not really the "Tigermom" style of parenting either.

When my parents fought the house was dead silent, we were punished by being grounded to our rooms, which I always managed to get out of because I was pretty dang spoiled as the youngest child. My parents have been married for over 40 years and are still huge parts of our lives.

We had everything a kid and teen could want and my Mom threw the best Halloween Parties, Thanksgiving Dinners, and Christmas Eve parties in the family. Many a year we even had homemade costumes that were AMAZING.. lol I remember one year my brother being wrapped like a mummy and he passed out. Ok makes me giggle still thinking of it, but as a Nurse and a Mom now I'd be concerned. Course he was just hot.

Anyway... we have to do quite a lot of self study for this and well it's still homework and homework sucks. Hehe.

Class Number Two

Today Frank and I actually participated in class. I am pretty shy and hate public speaking, but hey after all of the nursing school stuff I have had to do this stuff isn't all that bad.

Next week I will actually miss class #3 because of NCLEX studying, but Frank is going and will pass in all of the stuff that we need to have completed so that they can assign our case worker and start the home study meetings.

I just want all of this to be over and to get some kiddos. Except I have starting to get freaked out about that as well. Guess that is all to be expected.

I just wish I knew what would happen in the end... I hate waiting! ;-)

Kids in need & waiting

The thing I should not do is look at photo listings. I know the "hard to place" kids are on there and their shining faces of innocence are designed to attach to the mother in me and it sure as heck works. The videos are worse because then I can actually see and hear them. Those little voices and pleas... sigh.

The worse part is having your heart strings pulled by a teenager that just wants to stay with her little brothers, and knowing that placing 3, especially with a teenager,is going to be pretty unlikely. I would love to inquire about them, of course they are also half way across the country and well... I have only just begun this process.

MAPP

Not that kind of Map, but MAPP or more correctly PS MAPPS which is a series of 10 classes about how to be and what to expect of foster/adoptive parenting. Aka the ins and outs of Resource Parenting.

1 down and 9 to go. I hate the interacting play acting stuff... but oh well only 9 more classes and a few extra training hours for medically fragile and at least that step will be done.

Getting really excited about the idea of some littler ones and the new house.