Home Study, Part One

We had our first adoption home study meeting today, and despite my extreme case of butterflies in the stomach, it went well. We have two more meetings with our social worker, and a lot of paperwork to do in between. The biggest thing is the Personal Profile: 16 pages of questions about your personality, strengths and weaknesses, childhood, marriage, finances, parenting, etc. It's a lot. She told us it would take a few weeks; however, we are very motivated to get this stuff done! Give us a week, I say. :)

We also have to work on fingerprints, background checks, and - the most time-consuming one, potentially - background checks from Child Protective Services for all counties we've lived in since age 18. That will be two FL and two GA for me, and FOUR FL and two GA for Jeremy. So while on our end, the process is short, apparently this step is notorious for taking forever. We're praying for speed and favor!

And the to-do list goes on and on and on.

BUT. In the meantime, we daydream about our daughter and talk about names, and can't wait to meet her! I found the blog of a family adopting from Rwanda - they're about to go get their two adorable daughters (ages 2 and 15 months). Oh to be in their shoes! It's kind of like holding a newborn when you're in the middle of morning sickness: seeing those pictures reminds me that there is an end to the process and it is a new baby in our arms!

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While Jeremy is working hard to pay the bills and I am painting and paper-working like there's no tomorrow, here is how the boys like to spend their time:

Cory balances bottles of "dip."


Iain hangs out in the entryway, watching me paint high above.