Getting Started

Journal entry from June 18, 2018:

The cat is finally out of the bag and I couldn’t be happier about it. Keeping news like that was actually making me feel anxious. One thing I know we will need during this process is support from family and friends. And we have certainly experienced an outpouring of love and support already!

Of course, my parents already knew about our plans because our four-year-old, Ariani, spilled the beans over a week ago to my mom. But we shared our news with friends and family this weekend and it has been thrilling to see their excitement. I supposed I was braced for a bit of skepticism, but it just hasn’t come!

So this week begins the business of really preparing. I spent the weekend working on our 20+ page application as well as other various forms and gathering all kinds of paperwork and documentation. We have to provide copies of pay stubs, auto insurance verification, driver’s licenses, social security cards, marriage license, immunization records, even pet vaccination records! We are scheduling checkups for all four of us with the family doctor. We have already had our fingerprints done and submitted approval for background checks. We are providing a financial assessment to show our monthly income and budget. This week we will have a home assessment -- our caseworker will visit our home and make sure it is a safe place to raise a child. And finally, this weekend we will attend 27 hours of training in three long days.

So much to do. So much paperwork. A huge investment of our time. And I’m just so thrilled about it! Because all of this means that we are really on our way. It’s really happening. I’m so thankful!