Home Study

Our Home Study is almost complete! This is the last step in our application process. Once it is finished, we will be assigned our permanent caseworker and will find out what the next step is. I feel like this part is taking forever! The Home Study is comprised of three separate visits from a Home Study professional and typically each visit lasts between one and three hours. Ours have been on the shorter side of that. The lady conducting our study typically schedules the visits weekly, but due to her being out of town last week and David being out of town this week, ours seems to be dragging out forever!

We have had our first two visits, which are basically long interviews in which we answer all kinds of questions about ourselves, our families, our community, and our attitudes toward family life and adoption. I had assumed that the questions would be very open-ended, but in reality, they were all very straightforward and specific. For example, when it was time to talk about our families, the questions went something like this. . .

What is your father’s name?

How old is he?

When is his birthday?

Where does he live?

What is his phone number?

Has he ever been arrested, had a drug or alcohol problem, or been abusive?

What is his personality like?

How is your relationship with him?

I felt like I could have painted such a great picture of the people in our lives but didn’t really get to. But that’s okay, because this was quick and simple!

Of course, most of the questions were about David and me. We shared the basics but we were also asked about our relationship with each other, our parenting style, our methods of discipline, our faith and religion, our reasons for adopting, and more.

Interestingly enough, the question that stumped me the most was when I was asked to describe my own personality. I just sat there frozen without a thing to say! Nothing that came to mind seemed positive. I’m very type A and a lot of those traits spoken out loud just sound rigid and picky. I had to look at David for help answering the most basic question about myself! Since then, I have come to realize plenty of good things about who I am, but my struggle to answer that in the moment made me realize that it’s time to work on my self-talk!

David got stuck on a question as well. We were each asked how we deal with stress. He had no idea what to say! I think he is typically so chill, that the idea of being stressed out seems almost foreign to him.

We did make it through all of the questions, however. And our next meeting is the final meeting where we will check the report to make sure everything is accurate and sign it so that it can be turned in to DHS. And then, we will finally be assigned to our permanent case worker and can hopefully get moving towards the matching process!

I’m so anxious to take the next step forward. It’s exciting to look forward to what will come. Many days, I go sit in the bedroom that is waiting for its occupant and I look around at the empty walls and shelves and just pray that God will be preparing the child that is meant to live here and that He will prepare us to be what she needs. I wonder what she will be like, what her hobbies might be, what color her hair and eyes are, if she’s shy or outgoing. I wonder if she’s imagining us - a family out there just waiting to be united with her. I hope God has given her the hope that she will be with her forever family soon. Because we can’t wait to have her here!