Changes

Paperwork Complete!!!! Next in the process is home study where we get a case worker that comes to our home and checks it out to make sure the home is safe for little ones and we are good to go. Already our profile has been sent to an organization called SWAN in Pa that lists all the sibling groups up for adoption in our state then with their help and Common Sense Adoption Agency we will be matched with kids. It could work two ways: 1) we get files of children already legally ready to adopt in Pa that currently live in a foster home and we take them in for 6 months to see if it is a good match or 2) we wait for an emergency situation where siblings need a place asap and get placed into our home to house til they are up for adoption-this is mostly the way we would be able to get a younger child. So as you can tell this is still a long process. We foster to adopt for up to 6 months and then can go to court to legalize the adoption IF their paperwork is signed off and parent rights are terminated. It will be an emotional journey for our family but exciting at the same time.
I currently put my Nest Staging Designing business on hold and started daycare. This helps with our income and also helps prepare Austin for other children in the home. So far so fun!
We never thought we would ever trade in the SUV for a van but yesterday was the big day-Traded the Nissan Exterra for a Quest van. It was bitter sweet as we had so many missionary memories in that suv but now we are ready for the next adventure God has in store.
Recently I had to get some designing ideas out of my head so one day with a can of Egg Yolk Yellow paint I went to town on the old crib. It was nice before the move back to the states but with 7 day moving trip it ended with lots of dents and scratches. The bedroom is now ready for 2 more children at any time.
Please stop and pray right now for our future children that God will keep them safe til they come home to us.

Paperwork

These last 2 months have been very busy. We received our packet of papers to start. As many of you know this is a time consuming process. We started with reading two books. One "Parenting the Hurting Child." It was full of great information to learn about attachment disorders. One thing at the beginning we learned fast was that love is not always enough. Adoption through foster care; these children are placed in foster care because they have gone through something bad enough the state felt they needed removed from home/family to be safe. 95% of these children have been sexually abused. Kevin and I took 4 classes on how to help, encourage, and raise a child in these situations.
So after these classes and books read, we started on the stack of papers. FBI check, background checked, SS income info., references, list all 29 homes ever lived in, took tests, and more. Finally Thanksgiving week we mailed it out! Yes I did the happy dance many times.