Insurance Class Almost Done

I just finished part 1 of my insurance prep test class. I have been stuck inside sitting on bad folding chairs from 8-5 since Monday. I am sore and tired and I have information overload. I am taking my state insurance exam (1 of 2) Thursday afternoon. This will help when I start working for Farmers' Insurance. I am glad the class is done, now I only need to study, take my exam and start hitting up my friends for some insurance. :)

Social Worker Meeting

I had my first visit with the social worker (SW) on Wednesday and it went really well. She was super nice and it went realy fast. I was done in less than 50 min. I will expand on this issue more later, just wanted to give an update.

1st Social Worker visit and then some...

How exciting...I'm meeting my social worker (SW), Natalie, for the first time next week. Wednesday night at 5:30. I am hoping I have no reason to get all weepy. I don't want to get into the 'ugly cry.' I also met with the insurance guy today so I can get some health insurance which I need to have in order to submit forms to the US government to show proof that the baby will be insured as well. Also, I had a mobile fingerprinting agency come out today to take all of our fingerprints. The whole time I'm thinking this is great, they are mobile, how terrific, they come to you how great. Boy was I wrong! What a hassle this ended up being. I thought it would be a small blessing that they are mobile so we don't have to get my 84 year old grandmother out of the house. They had some serious issues with their machine. They weren't able to get my grandmothers fingerprints AT ALL and they weren't able to get a few of my mothers fingers. (That can't be right.) Mine, of course, ended up fine, which still doesn't help the situation as this is one more thing that needs to be completed before I can proceed. Fortunately I foresee many bumps along the road and I should be happy that at least these aren't major and eventually everything will turn out fine. They finally left, but will be back next week to recheck my grandmothers. (God help us, so these go through!)

An email to a friend

This is an excerpt from an email I just sent to a friend to give her an update on what's new with me:

"I am adopting internationally (from Guatemala). I am meeting with the social worker next week for my first of three visits. (Sooo exciting.) I am still in the paperchase phase, but determined to get all I can ASAP so that I will only be waiting on the governments to complete their end. I am hoping to have a referral (which is photos and a medical description of a child which I then take to the pediatrician to chart for abnormalities. I can, at this point, accept the referral/child) by the middle of October or early November, possibly soo ner. This then starts the process on the Guatemala side where the lawyer down there submits all my translated forms for review by the government; they do one last DNA test and social worker interview with the birth mother and then I get an appointment with the US consulate in Guatemala to submit more forms and receive a visa for my child. I can do a visit trip (probably 5 days there), once the child and birth mother pass their first (of two) DNA test(s), and then again once I have an appointment date set with the consulate. This is usually two months or so after your visit trip. Everything takes between 9 and 10 months. And I should have the baby home by 5 1/2-6 months old. (Wow, I just re-read that and it's a little confusing, sorry I didn't make that clearer.)"

One Giant Step

So the journey began some years ago when I knew that I would forever build my family through adoption. Thus begins my story. I went for an Orientation on Saturay, April 29th. I instantly felt at ease. My first thought was that I would arrive at some hole in the wall that smelled back and was dirty. I arrived and there was just the opposite. It was bright and airy. The instructor (is that what she's called) was really nice and not fake nice, real nice. The toys for the children were all clean. They had a family there that had been home for 3 weeks with their little Guatemalan girl. It was nice to see the end product is possible. She looked like she was around 6 months. She was all smiles and played so great, she had adjusted really well. This was very encouraging. After that wonderful orientation I made an appointment with the Director/founder for the following Tuesday, May the 2nd and I was again completely impressed. (I'm not easily impressed either, I'm actually usually looking for something wrong so I can spout out...'see I told ya.') The Director was really nice and not at all pushy and she was very assuring as well. I needed that. I signed papers that day and finally feel like I am expecting. It still feels surreal. I feel like I'm completing an assignment. The paper chase is very easy and frustrating all at the same time. I was told I will most likely be completed in 9-10 months. I hope this is accurate. At first I thought it would easily taike a year or more, so 9 months seems almost too good to be true. On a different note I don't have health insurance (I let it lapse months ago and never paid to reinact it.) I am meeting with the insurance guy Tuesday and hopefully will have proof of insurance in less than a month. This is holding up a lot right now. Grrrr.