So much for the updates.

Sorry it's been forever and a day. (Things around here have been emotional and a bit chaotic.) The new agency SW is super nice and he updated my homestudy with an addendum. BUUUUTTTT, the little girl's SW is not accepting anymore homestudy's until they review all they have received so far. I was slightly crushed, but managed not to be completely down-trodden by the news. You really can't rush anything with adoption, even when you've convinced yourself that if you just get this paperwork done sooner it will make all the difference you soon see that time is of the essence (sometimes only to the one(s) adopting), and all you can do is what you can personally do and it may very well depend on someone else and their time line as to how quickly things get accomplished. Through this process I have been able to see how truly impatient I am and how much I am used to getting my way. All very unhealthy habits, I know, so this is attempting to get me in a better frame of mind as far as patience is concerned. I have ID'd many waiting children on www.photolisting.adoption.com and www.jfs.ohio.gov and the California site www.cakidsconnection.com there is also www.adoptuskids.org that I go to quite often. I think it may be much easier to adopt from California, just because I'm already here, but you never know. My SW advises to not send out homestudy info all over the place because you may put yourself in a position where you have to turn children down, which would be terrible, but when one or a sibling group catches your eye, I almost feel bad not responding. Maybe as the weeks progress or if I get a call back from any SW's I would be more motivated to just wait and see how things progress.

I am completing my last foster PRIDE/adoption PRIDE classes given by dss on Saturday and then I have my CPR re-certification after that. The PRIDE classes have been very informative and I have learned a lot, mainly about the foster system and how placement affect children and what the waits are for and all the other dss nitty-gritty. Very interesting. Well, that's about it for now. What's new with everyone else?

I'll keep you in the slow moving loop,
Melanie

Wednesday worked out well

My agency is wonderful! I know there are many wonderful agencies out there, and I would like to add mine to the list: www.heartsent.org I found from talking to the director, that they are licensed to do domestic homestudies as well as working with the interstate compact. I couldn't be happier. Changing agencies is always scary or worrisome, especially when there is going to be some distance between them and myself and I may not physically be able to see them. My fear is that their building will be some dumpy double wide in the sticks. I was speechless when I found that my agency will be able to provide me all that I need, including post placement visits and a court finalization report (I only vaguely know what all of this means, but I'm sure I will catch on quickly). I have been looking for Yahoo groups and there seems to be way less of them than are available for those adopting internationally. My social worker will remain the same (good thing I like her) and she use to work for the county, so she may be able to provide me some input on the subject. The one thing I did not love is that my agency is now enforcing (my words, not there's) that families only adopt either domestically or internationally and not work with more than one country With China's long waits they fear that people may adopt once and then pass on a referral at some point down the road because they already have a child. Financially that works out well for me, because if things didn't fall into place in the next few months it would have been next to impossible for me to come up with the money. I don't feel as emotionally distraught as I did when I switched from Guat. to VN, mainly because it seems like there is actually some progress going on. I am hoping my SW isn't swamped, so that she can alter my Homestudy and fax it over tho the waiting child's state by the end of next week. Since I have no idea how long this process may take, I am, of course, hoping for the best. I called to talk to the agency director today to see what the time line would be with my SW, but she was in a meeting this evening. Grrr... I will be calling earlier tomorrow to get a hold of her. I actually feel like I may be making some progress and I guess overall I just want to know who my child is, where they live, what they look like and what size clothes they wear (I know, any excuse to go shopping). I think because some how I feel as though I have saved money this year by not travelling to VN I have talked myself into the idea that I have more money to spend on a child's wardrobe. I'm sure reality will hit when I check my account balance. Well that's all for now. I hope next week or at least tomorrow brings a plethora of updates and good news for everyone, not just me!