Homestudy Interviews Finally Completed

It is so hard to believe we started our adoption process June 9th and we are still not done with our homestudy. After we were done with our interview in the beginning of September we were told things had changed and we needed to have a total of 4 interviews. AAAARRRRGGGHHH!!!

I feel like every time I get something accomplished the rules change! I know in the end none of this is going to matter. It's kind of like delivering a baby.... once you see that precious face, hold the baby close and smell the top of their head.....nothing else matters!!!!!

Our 2nd interview was September 25, 2008 at Apple Bee's. Ellie was with me and we had a nice time with our area SW. She is very sweet and has done everything to make the process go smoothly. Our 3rd interview was October 1, 2008 at our home. Our final visit was October 6, 2008 at the school where Pamela's children attend. As far as the homestudy is concerned Scott and I have done all we can do to this point. We are waiting for Pamela to organize the information in our homestudy and complete her side of it. She will then send it to the main office and they will go over it. They will send it to me, I will fill out the I800a form then send it to UCIS in Chicago. After it leaves my hands we will wait to receive immigration approval and I will begin working on gathering information on our Dossier. YEAHHHH more paperwork!!!!!

Their was a lot more paperwork that I needed to fill out concerning what special need we were willing to accept. This is definitely a very hard process. I hate having to pick and choose because I know their are so many who need a home. I just have to rest in the fact that God already has our child picked out. She is already our daughter and it doesn't matter what boxes on the forms I check. I will get the child He has already hand picked for our family.

I am still dealing with my mouth being numb from my surgery in August. Tuesday and Wednesday were really bad days. It hurt so bad. I had couple of weeks where it hurt, but it was tolerable. I guess maybe while I was feeling a little better I ate too much solid foods and talked too much. Today I am going back on my liquid diet and I will talk much less. I think I will call the girl in my church who had the same thing happen to her and see if she had times of relapses.

Yesterday Stephanie went to have her senior pictures taken. It was an awesome day!!!! The girl who took her pictures was like a clone of Steph! They had so many things in common. I loved her style and after looking at her books of photos I loved what intrigued her. She has a passion for Christ and it shows by her work! She also has a passion for the Asian culture. She has been on many trips overseas shooting photos for various people. She took Steph to different locations while Ellie and I went to Fazzolis! Ellie would not be good after we arrived at the studio so I bribed her with one of her favorite Italian eateries!!! I knew those endless bread sticks would make her smile! After we got back from eating she was like a totally different person. Why does food have to be so important in a woman's life?? It starts so early!!!!!

I will post the pictures of Stephanie when I get them!