Done

DH and DS#1 got their CPR/First Aid/BBP certifications today so one more CHECK on our list of things to do

one more thing

My friends told me about this sibling group of SEVEN in her state. She was inquiring about them. When dh called last night I said "Honey how about this group. Here are the ages.... 11,9,7,4,2,1 and zero." dh said "Whaaaaa???" ME: "yeah a sibling group of seven" DH: "will they let us adopt that many?" hahaha Not No way in hell but "will they let us adopt that many?"! hahaha

surprised

Family has actualy really surprised me through this whoel adoption process. We let our family know (our Moms). My Mother in law, whom I love DEARLY (as rare as that is)was very excited that we were adopting. My Mom who I expected to hem and haw about it was also very supportive!
I was talking on the phone with my MIL yesterday and our adoption process came up. She was saying how it breaks herheart when siblings are broken up. When I told her we were looking into a sibling group she actually cheered! She thinks it is great. And here one comment?? "Woohoo I am going to have a lot of grandkids!" She also told me that she had wanted to adopt when she and FIL were married and her two kids were young. She lost one child in between my SIL and DH. She had a VERY rough time having DH and we are lucky he is alive. The reason she didn't adopt? FIL. He didn't want to raise "kids that weren't his own". So she gave up on it.
She also told me a story about when dh was little. He knew of a family who came under hard times. He went home and asked his Mom if they could get a basket of food/Thanksgiving dinner for them. They ended up getting the whole thing together and dh took it over to the family. He was as giving as he is now back then :)

12 pages

Well I got our personal information packets in the mail today. 12 pages about me. I wouldn't think I could write so much about myself. I also hope that the issues with marriage my Mom and Dad had don't haunt us in our hope to adopt. My dad was on wife #4 when he died and my Mom went through divorce #3 two years ago.
The good news I guess our marriage currently is longer than any of the ones they had lol

Little did I know

What DSHS has on their website is not entirely true. We will have to go through orientation in person. I asked if it mattered that I was doing it out of order since our preservice is next Tuesday. Nope take it "whenever" lol.

I also got my fire esacpe ladder. It is one of the last few things I have to buy.
Now more flashlights and waterproof mattress pads.

ONE week

Yes folks one week until our pre-service training classes. WOOHOO

Oh on the front of my husband leaving next month. I called in and he has an appointment Nov 7th to go through his interview. She (the worker) is sending the personal information packet early so he has time to work on it prior to the interview. I will get the packet at the pre-service training but she wanted him to have it now.
So a big hurdle is averted.

So hmmm what do I do?

I have 3 beds for the youngests room. Yes 3! I have a bunkbed which can be used as two twins and I have a crib. Not knowing what our placement may be when we adopt I do not know what to put up!!!
Dh is going to HATE me. I have decided to other twin, the crib and the dresser all need to be moved to the garage. So I will have everything ready when it is needed be it a bed or crib.Then I can easily move it up into the room and tada we will be ready. I bought some hooks that we can put on the rafters and hang the bed pieces from there. I say I a lot but umm yes I mean my husband. If I can get that done BEFORE he leaves again it would be golden.

I was/am worried

Would you like to know about what? That we will be denied due to me being on anti-anxiety medications. I am also on a mild blood pressure medication (the two conditions are realated). I am generaly healthy. Healthy enough that my doctor Ok'd us trying to have a baby of our own. So I would assume or hope (???) that she would also OK me to be healthy enough to adopt right?

2 weeks!

Well it is two weeks until I start PRIDE classes. This areas pre-service training classes for foster care and foster-to-adopt. Time is FLYING

Shopping

This is so weird. I continualy check out NWAE for the availible children for adoption in our area. I kid you not I feel a little weird because I feel like I am shopping for a child!
I know it isn't like that I know it is all about finding a child that will fit into your family. But it is weird to browse through children looking for one or more you may want.

I am also aware that not all of the children available for adoption are listed on the site. There may be a child(ren) that fit us perfectly behind the scenes ;)

This makes sense...NOT

It’s important to register newborns and adoptees in DEERS to establish TRICARE eligibility for essential well-baby and pediatric health care. By registering your newborn or adopted child in DEERS, you may avoid potential claims problems.



When Does TRICARE Cover Newborns and Adoptees and Pre-Adoptees?

As long as another family member is enrolled in Prime, TRICARE Prime covers

Newborns for 60 days beginning from the date of birth;
Adopted children for 60 days beginning from the effective date of the actual adoption; and
Pre-adoptive children for 60 days beginning on the date of placement of the court or approved adoption agency.

So from placement to finalization is longer than 60 days right? OK got that. But The last two rules are just confusing and maybe contradicting. I am thinking that I will have to talk to a real person who can translate it into ENGLISH! lol

darn just missed it

second post...
Ok so this is where we will be posting our thoughts and pondering questions about adoption. My first observation... the government makes it entirely to complicated to adopt. Why? because its the government. hmm so when do we get our parenting license? oh wait you don't have to have one. but there sure is a lot of other things, btw none of which you have to do if you have your own kids. hmmm makes you wonder.

First post

I figure I would start this blog off with answers. Answers to questions we have been asked several times already.

Why? We have three boys whom we love VERY much (I am speaking for my husband here a bit too). They are wonderful little men. Each child has their own strengths and weaknesses. Each we see a bright future but something different for each. But we do not feel our family is complete.

Could we have more children biologicaly ? Yes probably. We would have to seek treatments for infertility. Something we could do, but something I cannot do anymore. It is too stressful and puts my body through too much.

Are we doing this JUST to get a girl?NO Actualy a sibling pair of boys would be fine. We are not going into this with a specific 'this is the child we want' in mind.

why foster care?To be honest, there are SO many children needing caring,loving homes. I do not feel the need to seek out an infant or go to another country to adopt.

How many children do you want?!?!?!We are looking at it this way, two more would be great. Three more we would be done.

So you are looking for a baby then? Not necesarily. We saw a sibling pair of 3 with the oldest being 16 and the youngest was 3. We would definitely love to be considered for them. We would not turn away an infant though.

So that is a semi-introduction in a nutshell.