Home Study Medical Exam

Today I had my medical exam.  Pretty straight forward- a exam from the doctor, 1 TB test, 3 vials of blood and a urine sample.  1 hour later, I was out of there.  I have to go back on Friday to have my TB test read, but I can already tell its negative- I can't even find the mark. 
All that's left is a trip to the notary together and waiting for all our documents to arrive!

Progress!

On Monday, the 12th the new social worker came to our house.  Since then we have been busy.
I have...

• scheduled a doctor's appointment for myself
• dropped off the authorization at my doctor's office to release information about me to the social worker
• scheduled vet appointments for the cats
• got my FBI Channelers fingerprints and already got the results
• readied the documents for my child abuse clearances, sent in my PA clearance
• gotten the money orders for my child abuse clearances (now they just need to be notarized)
• sent out my "Assumption of Guardianship" form to my sister, in case something happens to both of us, she'll adopt our kids
• we've signed so much paper work and filled out countless forms- our current financial status, fire safety, copied birth certificates, our marriage license, pay stub

We still have a lot to do, but at least we can see the progress.   I am going to the bank tomorrow to get my personal forms notarized, but we need to be together for some of them.  So, I think we'll know the notary who's available on Saturdays at Citibank by the end of all this. 
It takes 30 days for some of these clearances, so its best to get them out ASAP.

Here's the new door and radiator cover in the child's room.  This door connects the first child's room to the second child's room. 

New Social Worker

Since my last post, so much has happened, and so quickly.  After the first social worker cancelled the meeting which she chose the date and time, we called her supervisor.  Apparently she hasn't been forthright with her supervisor.  We have a new social worker.  Within 24 hours of being assigned to us, the new social worker had called me and sent me documents we need to fill out.
She is coming over Monday for the first home visit!  This weekend has been a busy one.  We had a lot to do to get ready.
Here's an overview
- Chris put up the new house numbers, we took the old yucky ones off the transom and Chris put new ones on the front porch
-Chris hung the trip around the bathroom door and discovered the top piece was damaged

- Chris had some one haul the old heating oil tank from under our porch and cleaned up under there and put down ground cover plants
-I set up the new dining room table (we haven't gotten the chairs yet)

-We finished the basement door.  Chris cut a hole so the cats can get to their litter box, put a new lock on it and fixed it so it fit and closed properly.

- Chris's 30th birthday present was delivered!

-I painted the new radiator cover the for the child's room and put it in there.  We have hot water radiators which aren't as hot as steam, but I still wanted a cover for the child's room.
- Chris put a lock on the linen closet and I moved all the cleaning supplies and medications in there.
For the homestudy, we are now working on
-medical clearances, we scheduled doctor's appointments
-taking the cats to the vet next week to update everything for them
-FBI clearance
-Police and child abuse clearances for every state and country we have lived or worked in since we've turned 18. 
-We have to write up a discipline policy
-Get copies of our W-2s, last year's taxes, marriage license, birth certificates, etc
-3 friends are writing letters of recommendation that need to be notarized

I was able to talk with the new social worker over the phone and get some questions answered.  We don't need to have the child's room and playroom set up.  We don't need baby gates and cabinet locks yet.  I was glad to hear it, because its hard to set up for a child you don't know anything about.  Age, gender, needs and abilities, all of these will determine how we prepare. 

Home Study Update

On Monday, 5 weeks after we submitted our preliminary homestudy application, we had planned on terminated our agreement with that agency.  But they were not answering their phones.  Not really something new for our social worker, she had yet to return a phone call or e-mail, but managed to find time to cash our check. 
I tried calling the main office phone, but no one picked up.  I started digging around on their website, and sent an e-mail to the director of adoptions and home studies.  It bounced back that he was no longer working there, but including 2 other names with e-mails and phone numbers.  I called both, and managed to get someone on the phone.  She said she would talk to our social worker, and call us right back.  She never called back, but the other supervisor did. 
After twisting this initial social worker's arm, she did finally send an e-mail (although she told her supervisor she called us).  Her excuse: she doesn't go into the office much and she was out of town for a few days. 
Oh, that explains it.  So she hasn't been to the office for 5 weeks and she can't check her voicemail from another phone?  Also, since, as most workplaces, they use Microsoft Outlook, she could set up an out of office reply.  I was planning on demonstrating this incredibly complicated and technologically advanced uses of telephone and computing technology at the meeting which she scheduled for this evening.  But then she cancelled at 12:35.  The meeting date and time she choose.  Which was short notice.  We rearranged our schedules for it. 
With steaming spewing from my ears, I decided to have a calm chat with her supervisor.  We have a new social worker. 
We have lost another week, but hopefully have made some progress. 

Second Guessing

I am really doubting my decision for my home study agency.  It has been 3 weeks since we sent in our application and we have not heard from them.  I called them last week, on the 17th, and they assured me someone would get back to me by the 21st, since it was a holiday weekend.  I called again on the 24th and just got a voicemail.  I checked my account, they cashed the check for the application on the 22, more than 2 weeks after we sent it.  They were so quick to respond when we were researching homestudy agencies, but now that they have the check in hand, they can drag their feet. 
I don't know who our social worker is and they haven't contacted us or our references.  I want to know what we need to do to get this process started, but they are the biggest obstacle at this point. 
Is it too late to ditch them and find an agency that is more responsive?  Can we get our check back- its not like they have provided us with any service?

Working on the Homestudy

We sent our Home Study application in 2 weeks ago and still haven't heard back (and they haven't cashed our check).  I called them on Friday, it's a different agency than our adoption agency, since our adoption agency is in Washington State.  Not too many agencies operate in our little "not state," so we need to use a different agency for the Home Study.  I was informed that they would get back to me "in a few days," to see if they got the application.  I know its a holiday weekend, but don't they have computers?  We had to choose five references in our local area, and none have been contacted since I last checked in with them.  I hope they don't throw a wrench in the process. 
The home study is an important part of determining if prospective parents are ready to be adoptive parents- they check your background, employment status, finacial status, and they inspect your home.  Its weird to "baby proof" our house and set up a kid's room when we don't know anything about this kid.  How old, if its a boy or girl and what the needs will be.  Although, it will most likely be a toddler, so it is good to think about baby proofing, becuase we need to hit the ground running.  Usually, parents have a few months before their kids are mobile and sticking things in their mouths- we won't have that luxury. 
I told Chris I would drive up to Lake Wobegone and get these social workers moving, but he has informed me that not all Lutherans are associated with "A Prairie Home Companion."
Current status is waiting...

Busy Saturday, Productive Saturday

Yesterday was a busy day.  It was the first day since we got the Homestudy application, that we were both able to go to a notary together.  We went to the UPS store, but the notary was not there.  We walked out of the store and realized the Citibank down the block was open, and they had a notary.  It only cost us $2 (since we don't bank we them)! So...
Homestudy application is in the mail!!!

I was working on installing new roman shades in the spare bedroom.  This is not the child's room, you must walk through the home office to get to this bedroom.  A little odd, but its in the addition of this old house.  This part of the house was most damaged in the fire and nothing survived. 

I couldn't believe how expensive blinds were!  I wanted blinds, not curtains because I didn't want to hide the beautiful trim around the windows.  Also, I think they are neater than bulky curtains which collect dust and pet dander.  I went to Blinds To Go, they gave me a ridiculous quote and told me they had a lowest price guarantee.  Untrue.  I also wanted cordless, which is more toddler-safe.  But Blinds To Go only offers plastic cord cleats- that is not the same thing.  Undeterred, I went to Home Depot, where no one helped me and one person tried to sell me kitchen cabinets- really gave the hard sell.  You know, "leave now and you'll never get this deal."  Ok, I don't need cabinets.  I tried searching online.  I found Blindster.com.  Really good prices, and someone called me to make sure the measurements were correct.  I got 4 white "super value" roman shades, and they look great!  They fit perfectly and they were here in about a week.  They screw directly into the woodwork, not those little brackets like venetian blinds, so you don't have to worry about a toddler pulling them down on his head.  You can remove the cords and there are metal clasps that attach to plastic loops (this kit comes with the blinds) to adjust the height- viola cordless!
While I was working on that, Chris was in the basement finishing up the laundry room.  When we bought this house, the washer was in a storage room and there was no hook-up for a dryer.  And the washer was broken.  Luckily, a friend from work had bought a house where the previous owners had left the washer and dryer and she already had a set.  She gave it to me for free!  They are a really nice high efficiency Maytag set.  Chris installed a dryer outlet and vent, insulated, sheetrocked, tapped and mudded this room.  It was unfinished before, so it was really dark.  Chris installed 2 recessed lights and a light to go over his work bench.  We don't have a garage, so this room is where we store our bikes, lawn mower, camping gear, tools, etc. 

We're not finished, but it is so much better painted white.  Chris is installing hooks so we can hang up our bikes and skis, etc and we got storage shelves from my sister's old house to store the camping gear, tools and Costco stuff. 
The best thing that happened yesterday, was insurance finally cut us a check for our personal property.  Yea! After paying the initial agency fees and the homestudy application, my checking was looking very low.  It took 7 months, but the company had to fire our first adjuster because he wasn't doing anything.  Really.  For 5 weeks he was MIA, and when he did return calls after that, it was only intermittently.  The new adjuster is on the ball. 
Service Master Clean never did return all our stuff, I'm sure our rugs are sitting in their cockroach-infested warehouse.  They lied, stole our keys, damaged everything they came into contact with and left the house a disaster.  But they finally sent someone over to repair our furniture that they damaged and replaced the cast iron skillets they destroyed (left sitting in water for months).  We'll never get everything back from them.
Yesterday a package came in the mail.  When the fire happened, Chris had a signed poster from AC Newman by the artist Micah Smith.  I contacted the band and told them it was destroyed to see if we could get a replacement.  The manager said it was a limited edition print, but she would send out a different poster.  It had been weeks, so I e-mailed again to see if they sent it (packages tend to go missing around here during the holidays.)  The manager said no, actually she found some extras of the print I was talking about and she was going to have the band sign it and send it out.  I was planning on having it framed and giving it to Chris for his big 3-0 in a few weeks, but he answered the door and his name was on the package, so he opened it.  Not only did she send that poster, but a half dozen more all signed!  I love AC Newman!  Chris was totally surprised and thrilled.
Today is the Superbowl, although I am indifferent to the teams that are playing, we are going to a friend's house around the corner.  I'm up early so I can finish painting in the laundry room before we go over.  Now, I need to figure out how to get paint out my hair.  Nail polish remover?

Application Accepted!

We just got word last night that our application has been received and accepted!  Now we need to get started on our home study application.  Since our agency isn't licensed for home studies in our state, we need to use another agency. 
I started working on the application, and oh my does it require a lot of detail.  We need 5 non-family local references, we just moved here 3 1/2 years ago, but we want to use friends who have known us longer.  We need to go back and list every job we've had for the past 10 years and the salary!  10 years ago I graduated high school, so that's a lot of life guarding and similar jobs- I don't remember how much I made.  We need to submit this preliminary application before we go into the big details.  We'll need physicals, reports from the veterinarian that our cats are friendly and have all their shots up to date.  We'll be fingerprinted and background checked.  A social worker will visit our house and make sure everything is safe for a child. 
Amazing!  It can be frustrating, but maybe everyone should go through this before they have a child!  It's funny to prepare your house for a child of an unknown age that won't be here for 2-3 years!   We are so excited, and a little nervous.  Now come some big payments to get things underway. 

Fire Updates

The fire at our house was July 8th.  I am trying to be patient and grateful for the outcome so far, but 6 weeks in a hotel and no progress on the house is driving me nuts!  I am grateful that no one was hurt, most of our belongings are salvageable and that insurance is putting us up in a hotel.  I hate to complain about living in a hotel because I know it could be much worse- we have cable, air conditioning, Internet, fitness center and breakfast every morning.  But I am tired of the food choices and not being able to cook.  Going to the laundromat, instead of being able to run laundry whenever I need to in my own house, having to wait for my car to be brought out of the garage instead of just pulling it out of the driveway.  We're staying at a hotel downtown, so traffic is a real problem.  My commute is much longer though I am technically closer in distance to work.  We can't have our pets here at the hotel, luckily my parents were able to keep both of them at their house because we would never be able to board them for 3 months.  The worst part, though, is that we are in the middle of our home study.  We can get most of it done, but the social worker needs to see our house and its in no state to be evaluated.
I suppose I would be more comfortable with the situation if I felt progress was being made.  But it isn't.  When I met with the insurance adjuster a few days after the fire, he assured me he would have the estimate ready in a week.  That was 5 weeks ago.  We have a contractor who is ready to get started, but he can't without that estimate.  Insurance needs to tell us what they are paying for and how much they are paying for it.  The contractor needs to go over the estimate and determine if it is fair and complete before he agrees to the job.  I trust the contractor.  He's hardworking and honest, he's worked on our house before and done major renovations on other old homes in our neighborhood.  I am losing faith in this adjuster.  He can't get his work done in a timely manner and he doesn't keep us up to date on progress, if there is any, on our house.  My husband is afraid if we press him, we'll be considered a nuisance and he'll low-ball our estimate.  I just want to get back in my house.   I don't hate it here at the hotel, but it's not home. 

House Updates

We moved into this house last May.  It needed, and still needs a lot of work.  We've been making some updates so we'll be ready for our home study.  I want to have things more in order so the social worker doesn't think that I think this house is ready for a child- we're working on it.  Chris has the main bathroom nearly ready, the windows are scheduled to be replaced sometime this month.  We've added a tree and rain barrel in the backyard.   We have a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to tear up the impervious surfaces in the backyard and landscape more conducive to the climate.
Here is the little one's room before:

It was a weird mango color.  The door to the former sleeping porch- now a fully enclosed room was missing and the window that led into that room was painted stuck half open.  You can't see the light fixture, but the glass in it was missing. 
We don't know yet if our little one will be a girl or boy, or even how old s/he will be so we wanted to keep the room neutral.   Right now there is a low full sized bed, because we don't know yet if we'll need a twin, a toddler bed or a crib.  When we know the gender, we can decorate more appropriately.
This isn't the finished product, but here's where its at now:

I'll have to look more for the pictures that show the other view, you can't see the dresser from this angle.  Chris got the window frame unstuck, now he's ordered new glass.  I want to get a bigger, soft rug because kids like to play on the floor and a desk for homework, but this is a start. 
Last weekend we picked up a new ceiling fan at home depot and a door from the Community Forklift.
We have a long list of projects, but at least we have a good start on this one. 
The next project will either be the backyard or the family room.