This week I put a lot of pressure on myself as I was feeling a tug of the spirit that it was time to move on, and well, things weren't moving on. We have completed our home study requirements since Feb. 9th and have been waiting on the agency to complete the write-up. Waiting, waiting..... and meanwhile we've been busy collecting other papers and documents for the next step.
I made a few contacts this week to check on our progress and basically to share my mama's heart that weeks are turning into months and from my perspective, this is all the more time that our children can't be home with us. Praying daily and hoping that the papers would get through to us this week, well it's Friday morning, April 26th, and YIPEE! Our home study was in my e-mail inbox ready for us to review before the final draft is notarized and mailed to us!! Ahhh, I was literally clapping at the computer screen and then held back the tears of joy. Praise to God that there was some sort of movement in our progress!!!
Our case worker kindly responded that she was sorry it was taking so long and that she would work on making the corrections to the draft over the weekend and have it ready for final printing on Monday!!
A. So what does all this mean? And where are we now? Well, the home study is the approval of the U.S. Social Services that through interviews, home visits, health department survey of the home, fire marshal's report, doctors approvals, financial records, letters of recommendation, interviews of us, our family, and friends, finger print screenings, criminal background checks.....and other things that I'm sure I'm forgetting - to basically say that our family is acceptable to adopt and approved to continue the process.
B. Next, we turn in the home study with our application to have clearance on an international level to adopt and to have another set of fingerprints taken and records checked for international security and safety. This is form is going out in the mail the day we get that home study in our metal mailbox! Then we wait...wait...wait...'til we get the o.k. there. (pray for a speedy response!)
C. THEN our papers can allllllll be compiled (called the dossier) and go to our placement agency and to Ethiopia. This is when we will be on the waiting list for a match for the children.
(Praise Song by Rich Mullins)
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise you
And I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
I made a few contacts this week to check on our progress and basically to share my mama's heart that weeks are turning into months and from my perspective, this is all the more time that our children can't be home with us. Praying daily and hoping that the papers would get through to us this week, well it's Friday morning, April 26th, and YIPEE! Our home study was in my e-mail inbox ready for us to review before the final draft is notarized and mailed to us!! Ahhh, I was literally clapping at the computer screen and then held back the tears of joy. Praise to God that there was some sort of movement in our progress!!!
Our case worker kindly responded that she was sorry it was taking so long and that she would work on making the corrections to the draft over the weekend and have it ready for final printing on Monday!!
A. So what does all this mean? And where are we now? Well, the home study is the approval of the U.S. Social Services that through interviews, home visits, health department survey of the home, fire marshal's report, doctors approvals, financial records, letters of recommendation, interviews of us, our family, and friends, finger print screenings, criminal background checks.....and other things that I'm sure I'm forgetting - to basically say that our family is acceptable to adopt and approved to continue the process.
B. Next, we turn in the home study with our application to have clearance on an international level to adopt and to have another set of fingerprints taken and records checked for international security and safety. This is form is going out in the mail the day we get that home study in our metal mailbox! Then we wait...wait...wait...'til we get the o.k. there. (pray for a speedy response!)
C. THEN our papers can allllllll be compiled (called the dossier) and go to our placement agency and to Ethiopia. This is when we will be on the waiting list for a match for the children.
Proverbs 16:9 "A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps."
(Praise Song by Rich Mullins)
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise you
And I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
Thank you all for your prayers! Please continue to pray for the Lord to make our paths clear!
So excited!!!
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