Home Study - almost finished....

Ahhhh!! I just wrote an entire post and I lost it...how frustrating!! I will try again...

Paul and I had our final home study visit scheduled for this past Tuesday. The purpose of this final visit was for our adoption practitioner to visit our home and ensure that it is safe and suitable for a child.

The hardest part of the adoption process so far (especially for Paul), has been the lack of privacy that occurs with a home study. It can be difficult to discuss personal topics/issues with a practical stranger (although our adoption practitioner has been amazing), and to have so many checks and references done to ensure that you will be suitable parents. Paul and I try to look at it from the point of view that jumping through all of these hoops will allow us to become parents, and so for us, the process has been worthwhile.

Paul and I obsessively cleaned the house in preparation for our visit Tuesday evening. Twenty minutes before she was scheduled to arrive, our adoption practitioner called to let us know that she was lost and to get new directions. We received another call twenty minutes after that and she told us that her car was in the ditch! Apparently, when she pulled over to call for directions, she pulled into a farmers lane way. The turn was sharp, so when she tried to reverse out of the lane way, she ended up in the ditch. Paul and I offered to go and get her and to take her home if necessary, but after an hour and a half, CAA was able to get the car out of the ditch. It made for an interesting evening! :)

Needless to say, we didn't have time to finish our last visit. She was able to complete the home check, but we will need to return to Ajax for a final visit next week to cover our final topic.

As soon as the home study is complete, we will be sending our information to the Ministry for approval. At this time, approval's are taking from 8 to 12 weeks to complete. We are crossing our fingers that our adoption agency receives our approval before the fall, as this is when the next referral's are expected. Cross your fingers for us! :)

Paul and I are in awe of the process and of how all of this is becoming a part of our reality...