As I type this, Danee will be born in eleven days and two hours...
It's Go Time!!
We got our initial legal paperwork done and filed, and we will be going to court on December 4th, seeking a temporary custody order so that we can take our little girl home from the hospital as soon as she's able to leave. There have been a few attempted complications, and it really is hard to resist the panic attack that they TRY to induce, but we're finding that as each stress-wave peaks, and we start to calm down, we see that it all fits into the master plan that we have been aware of from the very start.
Yesterday we got our appointment for a "Home Study", where they'll come and make sure that we feed the kids we have, have room for the kid we're adopting, and are good, decent people who don't abuse kids or each other. Not really worried about that... But the amount of paperwork (actually paperless paperwork) was daunting! Given just over 24 hours, we need to have everything filled out by 7:00 tonight when the investigator arrives.
Last night we got nearly all of it filled out! Oh, but we're not out of the woods yet... As part of the package, they need birth certificates for each member of our family. No problem... We go look in the file, and there's Andy, Ellysa, Kaylee, Tyler... ummmm... WHAT??!!?? Nothing for Cindy. Nothing for Mike. We had them six years ago when we got married, what the heck happened to them now??
So I'll be going down to Olympia to get a new copy of mine this morning. Cindy wasn't fortunate enough to be born in Washington, so I can't just grab a copy of hers while I'm there... But her mom still lives in the same area in California, so she's going to go get a copy of Cindy's certificate a fax it up to us. Then we need to go to some government building in downtown Tacoma and get finger printed for the FBI to investigate us. While filling out the forms for that process, Cindy shook her head and said, "ya know, anybody can get knocked up and MAKE a kid... but they sure make it hard to give one of those kids a better life..." Amen Cindy... Amen...
Once all that running around is done, we need to re-arrange our bedroom to make room for, and set up the nursery, quick-clean the house, feed the kids, and be on our best behaviour when 7:00 rolls around tonight.
THEN we can think about making pies for Thanksgiving...
Needless to say, I've taken today off work... Wish us luck to get through all this in one piece, and on time - we're gonna need it!
I hope it all goes smoothly. Exciting times for your family.
ReplyDeleteCindy said it perfectly. Good luck with everything! I can't believe she'll be here that soon. Hope everything goes well and you can enjoy Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteYou may say you need luck, but you'll pass with flying colors. Your family is prepared and ready, and they'll be able to see that. Can't wait to meet Danee! and Amen to Cindy!
ReplyDeleteIt is really funny to me that Cindy has a lot of day care kids there EVERY DAY, yet they still have to check to make sure that you are running a house that they will let a kid live in.
ReplyDeleteI would be so tempted to make a comment to one of your kids to make sure all the razor blades have been pick up off the nursery floor. But since these people most likely have NO sense of humor, it wouldn't fly.
I didn't realize that you would have to get investigated by the Feds either. What is next, are you two going to have to take a lie detector test to prove that you will love the baby more than other parents who want to adopt?
Cindy is dead on with her analogy. A 15 year old girl can get knocked up and take the baby back to a crack house, and they are cool with it. But don't you date try to give a child a good home. They will be watching you!!!
errr. I meant 'dare' not 'date.'
ReplyDeleteThe Donald - Egg-Friggin-Zactly!!
ReplyDeleteOh goodness! You have a lot to get done! At least at the end of it all you will have that sweet baby to bring home :)
ReplyDeleteAnd Cindy is SO right. Anyone can have a baby. They send babies home to HORRIBLE situations all the time. But they make you jump through hurdles to take one of those children and try to give them a loving and healthy home. Doesn't make sense.
You will do just fine. Everything will work out because it's supposed too. :)
ReplyDeleteSo far it's unanimous. Cindy is so right. I do realize that it is almost impossible to stop a "mother" from taking that baby home to what will be a horrible environment. So maybe it's just the Governments way of saying, well we can't do anything about that but here is a situation we can control.
ReplyDeleteI just am so excited for you two though. You simply must call me after you bring her home so I can hear her cry. I love her already.
Amy was filling me in on this exciting news the other evening at dinner. I am so excited for your family and just wanted to let you know your family and sweet baby Danee are in our prayers.
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone for your support, this has been an incredible journey for sure. My comment was not meant as a complaint, just that it was alot of information when just anyone can walk out of a hospital with their baby, if they can make one they get to take it home. I am glad that there are safeguards in place to protect these kids. And Mike and I will sleep well along with everyone else involved knowing that we can show that we are good, responsible people and will love and take good care of Danee.
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