Well, what began with one careful step has now become a full sprint….forward…in the dark. We are halfway through the licensing classes and the process so far has been very clinical. LOTS OF PAPERWORK!! We’re starting to wonder if it isn’t more of an elimination process (based on endurance and resolution) than a qualifying experience where we achieve an understanding or skills needed. Most of the assignments are psychological evaluations of our own childhoods or vague, confusing projects like “write a letter to your adoptive children” (when you don’t know who they are, what age they are, what gender they are, how many of them they are….etc).
Our “teacher” is more of a facilitator and doesn’t tend to have concrete answers to anybody’s questions. Our class is pretty large (about 20 couples) and it’s clear her caseload is a bit over her head. We are just trying to comply with all the requirements (the ones we know about and the ones that get sprung on us) and get it over with. Our friends and family have been encouraging, reminding us that the Lord will bring us through…and the frustration and doubt we feel are just wily attacks from the devil.
We had our initial Home Assessment on Tuesday. Our caseworker went through a list of “Minimum Standards of Safety” and did a walk through. She met Tessie, who smiled sweetly and sat in Daddy’s lap quietly while we talked (even Sophie was on her best behavior and didn’t bark, lick, or jump). Now it’s a mad scramble to draw out a fire escape plan, install extra smoke detectors, purchase and mount a 5lb fire extinguisher, plug wall outlets, and put the child safety locks back on the cabinets that we had just determined we no longer needed a few months ago. There are three pages of other requirements that we fortunately already met.
We had our initial Home Assessment on Tuesday. Our caseworker went through a list of “Minimum Standards of Safety” and did a walk through. She met Tessie, who smiled sweetly and sat in Daddy’s lap quietly while we talked (even Sophie was on her best behavior and didn’t bark, lick, or jump). Now it’s a mad scramble to draw out a fire escape plan, install extra smoke detectors, purchase and mount a 5lb fire extinguisher, plug wall outlets, and put the child safety locks back on the cabinets that we had just determined we no longer needed a few months ago. There are three pages of other requirements that we fortunately already met.
It feels like we have just been running 24/7 for the last month….Especially Charlie -between starting his new job (which he loves, by the way!), a little longer hours, 8 hour classes on his only day off, church and errands (like buying and installing fire extinguishers….) on Sundays….it’s all been a bit of a blur. Tessie has done great with all the hussle and bussle. She has made a great leap in maturity lately and her behavior, attitude, and language skills all seemed to have jumped and leveled out at a 4-5 year old level. She has been wonderfully helpful, and as sweet and amusing as ever. Charlie and I just smile when we think about the joy she’ll bring to her new siblings. Our final licensing class will be on the 25th, but there are (we just found out on Tuesday) 2 more required classes in March before our home study can be scheduled. We are still unclear about the timeline ahead (even after asking directly on many occasions). So, we truly have to depend on the Lord’s leading, which is terrifying and wonderful, as always. We ask for your continued prayers as this path is revealed to us. I will update again soon (perhaps when things settle down).
“For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.”
~2 Samuel 22:29
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