A Fostering Update (In Which I Abuse the Use of Parentheses)

Hey peeps. Since it's been 75 years since I last updated on our adoption (even typing that seems so weird) and fostering status (or is it stati - plural? Little red line says that "stati" isn't a word. It also says "isn't" isn't a word..so what could it possibly know?) I figured it was about time. I mean, afterall, inquiring minds want to know.

Wow. Anyway, Aaron's (that is also so surreal to type, even now) adoption worker is coming by today. This is a different social worker than he had previously, so if you're keeping track (how could you be?) we have now, just for Aaron's case, had contact with 4 social workers. Yeah. I know.

Ms. Adoption Social Worker will come by and "update" our homestudy (don't know how much there is to "update" since we've not even been licensed a year yet), give us some more forms to fill out and then take our profile to adoption committee on or before May 30th. Once we are approved by adoption committee then we will begin the process of filing more paperwork with the courts.

Basically, we are paper pushing and I couldn't be happier! Pushing paper means progress. In the eyes of DSS he is already ours, this is all just a formality. In our hearts, he's been ours since June 10, 2008.


As for Baby Girl, well...her case is creeping along (little-to-no paper pushing, in fact). Slowly. As far as I know, her birth mother has not been "served" with the Termination of Parental Rights Petition, which must happen before a court date can be set. Also, birth mom is pulling out all the stops trying to locate someone in her birth family that might potentially want Baby Girl. Naturally, this makes my heart lurch, my stomach turn and my mind go crazy (and sometimes not so nice thoughts to form). However, I know that God already knows what is to happen, none of it will surprise Him. And, truly, none of these family members have contacted DSS about her since she's been born. If they stand a chance, now it's a slim one. Still, she's my baby and the thought of her leaving makes me sick.

Baby Girl is going to physical therapy once a week for an hour. She has now mastered rolling from her tummy to her back, but has only rolled from her back to her front once or twice (and even then it was with some "help"). She is sitting up with support but is still not pushing up on her arms or even trying to be on her hands and knees, in an effort to begin crawling (Aaron on the other hand is crawling everywhere and pulls up on anything that will hold still for more than .125 seconds.).

Still, I know that she is making some good progress. Even the PT said she thought she was doing very well. We are working on "exercises" at home and even Elizabeth gets in on the therapy.

Overall, I am pleased and shocked at how quickly God chose to move these cases along. I know that I truly have no right to complain because I know of cases where the kids are well over 2 years in the DSS system and still there is little to no resolution with their cases. I can't imagine that kind of frustration. So I'm trying my best to be content. I'm trying hard to focus on the end result.

We do have court on Monday for Baby Girl. It's just a simple review, yet I know that we will encounter birth mom once more, which always makes me uneasy/jittery (okay, flat out a nervous wreck). If it comes to mind, I'd surely appreciate any prayers you'd offer up on our behalf.

Hopefully, it won't be so long before another update (hopefully). I know you all were on pins and needles (not).