Thursday, August 25, 2011

Truckin' along....

Things are truckin' along smoothly so far with our new agency.  We've done more paperwork and already have 3 home visits set up for September.  Our caseworker Beth said that we should hopefully have a rough draft of our home study done by the 3rd visit.  Yahhhhh!!  That means that after that, we do our profile and we are ready to be seen....hopefully. 

It just doesn't seem real that this is moving on so quickly.  I know that already having our fingerprint and background clearances done are helping, but this lady seems to really be on top of things.  And just because the licensing is going quicker than expected doesn't mean that there will be a placement as quick....and we're ok with that.  Time will tell! 

Grace is very excited, and eager to talk to Beth.  I can only imagine what she will have to say!  I do know that she will be a great big sister who has so much love to give.  I see how well she helps with and plays with our nephew and it's, well, awesome!  Though there is a big age difference between them - 6 years with Chace and almost 10 with Miles, I think she does really well! 

Speaking of an "almost" 10 year old, guess who will be the big one-oh next month?! 

We've been busy planning a "peace out" birthday party for our little (big) girl who will hit double digits!  I'll be sure to post pictures from the fun day! 
But, before that, guess who's got a birthday in just 4 days?!


Yep, this handsome guy right here (the big one, haha)! 
Doesn't he look great with a baby in his arms?!  :) 

Lots to celebrate, and lots to look forward to in the coming year!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Making the switch....

As I had expressed a couple of posts ago, we were struggling with the decision to switch agencies.  Well, we talked about it and decided to go for it.....and are we ever glad that we did!  I was so nervous to "break up" with LCFS that I dreaded making the phone call.  Turns out, our old case worker almost sounded relieved when I told her.  First sign that this was a good decision. 

Immediately after, I called LSSI and reminded them of who I was and that we wanted to switch to them.  They remembered me and took a truck load of information over the phone and promised a phone call from a case worker that day.  Sounding better!  Within 1 hour case worker calls me back and is ever thorough on e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. she could think of to get started.  Speaking with her on the phone, I was already more excited than I'd been thus far and her enthusiasm to help just made it all the better!

As promised from her, I immediately received an email with some information to fill out and received a packet in the mail the very next day.  The second that I faxed her back our consent to release information, she was on the phone with our old caseworker.  To quote her words to me in a recent email..."I am available to move as quickly with the home study/licensing process as you need."

Say whaaat?!  Awesome!

Though we signed a consent to transfer information, there's not really a lot to "transfer".  We will have to start over filling out paperwork, which is no big deal.  I secretly like to fill out forms.  I guess it's not so secret anymore.  Ahem.  I love the "organization" of a form.  I border on hysteria when I mess up and need to cross something out or *gasp* white-out something if I messed up.  Ok not "hysteria" really, but it probably makes my face flush.  Haha! 

So, in a sense, we are starting over.  Not from the very beginning, since we already have fingerprint and background check clearances done.  She said that having those will save us some precious time. 

Speaking of precious, remember that I got a new nephew the day before my birthday?  Check him out!


Holding this precious little guy reminds me (as if I'd forget!) of how much I want this.  I look at his sweet face and wonder of the amazing feeling I will have holding my own baby.  I'm sure there's nothing like it, and I can't wait to find out! 

Saturday, August 6, 2011

32

Today is my birthday!  Though I still do not have that one special gift that I long for, I have had a wonderful day.  My new nephew was born yesterday, so this birthday has been extra special!  Normally every year, I have a good cry because I just knew that by my next birthday I would be a mom.  That cry hasn't happened this year.  I am bothered by it, but I honestly feel that this year will be different....or maybe I've just been too preoccupied to cry!  Haha! 

Who knows, maybe our baby was born today, on my birthday!  I thought of him/her today (whether they are born yet or not) as I held my nephew and wondered where they were.  I wonder how long it will be before we hear the ok to bring our baby home?  I'm hoping it will come this year!  Thinking and hoping every day that someone who is looking for us finds us soon.  I just hope it doesn't take another 365 days!  :) 

Monday, August 1, 2011

Bump!

Take a right on Maple, then a left on Oak St.  Follow until the ground gets rocky.  Here you will reach your destination....bump in the road.  This is how my directions seem to read lately!  :)

I finally spoke with our case worker last week, and set up an appointment to meet with her on Aug 11.  She explained how she had been out of the office for a bit, and that her husband had a malignant tumor on his eye and is going through chemo/radiation now.  I hate this for her, I can't imagine if this were to happen to Bill. 

I called our local Lutheran Services and found out that they are different from the agency we are working with now.  I had asked a couple of times at our agency that I heard they had offices in Marion, and they always said no.  After talking to a friend who assured me that she had talked to a case worker in Marion, I called the Marion office.  While they are a Lutheran agency, they are indeed different....though they do the same stuff.  Our agency is Lutheran Child and Family Services while the one closer to home is Lutheran Social Services of Illinois.  Ok then.  The lady I talked to was very nice and personable.  I was pretty much told that if we weren't happy with our agency then we needed to tell them and call LSSI back and they could ask for our file and we could go from there.  I have been so back and forth on this.  I really just don't have any "feeling" about our current agency, and it's so far away.  God forbid if something should happen to our case worker's husband, there's only one other case worker there who's already overloaded.  It's not necessarily anything that our agency has done personally, but I think we should just have that "feeling" that we're in the right place.   *Sigh*

I know we will make the right decision, but getting there seems to be a challenge!  Just another bump in the road.  I've never been great at reading maps, but luckily I have Bill by my side, who is a great navigator!  When this is all over and done and our house isn't so quiet any more, I will wonder why I fretted so much about this!

I hope all of you who are reading this have a wonderful day and that you will find the right path that will take you off of your bumpy road, whatever it may be!