Home study #2

We had two weeks between our first home study when we received our check list and our second one.  Our social worker had said that the second study would be longer because she would need to go through what we had done and make sure it was all correct and talk about what we still needed to do before our 3rd and final home study so I chose our formal dining room (rather  than the stools at the table in the kitchen) for the meeting so that we would be more comfortable if we were going to sit there for a couple hours.   However, I think she underestimated our motivation level.  Like I said in the first blog, we are get it done kind of people and we do not procrastinate.  In the two weeks we were able to collect all of the paperwork (marriage license, dog licenses, vet and vaccine paperwork, w2's, pay stubs for the past couple months, copies of all utility bills for the past 3 months, and proof of Ohio residency for the past 5 years).  We bought and hung a fire extinguisher, drew an escape plan diagram, listed and posted emergency numbers and a calender of scheduled fire drills and then had the fire department come and do their inspection.  That was interesting... He was supposed to be there at 9AM so I wanted to shower before he got there so that I was ready for work when he left.  However, he got there 25 minutes early (I was in the shower).  The dogs started barking like crazy at the doorbell while I scrambled to get out of the shower and get dressed.  I opened the door with wet hair , no makeup and slightly sweating from the scramble.  He came in not appearing to notice that he was early and that I was disheveled and just stood in my kitchen.  He didn't say anything.  I was under the impression that this was his show and he would ask where something was or tell me what to do but he just stood there.  So I did the only thing I could think of and I handed him the paper from the agency and a pen.  He took it and started filling it out.  He moved one time to check that the alarms worked but that was it.  He didn't look at the escape plans, numbers, extinguisher or anything.  Then he handed me the paper and his card and he left.  Bizarre little situation but another check off the list!
During that 2 weeks we also got fingerprinted, went to the doctor and had physicals and referrals filled out, had 4 of our close friends send in reference letters, read three 200 page books and answered questions about them, and attended one of the required 3 hour classes.  The class was about adopting a different race so it did not really pertain to us for this adoption but it was really neat to learn what to expect and to meet a group of other adoptive parents and to hear their stories as to how they got there.  There was a grandmother that was adopting her granddaughter, a single woman adopting a her friend's child, a couple that had one biological child but could not have any more and a couple, like us, that was adopting their first child after struggling with infertility.   We also finished out 20 page book about ourselves for the birth mom to read.  (It is really rather difficult to write and illustrate your life!) 
So when our social worker came in we settled into the dining room and she started asking for the check list items.  I of course had them in order and handed them to her as she went down the list.  She looked them all over and was pleasantly surprised that they were all done and everything was filled out correctly.  She then went on to ask us a few personal questions like: How do we plan on disciplining? How do we do we handle stress?  How do we handle arguments?  Etc... After that she had to do a quick safety audit of our home which was basically just a home tour and then she scheduled our next and FINAL home study and she left, after just 45 minutes.  The only things that we have left to do are we need to take one more class and have that final home study.  Then we will just be waiting to be picked by a birth mother!
It's funny how intuitive dogs are too.  Since we moved into our house we always new what room would be the nursery.  For 5 years that room has never had any furniture and no one, not even the dogs ever went in it.  However, the morning after our second home study I got out of the shower expecting to see Reese in her usual spot right outside the bathroom door waiting for me but she wasn't there.  I walked out of my bedroom and called for her and then there she came, walking out of that room.  I think she knows...
As we wait for our final home study we have started window shopping for nursery ideas and we have added a pack of diapers or wipes to our grocery list every week to start preparing for whenever we are chosen!  Fingers crossed the wait won't be too long!

Thank you all for how much support and love you all have shown us.  It truly means the world to us!

Bri and Steve