Chapter Eight: Homestudy Appointment

We finally have a homestudy appointment set up for September 11th.
I can hardly believe it: and I am scared.

We orginally going to go through another agency and social worker; but things did not work out with her. The final straw was when she said she would not approve us for more than one child and absolutely would not for a non-related child. We had hoped to keep our options open to adopt more than one, and since Sufi is an only child that meant we would have to adopt a non-related child. I have to admit though, that everytime Pabbi would talk with this particular person, I would get sick to my stomach and just felt very uncomfortable.

So we counseled with L.M. and she recommended a social worker who worked with them 10 years ago, and also worked with Shelley. We decided to give her a try. We called this woman and immediately felt she was the one we should work with. although, she did say she would caution against adopting more than one, she would talk with us and check out our situation. That is all we ask, is a a bit of openess.

So she sent us the paperwork back in the end of July, & boy was I shocked: it was an eighth of the paperwork, & her cost was half the price. But this does not mean she is any less thorough (I have read reviews, & talked with others about it). She is very effecient & prompt. We sent in most of our paperwork & documents, the only thing we have to wait on is our final check in Iceland. I was amazed that she even recieved background checks on me from RUSSIA so quickly!!!

I think L.M. is right, that you really have to shop around for a social worker, because not everyone is going to click with the same person. These social workers are here to help and they are going through our lives with a fine tooth comb. It isn't easy to let a stranger into your home to inverstigate you, and so you have to find someone you are comfortable with. I think we found that in this woman!

I do worry that we won't be "good enough" to adopt, or that as 'poor students' we won't qualify. I often ponder why it is at this time the Lord has directed us to adopt; why not wait another year when we might be more settled (well, Pabbi will have graduated) and stable. But I won't question, and we WILL act, but it is taking alot of faith to hold on and hope we are going to be approved to bring our son home to us. So I worry and then pray I have enough faith.

After our homestudy, we wait to be approved and then we take on the next big task of battling with the USCIS (used to be called INS).

So until then we are...to become parents.