Joe and I have come to a very exciting milestone in our adoption journey – on Monday (April 25th) we completed our home study! The home study consisted of five in home meetings that were about two hours each; our social worker, Stacey, from the adoption agency came into our home and conducted these meetings. Each meeting was similar to an interview mixed with a counseling session; there were different topics to cover each week. Three of the five meetings were completed together, then Joe and I also each had a one on one meeting with Stacey. The meetings were filled with lots of questions about the past, our childhood, family, friends, marriage, parenting style, daily routines, work, community support, transition, intimacy, family planning, and so on.

It is a little intimidating having someone come into your home and ask hundreds of questions in order to get to know you better, especially when they have the power to identify you as an unfit parent! I am very aware that Joe and I aren’t perfect people, so there is no way that we can or will be perfect parents. Thankfully, perfection isn’t what Stacey was looking for, rather she was making sure that we are a family who will do our best to love our children unconditionally while providing a safe environment for them to grow in, and according to those standards, WE PASS!

Sooo – since we got the stamp of approval on our home study, we are waiting for one last thing, our home inspection! The home inspection is the final step in our process (prior to bringing a child into our home), and it is where our county worker comes and inspects our home to ensure that it is safe for a child (or children). So between now and the inspection we will be spending our free time finishing the nursery, cleaning the house, backyard, and garage, as well as baby-proofing!

Each step of this process has been such a time of growth. When we began the adoption process in October, I was unsure how this long, drawn-out process would be. I was nervous that the deeper in we got and the more realistic information we learned, the less I would want to adopt for fear of what the future would hold. But amazingly, the opposite has happened – I have found myself really embracing the process and soaking up all of the knowledge and wisdom that I can get – all the while growing more and more excited to be entrusted with the life of a child!

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to go to a parenting conference called, “Empowered to Connect”. The conference was phenomenal! I was blown away by all of the information that was taught, and I left the conference desiring to learn more as well as share what I have learned with my family, friends, and anyone else who regularly interacts with children. Dr. Karyn Purvis developed a way of connecting with children that is called TBRI which stands for Trust-Based Relational Intervention. TBRI is an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention that is designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. I am so excited to learn more, and it is my prayer that God continues to grow and equip both Joe and I for the crazy road that is ahead! We can’t wait!

Please keep our family in your prayers as we are learning, growing, and SO close to being ready to be matched with a child!

 

xoxxox

Leeanne