Gods little Gift: Serving our Country

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Serving our Country

As many of us prepare to spend time with our families and close friends, there are so many families that will be separated due to their active duty in the military.

One of my younger first cousins, who is also my Soror left today for a tour that she must serve far away in the middle east.

She is an officer in the United States Air Force and we are very proud of her. I salute her today as well as the countless other individuals who serve our country and sacrifice time away at special holidays to serve and protect. While it is difficult with families to deal with during this holiday season, we know that they are working for our country.

We will be here waiting for you in 2009 when you return and hopefully this gift and or gifts coming will be waiting for you to come spoil him/her as well!

Love ya girl!

No comments:

Our Journey

06.24.2011:

Finalized!!!!

06.13.2011: Signed adoption papers to get finalization date

02.28.2011:

Our little one is home with us!

02.22.2011:

Our CW advised us that the placement day will be next week and gave us date and advised us that someone would call to confirm time and date of placement.

02.21.2011:

F mom came to our home and visited our home with little one and her other children so that our home would be familiar. Great visit!

02.19.2011:

Attended event with f mom and little one.

02.18.2011:

Dropped off outfit for Saturday's event at foster parents home

02.18.2011:

Updated our dog's rabies shot that was expiring today to be updated with home study.

02.14.2011:

Stopped by to drop off little Valentines day gift for little one.

02.13.2011:

Visit at foster parents home to spend time with our little one and get more information. Invited us to an event for foster parents where little one was receiving a gift.

02.09.11:

FP's SW advised her that the baby will be transitioned out of her home before the end of this month. In addition, we can visit until the state approval has taken place and then we can take the baby home.

02.07.11:

Spoke with my SW and foster parents SW and they advised me that they are rushing our final paperwork for approval and we were selected since FP requested us adoptive parents and we had identified the baby before. The completion of the paperwork for an adoptive home may take a few days to a week to complete. They will leave the baby with the current fp until everything is completed on their end and transition into our home.

2.4.2011: Contacted our SW to let her know that the baby we were initially interested in is becoming available and to check on details since our name was referred by the foster mom

2.2.2011:

Rcvd call regarding baby that we were initially told about through a friend. His caretake had originally wanted to adopt the baby and now she has changed her mind. She asked if we were still interested via our mutual friend and she contacted the agency.......

1.22.2011: Play Date #2 and final play date

1.21.2011: SW called to confirm some other things and inform us of a possible infant placement.

1.20.2011: SW called and advised us that first adopt. parents are interested again in adopting sibling group if we are not. We decided to allow them to proceed with transitioning them to adoption since we were not at a point of a decision.

1.04.2011: Play Date #2 scheduled for later this month

01.03.2011: The children's transportation driver emailed us to get the next Play Date

12.31.2010: Play date 1

12.27.2010: Play Date set for 12.31.2010

12.21.2010: Met children at the offices for a brief visit; arranging more visits with CW to spend time around children.

12.20.2010: Met with CW and team members to review case

12.10.2010:

Supervisor called me along with CW to set up appointment to meet to review the case and history etc.

12.7.2010:

Called supervisor and advised her that we are interested in meeting with case worker to discuss the children to see if we are interested in meeting them later.

12.6.2010:

Phone call from one of the agency's supervisors regarding a sibling group.

12.1.2010:

SW contacted us advising her superior was out of the office most of November. He will review her completed study. Should be completed and uploaded within week to 2.

Waiting to hear on final corrections and to be placed on waiting list!

11.10.2010 SW advised us that we would be placed on the list as soon as approval of report from her supervisor. She explained again the "legal risk" cases of being on the list and open to those etc.

11.10.200: Emailed SW a computerized evacuation plan of our home (new required document) showing exits and where we would go etc.

11.10.010:

SW advised us that she was completing the HS that was ahead of us and once she had approval on that one she would upload all of our information for approval from her supervisor.

11.6.2010:

Hubby had to take CPR re-certification

11.1.2010-11.3.2010:

All references contacted and interviewed

10.28.2010:

SW finalizing and entering all of our home study interview information

09.28.2010:

Final visit from SW!

09.23.2010: Class 4 of 4! Finished with classes!

09.21.2010: Class 3 of 4

(final home study visit scheduled for 09.28.2010)

09.16.2010: Class 2 of 4

09.14.2010: Class #1 of 4

09.08.2010:

Visit 1 with SW: 4 hours-5 hours

08.31.2010:

Home visit scheduled for next week with SW

08.30.2010:

SW called to schedule home visit

08.27.2010:

Received call from Supervisor; apologizing on month delay and no contact. Everything scheduled. Classes begin 9.14

7.22.2010:

Received call from the Supervisor that our paperwork went through and is being sent to the resource dept; advised we should be receiving call from caseworker within 10 business days to schedule home visit.

07.12.2010:

Waiting for date for SW to come and do home study visit

07.09.2010:

Dropped off home study packet, physicals, dog's vaccinations, vehicle insurance, and medical insurance

07.08.2010:

My physical completed; turning in physicals, dog vaccinations and home study packet on 07.08.2010 to have in our adoption recruiter's office/county coordinator upon his return to the office on 07.09.2010

07.08.10: Found out TPR has been completed on baby that we are interested in. Moving quickly to expedite our home study with the county.

07.06.10:

Talked to CW. Moving quicker than we thought--need to have home study paperwork turned in as soon as our recruiter returns from 2 week vacation to expedite things and be available if things move in our favor.

07.01.2010: Made contact with some particular individuals to expedite things since we are waiting on home study to be done and our coordinator is on vacation.

06.11.2010:

Picked up home study packet from office to complete

06.10.2010:

Hubby's updated physical

06.07.2010:

County received drug test results

06.06.2010:

Hubby's updated TB test

06.03.2010:

Private facilitator has been very ill. We have not followed up with her on new cases since she had a serious injury.

05.28.2010:

Updated drug tests

05.21.2010:

Updated prints completed at county office

05.18.2010:

Packet mailed in our completed packet (county) coordinator

New Agency:

05.17.2010:

Private Facilitator advised me that she had another call and will follow up with us after she receives more information on the possible new situation to see if we are interested after getting details. Due in one month as well.

05.17.2010:

Situation 1, not a good match for us. Facilitator presented both families to e-mom and her mom. Culture played a factor in this case.

05.08.2010:

Situation #2

A close friend called us about a baby/toddler that is in the care of someone that she knows. We were told about the child when it was 4 months, however thought the family was going to adopt the child, so we left it alone. It is up in the air now. We are also exploring this option because it is reason why the child came back into the picture. More to come in a few weeks....

05.07.2010:

private adoption facilitator informed us that she will be meeting with e-mom 05.12.2010 to discuss both families and e-mom will make a decision on her own. The baby is due in 4 weeks.

05.06.2010:

The facilitator advised that the expectant mom will make a decision as to which family she will select, with just general information.

05.05.2010:

After praying about the situation, Yes, we are interested in our information being shared with this expectant mom; 1 other family is also interested in this particular baby.

05.04.2010:

(Not our agency--word of mouth; private facilitator)

private adoption facilitator/ministry: facilitator spoke with us @ one of the babies she received a call about is due in a few weeks; the facilitator is a close friend of a coworker and information was passed onto us to inquire about the expectant baby. Attorney fees only adoption.

04.14.2010:

Attended orientation/information session for our county

01.06.2010:

Received call from SW today about a newborn AA baby boy born this week; Complicated birth history. We were not comfortable with the information. SW informed us we need to update our home study due to child in our home now.

Waiting for a placement........

09.18.2009:

Hand delivered 2 profile books to our agency

9.10.2009:

SW asked us to bring our completed profile (2 copies) into the agency this coming week to be viewed by a potential birth family

9.1.2009:

Waiting....

9.3.2009:

Received official letter from agency that hs is complete and approved.

9.1.2009:

SW emailed to advised the home study document is complete, approved and ready to go out! Finally

8.31.2009:

SW called to ask if we could be shown to some possible upcoming situations

8.27.2009:

SW called to follow up on final draft of profile we are working on

8.18.2009:

SW emailed to see if we still only preferred to be shown for infant girls; advised we have preference for an infant girl but we are open to both genders

8.1.2009:

Working on new profile and pictures to submit; Vacation pictures were recovered; Taking our time...

7.29.2009:

Starting over with profile. It wasn't backed up when computer crashed when we lost vacation pictures

7.20.2009:

SW has everything she needs to complete home study with the new requirements

7.13.2009:

SW needs copy of resume; new requirement

7.8.2009:

Drug Tests returned by lab

7.1.2009:

Drug Tests completed

6.09.2009:

Home study visit completed. Finished

5.15.2009:

SW confirmed date for final home study visit (June 9th)

5.11.2009:

Pulling together pics for profile book

5.07.2009:

Faxed in the remainder of paperwork received

5.06.09:

Received clearance from current county that we reside in for 911 verification report.

4.28.2009

clearance for previous county we lived in for 911 call verification; waiting on the county we live in to send 5 year verification report

4.24.2009:

Submitted inquiry form, and picture to an agency that another AP/friend used last year out of state. Just to give us options.

3.30.2009:

Received phone call from another AP with her agency about twins born early in need of AA family to place. Our last HS visit has not been completed. We were out of state when call was received.

3.2.2009:

6pm Phone conference scheduled to schedule last visit and updates; Business Tax documents faxed.

2.27.2009:

Past tax documents faxed to SW

2.25.2009:

faxed child safety agreement documentation, hipaa release form to have on file,

2.24.2009:

CPA faxed letter to SW for my business to advise they have been my CPA for 7 years

2.23.2009:

Faxed dogs immunizations

2.16.2009:

Our dogs immunizations updated

2.12.2009:

Hubby's HS interview completed with SW

Financials turned in (W2's, letter from hubby's job documenting income, copies of insurance policies, birth certificates, marriage certificates, mortgage docs and other docs handed in)

I need to have CPA fax letter for my business income doc.

1.30.2009:

SW gave us contacts to request 911 call records: We need it for both counties we lived in here

1.30.2009:

SW advised us background clearances came in

1.23.2009:

Daddy went to vital check office to pick up marriage certificate down town Raleigh and mailed original to us

1.21.2009:

Hubby requested 911 call records from local pd-for clearance

1.21.2009:

Hubby's self study finished. He typed all 16 pages himself.

1.21.2009:

SW called to follow up on hubby's schedule for making appointment for individual interview; reviewing final small documents to wrap things up.

1.16.2009:

Received email from Gladney coordinator asking where we were with ET paperwork; need to call to advise we have moved forward with Domestic adoption with another agency. Plan to call and advise we are still interested in ET program, but holding off for now.

1.3.2009:

Received contact information for excellent adoption attorney that was used by close friends; will file papers for us given by agency

1.2.2009:

Finger Prints completed

12.31.2008:

New insurance policies approved by underwriters

12.31.2008:

Finger Print appointment rescheduled this week

12.24.2008:

Finger Print Appointment made and secured for next week.

12.22.2008:

Meeting with SW at agency for Individual Interview part of Home Study

12.18.2008:

Home study

individual

interview date and time confirmed with SW

12.17.08:

Self-Study (16 pages) sent in

12.15.08:

Hubby's physical

12.13.2008:

Copies of physical received from Financial planners office for new insurance policies

12.10.08:

half of references mailed in

12.08.08:

References received letter from agency

12.06.2008:

Agency mailed out reference letters to references

12.05.2008:

Meeting with SW

for Home Study and projection dates

11.21.2008:

Home Study SW

called to Schedule Meeting

11.21.08

Physical for K.

11.10.2008:

Paperwork and check mailed in

10.5.2008: Reviewing application to complete for Domestic Adoption

10.4.2008: Moving forward with Domestic Adoption with local agency

10.3.2008: Adoptive Parent Training Class with local Agency 3rd-4th

9.17.2008: Individual meeting at agency with Intake Coordinator

8.2008: Received phone call from local agency following up from an interest phone call in February 2008. Learning to be still and listen.

7.2008: References received by Gladney

6.2008: Started working on application and getting references together: attended open house by CHSFS held locally.

5.2008: Paid for application and Received application from Gladney for Ethiopian adoption

4.2008: Phone Interview with Debra P. with Gladney

3.2008: Researching Gladney for an International adoption

2.2008: Called two Domestic Adoption Agencies

Creating a Space

12.11.2009:
Custom bedding arrived
09.12.2009:
Brought in my personal fabrics to place order for bedding and other custom items.
07.28.2009:
found two more fabrics for custom things at the store that is making bedding
07.28.2009:
Rocker arrived (finally)
6.28.2009:
Closet completed
6.20.2009:
Closet installed; all woodwork completed
5.25.2009:
Found area rug to order
5.23.2009:
Deciding on new moulding
5.23.2009:
Narrowing down fabrics for the nursery's bathroom
5.12.2009:
Found new lighting for the room
5.12.2009:
Paint color confirmed
5.12.2009:
Purchased fabrics. Need 1 more fabric to complete crib bumper; Fabrics purchased for Window Treatments
5.8.2009:
Looking at different changing tables to accent other pieces
5.8.2009:
Selected most of the fabrics for crib bedding and changed paint color
5.3.2009:
Furniture delivered (Crib, night stand, 6 Drawer Chest)
5.1.2009:
Received phone call from the store about rocker's fabric on backorder and will not ship out until mid July
4.25.2009:
Placed order for Rocker
4.18.2009:
Finalized selection of Rocker and fabric; looked at fabrics to design crib bedding.
4.24.2009:
Paid balance on nursery furniture; arranging delivery
3.26.2009:
Furniture arrived at store's warehouse
(very quick turn around) holding it for 30 days
3.11.2009: Final Measurements for Nursery's closet
3.07.2009: Ordered Nursery Furniture

12.2009: Closet opened up for more space to have custom closet designed