Waiting to Adopt Check-in 10/15

jillianmb

This is a place for anyone in the waiting-to-adopt phase to check in.  Lurkers welcome! Whether you're still checking out different agencies and programs or you're bringing your child home tomorrow, this is for you! 

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? 

2) In what phase of the process are you? 

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

4) How are you feeling this week?

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  Some of us will jump right into school-age parenting while others will have a few years to think about schooling choices.  But what options are you considering?  Public? Private? Religious? Home school? Charter schools?  Will you do pre-school or skip it and just start with kindergarten? What considerations are you taking into account as you make your decision? 

jillianmb

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? International / Russia / 2 yo boy

2) In what phase of the process are you?  Just had our court hearing and are now in the 35 day waiting period before bringing him home!

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate? Yes!!!  We got approval to adopt from the Russian judge on Friday and our gotcha day is scheduled for November 19!

4) How are you feeling this week?Currently exhausted from the trip, but so very, very happy. And a little overwhelmed to think that after all the paperwork is finally done we will be PARENTING! This process is so long you sometimes forget that you will be parenting at the end! ha!

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  There are two charter schools in our city that we would like to try.  The public schools aren't that great so I would like to avoid those.  If we do not get into the charter schools (by lottery) I may homeschool kindergarten and try again the following year.  For us the main factors are education and cost.  Almost everyone at our church uses a private school and DH and I both went to private schools, however it is so crazy expensive that we are not even considering it.  Plus, a lot of the kids who go to that school are spoiled rotten and I don't know that I'd want to spend my child's who educational life "keeping up with the joneses."  I want to expose our kids to people from all walks of life, but I also want to provide a good education for them and charter schools seem to incorporate both of those things.

srmmm09

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? 

IA; Uganda; younger than DS 

2) In what phase of the process are you? 

on the wait list: #18 

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

Sent in 2 grant applications last week. 

4) How are you feeling this week?

Preety good. Hoping to get some positive feedback from a grant sooner or later; we've only had nos so far. It's gonna be really hard work for us to adopt without getting a single grant (as in, we'll have to take odd jobs where we can find them... somehow).

Still, I'm feeling hopeful. 

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  Some of us will jump right into school-age parenting while others will have a few years to think about schooling choices.  But what options are you considering?  Public? Private? Religious? Home school? Charter schools?  Will you do pre-school or skip it and just start with kindergarten? What considerations are you taking into account as you make your decision? 
Wellllll DH was home schooled until high school. Right now the plan is to home school during elementary, but it kind of depends on our children (and my sanity, honestly). I have my teacher certification (though I won't by the time our youngest is school age, that's for sure), so I'd love to find a private school to teach at where our kiddos could go. We'll be moving in a few years to an urban area where the public schools are pretty terrible.

We'll probably start some kind of home-based pre-schooling routine when he gets a little older. 

DaisyZH

jillianmb:

This is a place for anyone in the waiting-to-adopt phase to check in.  Lurkers welcome! Whether you're still checking out different agencies and programs or you're bringing your child home tomorrow, this is for you! 

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? 

 Adoption from foster care, 0-2 or 3

2) In what phase of the process are you? 

Still at the starting line : ) 

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

Yes!  I made my first call to Adopt Us Kids to see if they have any more info than I do on public and private agencies - I haven't heard back so tomorrow I'll be contacting the state. 

4) How are you feeling this week?

Very good, my DH has suddenly reversed his position on waiting and we are getting started! 

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  Some of us will jump right into school-age parenting while others will have a few years to think about schooling choices.  But what options are you considering?  Public? Private? Religious? Home school? Charter schools?  Will you do pre-school or skip it and just start with kindergarten? What considerations are you taking into account as you make your decision? 

Public school definitely, although we are looking into moving before the kids enter elementary because even though the district is good it's fairly wealthy and we are definitely not.  Sadly we've been told by many people that the "trailer park kids" (we live in an awesome mobile home park that is very nice) are bullied so we really don't want to throw them into that.   Also definitely preschool, our church has classes for 2, 3 and 4 year olds.

missred75

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? 

Domestic infant adoption

2) In what phase of the process are you? 

Waiting for a match - almost at 6 months of waiting

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

Our web page views jumped dramatically this past month! I hope that means that we may get a call soon!

4) How are you feeling this week?

Optimistic

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  Some of us will jump right into school-age parenting while others will have a few years to think about schooling choices.  But what options are you considering?  Public? Private? Religious? Home school? Charter schools?  Will you do pre-school or skip it and just start with kindergarten? What considerations are you taking into account as you make your decision? 

We bought our house in a really good school district so that our kids would have a good start. I think we'll probably do a pre-school setup, but haven't really talked it over with DH yet. We've got a few years to go before we need to worry about it.

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? 

Domestic infant adoption

2) In what phase of the process are you? 

Waiting for a match - almost at 6 months of waiting

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

Our web page views jumped dramatically this past month! I hope that means that we may get a call soon!

4) How are you feeling this week?

Optimistic

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  Some of us will jump right into school-age parenting while others will have a few years to think about schooling choices.  But what options are you considering?  Public? Private? Religious? Home school? Charter schools?  Will you do pre-school or skip it and just start with kindergarten? What considerations are you taking into account as you make your decision? 

Mush-Tastic

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? Infant Domestic Adoption

2) In what phase of the process are you?  Will be done with our home study in 3 weeks from today!!!

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate? Hmm...we're not done with it yet, but my hubby and I finally sat down and made significant progress on our adoption profile book. Does that count?

4) How are you feeling this week?Just ready to be done with all the paperwork, reading, house cleaning obsession, and bazillion hours of interviews. So draining.

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  Some of us will jump right into school-age parenting while others will have a few years to think about schooling choices.  But what options are you considering?  Public? Private? Religious? Home school? Charter schools?  Will you do pre-school or skip it and just start with kindergarten? What considerations are you taking into account as you make your decision? Holy smokes! I have barely had a second to think about this, but right now our plan would be public school, but this all depends on where we end up living. We don't plan on staying in our current home once we finalize with our future child, so it will all depend on where we end up. Not even sure on the preschool thing. I didn't do it when I was younger, but it wasn't quite a big deal then as it is now. I say if we can afford it, we'll probably do it.

ellekae

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? 

We are in DIA, but considering a switch to IA (China).

2) In what phase of the process are you? 

I have no idea anymore.

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

Unless being frustrated counts as a milestone, no.

4) How are you feeling this week?

Frustrated. I was really starting to get excited about switching to IA, but I don't know if we'll qualify because our net worth isn't high enough (dang this grad school debt for ruining things).

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  Some of us will jump right into school-age parenting while others will have a few years to think about schooling choices.  But what options are you considering?  Public? Private? Religious? Home school? Charter schools?  Will you do pre-school or skip it and just start with kindergarten? What considerations are you taking into account as you make your decision? 
DH and I both went to small Christian schools, so that's what we'd like for our kids, depending on if we can afford it. If the money isn't there when we need it, then we'll probably go for a charter school. The public school district where we live is horrible. We'll probably do preschool, but just one year.

erinmc1

jillianmb:

This is a place for anyone in the waiting-to-adopt phase to check in.  Lurkers welcome! Whether you're still checking out different agencies and programs or you're bringing your child home tomorrow, this is for you! 

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? 

Domestic infant open adoption. 

2) In what phase of the process are you? 

Waiting...waiting...waiting.  We're creeping up on 11 months. 

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

Nope.  Our agency is actually talking about closing the adoption program to new couples until the existing list dwindles down some.  Things are SLOW. 

4) How are you feeling this week?

Kind of lousy.  I had a hysterectomy 4 weeks ago, and I have to go back to work this week.  I'm not looking forward to it in the slightest. 

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  Some of us will jump right into school-age parenting while others will have a few years to think about schooling choices.  But what options are you considering?  Public? Private? Religious? Home school? Charter schools?  Will you do pre-school or skip it and just start with kindergarten? What considerations are you taking into account as you make your decision? 

Our school district isn't the greatest, so we're definitely thinking charter school.  I'd like to do a split schedule with my MIL and I watching the baby during the day to avoid daycare, but I think preschool a couple days a week is nice for socialization after the baby is a couple years old. 

JellyTwoPointO

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? 

We're doing foster-to-adopt and hoping for a sibling set anywhere from 0-5 years old.

2) In what phase of the process are you? 

Our first 3 hours of classes are done, fingerprinting is done, and we'll be turning in our application with references and the other background checks tomorrow! Once background checks clear, we can register for the rest of our foster and adoption classes.

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

The process you see above was all completed in less than a week ago!

4) How are you feeling this week?

I'm feeling really anxious.  Not saying this for sympathy, but I've had a lot in my life go wrong the past few years, just hopes and dreams or opportunities that didn't pan out for me.  So I'm just suuuuper anxious to know if our home study will be approved or not.  There's no big reason why it shouldn't be, I guess I've just learned to expect bad things to happen.

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  Some of us will jump right into school-age parenting while others will have a few years to think about schooling choices.  But what options are you considering?  Public? Private? Religious? Home school? Charter schools?  Will you do pre-school or skip it and just start with kindergarten? What considerations are you taking into account as you make your decision? 

 I always thought I'd be a SAHM but I don't think our finances will allow for it.  So we'll probably have to do daycare or preschool while we're fostering/the first few years. We'll still work towards me being a SAHM but I can't even visualize a timeline for when that might be financially possible.  I WANTED to home school badly because we have a great co-op and home school network in my area.  If we can't do that then, my next choice is one of the several Montessori schools in our area.  There's one that places an emphasis on natural living and the environment and the kids even get to learn agriculture by helping take care of a little vegetable garden on the school grounds!

raecheleblue1

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? 

Domestic Infant 

2) In what phase of the process are you? 

We are matched with an emom whose due in just under 4 weeks 

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

see #2...  . It's finally starting to sink in this week, so we are cautiously letting ourselves get a little bit excited. 

4) How are you feeling this week?

ok, we leave for the state the baby will be born in in just under 3 weeks.  I'm getting more anxious by the day!! 

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  

We live in a good school district, and there are great private schools nearby if we need that option as well.  We're focusing now on getting into the daycare we want...which at the moment doesn't have a spot open for a newborn until April/May.  Not sure what we will be doing for the interim. 

IRR

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1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? DIA

2) In what phase of the process are you?  EM is due in 8 weeks

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate? no

4) How are you feeling this week? Like an ATM - don't mean to B*tch but no feeling great about the EP.  We have no control and they are out of control.  Our lawyer has told us these are some of the worst EP's she has ever dealt with.

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  Some of us will jump right into school-age parenting while others will have a few years to think about schooling choices.  But what options are you considering?  Public? Private? Religious? Home school? Charter schools?  Will you do pre-school or skip it and just start with kindergarten? What considerations are you taking into account as you make your decision? 
Definitely pre-school and maybe even day care at some point.  Will depend on where we are financially and if I will need to go back to work sooner or later. Public schools in our area are ok through middle school.  I will worry about HS in 10 years.

jmoka7

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages?Foster to adopt, ages 2 months to 9 years old 2) In what phase of the process are you?  I currently have my first placement of two boys (siblings) age 2.5 years old and 13 months. 3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?I finally feel like I'm getting a good understanding of the legal part of fostering. 4) How are you feeling this week?I'm feeling great. I started potting training with J. today (it's gonna be a long week, lol). And I feel like he's having less and less tantrums!  

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  Some of us will jump right into school-age parenting while others will have a few years to think about schooling choices.  But what options are you considering?  Public? Private? Religious? Home school? Charter schools?  Will you do pre-school or skip it and just start with kindergarten? What considerations are you taking into account as you make your decision?  

I'm not sure how long I'll have the boys, but I'd like to get the oldest one in Head Start once he turns 3 in March (if he's still with me). I teach at a public school, but I'd really like to look in to a charter school for any future kiddos. We shall see. I have awhile!  

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jackieo1309

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? 

Domestic Infant Adoption 

2) In what phase of the process are you?  

Officially waiting as of 10/2! 

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

We're finally waiting! And we got saved as a "favorite family" on the agency's website last week, which really means nothing but it was exciting just to know that someone was looking at our profile.

4) How are you feeling this week?

Excited. We made a registry this weekend because my mom's been bugging me to do it and it was so much fun to actually be picking out the things we're going to use.  

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  Some of us will jump right into school-age parenting while others will have a few years to think about schooling choices.  But what options are you considering?  Public? Private? Religious? Home school? Charter schools?  Will you do pre-school or skip it and just start with kindergarten? What considerations are you taking into account as you make your decision?  

DH and I talked a lot about this lately because we're still really deciding where to raise our future kids. We live in NYC now, the same neighborhood where DH grew up. It's a beautiful and mostly safe neighborhood, we love it here for now but really don't know if we want to raise "city kids". DH turned out pretty well but the majority of his friends and classmates didn't. Every time we run into someone he knew from elementary school (Catholic school too), they tell us all about their latest rehab stay. Obviously a lot of it depends on the kid themselves and the parents and not on where they live or the school they go to. My MIL and DH's aunt and cousin all work in NYC public schools and the stories I hear are terrifying. You absolutely wouldn't believe the things that come out of a 9-year-old's mouth- and the middle school has metal detectors for the students because of previous gang violence. The neighborhood we live in has a lot of private schools and Montessori schools but they are obviously very expensive. There are charter schools, which as a whole are better schools here, but there's no guarantee we could get into one. We've planned on me being a SAHM too so homeschooling might be an option. We are definitely torn right now!

Blsd4given

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages?  Foster-to-Adopt, Adoption from Foster Care.  0-6, but we're flexible for a few years older.

2) In what phase of the process are you?  Waiting for open bedrooms.  The agency said they were waiting for our background checks last month... FBI says they sent them in within 24/48hrs of processing.. ::facepalm::

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?  Nope

4) How are you feeling this week? Not very opptimistic at all.  Feels like we will never get to move forward.

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  Some of us will jump right into school-age parenting while others will have a few years to think about schooling choices.  But what options are you considering?  Public? Private? Religious? Home school? Charter schools?  Will you do pre-school or skip it and just start with kindergarten? What considerations are you taking into account as you make your decision? 
I always wanted to put our future children into private school.  But MH likes public school.  The public schools in our area actually aren't too bad.  We'll probably end up at public school.  Preschool around here is mostly Head Start for lower income families.  But if we can find a preschool, we'll definitely be looking to send the children there.  I want our children to have a good start with education and learning.  I think that preschool will add a good time for socializing as well.

jenjen930

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages?  Domestic Infant

2) In what phase of the process are you? 

Working on our home study - waiting on fingerprints.  It's been 3 months now.

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate? Scheduled our 4th of 5 interviews for next week.  As soon as the fingerprints come in we will have our 5th and be done.

4) How are you feeling this week?

Starting to get a bit impatient.  I just really want all of this to be over and to just know we are approved and nothing will stand in our way. 

5) QOTW: Let's talk schooling choices!  Some of us will jump right into school-age parenting while others will have a few years to think about schooling choices.  But what options are you considering?  Public? Private? Religious? Home school? Charter schools?  Will you do pre-school or skip it and just start with kindergarten? What considerations are you taking into account as you make your decision? 
We would like private (I went to private schools all through high school) but probably won't be able to afford it.  I am wanting to look into charter schools, actually, but I just haven't even started this yet.  Otherwise it will just be public.  Definately preschool, as I am coming to terms with the fact that I will have to continue to work, and honestly I think that it is never too soon for a child to learn anyway.  I will just have to find the right program for him/her.