Weekly Check-In - January 6th!

hey_its_jenn · January 2014

Good Morning and Happy Monday!
Let's start this week off on a good note, shall we?

I just wanted to say Happy New Year to everyone and welcome to all the newbies! I am using the same format/questions that @aligross did so hopefully that's okay!

1.) What process are you/have you been involved with in the fostering/adopting world?

2.) Who are you in the triad?

3.) How are things going lately? Any YAYs or UGHs happening? Let's hear them!

4) What's the most recent accomplishment for you/your family?

5.) Did you make any New Year's resolutions? If not, what was your favorite gift you gave or received this holiday season.

Have a great week, everyone!

irismorning · January 2014

1. I am considering jumping back in there. I am not sure what route I will take, but am considering all of my options.

2. PAP and current adoptive parent

3. I am working on getting my home study updated. I am not sure when I want to "begin" again, but I know that it is more cost effective to re-new the Home Study instead of beginning from the beginning so I want to work on that ASAP while I am still in the window.

4. I only have 1 more class in my PhD schooling. Then on to comprehensive finals and dissertation!

5. My boys and I make New Year's Goals, not resolutions. I feel as though goals can be achieved and checked off, while resolutions are often broken We print them out on Jan 1st and hang them on our walls in our bedroom. The boys and I love checking things off. We set multiple small goals and one or two big ones. A few of mine are to lose 30 lbs, update my home study, pass comps, read a specific book for school, add months 5 and 6 to my emergency fund etc. (the equivalent of 2 months worth of bills)

hey_its_jenn · January 2014

1.) DIA

2.) PAP

3.) We finished up the questionnaire and hopefully meeting with our SW on Wednesday for the home check portion, as long as the weather cooperates. She said if there is no school for her kids, we'll have to reschedule which I completely understand but I'm mentally prepared (and cleaned and scrubbed!) for Wednesday!

4) Finishing the 100+ questions for our 'autobiography'.

5.) We didn't make any resolutions, mainly because I always break them but we are working on getting more of our savings account built up. We are going to try to put all of my paychecks directly into savings and live off what my DH makes only, which will be tough, but will prepare us for when I do become a SAHM. The best gift we received were 2 tickets to the Penguins Hockey game yesterday - awesome time and fantastic seats - right on the glass!

fajita814 · January 2014

1.) Foster to adopt

2.) PAP

3.) We were contacted about a sibling group on December 23rd and said yes. Made tentative arrangements to transition the children over Christmas break (they are in a foster home that does not want to keep them now that their goal has been changed to adoption instead of return home). Caseworker is extremely slow to respond because this is a "transition" and not an emergency placement, so not high on her priority list. We still have not met the children even. Extremely frustrating.

4) Our home remodel is 100% done. I finally feel like I can relax and am ready for whatever comes our way!

5.) No resolutions. Favorite gift was a starfish necklace that says "It matters to this one". I try to keep in mind that small actions have a large impact on a daily basis in my classroom & everyday life. It is perfect.

sumati · January 2014

1.) What process are you/have you been involved with in the fostering/adopting world? DIA

2.) Who are you in the triad? PAP

3.) How are things going lately? Any YAYs or UGHs happening? Let's hear them! UGH! Freaking out that our agency doesn't like us after meeting with them about religion. They've denied couples that are Catholic in the past.. Hubs is Catholic. BUT They've changed their policy and we have Catholic friends that are signed with the agency.. so I think it is all in my head.. but still freaking out until they give us info about starting the home study process.. They said they'd get in touch with us about that later this month.. so we are taking that as a positive since they didn't tell us that we are denied. ugh...

4) What's the most recent accomplishment for you/your family? We finished a few around the house projects, like building shelves, painting the room that will be the nursery one day, and finishing up some artwork for the house.

5.) Did you make any New Year's resolutions? If not, what was your favorite gift you gave or received this holiday season. New Year's resolution is to do my 2012 resolutions that I didnt do! LOL

emca · January 2014

1.) What process are you/have you been involved with in the fostering/adopting world? DIA 2.) Who are you in the triad? PAP 3.) How are things going lately? Any YAYs or UGHs happening? Let's hear them! Ugh: we were matched and unmatched in a less than 24 hour period due to the agency changing their status from non-profit to for-profit. It was disappointing and I am so sad for the EM who made her decision and then had to choose another family. The whole situation seemed perfect, but I'm trying not to dwell on it. YAY: We made a baby registry, which is a very big step for me! 4) What's the most recent accomplishment for you/your family? We got our house all de-Christmased (totally not a word, but it works, right). We are planning out the future nursery (painting/furniture). 5.) Did you make any New Year's resolutions? If not, what was your favorite gift you gave or received this holiday season. My resolution is to continue to get fit and eat as healthy as I can. I did a nutrition program at my gym and I can see so many changes in my body! I just want to keep it going. Maybe I'll sign up to do a mud run or something.

pleasebeonsale · January 2014

1.) What process are you/have you been involved with in the fostering/adopting world?

DIA

2.) Who are you in the triad?

PAP

3.) How are things going lately? Any YAYs or UGHs happening? Let's hear them!

We are approved, finished with all that, and our profile should be up soon. Woo!

4) What's the most recent accomplishment for you/your family?

I organized the spices finally. That cupboard in the kitchen was getting to be a war zone.

5.) Did you make any New Year's resolutions? If not, what was your favorite gift you gave or received this holiday season.

I want to be more regular with meal planning.

maryoosa · January 2014

1.) What process are you/have you been involved with in the fostering/adopting world?
Domestic Infant Adoption

2.) Who are you in the triad? Adoptive Mom

3.) How are things going lately? Any YAYs or UGHs happening? Let's hear them! Status Quo. WE have our son- placed on 7/29/13. Totally annoyed that progress toward finalization is painfully slow and that we feel like our agency has no answers and our lawyer has no answers. Everyone is waiting for a piece of paper from agency legal counsel that the lawyer cannot seem to get to them.
YAY: first Xmas was magical. Just had a good visit with our sons birth parent.

4) What's the most recent accomplishment for you/your family? Nothing major.

5.) Did you make any New Year's resolutions? If not, what was your favorite gift you gave or received this holiday season. No resolutions. Favorite gift I gave were ornaments with baby handprints turned into snowmen.

sumati · January 2014

Pinkie78 said:

Sumati I am surprised your agency would have an issue with religion. Are they tightly associated with another religion?

It's a local branch of a larger national Christian adoption agency.. The lady over our branch is Presbyterian and, for whatever reason, they thought Catholics were not Christian in 2005 and prior to that. It is seriously crazy pants. The national office made them change their policy regarding Catholics in 2005. We wish we saw the article about that before choosing to go with this agency.. It would have greatly impacted our decision. We are going to stay with them and see how it goes, but we are looking back at our list of other agencies we looked at and might sign on with a second agency if things don't start looking better.

It was only my local branch that had this discrimination against Catholics.. as far as I can tell.. Not the entire organization as a whole..

MileHighMaam · January 2014

1.) What process are you/have you been involved with in the fostering/adopting world?

Foster to adopt.

2.) Who are you in the triad?

PAP

3.) How are things going lately? Any YAYs or UGHs happening? Let's hear them!

Submitted first round of paperwork and have signed up for first aid and CPR course. We need to wait until March or April to start our training classes. There is are classes starting next week but due to my travel schedule for work we can't attend and have to wait until the next round.

4) What's the most recent accomplishment for you/your family?

Bought a house in November.

5.) Did you make any New Year's resolutions? If not, what was your favorite gift you gave or received this holiday season.

I don't make resolutions but rather goals. We want to eat healthier, cook more, and get back in shape.

Favorite gift I gave was a Cubs Experience at Fenway park for H. Sadly we have to wait until June for this.

sgb721 · January 2014

1.) What process are you/have you been involved with? Domestic Infant Adoption (DIA)

2.) Who are you in the triad? Potential (or pre) Adoptive Parent (PAP)

3.) How are things going lately? Any YAYs or UGHs happening? YAY- I feel like communication has increased from the agency. Sometimes I wish they wouldn't give so much information and raise hopes, but its better then the total lack of communication I felt before. UGH- Waiting is hard. Some days are easier then others.

4) What's the most recent accomplishment for you/your family? We haven't accomplished it yet but we will be renewing our home study this weekend.

5.) Did you make any New Year's resolutions? If not, what was your favorite gift you gave or received this holiday season. I didn't make any resolutions this year. My favorite gift was the 4ft stuffed giraffe hubby gave me for the nursery- he's nuts!

m5858 · January 2014

1.) What process are you/have you been involved with in the fostering/adopting world? DIA

2.) Who are you in the triad? PAP

3.) How are things going lately? Any YAYs or UGHs happening? Let's hear them! We have officially decided to start the adoption process! We met with an agency on Jan. 3 and have started filling out all the paperwork for a home study. The one piece that just feels overwhelming is the biographical information because it needs to be written in narrative form. There's two pages full of in depth questions. Also, I've been slowly working on our profile that I need to submit to the agency. Yesterday, I pulled out all of the furniture that's in our sewing room because tonight we are painting the baby's room!

4) What's the most recent accomplishment for you/your family? We sat down and got all of our finances in check and figured out how we're going to afford a DIA. It's a daunting process but we're ready to take the leap.

5.) Did you make any New Year's resolutions? If not, what was your favorite gift you gave or received this holiday season. My DH gave me the gift of time together. We went on a nice day date to a DaVinci exhibit (we're epic nerds) and lunch. This meant the world to me because during the semester (he's finishing up his BA and working FT) he's gone 100+ hours a week.

bumpuser794640 · January 2014

1) we are pursuing domestic infant adoption
2) prospective adoptive mama
3) Yay - we have had a lot of activity at our agency in the last month, and an emom wants to meet us! Ugh - our meeting with said emom was supposed to be tonight but has been rescheduled for tomorrow
4) see #3
5) I haven't made any resolutions yet. My favorite holiday experience was spending time with my mom and sis this past week!

MrsMuenich · January 2014

1.) BM to M who will be 8 in a couple of weeks! Whoa. Also IA PAM

2.) Oops, see #1

3.) Yay: Well, we told people we are pregnant (my ovaries decided we needed a baby and ovulated 6 days early) and still in the process of adopting, and so far no one has been negative to my face, so that's good. I have been very nervous because we've done a lot of fundraising activities for our adoption, and our whole community is excited and on board. I guess I am afraid people will think we aren't serious anymore, even though our bio baby and our adopted kiddo are two completely different children. ANYWAY, it's a yay so far, though I still get nervous anytime I really think about it.

Ugh: Every piece of news we get about the DRC is worse and worse. We really are at a loss as to what to do. Time for lots of prayer and what feels like more bumbling.

4) DS got the flu and we didn't! Which is amazing, bc he slept with us for two nights and regularly spits in our faces (not like a gob but like... i don't know a frustrated toddler) when he gets upset. But we're almost out of it and thank heaven.

5.) I never make resolutions because I don't have an intention to keep then anyway. All my gifts this year were practical, so I'll say a surprise baby. What a gift!

MrsMuenich · January 2014

pleasebeonsale said:

I organized the spices finally. That cupboard in the kitchen was getting to be a war zone.

Oh man that's EXACTLY what mine looks like! I need to will myself to do something about it, but whenever DH gets in a "cleaning mood" everything gets all messed up anyway.

pleasebeonsale · January 2014

MrsMuenich said:

pleasebeonsale said:

I organized the spices finally. That cupboard in the kitchen was getting to be a war zone.

Oh man that's EXACTLY what mine looks like! I need to will myself to do something about it, but whenever DH gets in a "cleaning mood" everything gets all messed up anyway.

Get one of these. Best thing ever! I also got two little turntables for the shelf below it. I can finally get to everything in the cupboard.

https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=youcopia+spice&category=0%7CAll%7Cmatchallpartial%7Call+categories&lnk=snav_sbox_youcopia+spice

IdigDirt · January 2014

1.) What process are you/have you been involved with in the fostering/adopting world?
Foster/adopt

2.) Who are you in the triad?
Hopeful foster/adoptive mom

3.) How are things going lately? Any YAYs or UGHs happening? Let's hear them!
I feel like I only have UGHs with the process. DCPP has all our stuff, has for weeks but they are just sitting on it. Someone is always on vacation or says they will get to it soon. DH and I have been feeling so frustrated that we wanted to do something that we thought was a good thing to help children but they don't seem to want our help. We only want 2 children and don't want them more than 5 years apart so I am worried that this may not be the best route for us. I have been feeling really depressed about the whole process lately even though it hasn't really been that long. I'm just moody about other stuff going on and I guess it's creeping into this.
YAYs- I start school soon for my PhD.

4) What's the most recent accomplishment for you/your family?
Finishing my application and research proposal for school.

5.) Did you make any New Year's resolutions? If not, what was your favorite gift you gave or received this holiday season.
I don't really have any resolutions other than to try to get out of this funk but my favorite gift I received was a steam mop and favorite gifts gave were canvas pictures I made of our family.

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