If I were to liken my journey to adoption thus far to a hike, I would say... it is as though you are taking a hike with a map a friend lent you. But, when you arrived at the trail head you found that the map was five years old. The trail is still there, but overgrown in many spots. There are a lot of twists, a few detours, and occasionally you feel a rock stuck in your shoe. Try as you might, it takes you awhile to locate that rock and remove it. You may start to wonder if the hike is really five miles, as your map told you it would be, or twenty-five miles, or more. At some point on your hike, the ranger changed the course of the trail so that it went through a giant thicket. Now you’ve completely veered off the map you were provided. In fact, when you get to the supposed trail’s end, you find a sign that directs you to continue another several miles until you reach any sign of civilization. Every now and then you pass by a note left by some random traveler that has already past... telling you which way to turn, which holes to avoid, where to find water, and providing comfort in the idea that someone else made it to the end. Sometimes, (most of the time,) you just might wish that you weren’t on the trail at all.
Such was last week for me... and I think Andy would concur. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Andy and I are nearly done with the homestudy process, and have now turned to obtaining our foster license. “No big deal!” That’s what went through my head as I looked up the licensing requirements and spoke to my adoption agency, (WACAP... which is really a great agency.) Here’s what you have to do to become licensed in Washington:
- Pass a homestudy review (already done)
- Take a CPR/First Aid/Bloodborn Pathogen class (taking next month)
- Complete a whole bunch of paperwork (we’re becoming pros at this)
- Pass a background check (this process was changed by law in July and now takes a minimum of six weeks... even though we already passed background checks in February we have to do it again thanks to the law.)
- Take a TB test (back to the doctor we go)
- Get references (no prob)
- Complete pre-service training - called PRIDE (book pictured above.)
It doesn’t look like a horrible list, but when you start to go through everything, it just reminds you how much you have already done... and it makes you a little testy.
We started our PRIDE training last week and will conclude it this week. 32 hours in a small room learning about these poor children and how to best care for them. It is very difficult for me to sit there... but I know that I have to do it so that I can check off one more thing on my list.
Andy and I are aiming to be fully licensed and homestudied by the end of October, (granted the FBI checks comply.) When it is done I am personally throwing myself a party. This process has been long and difficult, especially after so many years of fertility concerns. I do not mean to complain, not really, because I know that it will have been worthwhile in the end. We have met some very nice, knowledgeable and compassionate people on our journey. Really the agencies that we are working with are very good and have gone out of their way to help us. But, as I was sitting in that room last week... knowing that our child is probably out there and unknowingly waiting for us to finish our requirements... I couldn’t help but get a little frustrated. I know that it will all be worth it!
Boone has been a huge help to my morale for the last two months. He had a good week last week, and is turning into a great dog. He plays fetch well and will drop the ball in my hand now. He is also walking well on a leash... we’ve been going for at least a mile a day... and is doing well socially with other dogs. He had a growth spurt last week and seems to be higher off the ground now! I have updated the pictures in his album, check them out... he’s very cute!
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