16 days until our home visit!

I am very pleased to announce . . . that . . . the portfolios are Officially Done!!  Signed, sealed, and ready to be delivered in just over two weeks.  I'm going to allow myself to only look at them once a day -- otherwise I'm afraid I might drive myself crazier crazy finding things to tweak.  I did make one last minute change that I hope I don't regret: after looking through them again on Saturday night, I decided to do a "fun" little chart in the front, listing our favorite colors and numbers and heights and all that.  I don't know why it sounded like a good idea, but it did.  So I cobbled something together, stuck it in there, and called it a night.  Then, the next morning, I ended up ripping it out so I could re-print it on nicer paper that better fits in with the rest of the book.  I guess I thought it sounded like a good idea because it seemed that it might be important to mention some of the smaller details that make us who we are, know what I mean?  I seriously doubt that a birthmom will make her decision based on the fact that my favorite color is green but DH's is yellow, or that he's a Vikings fan and DS is a Packers fan, but it also shows that, despite the somewhat serious tone of the rest of the book, we are "real" people, too.  I don't know.  I have 16 more days to mull this one over, I guess.

So now, on a nice little pile on the corner of my desk, I have the two portfolios and 10 resume' letters.  I don't feel like they should be put out of sight yet.  I'm contemplating bringing them to church and asking my friends to help me pray over them -- not so much for us, but for the women whose hands will (hopefully!) be touching them soon.  For everyone from the adoption agency workers to the potential birthmothers and everyone involved in this process.  This is so much bigger than we can even imagine.  It overwhelms me just thinking about it!

I am also able to cross a few things off my "to-do" list this morning afternoon!  DH called the septic company last week and made arrangements for the nice guy to come out this morning and get a water sample (as required by state foster licensing code).  He didn't get a time, just "Monday" and said that the guy said he'd call first.  Well . . . good thing I was awake enough this morning before I actually got out of bed, so that when the big ol' tanker truck pulled into the driveway, I heard it in time to scramble into some clothes and run downstairs!  He got his sample and was on his merry way.  I noticed that the septic guy never offers to shake hands . . . hmmmmm . . . but, I digress.  He said the sample will be overnighted this afternoon, and we should get a letter with the results sometime after that.  He didn't really know how long it would take, but said we should definitely have the results in time for our home visit.  So, our part for this is mostly done; the rest is In Progress!

We got a message from an officer at the police department last week about coming in to get our fingerprints done.  I tried calling back this morning, and thus the next game of Phone Tag has begun.  Le sigh.

If you don't know me very well, one thing you should know is that I really, really, really, really do NOT like using the telephone.  I don't know why, I just don't.  I prefer to do business either in person, or via e-mail/text.  Maybe because I'm a better writer than a speaker?  Whatever.  I don't like using the phone and never have.  So most of the time, any household business that involves making phone calls goes to DH's "to-do" list.  Yeah, well . . . every now and then I have to buckle down and force myself to use that horrid machine, and this morning was one of those times.  And whaddya know, I lived to tell about it!  ;)  So, in about an hour, Magnum has an appointment at the vet for a check-up and shots.  And Luger has an appointment on Thursday for a check-up, shots, and . . . . [insert ominous-sounding theme music here] . . . to be neutered!!  Being neutered isn't a state requirement, but we're never going to breed him so it's as good of a time as any to just get it done.

One of the couples we went through our classes with has their home visit today!  J and T, we're keeping you in our thoughts and prayers and are so excited for you . . . you're almost to The Waiting Period!  Sometimes 16 days seems so very far away, and sometimes it seems like it will be here the next time I blink.  I'm not sure which I prefer at this point.  :)

Well, I suppose I should gather the mutt and get him ready for his big excursion to the v-e-t.  And then come back home and not look at the portfolios anymore, heh heh heh.  Thanks again for being part of this journey with us.

Until next time . . .