Where we are ...

In part to clarify some questions we've had lately and in part to help us look back and remember all of this one day, here are some of the nuts and bolts of where we are on our adoption journey:

We are currently still in the home study process. This is the only step where we have control of the timing. It's something that can be done in a matter of weeks or a matter of months. For us, we're counting by months. We are content in our timing, however. It's hard to explain how we are truly excited and passionate about this adoption even though we feel no sense of urgency at the moment. We are finishing our pile of paperwork now, although we still have doctor's appointments to attend, online training to complete, and a few more documents to gather. We are also now entering the stage where we have to get funds together.

One major component of our home study is the actual visit to our home. We have scheduled this visit by our adoption social worker for next Saturday (the 23rd) morning. We know a bit about what to expect ... she is primarily checking out the safety of our home and will speak with our girls on a level they can relate to about their take on all of this. I know where their hearts are, but I can't wait to hear what they have to say!

This means that we are working on getting things ready. While she will not be inspecting our home with white gloves, let's just say that our house needs some organizational help after the lack of attention it has received in the past 3 years or so. They are the 3 cutest little distractions, but distractions nonetheless. We worked in the yard last weekend, and I'm pretty sure all of our neighbors were in shock! We've got a great house, though, and it feels good to get it in the shape it needs to be in regardless of the reason. We do have a nice motivation, though!

Finally, we've had some questions about our "boys." Our long-term goal as a family is to add 2 boys to our bunch. We have no idea right now of whether we will bring home 2 siblings from Ethiopia or whether we will bring home one now and another a few years from now (after going through this process again.) The wait for siblings is typically longer than the wait for an infant. There are many other factors to consider, and we have talked and prayed about how to word our paperwork. At this time, we are leaning towards putting 1 infant or 2 young siblings on our form and seeing who they match us with first. This is an awkward place to be ... we know God has the plan in place. He knows already how our family will come together, and here we are worried about messing that up because of choosing the wrong wording!

You want to know a secret? I'm praying for twin boys! Wouldn't that be awesome?!