Home Study

It's over! Yesterday was the big day...our Home Study. We spent Thursday night and Friday morning making sure that everything was in compliance with CPS standards. That included locking up everything from diaper rash cream to mousse for my hair to prescription drugs. On Friday I cleaned house, did laundry, and made dinner. I wanted to have dinner made ahead of time so we could just reheat and feed the kids during the home study.

Kristin arrived at 2:30 pm on the dot. She started with the home inspection (even after our attempts to comply there were still a few things we have to change and send her pictures to prove the change. Did you know even toy bows and arrows have to be locked up?!?) After the home inspection she spent time interviewing us as a family, individually (Mike, Brody, & me...she attempted to interview Barrett...but he wasn't up to talking with a stranger), and as a couple. We didn't realize that she would need to talk to us without the kids present. Since Barrett has been running a fever, he hasn't wanted us to put him down and we knew there was no way he'd let us lock him out of the room for us to talk with Kristin alone! So...we called in reinforcements. Namaw to the rescue! I lured her to our house with the promise of homemade meatballs, cream corn, mashed potatoes, rolls, brownies, and ice cream! I think just coming to play with the kids would've been enough...but I threw in the food too ;) lol

{As Mike and I were playing with Barrett in the media room during Brody's one-on-one interview, I walked down the hall to get a toy and overheard one of the questions she asked him. "What are some of the rules in your house?" He answered, "Don't touch the safe without Daddy or Mommy." "Are there any other rules?" "They tell me not to pee in the closet." lol!!!! True statement, but sounds very strange out of context! One day I was picking up some of Brody's toys and noticed that his closet floor was wet. When I smelled of it, it smelled like urine! I asked him if he peed in his closet and he said, "Yes. I didn't want to go to the bathroom so I just went in my closet." Let's just say that Mike and I weren't very happy about that! He had almost all the quarters taken off of his reward chart and had to start over working towards his new arrows. I never thought we'd have to make a rule "Don't pee in the closet"...but no one every said that parenting is logical! I wonder what Mrs. Kristin thought when he told her that rule? I wish we could've heard the other questions and his responses!}

Namaw arrived when it was my turn for the one-on-one interview. She fed the kids and then took them on a walk while Mike and I talked with Kristin. She said they went to their new house and played with some of the neighborhood kids. She was giving them a bath when we finished our interview.

A little over 5 hours after she arrived, Kristin announced that our home study was complete. We turned in background checks for our immediate extended family, our profile books, and a nice check. She said in the next 30 days she'll let us know that our home study has been read and then we'll be verified. At that point we'll owe Covenant Kids another hefty check...and then we'll be to the waiting stage!

We had a sigh of relief when Kristin left our house...and then we finally sat down to eat dinner. There wasn't a whole lot of talking. Even though I like to talk...talking for almost 5 hours straight (and not just "how's the weather" type conversation) wears a person out! We were in bed before 10 pm.

Thanks for all the prayers that you've offered on our behalf! Please keep praying with us for the birth family and baby that God will place in our lives.