We're completed our CPR, First Aid and CORE classes (we even attended our two, day-long CORE classes *together*, thanks to my wonderful sisters and their amazing husbands!); we've had our home inspection (and we passed with o corrections needed, so at least our house is certified!); and we've had two of three home studies.
Tonight was the particularly painful personal/family history, done individually. I felt like the black sheep of the family, checking more boxes than I wanted to check, and then discussing in detail my personal and family history of emotional, physical and sexual abuse, alcohol/drug abuse, mental illness, et cetera. As our Placement Coordinator Lance puts it, he has to ask us questions he doesn't want to know the answers to...but I got through it with only a few tears.
I can honestly say that I am grateful for everything in my life that has led me to this day, for I would not want to give up a single part of my life as it is today-- and I appreciate that this wild ride I call My Life is the sum of all my experiences, mistakes and unpleasant times included.
We will visit with Lance again early next week, and I think that is when he will talk with the boys without us present. What I would give to be a fly on the wall for that conversation! I can only imagine the things the boys will say, and I am sure that Lance will enjoy their answers. I won't be coaching them on what to say, but when I asked them tonight what they would do if they found a gun (we don't have any guns in our house), Moose said he would "shoot it up in the sky". So we had a talk about gun safety, LOL! (And drugs and private parts while we were at it..
Anyway, after our home study is completed (and we get to come out from behind the looking glass), it may take as long as 3-4 more weeks for the paperwork to be finalized and for us to be certified as a Therapeutic Foster Family. Then we could (hypothetically, and it does happen) get a call the very next day, asking us if we are ready/willing to have a child placed in our home!
We.are.so.ready. Even the boys are dreaming about having a little girl in our home! Hammy had a dream that we had a little girl who was one year old placed with us, and she kept running away from him, and she had 18 dads and 60 moms (then he changed the part about the 18 dads to 2o dads when telling Mike his dream). Hopefully, our daughter-to-be will not have had that many placements-- but if so, all the more reason for us to give her a "forever family"!
Alas, that's all I have for now as it's 2:35 a.m. and I am utterly exhausted.
