hoops (round 1)

we get to jump through lots of hoops in this process.  while my initial reaction to the list of required paperwork was indignation (biological parents never have to do any of this!), I’ve made peace with the fact that this is all in place to protect the children involved and, in some cases, to get to know us better so that a better match can be made.  We’ve already signed lots of agreements, requests for background checks, and two, multiple-page agency applications (all pretty easy).  today we also both went to get fingerprinted at the police station, made photocopies of our birth certificates and marriage license, and requested signed forms from our insurance agencies to prove that we were covered for both auto and homeowner’s insurance.

We still need to get letters of reference from our employers (oh, we’ve also already requested a few personal references from non-relatives), proof of health insurance, a summary of our financial situation, a printout of our most recent 1040, and visit a doctor and get physicals and some bloodwork tests done.

Not to mention the 16 hours of adoption and parenting classes we each have to take.  And the 5-8 page autobiography we each have to write.  And we have to write up (and post somewhere in the house!) a fire escape plan for our home.

I love that our homestudy agent gave us a neat little checklist of all of this stuff.  I do love me some lists.  Especially the ones that have things that I can mark DONE!