A Running Morning

Today, Ray and I had to go for our physicals. Oh joy!! I had lots of stops to make as well. You know, when I write what I do, you only see the organized side of it. For real though, I might get a call with one of our reference's address or postal code and I have to pull out the file for that one thing. Then later there might be a signature needed from Ray when he comes home from work. There are always things to file in the correct spot. So it is never as neat and tidy as it appears on this blog!

This morning I made a call at 8:30 to Ray's business associate, arranging to pick up his letter of proof of employment. His wife laughed and said that she and her husband were expecting my call one minute after 8:00 am - I suppose they figured that would the earliest civilized time I could call! *laugh* Actually, I forgot I was supposed to call. So a time was arranged for that morning when I would meet his wife in town for the pick up of the copies of the letters.

I left with three little boys and headed town. I went to the library and met this friend and picked up the letters. I then headed to the Ministry of Families and Children. Ray and I had to get a 'Prior Check' done. This is where they search to see if there are any problems with relation to you and children. *Another* one of those tests, cause we had another one done through the police already.

We got there (and Ray arrived in his work truck) and found that there was a social worker for us to meet. We actually didn't even need to meet her yet. It was 'interesting' cause we had been praying for a good (or Christian) social worker. We prayed that even if one had to move to town, whatever it took! Being we are a small town, we may not have a big choice!! As it turned out, when she came out and introduced herself to us, we learned it was her first day on the job, because she had just moved offices from another town about an hour from us! Interrresssting!!

She had never done international adoptions before (or at least she said she was used to doing ministry adoptions), so she seemed a little lost when I asked her timing questions. Basically the only thing I wanted to know was, "How fast can you get us through the homestudy process?" *laugh* She was very accommodating and seemed that she would work as quickly as we could. She figured, "It's August now. About 2-3 months." Well, that would be great!!

The funny thing is she won't be 'officially' assigned to us until after the August 22-24 seminar! But we have already met her. *laugh*

We left the prior checks for her to do and left the office. I headed to the photocopiers to copy our criminal check for the second agency, and Ray went to the doctor's office for his physical. I met him a few minutes later. I went in first and was *oh, so relieved* when I found out that I didn't have to do the 'icky' test!! The doctor was wonderful and ran through a bunch of tests and gave me a form for the lab tests. She was so reassuring! Then Ray had the joy of going in for his checkups.

While Ray was waiting for his appointment I headed over to the lab for needles. It turned out to be one needle and three vials of blood. They test for HIV, Syphalis, and Hepatitis B and C. After this I went to the Health Unit to enquire about how to go about having a TB test done. Turned out we will have to wait til August 10 for that and then the results will be read (on my arm!) on August 13.

I then left two kids with Ray while I went back to the doctor's office for another harmless test. Back to Ray and picked up the kids and then off to the bank to get confirmation about how much money we have in our savings account. *smile* Aren't I *glad* we finally have a savings account? Or they would wonder how we planned to adopt. I couldn't very well tell them "faith, alone!" LOL! But that is how we plan to do it and we are doing very well, thank you! I mean, where do you think the savings account came from??? Ray has had a fabulous work year!

Ray went back to work and I continued getting groceries and then went by a friend's work to pick up her reference letter, and then by the post office to pick up our tax information.

When I got home, after feeding the kids and picking up one from Sports Camp, I began the paper work. I seem to be getting to the end of the Ethiopia dossier and the Hope application is DONE!! YEAH!

I filed the reference letters in the right dossiers (two of them), finished filling in missing information in the application form, added the financial information to the application envelope, added the letters of reference and the tax information to the Ethiopia dossier, and on and on.

Tomorrow I go and photocopy the entire smaller dossier (for Hope Services) and then pop that in the mail. That will be exciting cause that is what tells if we qualify on the provincial side of the adoption.