I put in my notice this Monday. My last day will be August 15th (unless my Boss fills my position before then, it looks like he might - but I hope not). Also as of this Monday, Greg is looking for a job. Go-getter that he is, he contacted his old part-time job at the valet company and will be doing that in the evenings the first week of August. Until then he is searching for his next career. I think this is actually a blessing in many ways. First of all, it's no secret that I hated the sales job. He was gone every evening, every Saturday and stressed all the time. Plus he will have time to finish up some of the stuff around our house we need done before the homestudy. I would never have dreamed it would take us this long to get licensed.
Good news and updates: Greg did his physical! YES! And we are on page 17 of 23 of his application. Now I just have to gather the new items CPS is requesting and we're done.
VBS starts Sunday. I am teaching and looking forward to it.
It's also worth noting that our dear friends Royce and Dawn welcomed their third child into the world on Monday, Kenzie Michelle. We are taking them dinner tonight so I'll try to get pictures. She is completely beautiful of course.
Happy Friday!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
New Stuff Needed, and More Drama
CPS is now requiring four additional items in the application process:
Documentation of Education
Documentation of Verifiable Income
Photograph of all sides of your home
Last 10yrs of residence
Interesting. Of course I wrote our agency back asking exactly what forms or copies she wanted for "documentation of education".... and does a pay stub equal verifiable income? Just make a list of our residences in the last 10 years?
I'm sure I'm making things more complicated than they really are. But geesh, photographs of ALL sides of our house? Just curious, WHY? Do they need just one set of photographs?
But we'll do it.
As far as drama, Greg is looking for a new job. And I am giving notice here this Friday. So we may both be unemployed soon and ineligible for foster care anyway!
Of course this is all in God's hands. We are willing to do whatever He wants, and know He will provide.
Oh, and the good news is that Greg's application has been located. Whew! So we will finish that up and he will go to the Dr. under threat of bodily harm from me!!
On a lighter note, we got to keep our great-niece this weekend. She was a hoot. I can see why people don't want to take on sibling groups, one is definitely easier. I think that 2 is definitely a max for us until I'm done student teaching. One was hard enough... she snuck into the office, found a permanent marker I'd left on the desk ( I know, DUH!), and marked her face. Luckily I caught her just in time and managed to SCRUB it off. Her next escapade included "brushing" her hair with my round brush and getting it stuck. I know this sounds terrible but I did get pictures of her with the hairbrush. She is looking at me like, "Aunt Brandi, WHAT are you DOING?".
Good times.
When she left the house was really quiet. Whenever the Lord wants to send those kids, I think we're ready :)
Documentation of Education
Documentation of Verifiable Income
Photograph of all sides of your home
Last 10yrs of residence
Interesting. Of course I wrote our agency back asking exactly what forms or copies she wanted for "documentation of education".... and does a pay stub equal verifiable income? Just make a list of our residences in the last 10 years?
I'm sure I'm making things more complicated than they really are. But geesh, photographs of ALL sides of our house? Just curious, WHY? Do they need just one set of photographs?
But we'll do it.
As far as drama, Greg is looking for a new job. And I am giving notice here this Friday. So we may both be unemployed soon and ineligible for foster care anyway!
Of course this is all in God's hands. We are willing to do whatever He wants, and know He will provide.
Oh, and the good news is that Greg's application has been located. Whew! So we will finish that up and he will go to the Dr. under threat of bodily harm from me!!
On a lighter note, we got to keep our great-niece this weekend. She was a hoot. I can see why people don't want to take on sibling groups, one is definitely easier. I think that 2 is definitely a max for us until I'm done student teaching. One was hard enough... she snuck into the office, found a permanent marker I'd left on the desk ( I know, DUH!), and marked her face. Luckily I caught her just in time and managed to SCRUB it off. Her next escapade included "brushing" her hair with my round brush and getting it stuck. I know this sounds terrible but I did get pictures of her with the hairbrush. She is looking at me like, "Aunt Brandi, WHAT are you DOING?".
Good times.
When she left the house was really quiet. Whenever the Lord wants to send those kids, I think we're ready :)
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Rio Bend
Focus on the Family aired a two day conversation with (former) Congressman Tom Delay and his wife. They are huge advocates for foster care kids and have raised money to build a foster care "community". It is an amazing layout that focuses on neglected and abused kids in foster care.
The houses are about 4600 sq. ft. and have about 7-8 rooms. Each room is large and holds 2 children. Each child has their own bed, dresser, and each room has it's own bathroom. The community also has it's own chapel, swimming pool, workout center and more.
The community is located in Richmond, TX, about 4 hours from the DFW community and is called Rio Bend. You can check out their website here.
The Delay's have been foster parents to three foster children. Mrs. Delay has also worked as a CASA volunteer in the past.
The houses are about 4600 sq. ft. and have about 7-8 rooms. Each room is large and holds 2 children. Each child has their own bed, dresser, and each room has it's own bathroom. The community also has it's own chapel, swimming pool, workout center and more.
The community is located in Richmond, TX, about 4 hours from the DFW community and is called Rio Bend. You can check out their website here.
The Delay's have been foster parents to three foster children. Mrs. Delay has also worked as a CASA volunteer in the past.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Same 'Ole Same Here
Nothing new to report on the adoption front. We are still waiting on Greg's physical and application. The really bad news is I had Greg 1/2 way through his application and now I can't find it. Anywhere. Looks like we might be starting over - not good!
In the meanwhile, we set up the bunk beds, managed to break the zipper on the futon mattress and my fabulous mother-in-law repaired it. Seeing those beds in the office is so eerie. It makes me believe that we may actually have kids in there one day! My next move is to clean out my closet, move Greg and I into one dresser (pray for us, please! hehe!) and move our office furniture into our bedroom.
I think we have narrowed our age range from newborn to 12. Actually we said 6 months to 12 years.... but if a new baby comes, so be it :) With those age limitations we are open to any race or gender. We are going to limit ourselves to sibling groups of two. I would love to do more, but I don't want to push things with student teaching and school. In a perfect world we would get one older child and their toddler sibling. While we are definitely burdened for older kids, we would love to have at least one "baby" (2 or younger).
I am also preparing to give notice at work NEXT FRIDAY. I am a nervous wreck. I've had a job since I was 14.... and I really don't like being broke. It's funny because the A/C on my car is going out ($300?) and Greg needs some kind of valves on his truck ($1000?). I told him either God is helping us out BEFORE I'm unemployed or Satan really doesn't want me in the classroom and is trying to scare us - Or maybe I am giving my teaching skills too much credit there :)
Last but not least, Greg is considering a job change. This is scary mostly because of health insurance... neither of us will have any for awhile. I'm praying that his new job has instant or quick benefits. And that he will enjoy what he does.
Father, I know that You are in charge and know exactly what we need. Forgive me for my lack of faith!
"O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you" - Psalm 84:12
In the meanwhile, we set up the bunk beds, managed to break the zipper on the futon mattress and my fabulous mother-in-law repaired it. Seeing those beds in the office is so eerie. It makes me believe that we may actually have kids in there one day! My next move is to clean out my closet, move Greg and I into one dresser (pray for us, please! hehe!) and move our office furniture into our bedroom.
I think we have narrowed our age range from newborn to 12. Actually we said 6 months to 12 years.... but if a new baby comes, so be it :) With those age limitations we are open to any race or gender. We are going to limit ourselves to sibling groups of two. I would love to do more, but I don't want to push things with student teaching and school. In a perfect world we would get one older child and their toddler sibling. While we are definitely burdened for older kids, we would love to have at least one "baby" (2 or younger).
I am also preparing to give notice at work NEXT FRIDAY. I am a nervous wreck. I've had a job since I was 14.... and I really don't like being broke. It's funny because the A/C on my car is going out ($300?) and Greg needs some kind of valves on his truck ($1000?). I told him either God is helping us out BEFORE I'm unemployed or Satan really doesn't want me in the classroom and is trying to scare us - Or maybe I am giving my teaching skills too much credit there :)
Last but not least, Greg is considering a job change. This is scary mostly because of health insurance... neither of us will have any for awhile. I'm praying that his new job has instant or quick benefits. And that he will enjoy what he does.
Father, I know that You are in charge and know exactly what we need. Forgive me for my lack of faith!
"O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you" - Psalm 84:12
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