Home Study Interviews x's 3

A week ago today, we received an e-mail from our social worker with some unexpected news. She said that she wanted to go ahead and begin our home study interviews. She is expecting and would like to finish up before she goes on leave! Wow, we had actually assumed the fact she was expecting meant we would have to wait much longer to begin and that we would be waiting until she returned. We were blown away, but so excited!

So we had our first interview on Friday, this was a joint interview with both E and I. This meeting consisted of a lot of questions about us and our relationship. We were about 3/4 th's of the way through our meeting when our social worker was called out of the room. She came back and apologized but she would have to leave as they had an expectant mother just give birth! Wow, we thought that was just so neat. So E and I left just feeling amazed at how this whole process works. I said a prayer for the baby, the mother, and soon to be adoptive family. How neat!

We returned on Tuesday to finish our meeting and for E to have his individual interview. This time we went over a couples inventory that E and I had worked on the week before. This was a really neat tool that looks at the areas of strengths and the areas of growth for your marriage. Then I left and E had his interview. I told him to try and remember the questions so he could fill me in haha (you know you would do it too)! He laughed and when he got out he called me but couldn't remember very many questions. Bummer. It was probably better that way!

I went in yesterday and had my individual interview. Mine took much longer than E's that is because I like to elaborate and I ended up having a lot of questions! It was great getting my questions answered and just getting my mind around some things. We love our social worker and have really been blessed to have her working with us through this process.

On September 4th we are scheduled for our last home visit. Our social worker will actually meet our pastor late that morning and then come to our house. She will talk with the girls and check out our house. So, I have got to fit some serious cleaning in between homeschooling and caring for my husband and children!

Thought I would also share this cute picture. We were filling in names on our puzzle of people who have donated and S and S run back to their room. Out they come carrying their piggy bank. Mommy, we want to give money for our baby too! Oh, my goodness. It was hard not to cry. Here is a picture of S #2 (S#1 didn't want her pic taken.)