Had my physical today for the home study. Not a real big deal, turns out I'm somewhat healthy. Blood pressure a bit high, some heartburn issues, but that's about it. I have to go back for the form on Friday and that part is done. Tomorrow we have another appointment with the psychologist.
Rich
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Kazakhstan Babyhouse/Orphanage Video
We've seen a few videos so far, and all the orpahanages look the same. Here sterile, clinical, almost 1970s looking. White tile, very plain. Here's one of the videos we've found...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0QSQjyheoo
Rich
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0QSQjyheoo
Rich
Adoption Class Part 2 and a Visit to the Psychologist
Busy Saturday, much like yesterday. We started the day at the agency that we are using for our home study, finishing the adoption class. Watched a video about three adopted kids that are in their 20s now and how they feel about what they've experienced. Beginning to end, this class was totally worth it. We weren't sure what to expect, and were both pleasently surprised with what we came away with in the end.
After that we had our first visit to the psychologist. After a brief discussion about where we came from and what our families were like, we were assigned a test. We knew there'd be something like this, but not 563 True/False questions! Apparently this MMPI 2 personality test is pretty widely used. I looked it up today and here's what I found...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Multiphasic_Personality_Inventory
So later this week we'll know if we are both crazy or not. Our psychologist was very nice, and apparently when I left the room he told Jenny that we're very down to earth people, and that he can tell we are good and loving, and will make a good family for an adopted child. That was nice to hear. We go back next week for a Rorschach Inkblot Test. That's going to be very interesting!
Rich
After that we had our first visit to the psychologist. After a brief discussion about where we came from and what our families were like, we were assigned a test. We knew there'd be something like this, but not 563 True/False questions! Apparently this MMPI 2 personality test is pretty widely used. I looked it up today and here's what I found...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Multiphasic_Personality_Inventory
So later this week we'll know if we are both crazy or not. Our psychologist was very nice, and apparently when I left the room he told Jenny that we're very down to earth people, and that he can tell we are good and loving, and will make a good family for an adopted child. That was nice to hear. We go back next week for a Rorschach Inkblot Test. That's going to be very interesting!
Rich
Friday, September 25, 2009
First day of adoption training class down...
...four more hours to go.
We had a good time in our adoption training class today. I didn't realize exactly what "attachment" is and how it could be missing from a child in an orphanage. There was a ton of good information. There were two other couples in our class today as well. One of the couples was adopting a 16 year old from the Ukraine. They had 11 other kids ranging from 4 years old to 27 years old. The second couple is adopting from Russia, an 11 year old boy and a 7 or 8 year old girl. It was an interesting dynamic, but I think we all learned a lot. This agency here in Omaha that we are using for our homestudy has been very helpful so far and have answered all the questions we've had.
We saw another video on the orphanages there. It looked pretty much like the other videos we've seen, which is comforting. Probably the funniest part was all the kids on their potty chairs. (some were just pans). They all go at the same time after eating. Their lives are very structured, I guess that includes bathroom breaks? Jenny liked all 12 of the kids we saw and wanted to go over there and take all of them home.
Rich
We had a good time in our adoption training class today. I didn't realize exactly what "attachment" is and how it could be missing from a child in an orphanage. There was a ton of good information. There were two other couples in our class today as well. One of the couples was adopting a 16 year old from the Ukraine. They had 11 other kids ranging from 4 years old to 27 years old. The second couple is adopting from Russia, an 11 year old boy and a 7 or 8 year old girl. It was an interesting dynamic, but I think we all learned a lot. This agency here in Omaha that we are using for our homestudy has been very helpful so far and have answered all the questions we've had.
We saw another video on the orphanages there. It looked pretty much like the other videos we've seen, which is comforting. Probably the funniest part was all the kids on their potty chairs. (some were just pans). They all go at the same time after eating. Their lives are very structured, I guess that includes bathroom breaks? Jenny liked all 12 of the kids we saw and wanted to go over there and take all of them home.
Rich
Monday, September 21, 2009
First Home Study Meeting
We had our first home study meeting today. About an hour and fifteen minutes at their office. It went rather well, pretty simple questions actually. I have a feeling the questions will get more in depth when she comes next weekend to continue the process. The girls will be here for part of that one. She'll talk to them, have them show her around the house, etc. Then they are off the hook and we have a few hours of questions. I really don't think it'll be anything surprising. We'll see I guess, I could be wrong.
Jenny changed her status on Facebook telling eveyone our plan to adopt. Within a few hours she had over 15 replies, all wishing us luck and encouraging us. It was pretty awesome to see...
Rich
Jenny changed her status on Facebook telling eveyone our plan to adopt. Within a few hours she had over 15 replies, all wishing us luck and encouraging us. It was pretty awesome to see...
Rich
Friday, September 18, 2009
Next week is a busy week!
Next week we have a lot going on!
We are glad that we seem to be making some progress.
On Monday we have our first homestudy appointment. We go in to our agencies office for a few hours and then we will just have 2 more appointments after that. The next will be the home visit which we hope to schedule soon!
Then we decided to take our International 10 hours of training at our homestudy agency. We thought it would be more interesting than taking the courses online and it costs about the same. We have training all day next Friday and then Sat morning. After our training on Sat. am we have our appointment with our Pscychologist.
Busy week!!! But we will knock some things out!!!
Jenny
We are glad that we seem to be making some progress.
On Monday we have our first homestudy appointment. We go in to our agencies office for a few hours and then we will just have 2 more appointments after that. The next will be the home visit which we hope to schedule soon!
Then we decided to take our International 10 hours of training at our homestudy agency. We thought it would be more interesting than taking the courses online and it costs about the same. We have training all day next Friday and then Sat morning. After our training on Sat. am we have our appointment with our Pscychologist.
Busy week!!! But we will knock some things out!!!
Jenny
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Is it certified?
Jenny asked me three times tonight if we needed something certified. Each time she asked me in a different way, like somehow the answer would change? I'm laughing about it, and she's saying "it's not true". Trust me, it's funny.
Rich
Rich
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Some advice...
From a guy's point of view...save everything. You are going to fill out the same information over and over again. Where you lived 20 years ago, where you worked 10 years ago and for how long, etc. If you have to look it up once, write it down and save it. Trust me on this one, we just started and I'm already wishing I had saved some of this info.
Rich
Rich
Another Dr.'s appointment...
For our homestudy we have to get medical exams done. I went in today and of course more needles. I am tired of needles and being poked! I had to have blood taken for HIV testing, Hepatitis and then be poked for a TB test. The nurse of course couldn't find my vein so I had to be poked a few times before they got it. Now it's Rich's turn!!! Of course he hasn't called yet...
We filled out paperwork for adult and child abuse services. They ask for your last 20 yrs of addresses. That was hard to remember. Rich doesn't remember a few so hope that they don't send the form back.
We are still waiting for our homestudy appointment, very anxious to get our first appointment out of the way.
We were in Target and stopped by the baby department. We already found highchair, play pen that we like. We will probably wait though and do a lot of our shopping once our dossier is turned in. Shopping will be so fun, I am looking forward to that!
That is it for now...
Jenny
We filled out paperwork for adult and child abuse services. They ask for your last 20 yrs of addresses. That was hard to remember. Rich doesn't remember a few so hope that they don't send the form back.
We are still waiting for our homestudy appointment, very anxious to get our first appointment out of the way.
We were in Target and stopped by the baby department. We already found highchair, play pen that we like. We will probably wait though and do a lot of our shopping once our dossier is turned in. Shopping will be so fun, I am looking forward to that!
That is it for now...
Jenny
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Mountains of Paperwork!!
This week we received our Dossier and Home Study paperwork. It is pretty overwhelming, just the sheer volume of paperwork and repetition.
We try to do something each night, so take it a little at a time.
On Friday we went in to the NE Highway Patrol and had our first set of fingerprints taken. We will have to do that 2 more times that we know of! Rich actually thought it was fun! :)
It was pretty interesting seeing how the livescan fingerprints work.
We have an appointment with our Psychologist on Saturday the 26th. That should be an interesting experience! We also should be doing our first homestudy within the next few weeks. We submitted our first payment on Friday and awaiting the date.
Holt contacted us regarding adoptions from Thailand. We are sticking with Kaz, but will definitely keep that country in mind for our 2nd! You can start paperwork 6 months after your child is home. We will at least be used to the paperwork and process once we do apply for our 2nd.
We are excited that we are making some progress!
Oh and good news Rich got his passport yesterday!!!!!
We try to do something each night, so take it a little at a time.
On Friday we went in to the NE Highway Patrol and had our first set of fingerprints taken. We will have to do that 2 more times that we know of! Rich actually thought it was fun! :)
It was pretty interesting seeing how the livescan fingerprints work.
We have an appointment with our Psychologist on Saturday the 26th. That should be an interesting experience! We also should be doing our first homestudy within the next few weeks. We submitted our first payment on Friday and awaiting the date.
Holt contacted us regarding adoptions from Thailand. We are sticking with Kaz, but will definitely keep that country in mind for our 2nd! You can start paperwork 6 months after your child is home. We will at least be used to the paperwork and process once we do apply for our 2nd.
We are excited that we are making some progress!
Oh and good news Rich got his passport yesterday!!!!!
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