The Journey to Foster Care & Adoption, Part II

The signs are everywhere. You know the signs that fall from heaven on a blinking marquee sign? Well, those were hitting us left and right. From friends and co-workers deciding to adopt to learning about a Mom looking for a home for her soon-to-come baby. They were everywhere and then one Sunday the ultimate sign came down and hit us between the eyes. It was an announcement in the bulletin that said “Interested in Fostering or Adopting? The Call is a Christian-based, non-profit that works as a third-party with DHS to unit children with a temporary or forever home….”

BAM! Got it, sign received and understood. I told Stephen later on that night if we didn’t act on what we had been thrown our way I was afraid the next sign was going to be lightening striking. And you know, lightening never strikes once.

Let me back up a little and give you some more background. After more than three years of trying to get pregnant on our own, we had turned to fertility treatments. Three doctors, multiple tests, and what seemed like pints of blood drawn, we started the first fertility treatment in September. I have to say those treatments rank right up there on the “Top 10 Things I Never Want to Experience Again” list. I’d rather have a root canal, thank you very much.

Side Note: I wonder if all of us girls where in a giant room and asked if we had problems getting pregnant, how many of us would raise our hand. [If you were one of those he-looked-at-me-and-I-got-pregnant ladies, stop right now and thank God for that blessing.] The more I talk with ladies, the more I find how common infertility is and how doctors dispense prescriptions for Clomid like Halloween candy.

I digress.

October rolls around and it’s time for another treatment. At this point, I’m started to wonder if this is really what we need to be doing. I convince myself that we are going to finish out these four treatments (they would end in December) and at the beginning of the year and then re-evaluate. We moved forward with the October treatment and soon after our marquee sign in the church bulletin arrives. We make plans to attend the informational meeting about The Call and wouldn’t you know it’s at the exact time we need to decide on starting the next treatment cycle.

Soon after I call the doctor and pull out of the treatments. A few weeks after the interest meeting at church, we make plans to attend the “official” informational meeting. That is the big meeting that you need to bring your writing hand and a comfy pen because you are about to spill your guts on paper and submit your paw prints for a federal background check. Stephen was on call that week and of course his phone had been ringing off the hook, but miraculously his phone didn’t ring one time while we were in the two-hour meeting.

As of today all of our background checks have been submitted and we completed the DHS consult yesterday afternoon. Once January gets here we will complete our 30-hours of required training. At that time we also have to complete all of our family profile and home evaluation paperwork. Oh, and complete a whole day of CPR/First Aid certifications.

Add us to your prayer list, this journey isn’t going to be easy in many ways, but I’m sure it will be rewarding.