Our home visit with our new social worker was absolutely wonderful! She is also an adoptive parent and so understands a lot about the process and the emotional ups and downs. We're very excited to be working with her through the rest of our adoption process.
On a completely different note, I've been hesitant about posting this for a number of reasons, but I think it's something people should be aware of. There is a photographer who spent some time near Chernobyl photographing some of the people affected by the disaster 20 years ago. The subtitles are not in English, but the audio is. I will say that this is very graphic (not violent), and I would not recommend watching this with young children.
Chernobyl photoessay
Friday, April 28, 2006
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Yeehaw!
We're back from the Lone Star State (Texas, for those of you who aren't familiar with some random state nicknames) and it was incredible getting to see so many old friends! We had so much fun and got to do everything on our "to-do" list...except eat at several restaurants and one ice cream place we were hoping to get to. ;) In substitution, we ate at a couple of new places (for us) and had a great time hanging out with everyone. We had the most gracious host who let us and another couple and their 2yo son stay at her new house. We had such a great time, but I don't know that any of us got a lot of sleep. Isn't that what sleepovers are for?? Great food, great weather, great friends--altogether, a most wonderful weekend.
Tomorrow night is our home study update. I have been informed by our SW that MO has no requirements for safety precautions within a house, other than a smoke detector on each level and a fire extinguisher in the house (we've got 3). I had thought we might have to make a quick run to the store for some cabinet locks, etc., since we haven't finished childproofing yet. We've been working towards it for a few years now, actually, and have been acquiring furniture and arranging rooms to be more accomodating for kids. We're not there yet...but we've still got some time. :)
Tonight I'm going to Kinkos to make some copies of a lot of our documents for the SW to take with her to use for the update. I realized last night that ALL of our dossier has to be redone. *sigh* It's our own fault for moving. All of the documents that are currently in Ukraine have our old address on them. But our home study update will have the new address, and all of the documents need to match. So they will all need to be notarized and apostilled again. Once again, I thank whomever in MO government decided to put a cap on the cost for apostilles relating to adoption. You are saving us SO MUCH money!
Tomorrow night is our home study update. I have been informed by our SW that MO has no requirements for safety precautions within a house, other than a smoke detector on each level and a fire extinguisher in the house (we've got 3). I had thought we might have to make a quick run to the store for some cabinet locks, etc., since we haven't finished childproofing yet. We've been working towards it for a few years now, actually, and have been acquiring furniture and arranging rooms to be more accomodating for kids. We're not there yet...but we've still got some time. :)
Tonight I'm going to Kinkos to make some copies of a lot of our documents for the SW to take with her to use for the update. I realized last night that ALL of our dossier has to be redone. *sigh* It's our own fault for moving. All of the documents that are currently in Ukraine have our old address on them. But our home study update will have the new address, and all of the documents need to match. So they will all need to be notarized and apostilled again. Once again, I thank whomever in MO government decided to put a cap on the cost for apostilles relating to adoption. You are saving us SO MUCH money!
Monday, April 17, 2006
Guys and dolls...and more dolls
The musical is over. It was a blast, truly, but boy am I glad to have our evenings back. The title of the post come from the fact that there were not enough males interested in the leads and a girl played Nicely Nicely. She did a phenomenal job, by the way. Many of our gamblers were females as well. :)
No news adoption-wise. We have our home study visit for the update next Thursday evening (04/27).
This week is normal chaos for us. In addition to the usual commitments, we are organizing a clothing drive at our church for Ukraine through Master Provisions. MP collects clothing here in the states and sends it overseas. It is truly an incredible ministry. We first became involved with them through clothing drives at our church in Michigan, Meridian Christian Church, and then had the wonderful priviledge of traveling with MP to Ukraine to see their clothing ministry in action. The clothing drive will be held April 29 from 8a-5p at our church here in St. Louis, West Hills Community Church, out in West County. If you're in the greater St. Louis area, please feel free to drop off clean used clothing in good condition. If you'd like to volunteer to help sort and pack, show up and we'll put you to work! :)
No news adoption-wise. We have our home study visit for the update next Thursday evening (04/27).
This week is normal chaos for us. In addition to the usual commitments, we are organizing a clothing drive at our church for Ukraine through Master Provisions. MP collects clothing here in the states and sends it overseas. It is truly an incredible ministry. We first became involved with them through clothing drives at our church in Michigan, Meridian Christian Church, and then had the wonderful priviledge of traveling with MP to Ukraine to see their clothing ministry in action. The clothing drive will be held April 29 from 8a-5p at our church here in St. Louis, West Hills Community Church, out in West County. If you're in the greater St. Louis area, please feel free to drop off clean used clothing in good condition. If you'd like to volunteer to help sort and pack, show up and we'll put you to work! :)
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Lots happening, little to say
Well, it's now happened. I have so little to post on the adoption front that I'm going to assault you with what we've been up to. :) Last weekend we performed for a Tartan Day Ball, held in honor of Tartan Day which celebrates Scottish heritage. It was a LONG night (you try being in a corset for 6 hours), but fun nevertheless. And I can truly say that I now have a much better grasp of how imposing an approaching line of Highlanders in kilts and long swords would be. Sunday night we spent an hour in the basement refurbishing a dresser as we waited out a tornado warning, then headed to church for a business meeting. This week we've got dress rehearsals every night (until 11pm!) for the musical which opens this weekend. Mark's conducting and I'm playing in the pit orchestra. Welcome to a world of sleep deprivation I haven't hit since college--and hopefully won't hit again until we have kids.
In reality, there is some news from the front. We have decided to switch social workers for our homestudy update. I have now contacted the new one, and the old one, and our facilitator in Ukraine, and I think everything is worked out. We're hoping to not have the update completed until after May 1, which will allow us to incorporate any changes that need to be made. In all honesty, it would be easiest if the new Ministry did not change any of the paperwork requirements (and we don't have any indication that they will make changes), but we have no guarantee at this point so it seems safer to hold off a week or two longer and make sure.
In reality, there is some news from the front. We have decided to switch social workers for our homestudy update. I have now contacted the new one, and the old one, and our facilitator in Ukraine, and I think everything is worked out. We're hoping to not have the update completed until after May 1, which will allow us to incorporate any changes that need to be made. In all honesty, it would be easiest if the new Ministry did not change any of the paperwork requirements (and we don't have any indication that they will make changes), but we have no guarantee at this point so it seems safer to hold off a week or two longer and make sure.
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