Safety Inspection

We had our third social worker visit this past Friday.  She did our home safety inspection and concluded we have a safe home (excepting the sword hanging in mike's office).  She was impressed with the waterline in Kid's room too!

After the inspection we discussed parenting strategies and how we would like to raise our child and how we think it will be difficult with the language barrier and the special needs of an orphan.  We tossed around a lot of hypotheticals and we will go over more at the international adoption schooling in April.  She mentioned that the school is especially beneficial because we don't think of things like nipples for bottles being a different shape in North America and therefore making it hard for a baby to eat.  Makes perfect sense but I never would have thought of that!

We also went over our finances and I am just waiting for one tax assessment reprint and then all of our paperwork is in place!  I went and got a letter written from my psychiatrist saying that I don't have a trigger for my depression (ie stress) and that I was always a functional member of society and sought out help to get better whenever my episodes got bad.  The social worker said that with that letter and her observations from my stories and surveys the depression will not be an issue.  She said as of right now the only hold up for processing our home study would be if we needed another piece of paperwork for proof of something... so we should be good once she calls all of our references.

She's received three and an email saying the longest distance reference is on its way!  Once she has them all she will call all of the people (wow, that was a lot of double ls)  and discuss their responses to compile another part of her report.  Probably only one more visit but this one will have a big wait because of calling everyone.

I'm hoping that our report is submitted to the NS government by the end of April and then we should be approved by the end of June and our name in Russia by the end of summer!  We also have realized we don't know what the breakdown of the "russian fees" are and therefore don't know how much of it will be doubled if we get two kids!  That may put a kink in the hope for siblings and a quicker adoption... I have written CHOC and await their response.  I don't think their fees will have any difference because all of the work they do is before we have an invitation and a name, or two.  It will be everything overseas and then the immigration documents that need doubling... I hope it's not completely doubled! Eep!

We got our first home made clothing.  Gramma Lolly knit the cutest cardigan and hat set.  She made it bigger so I hope we get a child young enough to fit it, but it will look cute on a teddy if not!  Bright primary colour stripes on a cream background makes it great for boy or girl.  Where ever you are Kid, you are so loved already!