This past Friday was our first part of the home study - the house visit. The whole thing went even better than we would have thought and was much more relaxed than expected.
Since The Chosen Agency is located in a different city, our caseworker, B, sent fellow caseworker, "I", who was traveling through our area to conduct the house visit. "I" was super nice and was very helpful in filling us in on what happens next. She did a walk-through of the house, and talked with us about certain safety measures, such as developing a fire escape plan, filing a will, gun safety, child-proofing, etc.
It was fun to talk and get to know her a little better, as well as getting a chance to share our story with her. She said their main job as a caseworker is to make sure that the potential adoptive parents are well-equipped and knowledgeable to adopt a child. It makes logical sense that they work with a lot of couples who struggled with infertility, so they want to make sure that the couple has dealt with their grief regarding infertility and are fully prepared to parent an adopted child because raising an adopted child is very different than raising a biological child. In other words, adoption isn't always the best fit for every family, and they want to make sure the adoptive parents are prepared for the unique considerations associated with adopting. They also want to make sure the home is a stable and healthy environment for the child (healthy marriage and other relationships).
We felt very encouraged afterwards because Michael and I have come full circle regarding adoption, and we feel confident that adopting a child is a great fit for growing our family.
So what next?
The second and final part of the home study process will take place on Friday, June 20th. We'll meet with B for about 4 hours and get interviewed individually and as a couple. The content will be much more personal and will focus on our feelings, personalities, parenting plans, family/friends, etc. I'm naturally a crier, so I'm sure I'll shed a few tears simply because this whole subject is very close to my heart. :)
After the second part is complete, we should hear back from B within a month (around July 20th) about whether or not Michael and I are officially approved by The Chosen Agency. If approved, that date will officially begin our waiting period to be chosen by a birth mother. (They told us the average wait time from that point on is about 15 months.) God knows exactly how this story will end, and we're excited to see His plan revealed!
