Paperwork, classes, and blankets

Well, we finally finished our small mountain of paperwork that we needed to submit along with our application. From 10 years of residential and job history to how our families expressed feelings to what we like best and least about each other, I feel like most of my life was jammed onto those pieces of paper. It took a few weeks and many hours to finish, but that part is done. I anticipate there will be more in the future. For reference, it felt a bit like home buying paperwork - with a lot more touchy-feely aspects to it.

We decided to go with La Paloma as our adoption agency, and we've been really enjoying the training they provide. Three-hour-long government mandated classes once a week seemed a dubious beginning, but I have been surprised at how interesting and genuinely useful our classes have been. The topics covered so far have been shared parenting (with biological parents - remember this is foster-focused), loss, attachment, and discipline vs. punishment. We enjoy our group of classmates (about 25 of us) and our facilitators. It's nice to do something concrete each week towards becoming parents. And it's been a surprising blessing to have to discuss certain topics like discipline in specific ways that we never would have had I just gotten pregnant like we wanted!

I've needed to keep heart (and not just my head) occupied in a few ways. At the Let's Play Music conference I went to a few weeks ago, I ended up leaving with a "living locket" from Oragami Owl, with a charm in it that reads, "Forever Family" - an important phrase both for members of our faith, and for children looking for permanent, loving homes. It is my "talisman", my tangible reminder that this will happen, one way or the other.

The other thing I've been doing and quite enjoying is making "not-so-baby" blankets. Cristen Jimenez showed me how to crochet the beautiful blanket pictured up above. It's probably not even half finished at this point, but it feels good to do something for our kids. Even though I can't hug them, feed them, or help them feel secure right now, I can make them blankets, and that's something.

Also, I wanted to correct something from the last post. Children in foster care can have baby-sitters (provided they are over 18) for short periods of time. However, if it is going to be a matter of more than a few hours then they need respite care providers.

Thanks again for caring! We love you!