Two more items on the paperwork agenda.  I'm hoping to have them done to deliver to H&H (agency) on Monday morning as they are near the home of my friend who hosts our Monday morning book study.  Tomorrow (Sunday) I work at the hospital, then we're going to church in the evening, so not much time there.  We need to define our assets - the part about how much are your household items worth always gets me.  It could seriously take months to figure that out if you really put alot of thought into it.  Wonder what I said on the last adoption paperwork?  Maybe I can find it, although that was five years ago.

The second item yet to be completed is the House Rules.  "According to state regulations all foster homes must have house rules available to share with children when they come into the home.  Please fill out a separate piece of paper with your family/household rules."  Good idea.  But, I must giggle when thinking about sharing house rules with 0-2 year olds!

This is where you all come in.  I really need some appropriate, but cute house rules.  Who has a good one?  Leave a comment or send me a message.  Can't wait to hear them!  We're canning pickles later this week.  Maybe the best entries should get a jar :-)

What is your new adventure?  Paperwork for what?  What did I miss?  Haha, I love when friends have happy surprises, and this week, we got to be the ones with the happy surprise!  It's fabulous!  It is now official, we have embarked upon our journey as a foster family.  Like many of the lifestyles we have taken on, this one has been brewing for years, then, suddenly, the time was right.  To get things started, I'm going to record a bit of a timeline here, so you can see whats been going on behind the scenes, and so that I don't forget!  It's pretty long, but I want to ponder it, even if no one else is interested in reading.  

Note: A.M. = anno mundi = year of the world.

~  4004 B.C. or 0 A.M.                              Creation (you know, 6 days and a rest; everything is made)                 
~  2348 B.C. or 1656 A.M.                         Flood (as in, the big one - Noah's deal)    
~  5 B.C. (+ or - a few) or 3999 A.M.           Christ is born on Earth
~  1960's & 70's A.D. or near 5969 A.M.      Dan & Alli born

-   2000 A.D. or ~6004 A.M. (ok you get the picture)     
                Dan & Alli meet in Ohio.  Life discussions eventually include children by birth and adoption, and maybe much 
                 later, foster care of infants.
-   2002     Dan & Alli marry

-   2003     Time for children.  Adoption takes a long time, so we might as well start on that right away.
                 October - December research, pray, decide International adoption in China
-   2004     February:  Application faxed to agency in Colorado.  
                 The next day, a little girl's photos and medicals are in our hands.  The Next Day!
-   2004     July:  Five months, to the day, of initial application, beautiful baby girl is in our arms.  FIVE MONTHS!

-   2005     Autumn:  Requested files of boys from the same orphanage as our girl.  
                 Agency says no guarantees, but they will ask.  Files not received.  Wait for next batch.
-   2006     January:   Browsing internet groups on adoption.  Here is one that lists files of waiting children.  Subscribe.
                 Next day, see files of three boys from JiangYin at an agency in Mass.  These are the files we requested.    
                 Called.  People already in line for files, but because we have a connection (daughter from the same orphanage), 
                 they will put us first in line.
-   2006     September:    Back in China.  This time, eight months, start to finish.

-   2007 / 2008      Job layoffs and having to sell a house in suburban Atlanta spring 2008 market crash.  
                            Moved across country.  There goes the savings!  Must get rid of some things to move, but I'm keeping 
                            the crib!  Just maybe, we'll be blessed with a child, and if not, I may want to foster.
-   2008 - 2011      Immense amounts of money for another China adoption are just not coming together.  Now what?
-   2012                Pregnant.   Heartbeat gone.   Devastated.   Waiting.   Labor.   April 20th.
-   2012                May: Is it time for domestic adoption?  Met a family who had a foster baby.  They ask us about adoption 
                            and if we are wanting more children.  It's only been a few weeks.  Can't talk about it.  Desperately 
                            praying.
                           May 23: Contact foster agency for information.  Open the newsletter and see the family photo of Alli's 
                            patient.  They just adopted the patient's bio sibling.  (The patient is still in foster care).  Whenever we 
                            have big changes, this is how it happens.  People or situations related to the change just 'appear' in 
                            front of us over and over.
-   2012                Agreed, it's time.  Thursday, July 19  Spoke with Foster Agency and set a time to meet next week.
                           Tuesday, July 24th Group burial with other families. Wounds are fresh. 
                            God, make something good of this.
                           Wednesday, July 25th  Amazing day at home for Alli and kids - best in months.  Great work day for Dan.
                           Thursday, July 26th  Things are new again.  Met with foster agency.  Questions answered.  More 
                            discussion.  It's a yes.  It's time.  Start getting ready, application in next week.  Classes in 12 days.

Reading of others' experiences has always been a help for me.  Decided immediately I needed to record the journey in a way that could involve others.  At least for now, this is the place, the method, the next step.