Lists are my friend

I like lists. I like crossing things off of lists. It's very satisfying. That's why I was thrilled when our agency gave us an outline of what needs to be done to begin the adoption process.

*The things in bold are steps we have already completed*

1. Orientation (see if you are interested in this agency)

2. Intake Meeting (are you SURE you're interested? Okay, here's a ream of paper to fill out)

3. Adoption Study (make sure you are relatively sane and law-abiding)

• 1st Home Study Meeting (at the agency's office)
• 2nd Home Study Meeting (at the agency's office)
• 3rd Home Study Meeting (at our home)

4. Training

• Adoptive and Birth Parent Panel
  
• Developing a Birth Parent Letter (a 2 page description of our life together; pics and text)
  
• Working with Birth Parents (will attend on Feb 15)
  
• Networking (will attend on Feb 27)
  

5. In "The Book." (Our birth parent letter joins those of fifty other waiting families in a binder kept in our agency's office)

Once we have completed the last step and are in "The Book," our information is available to all birthparents who visit the agency. That's when the waiting technically begins.

Do you see how many things are in bold already?! It makes me happy to see so many things checked off the list. The saying "Hurry up and wait" comes to mind... =)