Where is the kitchen table??

There is just a lot of paperwork. That is our kitchen table in the picture, though you can’t really see it! I don’t remember the last time we had dinner at the table. Which I hate! I don’t like sitting on the couch and eating my dinner in front of the TV. Dinner is supposed to be family time, right? Recently, there was one night that we pushed papers and scrapbooking materials aside to at least make a spot for each of us. So we could sit and eat and look at each other and talk . . . with no TV. But I am definitely ready to be done with this part of it – the paperwork and difficult questions. But I also know if I am not “working” on something pertaining to the adoption, then it will definitely feel more like a waiting game.

Back to the questions we have to answer. They aren’t easy, by the way. I mean, Jeremy and I have had a lot of time to actually think about parenting. Some people are just thrown into it and sort of fly by the seat of their pants. But since we have been eagerly awaiting children for a while now, we have had plenty of time to observe others and begin to learn how we want to do things. So my thought is this: if everyone in the country had to fill out this paperwork and go through the home study process before bringing a child home from the hospital, America would have a lot more orphanages. I really believe that. People would think, “I’m not ready!” For the record, that thought has NOT crossed our minds. We are MORE than ready for this. And I know this interrogation process will be well worth the end result. But it’s hard to answer some of the questions nonetheless. For example: What makes you angry? I don’t often get “angry” per say, definitely frustrated at times. Or what about this one: What experiences have you been through that will help you parent a child? Okay, seriously, I don’t think babysitting gives one parental experience. Just some crazy questions to weed through and give my best and honest answers. And I realize that each one will probably open up a new can of worms as we start interviews. But oh well, I am ready to be an open book . . . I think.

So actually most of the table is covered with the scrapbooking materials, not actually adoption paperwork. But it’s easier to complain about the paperwork. I mean who wouldn’t love the scrapbook portion of this process!! The scrapbooking is actually the fun part for me. We get to make a scrapbook of our lives for the birth moms to look through. That is part of the process in how they choose a family. I am almost done with the book, but am waiting on a few pictures (AHEM!! You know who you are.) Maybe I will post some of the pages on the blog soon, if I can figure out how to do that. I bet Jeremy can assist with that one.

Okay, I have taken my break. I am now getting back to the PAPERWORK!!