adoption renewal paperwork

One of my goals over the long weekend was to sit down and get our adoption paperwork done once and for all.  The packet of all too familiar items had been sitting on our kitchen island far too long, and I knew that because my motivation was pretty non-existent, I would have to set a goal for myself to be able to check off. 

 

Sunday night, my original night to tackle the pile, came and went, and so we sat down Monday night, pretty tired after days of working outside (probably not the best combination of it being the last night of a long weekend and being completely wiped out).  Despite that, we were able to complete everything.  I was extremely upset with myself because I had not made copies last year of the two hardest packets to fill out, which required lots of file-pulling, number-crunching, and general annoyance.  I was so looking forward to being able to copy over a lot of the information since not much has changed, but alas, I was taught my lesson once more.  Everything else had been copied (which came in handy a little), but I remember last year 1) wanting to get everything out ASAP, and 2) assuming that we wouldn't need to do this again.  Silly me!

 

However, after a few grumblings and frustration, we came out alive around 11p with our paperwork complete!  And so this bad boy went in the mail today, and we are on our way to renewal (I know, the picture of the envelope isn't very exciting, but I had to do something!).

 

 

Last steps: our medical forms/doctor's appointments and re-filling out the grid, which we have revisited a few times since the start of our journey and which shouldn't take long to do once more.  After those are in, we'll schedule another home visit with our social worker.

oh to just have a physical appointment

Our adoption update requires us to get our physicals done again.  Not long after finding out that we would have to re-do the physical forms, I called my PCP to set up an appointment, knowing that I should do so before getting the forms from the agency.  They were booked and the earliest they could offer me was July 1st.  However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it would be too late because the social worker won't set up the home study visit until all of our paper is in and approved.  Since our expiration date is July 20 and the report takes a week or two to complete, we would be cutting it super close.  I called back today and tried to appeal my case, but they had no cancellations nor could they put me on a list.  I was frustrated, trying to be understanding (since I work in a doctor's office, I truly understand the receptionist's plight), but also trying to be firm that I needed to have this done sooner and why.  I hung up and started to tear up but decided that this would work out and I would appeal to our agency after our other paperwork is in to see if they would set up the meeting with the understanding that I would send in my medical form ASAP after my appointment that day.  I've read other blogs about how people have had to be firm to get appointments they need for their adoptions, but their appeals always worked.  I was discouraged and wondering if I should have done more, but didn't want to be mean or rude.

An hour later, the receptionist at my doctor's office called me sounding all excited.  She had maneuvered some things around and moved someone else's appointment.  She could offer me an early June appointment!  Not only that, but I'm already off work that day.  I graciously accepted it not caring what time it was, and probably said thank you about 10 times.  After giving me such a resolute no earlier, I am so grateful that she decided to see what she could do.  So now I'm that annoying patient, the kind who drove me nuts when I worked at the front desk, but I feel that God definitely worked in the situation!  Hooray!