Last night I ran into a couple at our church who have been foster parents and have adopted a little boy through DSS. She asked me how it was going and then said, "Oh I know that face! It's the DSS face! I know it all too well!" I guess my frustration was difficult to hide. I immediately let her know about our last phone call to the DSS office and how our file hadn't been read only to get a follow up letter in the mail saying they needed me to sign a consent to release info from the state of Kentucky. Um.....Helloooooo! We turned in our paperwork like back in November! Couldn't someone have gone through it and said we needed that? Ugh! In any case I have the signed form and will be taking it down the DSS office personally today. It is just up the street from my office. I guess I would not be so frustrated if I hadn't heard another couple in our class has already been approved and are waiting for their match with a child. Our friends told us to keep on the pressure and not be too willing to sit back and wait! Remember the squeeky wheel gets the grease. So I'm gonna squeek! There are children waiting and so are we, so now it's up to DSS to bring us together.
At some point I had to stop myself and say, Okay...it is all in God's timing and His timing is perfect! There is a much larger master plan involved here and I am simply going to have to wait. I can't say I'll wait patiently, but I will wait and most importantly be faithful and believe that one day we will have an addition to our family. But I've always been told God help's those who help themselves. So maybe our determination mixed with God's plan will yeild results. I know God does not need any of my help, but He made me the person I am in making me strong willed so I will use His gifts to help our cause.
One thing that is always in the back of my mind is to remember we are not dealing with a private adoption costing thousands of dollars. We don't have a team of people representing us searching for us a child. We are working with a government agency that is trying to look out for the best interest of a child. They are more than likely drowning in paperwork, understaffed, underpaid and know all the horrible things that happen to kids. So....I will cut some slack in this regards. They are after all going to give me a child, forever! I can be nice and sweet and kind, but persistant. God never promises the journey will be easy...just worth it!
The happenings of the Valentin Family as we go through life.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Adoption News
Okay...not trying to trick you here...there really isn't any EXCITING news to tell. However, I did speak to the supervisor at DSS who has our file. You see we've been waiting on our official "approval" letter but have not gotten squat over the past month. We know our Certified Investigator (sounds like CSI) sent in our Homestudy over 30 days ago and we thought we would hear something by now. Getting curious I picked up the phone Monday afternoon and left her a message. Then Tuesday morning I called again and she answered! OMG!!! A live person at DSS! It must be a miracle! All kidding aside, these people work hard and deal with things we couldn't even imagine so I'm just being silly here! I spoke with her for a few minutes and she assured me she had my file and would be reading it this week. Reading it this week? Okay...I expected her to tell me something completely different like, "Oh yes Mrs. Valentin you are approved and have been listed in the data base as potential parents waiting to adopt!" NOT! Here's the drill....
The supervisor has to read the file for grammar and content. If there is anything wrong, she sends it back to our Certified Investigator who makes any changes and then sends it back in to DSS for it to be read again. As you can imagine, this could take months. So...we have to wait. If anything I'm hoping that my call prompted her to look for my file instead of coming across it in a stack of others. Maybe it will speed up the process. Who knows but I've always heard the squeaky wheel gets the grease! I explained to Brenda, the supervisor at DSS, that we were very excited and ready to adopt and I wasn't trying to be a thorn in her side or a pain, just anxious to have a baby! She was very understanding and told me to call anytime. She was also happy to hear how excited we were. That is what they are looking for and unfortunately, you can't exude excitement in a case file! So at least I got the chance to speak to a live human and was able to express that we were ready!
So that's all there is to that. More waiting and praying that God gives us patience and knows what He is doing. He has a child for us and I have faith it will all happen in his time. As simple sinful humans, we want everything our way when WE want it. I am trusting in him, but also very excited about the changes that are to come. Right now I'm enjoying making our house a home and planning vacation time out with Jorge and the family.
Family Updates:
Jose was working at Circuit City and they have closed so he like millions of other Americans looking for a job. He's the perfect candidate! Young, flexible and wants part time with little to no benefits. Who wouldn't want to hire him? The key is for him to start really looking for a job.
Chris is asking for a class ring. While I know this is one of those rights of passage for a high schooler, it is a lot of money for something he will never wear! Besides, he will also want drivers ed this summer along with a car about the time school starts. First...he will have to get a job which will put a hurt on his video game playing time. Nothing too serious, but I want him to learn some responsibility with money. That's not asking too much! In any case, we'll see how it goes. He is also asking us for braces! Now that's worth it to me!
Jorge is doing well and is loving working around the house. This past weekend he installed a beautiful fountain in our front yard, re-mulched and put bed edging up. It looks great. We both loved working in the yard. It had to be 80 degrees last Saturday. A big switch from the snow we had the week before that. Strangest snow storm I've ever seen. Snow was falling and then there was lightening and thunder. VERY STRANGE! This week the weather is great, but it will get colder again tomorrow. All the more reason I put the breaks on planting any flowers just yet...but that project will happen soon as the spring weather settles in.
I guess that's all for now. Love to you all.
Kimberly
The supervisor has to read the file for grammar and content. If there is anything wrong, she sends it back to our Certified Investigator who makes any changes and then sends it back in to DSS for it to be read again. As you can imagine, this could take months. So...we have to wait. If anything I'm hoping that my call prompted her to look for my file instead of coming across it in a stack of others. Maybe it will speed up the process. Who knows but I've always heard the squeaky wheel gets the grease! I explained to Brenda, the supervisor at DSS, that we were very excited and ready to adopt and I wasn't trying to be a thorn in her side or a pain, just anxious to have a baby! She was very understanding and told me to call anytime. She was also happy to hear how excited we were. That is what they are looking for and unfortunately, you can't exude excitement in a case file! So at least I got the chance to speak to a live human and was able to express that we were ready!
So that's all there is to that. More waiting and praying that God gives us patience and knows what He is doing. He has a child for us and I have faith it will all happen in his time. As simple sinful humans, we want everything our way when WE want it. I am trusting in him, but also very excited about the changes that are to come. Right now I'm enjoying making our house a home and planning vacation time out with Jorge and the family.
Family Updates:
Jose was working at Circuit City and they have closed so he like millions of other Americans looking for a job. He's the perfect candidate! Young, flexible and wants part time with little to no benefits. Who wouldn't want to hire him? The key is for him to start really looking for a job.
Chris is asking for a class ring. While I know this is one of those rights of passage for a high schooler, it is a lot of money for something he will never wear! Besides, he will also want drivers ed this summer along with a car about the time school starts. First...he will have to get a job which will put a hurt on his video game playing time. Nothing too serious, but I want him to learn some responsibility with money. That's not asking too much! In any case, we'll see how it goes. He is also asking us for braces! Now that's worth it to me!
Jorge is doing well and is loving working around the house. This past weekend he installed a beautiful fountain in our front yard, re-mulched and put bed edging up. It looks great. We both loved working in the yard. It had to be 80 degrees last Saturday. A big switch from the snow we had the week before that. Strangest snow storm I've ever seen. Snow was falling and then there was lightening and thunder. VERY STRANGE! This week the weather is great, but it will get colder again tomorrow. All the more reason I put the breaks on planting any flowers just yet...but that project will happen soon as the spring weather settles in.
I guess that's all for now. Love to you all.
Kimberly
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