baby development

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

We Got the Presentation Summary

This morning, we had a lovely visit with both our R & C worker and our adoption worker. The adoption worker gave us our copy of the presentation summary. It contains lots of family history, Cookie's birth certificate, original social security card, and a copy of her Biodad's mugshot. That will not be going in the lifebook, though it will be tucked away deep in the files for one day when she is adult enough to handle it (and if she ever asks if we have a picture). I did not read the presentation summary. I'm just not in the frame of mind to go through Biodad's arrest records, or find out what all happened to Cookie's two brothers. It is what it is, and I'm at peace.

Now, our attorney needs to send a letter indicating her charges, and the adoption worker can finish putting together our contract. She will then come by in about a week so we can sign it. Our contract will then begin on February 1st as adoptive parents.

At that point, Cookie's monthly subsidy will come from another source, and her daycare will be paid first by us and then reimbursed by the state.

The attorney has to appoint a guardian ad litem who will come out to the house and put together a report to submit to the court.

There is very little that we will need to do except get some things from the presentation summary to the attorney - along with copies of our marriage liscense and a few other documents.

Our judge for the case only does adoptions one day a month - the first Friday of every month, so February is out. So, we are hoping for the first Friday in March (March 2nd). At worst, the adoption will be final on the first Friday in April (April 6th).

Most days I still cannot believe we have a daughter.

At the end of this semester (sometime in May) we will reassess whether we are ready to put our names back on the list for placements for foster-to-adopt. It will necessitate Cookie sleeping through the night for the most part, and Michael getting a lot of writing done this semester in anticipation of tenure. Finding the time and energy to write with a toddler running around everywhere has been nigh unto impossible.

So far, so good folks. We continue to be blessed by your prayers and God's remarkably fast answers to them!