Patients

I have been MIA for awhile now and there is a reason for it.....I was sitting here waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for my background check to come back.  I was getting really frustrated waiting so long and everyone around me kept telling me to be patient.  The patients has finally paid off and yesterday when I called my agency, I found out my background check has finally come through and I am now on the list!!  Holy talidos people.....I could get a phone call at anytime for a placement!!

I got really frustrated and took all of the baby stuff that was sitting all over the house and put it in storage and in closets.  I still have the crib up of course but I just got tired of seeing the baby swing and bassinet sitting around waiting for a baby to use them.  Secretly I thought that if I would put the stuff away, I would get the call I have been waiting for but....nope...didn't work!!!

I am going to leave the stuff where it is until I actually get a phone call and when that call comes, I will bring out the baby stuff that is hidden in every closet and stuffed into my storage.  I have been making baby stuff and buying cloth diapers and my mamma made a beautiful blanket for me.  I need to take a picture of the blanket to show you all....it is gorgeous!!!  I also need to show you guys the bibs I made, I am so happy with how they turned out.

So now the wait for THE phone call begins.  I am finishing a semester in school and have a lot going on right now so I don't mind if I have to wait a little bit but hopefully we will get a little munchkin into our home soon.

Please send some good baby vibes my way :)

Oh wait...

According to my agency, I was supposed to be licensed and ready to go last week on Wednesday.  On Sunday I got a call from the woman who did my home study and she had some additional questions for me.  I answered her questions which left her with a question she had to call the state for and she said she would call me late Monday afternoon and let me know what was going on.

Monday morning came and I got a call from my PRIDE instructor telling me there was a paper that I had not signed and she said there was a problem with my physical paperwork.  I went to the agency and signed the paper that I had signed during my first week and got my PRIDE certificate which includes foster and adoption training (yay).  My instructor showed me a part of my physical where the doctor had forgotten to write some information and she told me I would have to take the paperwork back to the doctors.

I asked her if there was any word on what the other lady had been asking about but was told that they hadn't gotten any information as of then.  I asked her about my last back ground check and she said she didn't know if it was back yet but she said that she would check and let me know when I talked to her about my physical paperwork.

I went on Tuesday to get my physical paperwork fixed and had to go to the DMV for some information on my license.  As soon as I was done, I went straight to the agency with all of my stuff and turned it into the instructor.  I asked her again if my background check was in and she said she had not been able to get in touch with the woman that handles that part.  She did tell me that I should be done now and as soon as the background check comes in, I am ready to go.

It is now Thursday night (Friday morning since it is after 1 am) and I have not heard anything from them since Tuesday when I was there.  I think I am going to either call them tomorrow or stop in and see if my background check has come back.  I want to get licensed or at least know if and when I am licensed.

How are you doing?  My bloggy friends have been slacking on the blogging lately and I miss you guys!!

Foster Care timeline

I guess I am learning that when someone tells you something will take a week....expect it to take a lot longer than that.  I was supposed to be licensed as of yesterday but the weather Gods don't seem to like me very much and they keep sending snow our way (it hasn't ever snowed as much here as it has this year).  The snow closed down our city both Monday and Tuesday and therefor, I never got my phone call on Monday to finish my home study.

Tonight at a little after 8 pm, I got the call I have been waiting for all week.  I was told that one of my three background checks hasn't come back yet and I won't have my license until the background check comes in.  I did spend a little over an hour on the phone and finished answering all of the questions the woman from the agency had for me.  She said she is going to write up the last little bit of my home study and then I am done and ready to go as soon as my background check comes in.

I really hope this happens soon.  It's funny because I had to have a background check done in three different states and it is only my state that hasn't come back yet.  They are supposedly really backed up and this weather is not helping at all.

Until then, this home is ready and so are our hearts.  We are just enjoying our days and looking forward to bringing another little munchkin into our lives (one at a time at least because I am sure there will be plenty of little munchkins that will come into my home).

How long did it take you to get your background checks done?

Last home study visit

My third and final home study was scheduled for yesterday morning around 10:30 am.  I hadn't heard anything so I called the lady yesterday morning a little after nine to confirm the appointment.  She said that something had come up that week and she was trying to play catch up yesterday and wasn't sure she would be able to make it out.  I was disappointed but tried not to let her hear it.  She told me she would call me and let me know if she would come.

My friend was going to do my hair yesterday and she called me at noon and asked if she could come a little after one and I told her that was fine because it didn't sound like I was going to be finishing my home study that day.  My friend came over with her two children and started to put foil highlights in my hair.  My house was spotless but within a matter of minutes, the kids had all the toys pulled out in the living room and were having a blast.

At about three in the afternoon, when I had a head full of foil and my house was a mess, the lady called and said she was around the corner.  She asked if she could come stop by for a few minutes and I told her of course but warned her that I had friends there and my house was a mess.  She said she didn't mind at all and would only be there for a few minutes.

She showed up and we laughed at the fact that I was so much more comfortable with her and she said that is how she wants it to be.  She checked to make sure me freezer was locked, the meds were locked up, the cabinet doors were baby proofed, and she checked my fire extinguisher and first aid kit.  She asked me who my child care partner is and I told her it was my friend who was there and then she explained a few last things to me and said she would call me Monday afternoon to finish the last few things.

At that point, I asked her how long it would be until I am able to take a placement and she said that as of Wednesday March 5, I am able to take a placement.  I can't believe I am done!!!  It seems to unreal to me!  I could have a child in my home in three days!!  Now I really need to get as far ahead this week on homework as possible so I can devote as much time as possible to the baby when it gets here.  I figured I can have all my homework done by Wednesday for this week if I bust my tail in the next two days.  I have a tutoring appointment on Wednesday but that is only for an hour and then I will be all done.

Please send me some good pink foster vibes this week.  I would love to get a placement this week or the beginning of next since Spring Break starts for me next week and it would give me some down time from school to spend getting all of us used to each other.

Dotting my i's and crossing my t's

I have my final home study scheduled for Saturday morning and then it is all just a waiting game after that.  I found out yesterday that my school is out for a week starting March 10th and it would be fabulous to get a placement during that time.  I figured even if I don't get a placement, it gives me a week to get ahead with my schoolwork as well as get this house in even better order.  

I was also thinking that maybe during that time I can cook some meals and throw them into my deep freezer for when I do get our first placement.  It would be so nice to not have to think of cooking dinner the first week or so.  I figured if I make some meals that can be thrown into the Crockpot, that would be even easier for me.  

I was also thinking about making some cinnamon rolls from The Pioneer Woman and freeze most of them so the boys have some sort of yummy snacks after school.  I was thinking I could also make some muffins or something to freeze.  

I ordered the car seat on Saturday, it is supposed to be here on Friday.  I decided to clean out my van this past weekend and rearranged the seating in the car to make space for the new car seat.  I am going to place the car seat behind my seat and I put my six year olds high back booster in the center in the very back of the car.  He loves it because now he is facing the TV directly and has the car blankets on the seat next to him and I am going to make a toy/activity box to place in the seat on the other side of him.  

I found an awesome organizer on Pinterest and am going to make one if not two for our van to help with getting it organized and fun.  If you click on the link above, it shows you how this can be made into a toy/activity box and placed in the seat next to the kids and it even has a buckle so it doesn't budge if you have to brake hard.

Such a great idea to have in the car so you don't have all kinds of things all over.  And this makes it all within reach of the driver as well as the front seat passenger.  I swear there are endless things to make if you have the time to search Pinterest and have the skills, time, and resources to make them.  I think I am now adding to my list of things to do during spring break!!!

I was trying to decide what to do in regards to a car seat.  I have been going back and forth endlessly on wether or not I should buy an infant car seat or just a convertible one.  I finally decided that I would save myself the money and just buy a convertible car seat.  I was only able to get about 4 months worth of use out of my infant car seat with my youngest one because he hit 22 lbs at 4 months old and it was such a waste to me to spend a hundred dollars on a car seat that I barely got any use out of.  I am not a fan of using car seats on strollers and I honestly think infant car seats are just really HEAVY when lugging in and out of the car.

Now that the decision has been made lol  I so badly want to show you guys the car seat that I ended up purchasing.  I had to go pink and wanted something that we can use for many babies of any size and age.  I chose to go with the Grace MyRide 65 LX Convertible Car Seat.  A child can use it rear facing until 40 lbs and can use it forward facing until 65 lbs.  

Isn't it cute!?!  I can't wait to put it in the car and of course we got a cute mirror to put on the head rest so I can see the baby from the drivers seat.  This mirror is so cool, it has lights and plays music....best part, it has a remote so I can control it from the front seat!!  Where was this stuff when my boys were little??  I love the things that are available for babies and children now a days!!  

                                       

Ok, enough of me going on and on and on and on....I can get so carried away when it comes to Foster Care!  

Do you have any recipes or ideas about make ahead meals?

Lamb mobile

I bet you wouldn't have ever guessed but I love lambs!!  Crazy huh ;)  They remind me of home and give me a warm and comfy feeling....can't beat that!  

I have been wanting to find a cute mobile for the crib and I wanted it to be lambs.  I looked ALL OVER and couldn't find any that I liked until I found this totally cute ETSY store.  It is amazing and she makes these mobiles herself.  I went back and forth trying to figure out which one I wanted and/or which one I liked the best.  After lots of back and forth and sending my mom and sister the choices, I finally narrowed it down to this one....

I love it and I think it is perfect for this room, this crib, this home, and hopefully to all the beautiful babies that sleep in that crib and look at those little lambs floating up above them.  

I hung the mobile from the ceiling and am able to move it up if I get an older baby or adjust it in any way if need be.  I think it looks so sweet and have caught myself looking at it many times as I am laying in my own bed.  I can't wait to look over and see a sweet baby laying in that bed.  

By the way...that pillow will not be in the bed when a baby comes.  The pillow is from my own bed but I throw it in there at night when I am turning the bed down.  I do babysit a little boy who sleeps in the crib when he is here and he likes to use a pillow but he hasn't slept in there in a couple of weeks.

The saying that is above the crib says Happiness Dwells in the Soul.  I love that saying...it makes my heart so happy!!  

What do you think of the lamb mobile?  Does it make your heart flutter the way it makes mine?  How can it not ;)

Light at the end of the tunnel

On Friday night, I got a phone call asking me to bring the boys in to the agency for Home Study number two.  I slept maybe a total of 2.5 hours Friday night, my nerves were all over the place.  I woke up at 5:30 that morning and couldn't go back to sleep.  The boys and I got to the agency right about 10 am and had to wait a little bit for the lady to get there.

When she did get there, she introduced herself to the boys and told them that she was going to talk to them one at a time.  My middle son went first and said afterwards that she had been really nice and asked him questions like, how is he doing at school, what does he do on a normal day, she asked what he likes to do for fun, etc.

My oldest son went second and he said that she just asked questions like, how he's doing in school, how does he get along with his brothers, she asked if my youngest son was a mamma's boy (he was sitting in my lap waiting for the interview) and my oldest told her yes.  Then she asked if he was a mamma's boy and he said that he laughed and told her that they are all mamma's boys :)

My youngest went last and he is SUPER shy.  He opened up real quick to her and told her that he is excited about getting a baby and she asked if he would be jealous and he told her no.  He also told her that I am his favorite person.  He then went on to tell her that his brothers hit him and are mean to him and when he tells his mamma, she yells at his brothers.  I overheard this part and wanted to crawl into a hole....he was eating up the attention she gave him and kept going!!!  She said to me after she finished interviewing the boys that she thought they were great boys and told me how great I was doing.

She never mentioned the comment my baby boy made and I didn't say anything to him about it either.  His brothers do hit him and they tease him but that is what big brothers do.  He taunts them and annoys them till they are ready to scream (and sometimes do).

She talked to me alone and I sent the boys to the car.  During this time she told me that my middle son told her about his sister whom we just met for the first time a year ago (it's a long story and I will tell you guys about it some other time).  My son told her how I reached out to the sister and how she has become a huge part of our life.  She told me that speaks volumes about the kind of person I am (blush) and she said that it looks like I am doing the right thing by becoming a foster parent.  She then told me that she is going to come by this week for a short visit, 15-20 min and then I am all done.  She is going to try to finish my home study by the end of next week and I should be licensed and ready to accept children in the next two to four weeks!!!

I can't believe this is coming to an end!!  There is actually a light at then end of the tunnel!  I made the decision to become a foster parent in the beginning of November but with Christmas there were no PRIDE classes coming up.  I started PRIDE classes on January 10th and it is now the end of February (most of the delay was due to bad weather in the area) and I am finishing up!!  I can't believe how fast this process is!

I ordered a convertible car seat yesterday and now all I have left to buy is a stroller.  My home is ready and so is my heart.  I am so excited right now!!