Home Study Visit

This past weekend was busy for us.  Spent most of the day getting ready for the social worker who was coming to do the home visit.  Everyone in my house (all three of them) kept asking why we had to do so much.  The truth was that we didn't do anything overly special, the house just needed a really good cleaning!  And I got all my Christmas decorations out of the guest room (soon to be baby's room) and back in the attic.  So relieved that is done!  

So Sunday at noon we snuck out of church as soon as the pastor finished, and headed home to grab a quick bite to eat before the case worker got here.  Of course, she got lost, because almost everyone does trying to get here for the first time.  It's not hard, but sometimes people get turned around.  

The girls were nervous because they had been told that they might have to talk with  her by themselves.  They were getting a little worked up over it and since I didn't think they would actually have to do that, I told them it was very unlikely.  That settled them a bit, thankfully.  Turns out though, that I shouldn't have said that.  They did have to talk to her by themselves but did great.  I was a little afraid the youngest would get upset and not talk, but all went smoothly.  She was very nice and put us all at ease.  After about two hours, we were finished and she left us with the next step: more paperwork!  

I spent most of today off and on the phone with our doctor's office.  I called to make an appointment to get a physical done so that the doctor could fill out a physician's report and give a statement saying we are healthy enough to parent.  All was fine until I told them that the report had to be notarized.  That's was when I was told, "No, we can't do that."

Me: "What do you mean, you can't do that??  You are the only doctor we have seen for the last 15 years!  If you can't do it, who will?  You have all my medical records!"

I couldn't exactly go to an unknown doctor and ask for this.  I think they might find that a little weird and think I'm hiding something since I'm not asking my real doctor for this info. The issue was that they don't have an in-house notary, so we are taking one with us!  Fun, Fun for all!  After about 8-10 calls back and forth to and from the doctor's office, with other issues about this cropping up along the way, we finally have an appointment to have blood drawn and another to get the results, the report, and the notarization.  Whew!  Who knew it would be so much work for a little signature!  :)

Got our marriage and birth certificates ordered, registered for some online training we have to take, started reading a book we have to read for the process, took pictures of us and the house, got reference letters/forms prepped to give out to a few people, copied TDL's and SSN's, filled out more paperwork, and got another notarization.  It was a lot to do but I have felt so productive over the last two days!

Please know I'm not complaining and I really hope it doesn't come across that way.  I'm wanting to document the process, the aggravating issues and the smooth issues.  I knew going in there would be a TON to do and that's no lie.  But you do what you have to do and this is it and I'm good with that.