Our 1st Homestudy Visit

   Dan and I had our 1st of 2 home study visits yesterday!  We met at her office this time, and she'll come to our home for the next.  (Then we're DONE!)  Dan and I weren't really nervous, but we didn't really know what to expect.  Our social worker said she thought she had recognized me at the training session, and then figured out who I was!  So we had the same home town and high school in common, and she knows what kind of family I came from!  (I still can't get over how crazy that is!)  She is really nice, laid back, and we're glad to be working with her!
   So for our first visit, she basically just asked us many of the questions Dan and I answered on our individual questionnaires for our application.  It didn't feel like a job interview, where you're hoping you answered it right, but just basically like she was trying to get to know us, while also taking notes!  When she'd ask us a question about what we'd do in 'such-n-such' situation, we'd say "we've already talked about this situation, and this is our thought".  She said, "Wow, you guys must really talk a lot!"  We really do, and I am thankful for it!
   So all in all, it went GREAT!  We're scheduled for our final visit at our home for next Friday.  She said at that time, she'll give verbal consent, and then she'll type up our home study and pass it on to her supervisor for approval.  Once it is approved, we're OFFICIALLY home study approved to adopt!!!  (Paper pregnant) She said it will probably take about a month for that to happen.
   Dan and I can hardly believe how easy this has been!  God has been so good through it all!  We're just praying for patience now that we're going to be entering the waiting period.  Many people say that is the most difficult part of adoption.  We're really curious to see what kind of response we get through our own outreach efforts!  We wish we were just able to go into the waiting family book, but we're praying that things work out with our own outreach efforts.  We know one of the biggest outreach efforts is 'word of mouth'.  So please, tell everyone you know that we're hoping to adopt! :)  I know my mom is pretty good at this, out of her excitement, she tells just about everyone she knows (and doesn't know) that we're adopting!  That is such a great, free tool!  We're working on a website and profiles that we will have online to hopefully connect with birth parents.
  Also, our car is going to get its new transmission on Monday!  It comes with a hefty price tag, but it also comes with a 3 year part/labor warranty.  So that is nice to know that if it dies again in the next 3 years, we won't have to pay for it!  It will be a really nice car once its replaced, and we're excited to have a working vehicle!