Overwhelming is an Understatement
Let me just start out by saying, I get overwhelmed so much quicker than Coley does. It's part of who I am as a person and I've just accepted it.
However, adoption paperwork is a whole new level of overwhelming. Since being accepted into the program, we have had about 7 checklists of completely different things that need to be uploaded to the agency as part of our home study paperwork. This includes our bank statements, our tax returns, our mortgage, our stock information, even our vehicle estimates from Kelley Blue Book and the Zillow estimates for our house. We've had to write responses to many questions that I never thought we'd have to answer. We've gone through training about how to address grief and questions about birth families. We've provided details about our own childhoods and our relationship. We've explained why our bank account looks different in February than it did in October (grad school, that's what happened...). We've talked about how we are going to educate our child (through high school), what pediatrician they will see, who will be their dentist and their eye doctor, and even where we will take them if they need play therapy. What's play therapy, you ask? I have no idea, but I know that my child will go to a local company who specializes in play therapy if needed.
Overwhelming is an understatement for what we have gone through and the information we've provided in the last month. Yes, I know it will all be worth it. But it's exhausting while you're going through it.
Coley and I are so blessed and grateful to have the support system we have as we work through this, though. I know I have friends I can call when I need to vent. I can call my momma when I am freaking out about the financial aspect. I can sit on the couch and cry to Coley about my fears of not being approved for the home study. Coley is probably right when he tells me that I'm being ridiculous and that we are going to be approved, but I worry anyway.
It's exhausting. And I will be so thankful when it's over. In the meantime, I am working through mountains of paperwork and documents. Paper cuts. Checkbooks. Carpal Tunnel. Tears. Exhaustion. Prayers.
In the end, I am left with my favorite Bible verse.
However, adoption paperwork is a whole new level of overwhelming. Since being accepted into the program, we have had about 7 checklists of completely different things that need to be uploaded to the agency as part of our home study paperwork. This includes our bank statements, our tax returns, our mortgage, our stock information, even our vehicle estimates from Kelley Blue Book and the Zillow estimates for our house. We've had to write responses to many questions that I never thought we'd have to answer. We've gone through training about how to address grief and questions about birth families. We've provided details about our own childhoods and our relationship. We've explained why our bank account looks different in February than it did in October (grad school, that's what happened...). We've talked about how we are going to educate our child (through high school), what pediatrician they will see, who will be their dentist and their eye doctor, and even where we will take them if they need play therapy. What's play therapy, you ask? I have no idea, but I know that my child will go to a local company who specializes in play therapy if needed.
Overwhelming is an understatement for what we have gone through and the information we've provided in the last month. Yes, I know it will all be worth it. But it's exhausting while you're going through it.
Coley and I are so blessed and grateful to have the support system we have as we work through this, though. I know I have friends I can call when I need to vent. I can call my momma when I am freaking out about the financial aspect. I can sit on the couch and cry to Coley about my fears of not being approved for the home study. Coley is probably right when he tells me that I'm being ridiculous and that we are going to be approved, but I worry anyway.
It's exhausting. And I will be so thankful when it's over. In the meantime, I am working through mountains of paperwork and documents. Paper cuts. Checkbooks. Carpal Tunnel. Tears. Exhaustion. Prayers.
In the end, I am left with my favorite Bible verse.
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