What is the Agency's Role?

Since having communication issues with our agency I've been asking myself What is the Agency's Role in our adoption? The agency asked us this question before our adoption class. I wish I had saved my answers.

But in thinking of this question, I feel they are there for us to answer any questions we have, to get us ready to adopt, and to facilitate the adoption. I think because we are paying them a boat load of money for the adoption that they should return phone calls and emails in a timely manner. I think they should stick to our timeline as close as possible.

We were suppose to have our fee meeting before Thanksgiving. We still haven't had this fee meeting and it isn't suppose to happen until after the New Year. We were suppose to have our individual interviews before the Christmas Holiday and now it won't happen probably until January sometime. We were suppose to be a waiting family by the end of January but now I'm thinking the end of February.

I know adoptions don't go smoothly so don't think I have this misconception about adoption. I just want our agency whom we are paying to do some things when they say they are going to do them. Or at least return phone calls when I have questions.

So what do you feel is the Agency's Role in adoption?

Eye Yuck

But first an update. I sent an email to our SW yesterday about Carts work reference letter and the hoops we need to jump through. She basically said hopefully things slow down after the holidays and they can get us in for the fee meeting. So we wait until after the 1st of the year.

Eye Yuck! Glasses Yuck! Well I woke up this morning with what looked like pink eye and severe pain in my eye. Called work and they said I couldn't work just in case it was pink eye. I went to the eye doctor and turns out I have Keratitis of the eye. Basically inflammation of the eye. Yucky stuff. Crappy part it is the same eye I had an eye ulcer in right before Thanksgiving. I have the unfortunate pleasure of wearing my glasses for at least a week. I'm just hoping I can wear my contacts before my trip to Chicago after the New Year.

I just linked my phone to blogger so I thought I would test it out. Can you see this message?

Talked to the SW

Finally I talked to our SW today. It only took 4 or 5 messages. In regards to my dads letter, she said if he does one great if not she won't hold it against us. Basically my mom did one. My parents are divorced and have been since I was 3 so she has at least one parent of mine. She did say that she would call and update us next week sometime.

My hope is that we can get on the calendar for the following week for our meeting with the Director and then get my one-on-one interview scheduled for the following week while I'm still out of school. Once I start back to school my schedule gets very hectic so I'm really hoping and praying we get some if not all of the meetings done before I go back to school.

Talk with the Agency

We talked with the agency yesterday. It wasn't "the" person we needed to speak with but she was able to accomplish some of the stuff I was requesting.

First, my father hasn't completed his letter yet. Yes you read that right my father the soon to be grandfather hasn't done his reference letter yet. He actually lost it. So the receptionist/secretary/the only one to return calls is going to email it to him. This is the one letter holding up our progressing forward.

Second, we have been concerned about the letter from Cart's work. His boss wrote the letter, however had to send it to HR for approval. His company's policy for things like this is that they are only allowed to say when the person was hired. So if HR doesn't approve the letter then his boss will simply write a letter stating what the company policy is and then give his date of hire.

She then left yet another message for our SW to call us about setting up the next appointment. And there still has been no call back. This is rather frustrating.

I have learned a new word...Patience. So I'm being patient and doing other things with my 3weeks of free time!

Christmas

This Christmas is a little different than others. First, we are not decorating this year. :( It's sad I know. We have put up our Christmas Kinkades but other than that nothing else. I've just been too busy with school to help get anything Christmas out of the attic. Also we are hoping to have our home visit in January and with school starting it would be a lot of stress to try to get Christmas put away and clean my house. Next year will be extra special though. :)

This Christmas we are truly blessed that Cart works for an amazing company! Not only do we have the adoption reimbursement he gets a bonus every December. We are totally blessed he has a great job.

I've been trying to reach our agency to set up our next appointment and talk about reference letters and I can't seem to get a call back. So I'm a little worried and losing patience that they won't call me back. I've left two messages on two different days with no return call. It is quite frustrating.

If I don't update before Christmas I hope everyone of you have a very Blessed Christmas!

Bullet Updates

• First the adoption. It is moving along. We attended our adoption class before Thanksgiving. Our family and friends are completing their letters and sending them in. We are waiting to get a phone call to set up our meeting with the director of our agency to go over the "financial" contracts.
• Thanksgiving was a quiet one. We went over to Cart's parents and had a very yummy dinner and On Saturday we had Thanksgiving at my moms.
• My current semester is almost over. I will be finished on December 15th when I turn in my final assignment. I can't wait! I will then have my first break since I started last May. I'll have 3 weeks off.
• Cart is steadily working on the projects around the house. The bathroom is done. He is working on building the shelving for the linen closet. Then he will be building a "table top" to go over our washing machine and dryer to have more "work space" in there. Then he is going to build shelving for the babies closet.
• Other than all that it is quiet here in the sunny south.