Let the Homestudy Begin!

Okay okay, I know I said that my next post would be a continuation of the previous one, but I was just too excited to wait! I pinky promise my next post will continue on with tips on choosing your agency, but today I just had to announce…
We’re finally finally starting our homestudy!!!!!!

First, I want to say that last week for the first time ever, I met another HGer face to face (living right here in our teeny tiny dirt town). Hers was NEVER DIAGNOSED!! (Can you believe it?? I’m sure so many of you can!) But she spent more than 6 weeks in the hospital with a TPN and IVs. She didn’t gain ANY weight and instead came out of the pregnancy 5 pounds lighter than when she started. When I looked at her and said, “Honey, you had HG. One of the worst cases I’ve heard of.” She laughed and said, “I’m glad it has a name. My doctor never gave it one.” Bless her heart. I was so thrilled to have met someone face to face who survived it. (Although I’ve absolutely loved all of the HG sisters I’ve met online over the past few years.)

Onto Homestudy news~

I had to get some forms notarized, and we finally got those taken care of. I faxed them. I got a call later that I was missing some of the forms related to criminal background checks, so I got those ready to fax, and then noticed on the bottom of one of the pages it said they needed copies of each of our state I.D.’s. So again, I had to go back and send that in. Then I realized one of the forms was missing Travis’s signature. Another setback.

All forms were turned in, and I got a call from our homestudy coordinator saying that she would prepare a “huge toolkit” for us and email it to me, so I started -obsessively- checking my email over and over… and over…looking for the toolkit she promised. Nothing. An hour…Nothing.

So I wrote her instead. Then the phone rang. Our payment didn’t go through because my debit card is dumb and holds my maiden name. Ok. Travis’s card. Checking email, checking email, waiting….

Phone rings again. Payment denied because its larger than our bank will allow for one debit purchase. Holy pin number, Batman! So I call the bank, raise our limit, call her back, try again.

Whew! It went through, we’re good.

Some things that surprised me. I was thinking that I would then receive a huge packet asking for details about our family, our history, our parenting skills, etc., but instead the packet they sent me looks like a more detailed application. More detailed than the one we already did. You have to apply for a homestudy after you’ve already applied and paid? Strange. Maybe after we fill this part out, we get the more detailed packet? This is all new to me.

Anyway, we’re in it now. Just thought you’d want to know!

Kat