Just the beginning...

Overwhelmed.  This is the only word to describe how I am feeling at the beginning of this process.  We have received so much information and support so far from both our homestudy agency and our placement agency.  But it is a lot to process and a lot to organize.  We almost have our first packet for our homestudy completed.  This one involves the gathering of basic information about ourselves - we each had to write biographies, collect information about our finances, obtain marriage and birth certificates, and see a physician.  We will see the physician this week and then submit our paperwork hopefully by Friday.

Once that has been turned in, there are many other packets to complete - a second one for the homestudy, a toolkit for our placement agency, beginning our dossier...so far it seems like a lot of the same - proving from every angle that we will make suitable parents. 

I have a feeling that this will be a huge test of my patience and ability to "settle down".  I am not great at waiting, but I think adoption is going to teach me to become better.  Ha!  I'm sure I don't even know the half of it at this stage...it could be a long year ahead!