June 30th, 2009

More paperwork (are you sensing a theme yet?). Anyway, we are working on filling out paperwork and getting other paperwork in order. Here is Rani's original blog post on this date:

So, we got the preliminary paperwork sent off to our adoption agency, and got the OK to go ahead with our homestudy agency! Basically, that means that we can now fill out the paperwork to send to the homestudy agency, so that they can help us fill out even more paperwork….how exciting!

Yeah, I’m feeling a bit sarcastic today, what can I say? I’ve passed the paperwork over to Mike, I’m letting him proof read the application (and fill in all the hard stuff that I got tired of figuring out on my own - don’t tell him that, though). We are both begining to master the art of filling in little boxes of information.

Aside from the sarcastic mood, I think we’re doing pretty well still on this. Yeah, it’s a lot of paperwork, and frankly my biggest concerns at this point are having enough paper to print on and keeping all the forms straight, but that’s alright. I can do organization with the best of them. The funny little nerves in the stomach and the “we’re really going to do this? are we sure? have we examined it from all possible sides? are we forgetting anything?” worries are gone now. In their place, we have new worries: “Did I remember to put all the right forms in the envelope? Do I know what the right forms are? What am I sending to whom, where am I sending it to them, and when am I supposed to send it?”

And then there’s the funny little fact that these forms all ask some things that are so standard you’re tired of writing them (name, address, etc.) and at the same time ask things that you never thought there’d be a quiz on later in life, like your past residences and dates you lived there going back 10 years. I’m considering never moving again, for fear that there will be a quiz on it and later.

After this, if I never have to write my address in a little box, it will be too soon….

June 7th, 2009

We have finished the adoption agency contract, here is the original blog post by myself for this date:

Took off early from work on Friday and Rani and I went downtown to the Franklin County Courthouse. I was expecting like 400 people in line or something terrible, but there was no line at the “Divorce Records” window. The clerk located my divorce papers effortlessly, and soon we had three certified copies. Grand total, 15 minutes and $5.10.

We also finished filling out the contract with our chosen adoption agency, and sent off the first (aaaakkkk) payment. We mailed the contract on Friday, and should have our caseworker assigned soon!

Still waiting to hear back from the budget strapped State of Ohio Jobs and Family Services about our home study agencies. Hopefully we will know something late this week or next.

On a lighter note, I was just watching the World Cup qualifier between Bulgaria and Ireland, and found myself secretly rooting for our new favorite country, Bulgaria

June 1st, 2009

More paperwork is coming in for our dossier/agency contracts. Still working on that contract with the adoption agency and still waiting on our research about the home study agency. Here is another original blog post by my wife, Rani:

Ah, the power of positive thought comes through for me again! I received my birth certs in the mail today - whoo hoo! Also hooray for thinking of going through the county office instead of the State office of vital records.

I have my passport renewal/update all put together and ready to go. Not that my passport is expired or anything. It’s just in the wrong name. Ladies, make a note: change your name on your passport within the first year of having said new name - it’s free. If, however, you do like I did and completely forget that you have the wrong name on your passport until a week before you’re slated to leave the country…well…let’s just say that timing was in my favor on this one, after all. I managed to get in and out of Canada before the passport regulation kicked in June 1st. However, given my current plans to travel to Bulgaria in the next year or two (hopefully!), I am sending it in for the update now.

Hmm…what else? At this point we are just waiting on the state to forward us the information on the different homestudy agencies that we are trying to choose between. Basically, we just asked them to verify that their licenses were current, and also asked for any information regarding complaints or compliance issues with each. Unfortunately, the state is cutting budgets left and right, and so what is normally an overworked agency is now taking even longer on these things. Not their fault, and in the greater scheme of things, an extra week or two isn’t too bad, I suppose.