First Home Visit

If you have not kept us with us lately, you may not know that we are in the process of fostering to adopt a child within Durham County. Today was a big day for our family. A social worker that we know from the classes we took in May and June came out for our initial home screening visit. I greatly anticipated her arrival. To be honest, I was scurrying all around our home all morning trying to make everything super clean and presentable. I was envisioning her doing a white glove test to approve of us or something. Absurd, I know. I was nervous, what can I say? This fostering to adopt means a great deal to me.

We had a great conversation with her as she asked us several questions about how we are feeling about fostering a child and such. Our children were all around. The more we chatted, the more relaxed I became and confident in what we were in the midst of. She walked around our home with a checklist of things that are required of our home in order for it to become an official licensed foster home. She let us know about things we need to have done before our next visit, things like putting a child proof lock on cabinets with cleaning products and setting up a crib or toddler bed for the new child. We met most of the standards that are required of a foster home. We will have another home visit after we complete some more of the requirements for our licensing, such as getting our fingerprints done at the courthouse, taking the CPR and First Aid class, and getting a physical.

Today was another step toward our getting a child to love on and give a home to. How do I feel? I feel nervous. With that nervousness, I feel excitement and hope. After our social worker left our home today, Scott and I had a chat about where we are and what we are feeling. We felt a rush of sorts today as we realized that we are truly moving forward.

I was talking with a new found friend at the pool today. We were chatting about our day and I shared with her a little bit about our journey with fostering to adopt. She looked at me with big eyes and said, "Wait, stop the presses [hands out to both sides of her], you are doing what?" She continued, "You and your husband must really, I mean, really like children."

We do.