Hi Everyone! We have a small (ok, not so small) announcement!
Before we get into it, we haven’t been matched or been picked with an expectant family. But we have crossed a major milestone in the adoption journey!
WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR HOME STUDY!
This is a big step, and has been a long a difficult process.
For those that are not aware of the home study process, Grant likes to compare the process to a very involved medical exam, and Shannon just shakes her head when he says this.
Step 1: We had our first meeting with a social worker (over a zoom/face time like product, thank you pandemic) where we talked and went over some paperwork, which included guidelines, releases, and just general information about the home study process.
Step 2: We then met over the computer again, and had a meeting where we told her about us as a couple and our journey/process. We went into more that we won’t go into here, but nothing was really off limits. We each then individually met with her to talk to her about us as individuals, and again nothing was off limits.
Step 3: While these interviews were taking place, we had TONS of paperwork to get together for the social worker. We had to get information together such as legal documentation (copy of ID’s, marriage license, CPR certification, etc.). We needed the sign off from our doctors/providers saying we didn’t have some sort of disease which would kill us in the next few years, and get background clearances from the feds and state (both Arizona and Illinois). We had multiple training sessions we had to do on a variety of adoption subjects, and 5 references that weren't family. There is ton’s more that we can’t remember, but as you can see, it was VERY involved, and took us a while to gather all the information the social worker needed to write up her report for the courts.
Step 4: Once we gathered everything, we set up an in-home appointment to meet with us both to answer any last questions and see the home to make sure it was suitable for a baby.
Step 5: While we don’t have the whole completed home study (that only gets released to the courts), we finally received the letter which informed us that we have a completed home study!
We are ecstatic to have this part of the journey behind us, and look forward to the next step of making our profile public. Once our profile is public, our family profile will be sent to expectant families all over the country!
Adoptions are expensive, and we are looking to build up a little savings before we can make our profile public. While we are saving everything we can, we have a few donation and fundraising options in case any of our friends and family would like to help us on this journey.
**If you are looking for a tax deductible donation, We have an adopttogether crowdfunding page where you can donate and get the information for your taxes.
**Another fundraiser we are doing is a Puzzle Fundraiser. We have purchased two identical puzzles, and for every $10 dollars that is donated (either by the adopttogether site, venmo, or Zelle), we will send two puzzle pieces from one of the puzzles. On the replica of the other puzzle pieces, we will write the name or family of the donors. The finished puzzle that remains with us will be framed, and put in the nursery for our future child as a memento they can keep forever.
**We also have a merchandise store as well! We have a logo for our family adoption, and have created a site where you can purchase items (phone covers, shirts, sweatshirts, etc). Shannon is wearing an example sweater in the photo!
To find links to the above information, please click on the donate link in the top right corner
We look forward to the day we can share even better news with you, but until then, we are celebrating the tiny milestones that will get us there. Thank you all for your support for us on this difficult, but ultimately extremely rewarding journey.
<3 S & G
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