The Schoonovers

Wow! This week has been a whirlwind!

We got a call from our home study writer late Monday afternoon to schedule our first home study visit on Wednesday evening. I immediately started frantically cleaning. Ha! With 3 dogs who constantly bring in dirt, our house only feels clean for a couple hours after cleaning it.

There’s a different level of cleaning that comes with parents coming to visit from out of town and someone coming to determine whether your home is fit for a baby. While there’s nothing that should rule us out, there’s still anxiety that sets in.

Before we started our home study, we were told the process usually takes three to three and a half months. When they scheduled our home study visit, they said it would probably take a month and a half. By the time we met with the home study writer, we were told we’d probably be done around the end of February. Thursday, they told us we may be done within the next two weeks, so we are zooming through it.

Our first visit was the kickoff to allow us to sign all the legal paperwork, ask questions, and gain an understanding of what the rest of the process will look like. Both our agency and home study writer have been so great. The meeting was super informative and helpful.

During the meeting we also learned that the agency has had a ton of movement lately. Since Matt and I made a huge effort to get ahead on our home study paperwork while we were on the secondary waiting list, they are fast-tracking us through the home study.

The rest of the week included completing our final two forms, getting fingerprinted, going to the county sheriff’s office to run background checks on us, and having the fire department come to our home to do a safety check. All that’s left is for them to collect references letters from the references we provided, schedule our individual interviews, and complete their home safety check. Our home study writer let us know that she will be reaching out Monday or Tuesday to get the interviews scheduled and our agency said they will likely end up scheduling the home safety check this week as well.

When I went to drop off our first check for our adoption, we were asked how quickly we would be able to take a placement if the opportunity arose. We let them know that we are physically ready, however we are about halfway to being fully funded. It’s looking like our total adoption will cost $30,000-$32,000. We are $15,000-$17,000 shy of being fully funded. If we accept a match, we will have two months from the time the baby comes home to pay the $15,000 placement fee which is our last major adoption fee. Thankfully, when our home study is complete, we can start applying for adoption grants to help offset our remaining costs. While those aren’t guaranteed, we are hopeful and trusting that the Lord will provide. He’s brought us this far and we believe He will continue to carry us in this journey.

Matt found out Friday that we are third on the list for a placement! We went from the secondary waiting list to third in line which is absolutely wild in the best way!

When a birth mom comes in to create an adoption plan, she is given the choice as to whether or not she wants to pick the adoptive family. If she chooses to pick the adoptive family, she is presented with the family profiles of all potential families whose preferences match birth mom’s situation, and she is able to make the choice. If she decides to let the agency make the choice, the agency will work backwards from the family who has been waiting the longest for a match and whose adoption preferences match birth mom’s situation.

Once our home study is complete, we can start being presented to birth moms and even though we’re third on the list, we can be chosen at any time. It’s crazy to think about. Even with all the recent movement the agency has had, we could still be waiting for a match for another 12-18 months or we could be selected very quickly. Birth moms also come in at all stages of pregnancy, so we could get a call about a birth mom with months left in her pregnancy or who has just given birth.

While we don’t know what the timeline moving forward looks like, we are hopeful in the waiting and continuing to prepare.

With Love,

The Schoonovers