Approved and starting homestudy paperwork! :)

Well I just got off the phone with our adoption agency and....we are APPROVED!  and so now the home study paper chase begins....pray that this part goes as smoothly as possible.  They say and we hope that it will take 5-6 weeks. I have tried to prepare for everything that we are responsible for by ordering our birth certificates and marriage certificates etc...but there is alot of paperwork involoved.

We can now match with a child is we see one that we think would fit our family.  There is one child right now that I have requested her medical file....so continue to pray that God would show us the right child for our family.  It is so hard to look into their little faces in the picture they send and say "I just don't think you are right for our family"  I want to take them all home. :)  But we can also wait and have our social worker match us with a child...which she is really good at.  I think we will probably wait unless we see a child come up that we have a very strong feeling about.  We have asked for a female under the age of 3 and that we would consider twin girls. :)

Just a sample of some of the things we will be getting ready for our homestudy:

Personal Information

 Certified copies of birth certificates for you, your spouse, and any children already living in your home;

• Certified copies of your marriage certificate;

Financial Information

• Verification of employment on company letterhead (even if you are self-employed);
• Income verification (usually copies of your federal tax returns for the last three years);
• Proof of life insurance, including the names of beneficiaries;
• Proof of health insurance;
• Verification of all monetary assets on institution letterhead (including checking account, savings account, 401k balance, stocks, money market accounts, mutual funds, etc.);
• Debt information (balances on your credit cards, cars, house, etc.);
• Mortgage or rent information (amount of monthly payment and amount of equity you have if you own your home).

Other Information You Will Need for Your Homestudy

• Results of a recent physical exam;
• Results of a criminal background check from EVERY state you have lived in since age 18
• Public health inspection if your home has a septic system;
• Fire safety inspection;
• Letter from your veterinarian stating that all your pets are healthy and current on their vaccinations;
• Photographs of you, your spouse, and any children already living in your home;
• Photographs of the front, back, and inside of your home;
• Written references.

Much love!

Kendra