Final Post-Placement Vist

This morning we had Amelia's final post-placement visit with Mary, our Children's Home social worker. We had a meeting at one month home at our house, today at three months home at Children's Home, and at five months home, we're required to send a written progress report. The paperwork will continue for some time as we work to have Amelia's adoption finalized in the county court which will make her a United States citizen. Even then though, our paperwork isn't complete. Once Amelia becomes a citizen, and we receive her Minnesota state birth certificate and adoption decree, it's then time for us to gather more documents and apply for her passport. Once we have her passport, we can apply for her social security card. And finally, once we have her social security card, we can apply for her Certificate of Citizenship. Then, our paperwork is done. We're expecting to be granted a court date in late September or October and everything else should fall in place shortly after. About a year from now, we should have all the legal documents in hand. I'm all paperworked out just thinking about it!

It felt strange at our meeting this morning, to know that we have no real reason to be back at Children's Home in the near future. For three years now, our lives have been intertwined with meetings, classes, and paperwork all relating to us bringing home our Korean treasures. It's hard to believe that I'm no longer waiting for the phone to ring. Both kids are home-happy, healthy, and thriving. I really couldn't ask for anymore.

Mary was thrilled with the progress Amelia has made and how smooth her transition into our family has gone. Over the past three years, we've gotten to know Mary quite well and much of our meeting was spent just reminiscing. She couldn't help but remind us how scared we were the first time we met her and how skeptical we became of the process with all the bumps in the road leading up to seeing a picture of Graham for the first time. Yes, we've come a long way as a family.

And because I like to keep things real, with Daddy Jeff's permission, I will share a funny and bit embarrassing story regarding our meeting this morning. As we were talking with Mary, she was watching Graham play in the toy kitchen and asked us if he is speaking in sentences. Before either of us could answer, Graham turned around, looked at her and very clearly said "Yes. Daddy Jeff's poopy smells icky!" WHAT WAS HE THINKING?????????????? Jeff and I both looked at each other, then had to quickly turn away so we didn't start cracking up. None of us knew what to say. I believe I broke the silence with something like "So anyways......" I suppose it's time for us to get used to having a verbal child who speaks his mind!

I have NO clue why this photo is sideways. I've tried for 10 minutes to get it to load correctly and it won't. So, today you'll be enjoying a sideways picture of Graham and Amelia playing at Children's Home before our meeting.