We're Approved!

I've been waiting to write a post until our home study was approved, and thought that wait might take a bit longer... but out of the blue yesterday our social worker called and told us that it was not only complete, but approved as well!  For some reason,  I had it in my head that she had to finish writing it, we had to sign it, and then it had to be sent off to government land to be approved.  It all happened simultaneously however, which suites me just fine!  I had envisioned it sitting on the desk of some overworked, underpaid government employee in a building similar to the one seen on the TV show Parks and Recreation, waiting forever to be signed by a "Ron Swanson."  Maybe I watch to much TV, because thankfully this wasn't the case!

So now we are officially on the waiting list and could be potentially chosen by a birth mom any day now.  After the initial excitement, then came the anxiety and reality that we still aren't ready for a newborn.  Emotionally, we've been ready, but physically???  Well lets just say that my art studio (located directly by the nursery) is still a "death trap" for any crawling little person, the nursery is missing all the cozy bedding and essential gear, and we don't have any of the safety must-haves like, I don't know, a car seat!!!  I had a miniature panic attack in Babies R Us yesterday.  I was there getting some things for a work project and had just gotten the email & message from Bethany about the approval.  I think that might have been the worst place to take all of that in, because if you've ever been there, it's the biggest craziest baby emporium on the planet.  I was very tempted to hand the sales lady at the counter my visa and tell her "I guess I'll take one of everything?"  I mean, where on earth do we start.  There must be 20 different types of bottle's alone, and I have no idea what the difference is between the million types of strollers, car seats, formulas, boppys, do- dads, and thing-a-ma-jigs available!  I started to feel like I was in a Dr. Seuss novel, so I had to get out of there quick.

Once safely at home, and more importantly after speaking with Dave, I began to be comforted with the fact that just because we've been approved, doesn't mean we will get our baby tomorrow.  We still have time to stock our nursery, closets, and cabinets with everything we need (how much time, I don't know).  Thankfully we have tons of friends with babies of all ages, so we'll be calling on them to tell us what we can't live without!

We do however have our family book finished, ordered, and shipped to the Bethany offices.  That took much longer than probably necessary but I obsessed over the "creative" design aspects.  Sometimes being a creative thinker can be painfully annoying!  But it's done, and we're approved... so now we wait (some more).  We have to keep reminding ourselves that God is in control, and we will meet our baby in His perfect timing!  I'm so thankful that we can trust in that, and rest assured that it will all work out...