Home Study Part II - The Class

Tim and I attended a full day class at the Adoption Support Center. The Center, btw, is in a really cute old house in Broad Ripple. It has a swing on the front porch and is next to the Monan Trail. It has a fun, homey feel to it which I think is perfect for an adoption center! Anyway, we spent all day today there with Marlyss who led the class. There were 6 other couples there. Two of which had adopted before through the center and were returning to work with them again. One of them has waited 18 months for their match and then got a call that a baby had just been born and would they like to come pick him up?! Wow! The birthmother apparently had a very difficult life and had hid her pregnancy. She checked into the hospital under a false name and wanted to just have the baby and leave. Very sad... The other couple got a match within their first month being active. They met with the birthmother a few times and were at the hospital when their daughter was born. They really liked the birthmother and continue to stay in contact with her now. Two very different experiences and two peeks into what might happen for us when we become parents.

The purpose of the class was to help up understand some of the possibilities that might happen along the way so that we'll understand and try to be prepared for anything. They talked about what we could expect from them and what they expect from us. They make it very clear that at the minimum, you will provide letters and pictures for the birthmother if she requests it. Anything else is optional. We would love to find ourselves matched with a situation that we could have a fully open adoption. Of course, we would only want them if it was going to be a healthy relationship for all involved so we will be careful as wel go along. The center tells us that the moms who often times want the fully open adoption are some of their best moms because they usually have full prenatal care and are usually healthy physically and mentally.

We turned in all the paperwork!!!! Yeah!!! All 150+ photos as well only to learn that they will pick from the photos and come up with a 2 page photo collage about us. Shoot, I could have done that much faster than gathering all those pics. Ah well.... They do it that way so they can be very picky about which pics they use and also so all couples are on the same level with what is presented to the birthmothers. Some other agencies have the couple prepare a scrapbook about themselves. This can sometimes set one couple apart just because they are more creative than others which does not necessarily make them a good match for that child.

We went to Bazbeaux's Pizza in Broad Ripple for lunch...yum! Tim and I ordered the tuna pizza...a memory from our honeymoon in Italy. Yes, the others thought it was an odd choice too but we like it! :-)

Next up, the home visit next week!