Having turned our back on the farce that was our fertility referral some six months ago, with a great deal of satisfaction I might add, we got to the end of the summer ready to look at adoption. Actually, I say ready to look at, but there hadn't actually been that much discussion between hubby and I up to this point. Beyond the odd statement such as 'adoption seems far more worthwhile than carrying on with this crap' anyway...
I had bounced around a few web pages, read a few blogs, read everything we had been asked to read before contacting our local council agency. I built up so much nerve to call, then I wasn't able to speak to a social worker when I did. After that, we had a rather prolonged game of telephone tag, until I finally managed to speak to a lovely social worker.
I must admit, I wasn't really expecting such deep questioning so early on (I now realise it is a small taster of what is to come!) and the main point she seemed to be trying to get across was that these children all come with issues. I answered that of course I appreciated that, but it wasn't until reflecting on the conversation later that I can see that I probably did realise it in passing, but preferred to hold on to my nice comforting fluffy vision of a small happy child meeting me and shouting 'mummy!'
Anyway, we had to be sent a pack before we could enrol ourselves on the information evening. The pack only told me what I had been told to read already online - but again I think this is probably just a fair warning of the very defined process that we have now set ourselves on...!
So, the information meeting. What was I expecting? Well, probably another rehash of the information read online and sent in the pack, I guess. What I didn't expect was what a powerful meeting it would be. In a very quiet, pulling-no-punches, presentation the social workers and adopters had me on the verge of tears several times as I realised what a terrifying, amazing, life changing thing we were about to commit to. It also made me even more angry about our previous (and, ironically, so sterile) meetings with the fertility crowd. But I have been there already in this blog and I don't need to go back!
Having not said much before, or during, hubby came out with fire in his belly. I could see a real passion there for the process and what it could mean to our little family. We were practically bouncing around the car on the way home and were still buzzing for some time after.
We left ourselves a week to reflect before sitting down together last night and filling in our first forms, telling them we want to go ahead and hopefully get our first home visit. The envelope is sitting out in hall waiting to go tomorrow, it's all I can do not to drive it over there and post it by hand...
So, happy thoughts tonight - helped by seeing some adopters on Twitter reach some serious milestones in the past couple of days.
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