Training, Training & More Training?!?

We finished all 10+ hours of our online adoption training!!! We had reserved a couple nights this week to work on it but got ambitious and spent most of our "free" time to complete the trainings. Today, we received all the certificates and mailed them off to be put in our files. It is really, really fantastic to have that done.

The weird training hours saga continues: I received an email from the agency that is hosting the upcoming training that we will be attending for 7 in-person hours we need.

"THIS IS A REMINDER-ILLINOIS DCFS WILL ONLY ALLOW 4 HOURS ON-LINE DESPITE WHAT SOME INTERNET SITES SAY-THIS IS A SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT IN ILLINOIS. ALSO, IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING ADOPTION OF A CHILD 23 MTHS OR OLDER, ETHNICALLY OF A DIFFERENT RACE THAN YOUR FAMILY OR POSSIBLE MEDICAL NEED (PREMATURE, SPECIAL NEED OR DRUG EXPOSED) THESE QUALIFYIERS PUT YOU IN THE SPECIAL NEED CATEGORY WITH ILLINOIS DCFS AND YOU ARE HELD AT A HIGHER TRAINING REQUIREMENT (International 12 hrs/Domestic 10)."

This was a general email sent out but if I read it right, it indicated that we would need MORE training hours and more in-person hours in particular......so I sent a clarification email to BCHFS and I am really, truly hoping that that does not apply to our situation. I have a sinking feeling that it might...we'll see. We were told that we needed ten hours - 6 of them having to be in-person but I wonder if that is a general requirement and perhaps our situation bumps us up into that next category????? By the way, if this is true, why in the world isn't the training worth eight hours instead of seven?!?!?

If you think of us, we would be so thankful if you would pray for us. Our first home study appointment is coming up on Monday 6/14, and there is a lot "up in the air" still, a lot of "what if's" and uncertainty. A potential change in the course of our adoption process. We really need the Lord's direction for what He wants us to do. I was "conflicted" about the issues at hand last night (Karl's new favorite word) and Karl and I talked and he reminded me about a testimony from a young man at church - that we really need to be open to letting the Lord direct us in our life paths - and to CHANGE directions - and sometimes have us shift directions, looking like we are aiming for "point A" but using that detour to get us to "point B." He IS the Lord so I don't know why it is hard to let Him be the boss and call the shots but as a frail human, it sadly is. I like the predictable and frankly sometimes it is hard to surrender "our plan." Anyway, the exhortation from Scripture given to us is quite helpful: "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9 (NIV) So in faith and a desire to be open to God's potential change of direction if that is His sovereign plan, we have decided to pursue it and see where it goes.

Tonight on our newly opened time slot is: composing our letter of introduction to ICBF. Wednesday night is dealing with household chemicals and child cabinet locks. Ahhhhh, the joys of home studies. If anyone has some fabulous idea on child-proofing household chemicals, please pass it on!