Now the work begins...

I was so stinkin' excited and now I am so stinkin' tired.  I started working on my paperwork last night and didn't get to bed until 12:30 am.  The alarm went off at 6 am.  Ugh. 

I completed my official application to adopt from VN and submitted it to my agency with a nice chubby check.  I then began working on the documents required for my home study.  Oy.  Although it has only been 13 months since the last time I have done this, they have included more things.  I emailed the lead SW because I was a bit overwhelmed by the amount and I wasn't sure where to find certain forms.  She emailed back to say that some forms have already been eliminated for international adoptions (there was a new fingerprint process which meant I would have had to be fingerprinted twice for the same adoption and within the same month).  She also said that some of the information can be obtained from last year's home study.  Whew.  For any prospective adoptive parents out there reading this, be prepared to do autobiographies on yourself and your parenting style during the home study process.  Last year I had 3 different papers I had to write.  The information was so detailed I had to call my mom to ask when her parents were born, when her siblings were born, what education they received and what careers they had.  In addition, I had to do the same for their kids (my cousins).  What the heck?  We are not close to extended family and never have been.  We've always lived too far away. 

I'm still trying to get my physical moved up.  My appointment isn't until 12/26 and that is too far away.  I called all the physicians in her practice and the walk in clinic.  No availability from her fellow physicians and the walk-in clinic won't do physicals.  I found another Emergent Care setting that I think will do the physical, but no guarantee they will order the blood/urine/x-ray tests.  Ugh.  My insurance kicks in next week so I will do it then.  The month of December is going to be crazy for me because of work.  I really need to get as much done next week, because the following week I'm pulling an all-nighters and I will be useless for a few days.  Then I am in Dallas for business until the 2 days before Christmas.  I really need to be done by then.

My goal, if I haven't stated it often enough already, is to be done by the end of the year.  I may not have my 171H, but I want everything else to be completed and ready for state certification and VN embassy authentication.  I have my 3 ring binder and a check list.  I called all my references last night (thanks Michael, Sherry, Kristen, and Anne), I spoke to my boss (I'm a new hire--I just completed my second month) about my China baby last week (I didn't know for sure about Haven at that point), and I spoke to HR today.  I think I'm ready for the rollercoaster again!