Tanner Life

The Big Mail Off

Yesterday was a big day in the journey of adoption! After 4 & a half months of paperwork, we finally mailed the last pieces off to our adoption coordinator. (with a HUGE sigh of relief might I add) We started with a two page list of things to turn in, was surprised with an extra page of to dos in late January. Done, done, done! There were many adventures along the way.

Like the fun (old, grouchy, serious) lady who takes her job at the 911 office very, very seriously. She was flabbergasted with me because I wanted something saying we had NOT called 911 in the past 5 years. (or ever for that matter) She couldn't understand why, though I had explained in detail from the second I walked in what we were doing, I needed a report or letter with nothing on it. Then there was the trip to the Marietta License Building to get our certified marriage license where I tried to walk OUT the IN, security guards and my husband all laughing the entire time. Boys- There was the stalking and begging that I had to do in order to get a physical that hadn't been scheduled for over a year, I mean seriously ... There was the fact that Andy had to get one test twice because no on seems to understand when you'd like results back within a few months time! There was the search for somewhere to take a 10-panel drug screen, who knew those things were so hard to get. The seedy little place we went is a whole different story in itself. (Seems Tuesday is half off HIV test day and you can now get a paternity test for ONLY $395, must be a bargain by the SALE signs they had posted. I kid you not)

There was the 12 page "paper" we wrote for our autobiography. Well, MINE was 12 pages (imagine that) and Andy's was about 7. Then there was the 7 page questionnaire that we also had to write. Just like being in school again. It was interesting to think back about your life and get it all down on paper. There was the septic tank inspection. "Seriously???" you ask, "YES, SERIOUSLY!" Let me know when they start requiring those for people who give birth in the hospital. I'm just sayin'

This list goes on, but it is now complete. Complete with many little green lines. I used a green marker to happily strike through each and everything as it traveled from the Post Office (usually via over night or certified mail) into the hands of the IAC.

With the paperwork, I also mailed off the "Birth Mom Letter". This is one of the hardest things of all. I knew the general idea and had been working on it even before we signed our contract. We had pages and pages and pages in our "notebook" on guidelines for this letter. We sat through hours and hours and hours of discussion about it at our weekend intensive workshop. We looked at dozens of examples. Keep in mind that we are trying to present ourselves, our lives, our values, our hopes & dreams, our family & friends, our traditions, our desire for a child, all on a piece of paper front and back. While meeting all these guidelines. It is seriously over whelming! (Especially for someone who likes to talk ..ramble.. as much as I do. YOU KNOW ME)
You need pictures for a glimpse into your lives.... that is a whole other set of problems.

There are again, pages and pages and pages of guidelines on this picture for the front you must have. I have thousands of pictures (You know me, right???) Photography is quite the obsession. A friend made fun of me once, "you have ALOT of pictures of you & Andy in your house". Why, yes I do! I love to be surrounded by pictures of our adventures and life. Just look around, there are PLENTY of all those we love as well. My niece said last week "I don't guess I've ever seen her without her camera". My preschool kids have gotten use to it, they no longer hide or complain, they show me their best "cheesy" grin and go on about their business..... I digress-

We needed a new picture though, the perfect picture. Ugh! We had scheduled twice to meet with a photographer friend's family to take said perfect picture. The first time, we had to cancel due to snow. Snow?? In Georgia?? Yes, the freak snow in Georgia WOULD come on the day I had this planned! The second time, torrential rain. Yep, Georgia who has been in drought conditions the past year... has torrential rain on the second scheduled day. Who knew it would be so hard to get Andy in town and a sunny day, TOGETHER. Dad came up to the plate and took pictures of us once, then we took OUR OWN pictures on another sunny afternoon. I do pretty good work with a bench and a tripod. We'll see if she approves... we like the outcome.

Anyhooo... after months and months of tweaking this thing. Re-writing the text over and over and over and over again. Changing the entire color scheme twice. (Because we changed what we wore from first set of pictures to second) Learning the new computer program bought for just this letter. Making 9 trips to the printer this week, help from Ms. English Major herself *cough*Tracey*cough* on my one difficult sentence.... it's done for now.

Our coordinator will look at *search over with a fine tooth comb & rip apart* the letter and then tell us what edits to make. I hear stories of it taking 1 or 2 edits, others it takes 8-10. Of course we're hoping for the fewer.

She should schedule our home visit, which scares me to death, pretty soon. (I know some of you assure me not to panic, but think back ... you know you did!) Then we have individual interviews with her. Those my friends, are the only things left on the to do list for approval. We are so close, we can see the finish line and it's so very exciting!!