Info meeting - success!

We went to the meeting today and it was GREAT! First off, last year's coordinator WAS there, so it was nice to chat with him and his family. At least Lucky Boy felt comfortable because we knew people; most of the other families were at their first event so it felt like we were a step ahead. Plus, we already knew the details of things like fundraising for the organization, weekend family get-togethers, and some of the rules.

Second, LB was very attentive and interested. Not that I thought he wouldn't be, but you never totally know what someone else's threshold will be for sitting in a HS classroom listening to a lecture. He didn't ask any questions, but I think that was more because we already knew most of the information. He didn't realize that the escort would stay with us for a few days, apparently he missed that when I kept asking him if he knew anyone who had an air matress for the escort this summer.

Third, we DID give in the completed application. The check will go in the mail tomorrow morning on my way to work. We can update our old homestudy, so arranging that will be the next step. I actually just planned on doing a mini-homestudy with whatever summer social worker the organization will be using, which would cost around $200, but they are recommending that because I already have a homestudy I do an update which is $600 but that would be ALL I'd need if I decide to pursue an adoption. Kinda scary, I'm taking a $400 risk by doing the update instead of the mini-version. I guess in the long run, it isn't really that much more to just collect all of the paperwork as if we were host-to-adopt rather than host-possible-adopt. I don't think I'm going to send in the immigration paperwork until after The Invisible Kid is here.

And here's a bit of information that neither of us realized before. One of the things we've been looking forward to MOST if we eventually have a child is to take her to a vacation area about 3 hours north of us. We've gone there the past few summers and we keep imagining what it would be like to actually watch a child enjoy it, to enjoy the amusement parks and everything else through the eyes of a child. Well, depending on The Invisible Kid's needs (what we estimate them to be when she arrives), we CAN take that vacation THIS summer!!! We won't plan it until she's here for a few days, just to see how she adapts and if it's the kind of thing she'd actually like, but we're really hoping it will work out. And the best part is, a friend's family has a vacation home in that area, so we may be able to go and not have to pay for a hotel.