Adoption, Part 3: The Counselor

When we last left off this crazy story, Nathan and I had been told that since we had seen a counselor previously and that the records indicate we never resolved our issues we would have to see a counselor here and get approved before moving forward.  We finally saw a counselor tonight, and it was somewhere between successful and unsuccessful.  It wasn't a total flop as we liked him well enough, but we are not approved yet, and we face a pretty serious obstacle:  time.

We face a pretty big deadline in April.  If we do not get approved before then, we have to redo all the paperwork.  And seriously, you don't know the meaning of paperwork until you try to adopt through DFCS.  Mountain does not really even begin to describe it!  I thought we had plenty of time to get it done, so I wasn't unduly concerned nor in a big rush.  I had hoped against hope we would be approved tonight because there is a cute little 7-year-old I'd like to put in an application for, but that was pretty unrealistic and I knew it.  We didn't get our approval, and the soonest appointment time we could make was for 2 weeks from now.  I was disappointed as I doubt this little boy will still be available at that point in time, but I could deal with it.  Then, Nathan told me on the way home that he will probably be leaving for Airman Leadership School, a 5-week training, on February 15th.  That is SOON, especially if we can only make appointments for 2 weeks at a time!  And he won't get back until shortly before our April deadline.  Bad news.  Bad, bad news.

So we are hurt, angry, and sad.  And frustrated.  Very, very frustrated.  As Nathan said tonight, the worst part is knowing that you probably couldn't find a better home for these kids.  We have a house.  We have a clean house.  Nathan has a steady income.  I am dedicated to being a stay-at-home mom, which I personally feel is the ideal.  I have a degree that gave me 5 years of experience in working with children.  We have a stable relationship.  We go to church every week.  (Well, I go every week.  Nathan works Sundays.  :P)  We have morals and values.  We have a great support system locally with the church and farther away with our families.  What is the hang up?  We went to counseling FOUR YEARS AGO!!!!  Makes a person want to throw a full-on tantrum on the ground, kicking and screaming.