That's right. Today was just another day. A Monday like many other Mondays I have experienced. That is, until the phone rings at 10:55 and my boss yells from her office "Michelle- phone's for you". So I make my way to the phone, thinking for sure it is Joe. I pick up the phone and say "Hey"(That's usually how I greet my husband or sister when they call). The person on the other end says "Oh yes, is this Michelle (lastname)?". I quickly realize it is not Joe and respond "Yes it is. How may I help you?" At this point I think it is a bill collector or telemarketer or something. And she says "Hello, this is so and so from So-andSo- Adoptions. I am the Social Worker that was assigned to you. Do you have minute?" Now I am supposed to sign in 20 Kindergartners in about 5 minutes, but I could easily have someone else do it, because this phone call is very important to me! But do I say "Sure, no problem. Just let me go to a quieter place."
No! Like a moron I say "I only have about five minutes right now. Will it take much longer than that?" Huh? Why did I say THAT? She says "No, it won't take long at all." And I say "Oh, O.K. Let me go into the office where it is quieter."(The kids are screaming their heads off right now). So I go into the office and we have the following conversation:
S.W. "I was calling because I wasn't sure how much of a hurry you were in to get your Dossier finished but I am planning on being in your area soon for some other business and wondered if I could kill two birds with one stone."
Me: "Ummmm...Yeah. We would like to get this done as quickly as possible. When were you thinking?"
S.W. "Thursday or Friday."
Me: Total silence
S.W. "Hello? Are you still there?"
Me: "Ummmm..Yeah. I'm still here. Do you mean this Thursday or Friday?"
S.W. "Yes. Thursday or Friday of this week."
Me: "Ummmm...like in three or four days from now?"
S.W. "Yes. Thursday the 9th or Friday the 10th."
Me: "Uhhhhh...Yeah, Friday works for us(All the while thinking to my self WHAT? ARE YOU CRAZY?!)"
S.W. "Great. How about 12:30 on Friday then?"
Me: Uuhhh...Yeah, sure. 12:30 on Friday sounds good."
Then we exchanged phone numbers and such but I don't really recall the rest of the conversation because inside my head I was FREAKING OUT.
What did I just do? We are in no way ready to have a homestudy done on Friday. No. Way.
And yet we're having one! I wished for this process to go quickly and I certainly got my wish!
I have to go now. I need to breathe slowly in and out of a paperbag to keep from hyperventilating! I think that left over Xanax is going to come in handy this week!
10 comments:
Take a deep breathe!!! Don't worry. Don't clean TOO much! Have cookies and coffee/soda to offer....she probably won't take it.....ours didn't. It's no big deal!!! Really. You guys are great and she'll see that!
You are ready! You are! Just swiffer up the house, throw some brownies in the over and plop some flowers in a vase. Pretty, shiny and nice smelling all in under 10 minutes!
Stock up on bottled water, diet coke and coffee and you'll be the hostest with the mostest.
A friend of mine, who used to be a social worker, told me before my home study some very helpful advice. We are all nervous at a time like this, but what she said put me at ease. She said that her job as a social worker was to help people become parents, not to be the bad guy and turn us down. So don't worry, your social worker is on your side, and everything will be fine!
Relax, you're going to do fine. Do yourself a favor and do NOT over-clean! It will be for nothing if you do. And really, it's probably better that this was sprung on you last-minute. That way you won't have extra time to fixate on and worry about every single thing pertaining to the homestudy.
Happy? Happy? Happy? Dear Michelle. Don't panic. You have Joe there with you and he is laid back. Just be your sweet self. Mom and I met with the Social Worker several times before and after all you kids. Peace and God be with you. DAD
My house was under construction when the SW came. Dust everywhere. They just want to make sure you are decent people. Don't sweat it. Think of it as one step closer to your baby....
Michele
www.ourjourneytoalyssa.blogspot.com
Good luck with that! Let me know how it goes!
Delurking to say I agree with everyone else and don't clean too much. Sweep/vacuum/dust and make sure the laundry is put away (or hidden). She won't look in closets, she won't hardly even glance at anything. I had a junk room that was the nastiest thing ever...I didn't even open the door (I just said "that's the junk room" and left it at that). But don't think I was too relaxed about the whole thing....I did repaint almost the whole entire house (I was too tired from all of that to clean that room). We just had our first post placement visit tonight and again I killed myself cleaning and she didn't even look around..not at all! So relax and be glad you don't have weeks to worry about it. Good luck!
Hi...I found your blog on the Just For Jillian blog. I know someone who knows Joannah! I also used ATWA for my homestudy. Where in CA are you? I am curious to know if you might have the same SW! I tried to find an email link on your blog, but couldn't. Feel free to email me and don't worry, you'll do fine. Remember, she is working *for you*!
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