Here’s an adoption/foster update..

Um, nothing.  Well, that’s not exactly true.  Nothing on the part of Department of Human Services (DHS).

I think this may be a pattern.

So, after I received the “packet”  (the sarcastic quotations explained in this first adoption related post) I’ve called the Genesee County Foster Care Recruitment Specialist five different times since March 29th.  She, who shall be hereby referred to as Ms. Industrious *cough* has never answered the phone.  So I have left five messages, explaining that I have some specific questions and also that I want to register for the required foster training classes, which start this Wednesday.

I have never heard from her.

So finally I called the main DHS number.  I stopped counting after 23 rings, and eventually someone picked up.  I explained what I needed, and they gave me a different number to call.

I called the new number as directed, and they gave me yet a different number to call.

So I called that number.  This woman said she may be able to help me, but she was in the middle of something and would call me back.  She, who shall hereby be referred to as Ms. Diligent *cough, cough* sounded half asleep and I, hesitant to end a call with someone who could actually assist me, said that I just had a few quick questions.  She simply answered that she would call me back in 30 minutes.

I waited an hour and a half, with (surprise, surprise) no call from her.  I called her office again, only to reach her voice mail.  So I left a message.

Here we go again.

*Update:  After leaving yet another voice mail for Ms. Industrious, I was able to speak with Ms. Diligent this morning.  Yay!  She answered all of my questions very patiently and sweetly, and assured me that it was fine to show up for the classes despite no confirmation letter.  So, tomorrow we begin the PRIDE classes that are required for fostering.

Oh, a funny thing.  I learned that Ms. Industrious teaches the PRIDE classes.  Think she’ll recognize my name from all the voice mails I’ve left?

Okay, so here’s a bit of news from the Klaty household…  we’re beginning the process of adoption.

Aaaaaand, also becoming licensed to foster.

I wasn’t going to write about it, partly because everyone already thinks we’re crazy, but mainly because I didn’t want anyone to think I was writing about to receive any sort of accolades.  Which is dumb, since that could be said about almost every topic I write about.  I’m just going to have to trust you to see it for what it is; writing from my heart and sharing what’s on my mind.

And then there’s the fact that Saturday, during our weekly breakfast date, I was ranting to Robb about the frustrations I’ve already encountered (and we’ve barely begun this adoption journey) and he just looked at me and said, “You should be blogging about this.”

What he was really saying was, “Blogging has always been a healthy outlet for you so please make full use of that so you don’t drive me crazy and Iloveyoukaythx.”

So to bring you all up to speed, we’ve gotten as far as talking to a few friends who have gone through the adoption/foster care process already, attending one informational meeting at a local private agency (at which we received a packet of paperwork that weighed no less than 50 pounds), buying “Adoption for Dummies” (no joke), and looking into going directly through the Department of Human Services (DHS).

Oh, and praying like crazy for direction and wisdom.

This is what I’ve learned already.  This is going to be a very slow, frustrating, and long process.  Take, for instance, my experience with the Michigan DHS.  After searching on the internet for any information, I called the local office here in Flint.  The woman who answered the phone was abrupt, condescending and confusing.  Each inquiry I made was met with ridicule, as if it was something I should already know, and she basically just wanted to mail me a packet so she could get off the phone.

A couple days later the “packet” arrived in the mail.  This oh so helpful “packet” is two sheets of paper containing the schedule of classes we need to take to become licensed foster parents.  Now, I consider myself fairly adept (I don’t run into walls very often and haven’t poked my own eye in at least a week) but this schedule makes absolutely no sense.  And if the information wasn’t vague enough, the facts change from one paragraph to another, making the whole “packet” completely useless.

Oh, how I’m dreading calling the office again.

I’ve given this journey it’s very own “Adoption” Category so you can follow along at your convenience.  Settle in, because I’m told licensing takes at least six months to a year, and then a family can wait for who knows how long before getting a call that there is a waiting child.

Feel free to ask any questions.  I’ll list some details below, but like I said, we’re only just beginning so we’re bound to be changing our minds on some things.

• We’re wanting to adopt locally.
• At this time, our restrictions are age (under three years) and no severe medical or physical handicaps.  At this point, with so much of our energy being poured into the community, church, and our own six children, it just wouldn’t be wise to stretch ourselves any thinner.  I say no “severe” handicaps because sometimes ADHD and learning disabilities are classified as mental handicaps, but we would be open to adopting a child under those circumstances.
• Fostering in situations where the child is not likely to return to their birth family.  Ultimately, we are desiring to adopt.