Eeep!

I made the call!

I spoke with the home study agent for about 10 minutes this morning. She outlined the process - 3, possibly 4, meetings (2 individual, then 1 together at the home), some paperwork we'd need (questionaires she's going to e-mail, local criminal checks that we'd get from the courthouse, 2 1040 tax returns, physicals from docs, & fingerprinting she'll set up), etc ... She'll also need references - she'll mail the questions to the people we provide and then they fill it out and mail it back.

She asked about international vs domestic - we're going domestic, so she said there would be less paperwork involved. And they apparently specialize in infant newborn adoptions when it comes to domestic. Which is what we want. We don't care about race, but we do want a newborn.

She has appointments today, so I should have their questionaires this evening sometime.

So ... It's started! Eeeeee!

I'll be adding a thingy to the right of my blog that'll list the process as we go.

I've called a few pest control companies this morning. So far, Orkin does seem to be the right route. Although the woman on the phone was into hardcore sales. Gah. I had to make her stop trying to sell me their service to get her to listen to what I was wanting. No, I don't want the whole house treated. No, I don't want the yard treated. Just. The. Basement.

But their prices and process seems to be the simplest. So as long as I don't have to sign some sort of on-going contract, we'll probably use them.

Because, as she pointed out several times, they can have someone here today if I so chose.

In other news ...

Ow. ow ow ow.

I had a ton of nervous energy yesterday morning. It took all of my power to not call the home study agent.

So I mowed our lawn. All of it.

Now that may not sound like a big deal, but keep in mind that we're on a large corner lot. And part of it is on a bit of a hill.

And although the back yard and the side yard between us and our only next door neighbor didn't kick my ass too much (Hoss tried helping with the back yard by trying to eat the lawn mower's tires), the front about killed me.

There's a house across the street and kind of caddy corner. The couple there has an elderly gentleman living with them (a father, I'm sure) and sometimes an ambulance will come by to pick him up or drop him off.

Yesterday, while I was mowing the front yard, a 2nd ambulance showed up. I have no doubt the first ambulance guys took one look at me and called the other one in figuring the pudgy broad across the street would drop of a heart attack or heat stroke at any moment.

Really. I'm not sure that mowing my lawn in 90+ degree heat was the smart thing. But it took care of that nervous energy! hah

And left me sore. Holy cripes I'm in some pain today.

So ... yeah ... excitement!

I'm off to the bank soon. I want to convert that check to a cashier's check (we agreed to put it into Patrick's savings account. I trust it there far more than I do in my own hah) so we can get it deposited.