We're baaaack....

Hi Everyone,

I didn't realize how "popular" that my posts had become until hearing the deluge of complaints for non-postage. I suppose that its about time to update our "fan club" with our current sitution on adoption as well as life in general. It still took awhile to get to this site to be able to post. But anyway...for now at least we're back.

Shirl and I have more or less recovered from our Ukrainian disaster. Or at least put it this way, we've gotten on with our lives. Dwelling over that kind of failure can lead to a standstill and stagnation of life. We're not going there. But at the same time, we can't act as though it never happened. Its just like a funeral; we go through a mourning process and then recover. But even though life goes on, the scars will always be there.

At the end of our last post I indicated that we were considering "childrens' services" wthin Ohio. Since that post Shirley and I have already finishd the required classroom "training" for the "FOSTER TO ADOPT" program in Franklin County, Ohio. To Shirley's surprise, I actually found the training interesting. Many issues were dealt with - a lot of them very pertinent to the issues that adoptive parents need to deal with in international orphans. We also are required to be trained in both CPR and FIRST AID and of course comes (another) the required home study. Afterwards we're put onto a "list" of adoptive households. Then comes....who knows...

"FOSTER TO ADOPT" is not quite the same thing as adoption. In this program, we are required to follow the lines of thinking of the County government which is to achieve the goal of reuniting a child with the biological parent. Only after a certain period of time can the foster parents "adopt" a child that is living in their home. During that period of time, the child can be taken out of the foster home if the County determines that the biological parent is capable of supporting the child. Or at least if the biological parent should be given another chance. Interesting....

Meanwhile we are doing well and are currently on vacation at the Jersey Shore with my family. We've brought our stacks of books and beach chairs and plan on a week of lots of vegetation and no responsibilities. Ain't life great??