one more step

So, while WE are approved, the HOUSE has yet to be certified. Talked to the county social services folk on Friday, and they are working to get the house inspection scheduled in the next week or so.

I've moved the liquor (who knew we had so much booze?!) to a locked cabinet over the fridge... my brother-in-law says that's where his parents kept it, and he and his friends knew exactly how to get into it. But it should be a sufficient hiding place for a two-year-old.

I've installed a new egress ladder in the basement, since we blocked the one the builder put in when we built the deck. I've also updated the fire extinguishers with larger models.

I'm starting to clear out the current guest room, which will become the kid room. We've been using that closet for our rarely-worn suits, wrapping paper, and extra linens. Guess I'll have to do some more closet cleaning elsewhere in the house!

I'm really excited by the support shown by our family and friends. My sister and Alan's sister-in-law are both thrilled, and our parents (while cautious) are ready for more grandchildren.

With my luck, everything is going to happen at once this summer... we'll get a call about our kid(s), Alan will suddenly find a job, and his parents will find that their house sells before the new one is built!

We have many friends and family now ready to bring us their hand-me-downs (everything from car seats and cribs to clothing and toys), but we're resisting until we know who or what is coming to live with us!

Well, off to a bit more waiting. I think we're going to use the next few weeks to do a bit of painting. Time to add some color to more walls in the house.

a bit closer

Tonight, we installed the cat door (with a flap) to the basement and put latches on some key cupboards and drawers in the kitchen. It looks like I do need to get bigger fire extinguishers and order a window well egress ladder (amazon.com has them for $40). And I have to move the booze up above the fridge (I'll move pitchers to the buffet table in the dining room).

So much, it feels like I'll never be quite ready. Thankfully, I have some great moms nearby to help me out and tell me what really needs to be done.

always more waiting

We got the call this morning from Adams County Social Services. Our application has been reviewed and approved! Now comes the "matching" game... they have so many kids and a certain number of approved homes. They have to figure out which is the match made in heaven.

So, it's hurry up and wait...

the list

Ugh. Just reviewed the "certification" list... we've got some work to do.

• Install cat door to the basement
• Put locks on the cupboards in the garage (chemicals, paint, etc.)
• Put the latches on the drawers (knives & scissors)
• Get a lockbox for the medicine
• Look for gates... though that has to wait to see the kids' ages
• Clean the garage
• Upgrade the fire extinguishers
• Move the basement egress ladder
• Turn the guest room into a toddler-safe room
• Figure out what they mean by "locking" the lawnmower and snowblower?
• Do we really need "bumpers" on the coffee table?
• Rearrange the kitchen cupboards... some stuff has to be moved up higher
• How many staircases do we actually have, anyway? Yikes.

theory about to become reality?

Hello, world.

Six months ago, Alan and I finally acted on the "idea" of fatherhood by contacting the Adams County Social Services department to find out about "legal risk" foster-to-adoption. We attended several classes, and were frightened (appropriately) out of our wits by the trauma experienced by so many children. We left, though, with resolve that we could -- and should -- open our home to a child, to be our child.

We've filled out questionnaires, opened up our financial records, passed background checks, and undergone psychological analysis and home study. We've completed our CPR certification, and all that remains is the department's final "approval" and "certification" of our home. (I'm not sure yet how to complete the home certification, since so much of it depends on the age of the child...)

There was a sudden surprise on Wednesday afternoon... the Adams County recruiter asked us if we would consider a "sibling group" for adoption... yikes! Of course, our response was that we would consider anything... tell us more. So, we could go from being DINKS to having multiple kids overnight.

We won't be alone - we are blessed to have a huge extended family. My dad is one of nine kids, my mom is one of four, Alan's dad is one of three, and his mother is one of five. Most of the family is right here in the Denver area, so there are umpteen cousins, second cousins, siblings, aunts, uncles, nephews, and nieces. Babysitters-in-waiting, right? At least, there should be no shortage of advice.

I started hunting for advice for new dads, and I'm fortunate to have discovered the blogs you'll see at the left. I've read each one front to back (and I'm worried about how busy these dads must have been, given some of the gaps in posts!) so I know that we've got a lot of work to do.

I figure I'll use this blog to record some of the experience, express my appreciation for the folks who have gone before me, and perhaps find some rare nugget of wisdom for the next pair of gay dads to come along!

Hopefully, we'll have some news this week. In the meantime, I'm recovering from sticker shock - we went window shopping today to see what we might need to get started in a hurry.

• car seats -- about $130... if we end up with a toddler AND an infant, we'll need 2 for each car!!
• beds -- a crib (does the "lifetime crib" work?) or a bed? Both?
• a stroller -- side-by-side, or front-to-back?
• baby monitor -- Alan wants a video one!
• diaper bag, diapers, food, clothes

Friends have already told us we should avoid things like a changing table and toddler beds... what else are they trying to sell us that we don't need?

I can't believe this could become real so soon... what have we gotten ourselves into? I'm excited and scared and nervous and thrilled...

Good to meet you!