AdoptReady and Resource Family Approval

After 9 months of marriage Chris and I found out we were going to have a baby.  As is typical about 9 months later we held our first son in our arms. When our baby was just under 9 months old we found out we were going to be parents again and 9 months later we held our second son in our arms.  When he was 9 months old we decided maybe two children was good but then we were surprised to find out a month or so later that I was pregnant with our third son.  When he was about 9 months old Chris surgically altered our chances to have another baby.  Last September, 9 months ago, we made the first phone call to the Children's Aid Society to inquire about public adoption.  A pleasantly unexpected phone call came this week from the social worker who worked on our homestudy to inform us that she was assigned to our file as our Foster Resource Worker.  That was wonderful news.  We really enjoyed getting to know her through our homestudy and feel very comfortable with her.  This coming week we will meet again with her and possibly our Adoption ResourceWorker to sign some papers to officially become an AdoptReady and approved Resource Family (Foster Family). 

So we move into the next stage of our adoption journey. We will now be considered by social workers who are actively trying to find permanent adoptive homes for the children they are working with and we can express interest in any children who are available for adoption.  We will also be available as a resource family to do respite foster care for other foster families who need a short break for any reason.

One of the boys wanted to know this week if they are really strict about not adopting children older than the children already in the home.  He shared that babies are often adopted easily as 'everyone thinks babies are cute' but not many people may want to adopt a 10 year old.  He also added that he personally didn't think babies were cute.   Although we most likely will not adopt out of birth order, we share his feelings in being interested in older child adoption.  

I am very curious where this will take our family.   Mostly I am wondering how the respite fostering will work and what it will feel like to get the first call to invite a child into our home for a few hours or a few days.  I know that adoption if it happens for our family will probably be a long while down the line but fostering will come about more quickly. 

I am happy to have the approval process behind us.  Next......the unknown.