After the equivalent of very many two-week waits...

Finally, a couple of weeks ago, we got the news we'd been waiting for - that it is likely to be possible for us, from the UK point of view, to do a non-Hague adoption from the US. The solicitor's advice was pretty clear and indications are she knows what she's talking about but the firm took weeks to acknowledge our question, weeks to acknowledge they'd received our payment, and weeks after they'd said they would give us information to actually provide it.

That was why I was being a bit cryptic in this post. I was not yet sure at that point what this would mean for us - especially as we had already started trying to restart the fostering process.

However, and I see no point in keeping you in suspenders for any longer, it looks like that won't happen. After posting about that last week, we found out that our application had indeed been closed, not due to lack of contact from us but due to reorganisation on their part. They are not now taking applications for respite carers - which was our initial plan. I assumed they wouldn't accept us as short term carers, since we'd both be working full time, but on speaking to them again they back pedalled a bit and I think realised they probably have wasted a course on us, and said that might still be possible. But with this new news we don't feel inclined. Even if it ends up meaning UK adoption from foster care, we just want to get on with it.

As Mr. Spouse said, "it's a sign".

(You know he meant that tongue in cheek, don't you? Like Irish people are allowed to call themselves Micks, and the rest of us aren't, people brought up in a scary evangelical church are allowed to wave their hands and say "it's a sign" in an ironic manner, without offending anyone.)

So the last few days I've been trying to concentrate on work and wrapping up here, while actually searching for agencies that may take us on (one in Texas has done quite a bit of expat work, but not Hague work, but then we wouldn't be Hague; others have done Hague but not expats; and we are not sure whether we wouldn't prefer a California agency as it's got a big population and our family is here).

We've worked out which UK agency would do that side of the approval and boy, it's another world - they have one preparation course timetabled every month this year, even if they don't all run or aren't suitable for us.

So - I am feeling a bit giddy. I was supposed to have an appointment with the RE and I cancelled (which meant we didn't have to pay our premium for March, so, er, more money towards adoption travel I suppose!). I will be away for about 5 days mid-month this month and I thought "oh well, no need to use the supplements in the 2ww this month". This feels absolutely huge to me - that I can have a break and not feel panicky - even if it is just a temporary break. Huge.