Meeting the adoption worker...and other crazy stuff

Our meeting with the adoption worker for Baby Girl went well.  The case hasn't officially been turned over to her yet as they are STILL waiting on the paperwork for the TPR from the court.  She is trying to get everything done that she can now and then when the paperwork comes she will be able to push things through pretty quickly, she hopes.  She is currently in doing the background checks etc...  We just did all that for our foster re-licensing in July, but the adoption dept. still has to do it again.  We have heard several different time frames for finalization.  The GAL mentioned mid-November,  at the meeting on Monday the adoption worker(AW)  said by Christmas, some of the paperwork the AW gave us says Dec 1st.  Then at the staffing yesterday (Wednesday) the AW mentioned October.  I have been telling people by the end of the year it should be final, and I will stick with that until we get a court date.  All we know is that unless something truly crazy happens she will be ours forever!

The AW left a large envelope of papers which are the "disclosure statements"  basically all the paperwork that has to do with Baby Girls DCF case.  Why she was taken into care, how the parents did with the case plan, GAL reports and court reports, and as much bio family history as they know.  Since Baby Girl has been with us the whole time she has been in care, none of it was new to us.

AW asked us a few questions about how long we have lived in the county, blah, blah,blah. She explained the adoption subsidy and about medical insurance and a few other things. She then asked to look at Baby Girls room, and that was about it.  She will get back with us after she has everything from the court, and I guess there will be more paperwork for us at that point.

Now for the crazy stuff.  There was a staffing for Baby Girl yesterday - a staffing is where all of the case managers, GAL, bio parents, foster parents and in this case the adoption worker get together outside of court to discuss what has happened with the case, and where the case needs to go from that point.  I participated via the phone.  Her bio parents would not have been asked to be there because of the TPR - (not that they would have come anyway.) The first strange thing that happened was that AW said that when she went to see Baby Girls room she noticed that there weren't any stuffed animals or toys or blankets in the crib, that most cribs have something in them.  She then said "she does sleep in the crib doesn't she?"  I told her yes she sleeps in the crib, and that she has 2 favorite "loveys" that she sleeps with as well as a blanket, but when she is not in the crib we fold the blanket and put them away.  I just found that strange that she would comment on that, especially at a staffing.  I have always heard parents being cautioned about putting too many soft toys, blankets etc... in the crib due to SIDS concerns.  This is the first time I have ever heard of someone questioning why there are not any.  The lady just spent over an hour in our toy filled living room and so shouldn't be concerned that Baby Girl doesn't have toys.  My best guess is that she may have thought that Baby Girl sleeps in our bed with us.  Rest assured Ms. AW, Baby Girl sleeps in her crib.

The big crazy thing happened next.

  *A little history - Baby Girl's mom was pregnant when Baby Girl was taken into care.  Baby Girl had been in care with us for about 2 months when bio mom and her "fiancee" took off to a state far to our north.  It was mentioned in passing by Baby Girls CM in May of this year, that bio mom had given birth to a baby boy who was immediately put into care in the "State Up North".  I did some F@cebook stalking  investigating and found bio mom and fiancee.  From comments on FB it seemed like they were having visits etc... with new baby and working on getting him back.*

So in the staffing Baby Girl's baby brother is brought up.  Apparently "State Up North" is at least leaning toward TPR, and perhaps has even started the TPR process for baby brother already, after only 4 months.  Oh and by the way would we be at all interested in adopting baby brother if he becomes available?  Talk about out of left field!!  I told them I had to talk to the Hubby, but we would definitely consider it.  I have a call in to  Baby Girl's CM to see if she has some info on what is going on in the "State Up North" as well as some questions about baby brother. 

I am still just trying to process all this and have so many thoughts going through my head.  All for another post.  What a crazy, crazy ride foster care is!!