Fingerprints and Firsts

This morning Andy and I went to get our USCIS fingerprints. Although we already were fingerprinted once for our Illinois foster care license, and today's fingerprints will run through the same system, we went back for a second round. That's our government hard at work for you...It is really interesting how they fingerprint though. It is all done electronically, and takes about 5 minutes to complete (the waiting in line time is another story...). Even though it wasn't that big of a deal, it still feels really great to be accomplishing all of these little things. It makes us feel like we're actually doing something to move this adoption along. Andy and I realized that if our social worker's estimates were correct, and we get a referral by March, that means our baby has already been born! It's a very surreal thought. It definitely makes us thankful for his/her foster mother's love and care, and also aware of what a difficult choice their birth mother had to make. It's something we remember every day.

Today was also the first day that Monkey went to school/daycare. I hope it wasn't as hard on him as it's been on me. I tear up every time I think about it, so I've been throwing myself into work. We have been visiting about once a week for a while, but so far either myself or Nonna have been with him. It was so tough leaving him there, but I know he loves the kids and his teacher is really wonderful. It's an in home daycare, so I feel like he'll be well taken care of. I just wish I was the one staying with him! Once we all get adjusted to the change, I know I'll feel really good about our decision. Hopefully, that happens sooner than later, since I think his teacher is getting sick of my phone calls!