Today was our first homestudy visit!!!  Our social worker came to the house this afternoon; it went very well as far as we can see. She is very nice and easy to talk to, so I think that really helped us be less nervous and more willing to speak openly. We both had to write autobiographies to turn in with our document checklist, so she had read both of ours and we sort of started the "interview" with pieces from the autobiographies. We discussed how we met, what attracted us to the other person, our biggest joys and our biggest challenges in our marriage, our family lives growing up, our views on discipline, religion, ethical values, and how we will incorporate our child's South Korean culture into his or her life. All in all it took three hours; we also gave her a tour of the house (and got to show her the new lavender nursery paint!!) From here, we have our individual visits next Wednesday, and our final home visit on Friday July 3rd. She said it would take her about a week after the final visit to write up the homestudy report, which we will receive several copies of. At that point we submit one copy plus the required forms to USCIS (immigration department) to file our petition to adopt an international orphan, and concurrently submit a copy with our packet of documents to the hub agency in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore agency will review it for completeness and forward it to South Korea!!!  We will get official notice once it is approved in South Korea and we will be officially waiting!!!!! That will probably be the hardest part, knowing there is nothing else to physically "do" except pack our cell phones around 24-7 and wait for them to ring!  Hahaha. Anyway, I appreciate all of the support you guys have given us, and continue to keep us close in prayer as we move ahead. We are that much closer to Baby Nevarez...every step is progress no matter how small it se

Big news!!!  All of our application and reference letters have been received, and we are approved to begin our homestudy!!  This is the LAST step before we go on the waiting list for a baby! I can't believe it is all happening so quickly, but I know the wait will seem like a lifetime. :) Our first home visit is THIS Wednesday afternoon...we have spent the entire weekend cleaning and reorganizing the house, and we enlisted my Mom and Dad to help clean up and also finish painting the nursery!  New pictures of the painting job will be posted soon. Javier and Dad did a great job, I will be so excited to get baby furniture in there! So after Wednesday, we meet with our social worker in her office the following Wednesday afternoon for separate interviews. Javier's is first, mine is second. Once that is done, our final home visit is set for July 3rd, the following Friday afternoon. The agency will write our report and we will send everything to the main agency hub in Maryland and then to South Korea!!!  I am definitely nervous and excited about the home visits, I just have to keep tellling myself what the social worker told us...they are not looking for perfect parents, they are just looking for parents. Everyone please pray for us and keep us in your thoughts!!!  We are moving forward!