Homestudy Part Two

Last Thursday we went up to Eugene for part two of our homestudy.  It was two hours or so of talking about our marriage, our home life, our parenting style, thoughts on discipline, etc.  It is a little strange to talk about parenting styles when you have yet to become a parent.  I can say how I hope to be, what I hope to share with my children, but can't truly say how things will actually turn out.  I am sure many of you can relate. We all have ideas of how we will be as parents, but things don't usually look in real life as they do in our imaginations.

We all want to be good parents, we all want our children to feel safe and loved, we hope to impart wisdom and understanding.  We hope and pray that we don't make too many mistakes, or screw up our children.  We all want our children to grow and thrive, to be happy, healthy, and well-adjusted.  We want to provide a safe, warm, loving environment for them to grow up in.  But, we are human and we will make mistakes.  Life does not always look the way we want it to look, it changes constantly.  And, each child is unique and different.  What works with one child may not work with another.  So, while I can say how I want to be as a parent, how I hope to discipline, I know that when I have a child or two things may change.

It was good to be able to talk about how we both hope to be as parents, to share our views on discipline and child-rearing.  It was good to talk about our marriage and what we both appreciate about each other.  It showed me how, even though we may not see eye to eye on everything, we both love and respect each other, we both have very similar ideas on how we want to raise our children, and we both will strive, as a couple, to create a healthy, happy, loving home for our children.

Our next step in the process is our individual interviews, which we have scheduled for February 14th.  I must admit that as we get closer to being in the pool of waiting families, it all feels very surreal.  Each interview, each discussion, each piece of paperwork completed, brings us closer to the day when we welcome our child home.  I can't help but smile whenever I think of that day.  What a wonderful, glorious day that will be!  As we get closer to that day, I am filled with hope and joy.  A hope and joy that could only come from God.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.  Romans 15:13