The Yellow Sock: An Adoption Story Read Online Free PDF Page B

wing chair, placed her hands together, and leaned forward in a position of earnestness. “I’m delighted you’re interested in adoption. As I explained on the phone, this meeting will officially begin our home study process. I’ll take six weeks to get to know you, I’ll inspect your home, and we’ll collect the necessary documents for your case file.”
    Dave’s forehead creased. “What sort of paperwork is required?”
    Megan felt a twinge of conscience. Knowing that Dave was preoccupied with the administrative details of a new school year, she hadn’t shared everything she’d learned in her telephone conversation with Ms. Bishop. Would his question make this woman think they didn’t communicate in their marriage?
    The social worker smiled. “We’ll need a complete financial statement from you,” she said, her charm bracelet jingling as she clasped her hands. “You don’t have to be wealthy to adopt, but we do have to be sure you can support a child. We’ll also need a statement from your medical doctor to show that you are in good health and physically able to care for a child. We’ll also ask for several letters of reference from your family and friends. We’re not trying to pry, but we do try to make every effort to be sure our children are going to families who can provide healthy, stable homes.”
    “We understand, Ms. Bishop,” Megan said.
    “Please, call me Belinda.” The warmth of the woman’s smile echoed in her voice, and Megan felt warmed by the sound of it. “We’re going to know each other well by the time this is finished, so we might as well be on a first name basis.”
    Dave nodded. “After the home study—what then? How long will the adoption take?”
    Belinda sighed heavily, as if she’d answered the question many times before.
    “I can’t give you a definite answer, Dave. Once your home study is complete, you’ll be waiting with many other couples in the state of Virginia. When a child is entered into the system and cleared for adoption, every couple is evaluated as to suitability. Sometimes a match is made quickly. Other couples wait longer, some for several years. It all depends upon the children’s needs.”
    Her head lifted as she met Megan’s gaze. “Please understand this—we’re not here to find children for parents, though that is one happy byproduct of our work. We’re here primarily to find homes for children. The kids are our first priority and concern. I’ll be honest—most of our children come to us from families who either could not or would not take care of them. We don’t often encounter pregnant girls who make adoption plans for their babies. Most of those young women make arrangements with private adoption agencies . . . if they carry their babies to term. With abortion these days--” She shrugged. “Well, there are fewer babies available for adoption than ever.”
    Dave tapped his thigh. “We understand—Megan’s been reading a lot. We’ve investigated private adoption and international adoption, but we simply can’t afford the fees. And we know about the kind of children you place. Megan has also read a lot about the adoption of an older child, and the adoption of a sibling group.”
    Megan winced inwardly. He said she was reading—would Belinda think Dave didn’t care? Or that this was all Megan’s idea? It wouldn’t be good if the social worker thought their marriage was one-sided, or that Megan wanted the adoption more than Dave did . . .
    Unruffled, Belinda smiled again. “It’s good that you’ve thought about your options. The more open you are, the more likely we are to match you with a child. But we don’t handle international adoption. Because we are a state government agency, most of our children come from Virginia. We can cooperate with other agencies, of course, but we don’t have access to their children.”
    She paused a moment and searched their faces. “If you don’t have any other questions, let me explain how