Sequels CAN be better than the original

We survived Home Study #2. Or as Craig called it: Home Study 2: Electric Boogaloo.

We spent Friday and Saturday scrubbing and cleaning the house. The puppies were bathed and freshened. Maya received a hair cut and we accepted the help from a friend to give her a bath (a two person job, as you can tell from her unhappy expression below). Bonus for me. While my friend helped with the cat haircut, I got to cuddle with the friend's baby and Fred was allowed to lick the back of the baby's head.

The home study went smoothly. We were interviewed about our motivations for adoption again and she wanted to ensure that our families were supportive. She took a tour of our home, but seemed much more understanding and relaxed than the first home study worker. She did not test our smoke detector. She did not open my kitchen drawer to find my prescriptions. She did not scold us for our unfinished baby-proofing efforts.
During the second home study, we discovered just how many errors and mistakes were made on the first home study.

1. The first home study worker never bothered to call any of our references. She just took our written reference letters and quoted them. 
2. Although we had informed her of this, the first home study worker never mentioned that I was raised in a multi-ethnic household with a mother from Laos. Two of our personal references informed our second home study worker of this. With international adoptions, they often ask about how potential parents will care for a child of a different race. It actually boosts our application to learn that I was raised with two supportive parents of a different race. 
3. The first home study worker had fallen behind in several home studies towards the end of her employment. Ours, unfortunately, was the worst. 
4. The first home study worker pocketed money she never should have touched. We were told that we would have to pay mileage if the home study worker traveled outside of the OKC area (we are in the OKC metro area). However, during our meeting, the first home study worker requested a check for mileage, starting from her home. This mileage check rubbed Craig the wrong way. He likes to believe that he is an excellent judge of character and something about this mileage check seemed petty to him. He never trusted the first worker after that. I guess we should have followed his instincts. When we shared the story of the mileage check with the second worker, we were informed that the first worker never should have solicited money from us.  
5. After our numerous complaints about the delays, the first worker failed to respond until the agency's attorneys became involved. 

When the second home study was completed, we were emailed a copy and allowed to make changes and edits. On Monday, the 19th, we were informed that the home study was on its way. Tuesday, I was readying for work, went to my car, but it made a disturbing rattling sound when I tried to start it. My car was dead. If you remember, we have four cars (in various degrees of functionality). Craig took one car to work. The functioning truck was blocked by the semi-functioning manual car I could not drive. I attempted to wiggle the truck out of the driveway by pulling it into the garage and backing it out, to no avail. I thought about pushing the semi-functioning car, but the task possessed too many dangers for a clumsy person like myself. I eventually had to call Craig for help. While awaiting my rescuer, I sat on our front porch, relaxing after a morning of frustration. As I waited, I was able to catch the FedEx man and obtain our home study personally. (Craig eventually came to the rescue, but we had to push the semi-now-nonfunctional manual car on to the street, move the truck behind the nonfunctional car, park Craig's car in the driveway, push my car out of the garage, jump my car, back Craig's car out of the driveway and repark the truck so I could take Craig's car to work and Craig could take my car to work for repairs). 

I am hoping that this is the end of this home study business. I sent the original copy to Immigration yesterday and I hope it is to their liking. Once we receive our Immigration approval, we are just a few stamps away from a completed dossier (once I finish the application (our 3rd!), letters, financial statements, power of attorney forms, and affidavits that Ethiopia wants notarized and authenticated).