Wow

Received the formal application packet today from Tonya.  There is much craziness to be had here.  

House description: number of rooms, square footage, number of bedrooms.

Medical history... kinda awkward, but OK.  I guess they want to make sure I haven't had the Bubonic Plague or something.  Note to self: schedule a physical with the doctor, remember to take the appropriate forms.

Criminal background check... to be expected.  I don't expect any problems here, since I've already had a check done by the same agency that will perform this one, and I don't recall robbing any convenience stores in the interim.

The part that really gets to me is the "shopping list".

"Will you accept a child who..."

followed by a 2 page list of physical, emotional, and psychological problems.  Everything from diabetes to fire-starting to the horrific combo of "sexually abused" and "sexually abuses others".

Please check "yes", "no", or "negotiable".

This was a real "gut-check" moment.  We had to evaluate and discuss what we thought we could handle and what we thought we couldn't.  Much as I have visions of being one of those saintly people who just say "yes" to anything that comes along, I had to get real here.  It was both humbling and humiliating in the extreme.