Where Have We Been?

Where have we been? I think the better question is what has happened? So...back in August we completed our home study process with Bethany Christian Services. We were approved and accepted, well kind of...Our casework asked us to do a lead assessment of our house (which is thousands of dollars) and we needed to prove that we were told to verify that we would indeed have the next portion of the money owed within the next couple of weeks to come. After calling EPA, and even the agency's "mother office" to see if this assessment was necessary and apparently it is not required officially by the state but it is up to each individual caseworker's discretion. We made the statement that the entirety of our house has been painted but this was not enough. Another statement was said, "You already have three children, why do you need more?"  Realizing the financial burdern of private adoption our caseworker strongly suggested we change the age of our child to one that would be more "affordable". Needless to say, we kept running into doors over and over again. When we realized that our caseworker was not into advocating for our family we sent a letter removing our application from Bethany Christian Services. We were very saddened by this as everything thus far had moved rapidly and we watched God provide financially, timing, and emotionally every single moment we needed.
We spent much time analyzing, praying, and seeking God really desiring to see His will for us as a family. Are we supposed to be done? Are we complete now and seeking something that is not meant to be? Then after many phone calls, calls to friends, advice and tears I called DSS about 20 times, left messages, and called different agencies to see who would be open to us attempting the foster care world.
We were able to get ahold of our local DSS and to keep this as short as possible are almost completed with the foster care system's application process. We will finish our training on Tuesday and by the end of the month will be praying for the right child and situation to come into our home.
Still a little nervous and unsure of what the foster care system has to offer us, we make each step with faith and knowing that God has given us a desire for children and how He fulfills that is up to Him, we will just trust!