Gnome!

[jenn]

gnomesweetgnome- Tell us all about your meeting last night!! 

[gnomesweetgnome]

Hi, thanks for asking!

The orientation went really well! We got a really good feeling from talking with them and hearing what all they had to say, which is great. We *think* we'll be able to stay in our current house, but I need to email the family development specialist to make sure.

We are super excited to get started taking our classes and doing our paperwork. DH and I will most likely be taking the classes separately due to scheduling, but I think that could be a good thing. We just need to work out child care for Bruce for the days that I'll be in class all day, and the weekend days that DH will be in class and I'll be at work.

[jenn]

So I'm so naive with the whole fostering system, why would you have to move? Just for a bigger house or school district?

[gnomesweetgnome]

Oh no, haha. I thought I had posted about that. I was looking at the fire inspection requirements and they require two exits which are not windows, and they can't lead through the kitchen. We only have two exterior doors, and the back door leads right between our kitchen and the eat-in breakfast nook area (it's basically all one big room, I'll attach a pic). We weren't sure if they'd be able to license us with it like that or not, so we're looking into it. We will move before getting licensed if we can't foster while living in this house.
 

[jwinct]

Mar 11, 2015 9:52:27 GMT -5 gnomesweetgnome said:

Hi, thanks for asking!

The orientation went really well! We got a really good feeling from talking with them and hearing what all they had to say, which is great. We *think* we'll be able to stay in our current house, but I need to email the family development specialist to make sure.

We are super excited to get started taking our classes and doing our paperwork. DH and I will most likely be taking the classes separately due to scheduling, but I think that could be a good thing. We just need to work out child care for Bruce for the days that I'll be in class all day, and the weekend days that DH will be in class and I'll be at work.

I'm glad it went well! Good luck with the house/exits situation! Will they allow you to take the class separately?

[gnomesweetgnome]

Mar 11, 2015 10:52:09 GMT -5 jwinct said:

Mar 11, 2015 9:52:27 GMT -5 gnomesweetgnome said:

Hi, thanks for asking!

The orientation went really well! We got a really good feeling from talking with them and hearing what all they had to say, which is great. We *think* we'll be able to stay in our current house, but I need to email the family development specialist to make sure.

We are super excited to get started taking our classes and doing our paperwork. DH and I will most likely be taking the classes separately due to scheduling, but I think that could be a good thing. We just need to work out child care for Bruce for the days that I'll be in class all day, and the weekend days that DH will be in class and I'll be at work.

I'm glad it went well! Good luck with the house/exits situation! Will they allow you to take the class separately?

Yeah, they said as long as we both take all the classes it doesn't matter if we're there together or not.  Which is good, since all of the classes are a bit of a drive and between DH's regular 8-5 work schedule and my working Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, coordinating time off for both of us was going to be really hard.  This way is a bit easier, but since I'm taking my courses three full days, I still need to find care for B.  DH will likely be doing evening and Saturday courses, so I'll be available most of those times to care for B, and my mom can come on Saturdays while I'm working.

[gnomesweetgnome]

Oh! So we went ahead and scheduled a fire inspection for this Friday so we will know for sure where we stand on that issue then. Eek!

[packerfan4life]

Glad the class went well! So excited as you take this step forward!

[irr]

I assume you rent vs. own because just moving to foster is a big deal. Hope you don't NEED to move.

[pandd]

Interesting - we didn't have to have a specific fire inspection. The list of requirements were not at all onerous, though I had been googling other state requirements and was freaking out about banisters and other such things (we are installing another railing into our second and third floor anyway because it would be hard to safely carry a child on wood floors without). We didn't even need fire escape throw ladders, but I decided to buy them.

[shemarie82]

Mar 12, 2015 10:01:16 GMT -5 pandd said:

We didn't even need fire escape throw ladders, but I decided to buy them.

This is a brand new requirement for Michigan.  But, even still it isn't specific in the requirements, it can be homemade cord and plank or it can be a one time use one.  We just have to show that it is available.

[gnomesweetgnome]

irr, we own. We are planning to move in a year or two to a better elementary school zone, so this would just expedite that process.

[irr]

Mar 12, 2015 10:42:40 GMT -5 gnomesweetgnome said:

irr, we own. We are planning to move in a year or two to a better elementary school zone, so this would just expedite that process.

UGHH.  Well ok if you wanted to move at some point anyway, but now you have the stress of selling and buying.  Hope the inspection goes well tomorrow and is a non-issue.

[gnomesweetgnome]

Mar 12, 2015 22:20:37 GMT -5 irr said:

Mar 12, 2015 10:42:40 GMT -5 gnomesweetgnome said:

irr, we own. We are planning to move in a year or two to a better elementary school zone, so this would just expedite that process.

UGHH.  Well ok if you wanted to move at some point anyway, but now you have the stress of selling and buying.  Hope the inspection goes well tomorrow and is a non-issue.

Thanks! I'm really hoping it won't be an issue, but I feel like it'd almost be easier to move with just one kid, especially if we have to end up in a temporary rental between selling and buying or something. I'm just trying not to get ahead of myself too much.

[theatrepal]

Good luck with the fire inspection.

[gnomesweetgnome]

The fire inspection was no big deal at all. She asked me if we have outlet covers, I showed her the fire extinguisher and the bedroom the foster kids will be sleeping in, she checked that we had fire/smoke detectors, and I mentioned our CO detector. Then she gave me a form and went on her way.

[theatrepal]

Woo hoo!! I'm glad it went so well gnomesweetgnome !

[gnomesweetgnome]

Of course, she also asked if there was a checklist she was supposed to fill out, and I couldn't find it on my computer or get my printer to work fast enough. Now I've fixed my printer and found the checklist. If the agency needs it we'll just have to have them come back out and fill it out, I suppose. I think our SW could also fill out the form.