Panel Day......

Well what a day and what a long time in coming it has been. Eighteen months since we started the adoption process the second time around we have finally, today, been approved to adopt a sibling for Katie aged 0-3 of either gender. Panel was a very positive experience. All the members were interested and positive. They made us feel welcomed and relaxed and wanted to know lots about Katie and how we were planning to manage two children. I did wonder if they were after some tips for child management at one point LOL! Each panel member had a question to ask but they were all manageable questions and not really anything to tax our brains too much. One of the ladies on the panel was really funny with some of her comments and observations.  She really helped us relax (although I was a bag of nerves beforehand and during panel).  They were beaming at us when we went back in to hear the verdict so we knew we could breathe a sigh of relief. Our SW said it was the easiest panel she had ever attended.

If they only knew what the last 24 hours have been like in our house .............

The day has been somewhat overshadowed by a rushed visit to A&E last night after Katie fell off her scooter yesterday morning and bashed her foot. We thought she was OK until she woke up at 9.30pm last night screaming in pain.  A four hour visit to hospital revealed a possibly chipped and very bruised bone in her foot. We left hospital about 3am. To say we're exhausted is an understatement. To say we were on autopilot at panel is also an understatement. 

Katie was a total star at the hospital (after an initial panic meltdown at having to go to hospital). We wrapped her up in her PJs and Dressing gown with a snuggly blanket. She was so well behaved and incredibly good when having her x-rays. Sadly she had to miss school and her long awaited school disco today (which also didn't go down well this morning). I'm sure half our neighbourhood heard how much it didn't go down well. She did decide herself half an hour later that she wasn't fit to go. It meant rearranging all my careful plans for today whilst we were at panel. A good friend texted me whilst we were in the hospital last night and offered to look after her this afternoon. It was a good decision and Katie had a lovely time. She's still stiff and sore in her foot but hopefully she'll be OK for Disneyland Paris at the weekend!

So we're tired and slightly nonplussed but happy that we're on our way......to becoming a family of four......