Update

i managed to find my caseworker, somehow, after chasing wild geese right smack into the middle of a goat rodeo. She has been transferred to a new building and has a new number, but is still in charge of our file.

The background check form came in, and she had it endorsed by the proper people. She has resubmitted our home study to her supervisor today for review. (Of course today; she probably only did it once she got my voice message. But at least it's done...). i asked her to walk me through what happens now. She said it goes to her supervisor again, then to the next level (this is where it stopped last time), and once they approve it, we're ready to take on placements. The only thing after that is to get us a PIN number so we can get the monthly subsidies for the foster child.

BUT of course there's one more complication. It seems that her supervisor shredded YET ANOTHER of our documents!!! This time it's the form we fill out before having our background checks done (names, aliases, dates of birth, SSNs, race, hair color, eye color, height, weight, etc). She said it's most likely not necessary but *just in case* we have to re-fill it out so that its absence won't hold up our file anymore.

i'm trying to stay calm. Really i am.