Did anyone ever die preparing for a home study?

Yeah for holidays . . . . . if not for the extra day, I would have had a nuclear meltdown trying to get ready for the home study. We were told by another adoption agency that if our home is "too clean" that is a red flag that we might not be ready for children. HA! Not to worry . . . . . My dear cousin Angela's parting words in a recent email were "Get busy cleaning that house!" She knows what is is like to live in the wake of She, known as Toko. My response was "I never feel my house is 'Toko Clean'". I know she knows EXACTLY what I mean. My 90 year old grandmother would scale a folding stool to wipe down her paneling at least monthly. She didn't know from dust. I am not sure I recall a dirty dish in her sink that remained dirty for longer than 30 minutes. If she were still alive, she would probably say 15 minutes. I inherited the desire for a spotless house, just not the drive. Hence, the need for an extended weekend to prepare for an inspection of our home, our emotional stability and our souls. I was more worried about our home! My little mutt kitty Phoebe it appears got pissed at us. Specifically at Bunny . . . .. my grandmother's cat. She took issue with us bringing furniture in the home that had the scent of another (unapproved) feline. Instead of sitting us down to discuss her displeasure, she acted out. Over $150.00 of designer throw pillows were tossed in the dump. Our formal living room chairs must be replaced. An expensive, but faux Ficus tree was hauled off. Why do you ask? Phoebe found it necessary to "mark" her territory. I have had cats for a gozillion years. I never knew that girl kitties did that. I found out the hard way. The things she didn't mark, she and CoCo LeTrixiebelle shredded . . . with their claws . . . the ones that I have been feeling guilty about thinking about having declawed. This weekend, I could have flushed both of them down the toilet and saved all of us the expense and pain of laser surgery. Suffice it to say, the chairs will have to remain shredded until we have our adoption fund money. Luckily, the Terrorist Twosome had pity and only shredded the back of my formal chairs.

The remainder of the house that was unshredded was spotless. We are ready and far too exhausted to be nervous. This is good. Here we go .. . . . . . .