How long did everyone's background checks take??

We are approaching our 8th week waiting for nothing but our background checks. They will not let us do our our home study until the background checks are back. Everything else needed is completely done and accepted. We have literally been waiting on ONLY the background checks. Is this a normal time frame? We are desperate for answers because we have fallen madly in love with a girl from the neighboring state who is on the waiting children list and we have talked to her team and they are encouraging us to pursue adoption. We are all in for it but we cant do anything until our home study is done. I will like we should have done our home study by now. We do not want to loose out on this girl because they are dragging their feet. Should we contact some higher up in the department or is this normal?

Our background checks took FOREVER. They definitely took the longest of the whole thing. Part of that was because I had to get my fingerprints redone 3 times. They kept getting smudged or something.Generally speaking, it's not the agency that licenses you that is taking so long. They send that stuff away to the FBI and the SBI, and they have to wait for it to come back.

That makes sense that it would take longer because of the finger printing issues. The thing for us is that we have had no issues, we got all our training and all other requirements done in the first month. We have been very on top of everything but this background check has us stuck like glue. The worst of it all is that an out of state agency is trying to help us adopt a child off the waiting list but because this is taking them so long to finish this, we may miss out on this little one that we have totally fallen for. Its so frustrating.

Kylie. I will be thinking positive thoughts & prayers for your process & timing of adoption. I know everyone's experience is different but for my state, it's often in reality pointless to get your heart set on a child featured on a waiting list for adoption until you've got an approved home study because the time frame is always changing and never the what you might expect or hope it to be unfortunately. I learned the hard way in the beginning when I had my heart set on a child and had to do a little bit of grieving when the timing was off and this child was adopted before I was even 50 % done with my home study. So now instead of getting my heart set on a child until home study approval, instead I pray for the ones my heart calls me to that they'll have great families and then I'm waiting until the timing is more realistic (meaning approved home study and fully into the matching phase) to get personally invested. Thinking positive thoughts for you though. I know this process can be really challenging especially the waiting!