A Map

It has blessed my socks off that so many friends are becoming more aware of the needs of orphans in China and elsewhere. Some are even wondering if God has adoption in store for their family. I.LOVE.IT.

It seemed like a good idea to read our blog from the beginning of the adoption journey. It brought smiles and tears and wonder as I relived what 2012 was like for us. One of the reasons I blog is because it was and is so valuable to me to have others stories to follow, blogs of people who have adopted etc. At the beginning of our story I had some friends to glean advice from, but really craved a map of some sort to follow so I decided to map our story for people who are asking "where do I even begin?"

January 8: Submitted a FREE online application to adopt through All God's Children International (AGCI)

January 9: - 26: researched possible adoption agencies like crazy.

January 29: - Submitted formal (not free) application with AGCI to adopt

February 1: - Received a ton of paperwork and worked on it day and night :)

February 3: - Mailed in a bunch of paperwork including an application to Catholic Charities of LaCrosse who would become our Social Work office. Also, got fingerprinted for the first time at the NBPD. Also tracked down all of the addresses Robert and I have lived at since we turned 18. I could count on one hand. Robert needed both hands...and feet...

February 8:   Received more paperwork including official contract with AGCI

February 10: Got completed documents notarized and mailed them off.

February 16: Official Contract Date with AGCI (this is important - 6 months to get dossier done). Received very large binder including 176pg "Eyes Wide Open" Workbook for required pre-adoption education.

February 18-19: Clean like no body's business because it's only a week before our home visit. Including, installing smoke detectors in every room, on every floor, and a carbon monoxide detector on every floor.

February 20: Sign up with "Adoption Learning Partners" for 9 online courses as part of required pre-adoption education.

February 21: First meeting with Andrea, our social worker in Wausau. Received yet another very large binder. Approximately 4 hours of one on one interviews and joint interviews with Andrea.

February 27: Home visit. Andrea came to our house to inspect our home, meet and interview our children, and interview us some more. Post emergency exit plans on each floor of the house.

February 28: Ordered Robert's certified copy of his birth certificate (the first one).

February 29: Went downtown to the Milwaukee County Courthouse for certified copies of Amy's birth certificate, our marriage license, and birth certificates for both kids (current dated copies are required for the dossier - no less than 6 months old, and certified copies of birth certificates are required for passport application.

(during the month of February we gathered documents like: Proof of employment from each of us - both which had to be on company letterhead and notarized, scheduled physical exams for all of us (also required), worked on our online education and our workbook, wrote to doctors to write and notarize letters indicating that any health issues we currently have would not impair out ability to be good parents, etc.)

March 7: Physical exams for Robert and Amy

March 9: Physical exams for Maddie and Jake

March 23: finished "Eyes Wide Open" workbook

April 7: Finished all online courses

April 20: Fingerprinting #2 - this time with to send to FBI headquarters (at the NBPD)

April 23: Visit Andrea at the Wausau office more joint interview, submitted paperwork and follow up (last visit) Got free passport pictures at the AAA office on the way home

April 24: Passport application attempt #1 = FAIL. Robert's birth certificate has an error. Call to have them fix and send another. Also realize one of our passport picture was taken incorrectly: It does not meet size requirements = double FAIL.

April 30: Pre-referral call: Phone call with AGCI detailing what to expect while we're expecting a referral and the process we must follow once we get one that we would like to pursue.

May 3: Receive Robert's correct birth certificate.

May 7: Passport photo and application attempt #2 - WIN

May 8: First required psychologist appointment for Robert and Amy.

May 9: Receive FBI results back - no record found (that's good.)

May 15: Receive home study draft competed. Make corrections on details - and return for corrections.

May 16: Corrected Home Study is sent to AGCI for proofreading.

May 24:  Robert takes all notarized, Wisconsin originating documents to Secretary of State office in Madison to leave there to be state certified (which they say on their website NEVER is a one day service. He works in the Madison office that day. They call him and he picks up the completed, authenticated documents on his way home (yay!)

May 25:  Amy mails all state certified documents to AGCI. Sends Robert's birth certificate to the Secretary of State office in IL (because he was born there), an employment verification form to MN Secretary of State dept. (because company I officially work for has their headquarters there), and a case management agreement between AGCI and Andrea to OR Secretary of State dept. (because AGCI is there): for state certification. ALSO - WE RECEIVE OUR PASSPORTS IN THE MAIL

June 15: Receive approval from our psych evaluation.

July 15: Mail in our I-800A application.

July 24: Receive word that our application was received and is in process and an appointment to appear for fingerprinting.

July 25: Learn that both our home sale and purchase are going to proceed and put our I-800A on hold until after we move August 30.

August 21: Appear for fingerprinting at the Milwaukee Department of Homeland Security.

August 30: Move

September 13: Home Study visit on the new house.

October 12: Received draft of updated Home Study.

October 26: Sent updated Home Study to Immigration Dept. in Texas

November 15: Received Immigration Approval

November 19: Overnighted final dossier documents to AGCI

November 21: Final documents sent to Washington DC for authentication.

December 4: Authenticated documents arrive at AGCI

December 5: Dossier shipped to China

December 12: Referral

December 13: Officially accepted referral

December 31: Received PA (pre-approval from China that they feel we are a good match for our referral)

So now we wait for "LOC" - Letter of Confirmation or Letter seeking Confirmation. China has reviewed our initial documents that we sent with our acceptance of referral on December 13. They have concluded that we would be a good match for her.  Now, our dossier needs to be gone over with a fine toothed comb and then we wait for LOC. It typically takes 3 months. Then we must apply for a new I800 (immigration) for our specific child. That takes 6-8 weeks typically. Then we wait for travel approval (TA - that will arrive 3-4 weeks before we travel). Once we receive TA we will secure flights and make travel arrangements. (goosebumps).

If you have questions about anything adoption related, we would love nothing more than to be a resource for you. Our agency link is here. There is a wealth of information on their site to help answer any questions you may have. We have been so grateful to partner with them and wouldn't change a thing regarding choosing All God's Children for our adoption agency.

It's a new year. It's a new year for stories of God's faithfulness...I'm ready.

Are you?