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Adoption- Lessons from the trail, part 1

Posted in Adoption on August 27, 2008 | 2 Comments »

I’ve been meaning to write this post for a while now. I’m certainly not an adoption expert, but I’d like to think that I learn quickly. If nothing else, I can offer my own opinion up (for what it’s worth) in an effort to help others make informed adoption decisions.
Topic 1- International Vs. [...]

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August 2008

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Adoption Time Line

12/4/2006
After 9 months of research and deliberation, we decide to adopt from Vietnam

01/04/2007
We apply to Families First to start our Homestudy. We apply to FTIA as a placement agency

01/19/2007
We start working on our dossier by attempting to get our background checks for the dossier and run into "Property of the County" Deputy. We do our medical forms 3 different times. This is a fun couple of weeks.

02/02/2007
We send our first batch of paperwork to the state to be certified

02/13/2007
We send that first batch of paperwork to the Vietnam Consulate SF to be authenticated
03/01/2007
Homestudy is complete. We apply for our I 600 A. The homestudy goes to the Vietnam Consulate SF for authentication.
03/31/2007
We get our fingerprints done for USCIS. We send off all of our dossier documents to FTIA.
04/6/2007
We figure out that something "just ain't right" about the number of families signed up with FTIA vs the number of referals that they are receiving. (DOH!) We back out. We start the frantic search for a new agency.
04/23/2007
After a Reslie/Flagg "adoption summit", we decide to apply to WACAP. We are in their top 6 waiting for a child under 18 months.
04/25/2007
We send our 797 and our "financial form" (as requested by WACAP off to the state to be certified.
04/30/2007
We send these last two documents off to the Consulate
05/09/2007
We receive our documents back and our "approval packet" from WACAP. We turn around and send our contract, our dossier, and our money to WACAP the same day.
05/10/2007
Our dossier is on its way to Vietnam!!
06/1/2007
Our dossier is translated and submitted to DIA.
07/09/2007
We get word from our agency that, with Vietnam, "no news is good news" and the assumption is that our dossier looks good.
9/19/2007
We lose our minds and decide that we would like to switch countries and agencies. Being a pioneer family and adopting from Vietnam seems better suited to our second adoption. We pursue adopting from Guatemala.
9/24/2007
We accept the referral of a beautiful baby girl. We think that she should come home in 8-12 months. She is only 2 months old.
09/25/2007
US Department of State announces that Guatemalan president, Oscar Berger, has decided that all international adoptions (even those pending) wil cease as of Jan. 1, 2008
09/26/2007
JCICS advises all agencies to cease giving referrals for Guatemalan children.
09/29/2007
After a week of heartache, we make the incredibly difficult decision not to move forward with the adoption of this little girl. Another family will be much more likely to bring her home before the Jan. 1 deadline. We decide to move forward with our adoption in Vietnam.
12/10/2007
Since we moved forward with the same agency that we were going to adopt from Guatemala through, we had to re-submit our dossier. We compiled a new dossier, sent it through all the levels of certification and authentication. (It got hung up at the county level for a while.) Dossier part deux was sent to Viet Nam on this day. Now we wait for a referral. Hopefully, it will be very soon.
12/25/2007
Merry Christmas!
01/01/2008
Happy New Year!
02/07/2008
Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! Happy year of the Rat!
03/11/2008
We accept the referral of our beautiful daughter, Caroline!
04/09/2008
USCIS acknowledges receipt of our I600
04/29/2008
Happy 6 month birthday, Caroline!
05/29/2008
Happy 7 month birthday, Caroline!
06/02/2008
We received I600 pre-approval!
06/07/2008
Daniel and I are re-fingerprinted.
06/23/2008
Daniel & Alice leave for Viet Nam!
06/24/2008
We arrive in Ha Noi, exhausted
06/25/2008
We begin our journey to our daughter's province on the Re-unification Express. Choo! Choo!
06/26/2008
We meet our daughter, Caroline! The Giving and Receiving Ceremony is that Day! Our lives change forever
06/27/2008
We arrive back in Ha Noi.
07/02/2008
Caroline has her medical exam at the SOS clinic. Such a healthy baby!
07/07/2008
We have our Embassy interview
07/08/2008
We receive our daughter's visa, and we hop on the plane to head home!
07/09/2008
Welcome home, Caroline!
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A Time for Love

Our Adoption Journey

Archive for August, 2008

Adoption- Lessons from the trail, part 1

Protected: Been away too long

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Blogroll

Archives

Adoption Time Line

Pages

Blog Stats

Mrs. Broccoli Guy

Meta