October 2010

10-28-10

We have requested four special friends and professional acquaintances prepare referrals for us. Those have begun to come in and we are so touched by their words of recommendation.

10-27-10

And so the legwork begins. The following is a list of the documents needed next for the home study:

-Most Recent Tax Return

-Most Recent Pay Check Stubs

-Employer Letters  

-Copy of a Driver’s License or Passport for each adult in the home

-Birth certificate for each adult in the home

-Photos of Home, Interior & Exterior

-Medicals for all adults in the home

-Pediatric Medical for Rachel  

-Medical Reference Letters for any serious, chronic, or progressive conditions*

-Health Insurance Cards

-Pediatric and Teacher References (Forms are located in your adoption manual)

-Proof of Rabies for Pets

-Release of Information for Primary Provider (which allows us to communicate with your agency)

-Agreement for Contract Home Study

-Disclosure Policy

-Refund Policy

-International Adoption Questions

-Adoption Discussion Questions

We are no longer shocked by the paperwork. We just keep moving things to make room for all the information we’ve received.

10-26-10

Dale’s mom will have to be fingerprinted since she lives in our home. Since we are taking her, I will be fingerprinted again also. Per the technician’s suggestion, I’ve fasted from lotion for the past week hoping that makes mine readable this time.

10-22-10

Email updating our friends and supporters:

“There has been a storm of activity on the adoption in the past several weeks. We pursued special needs adoption through Taiwan and considered and prayed over a few different orphans they have available. As hard as it was, we did not have peace over any of the children they have available due to the severity of their needs and the care plan they would need. Their program is very small and most of the children have severe special needs and are in need full-time care at home. We cannot offer that and knew that God had other parents for those little ones.

We eventually found an online network that shares your desire to adopt with agencies all across the country via email. We believe an estimated 15 adoption agencies responded to us and inquired more about our situation and shared with us their available programs. One agency in South Carolina, Nightlight Adoption, responded and asked if we had considered China. Upon hearing our story they pursued China a second time and this time with great success. We have been given a verbal exception to adopt through their special needs program! They say there is a slight chance China may reject us in the end but they do not anticipate that happening. We believe God is able and moving ahead with all of the paperwork.”

Speaking of paperwork, as of this week we now have a two binders with a total of 5” of paperwork (no exaggeration and that’s after it was culled down) to read and muddle through. We have lots and lots of forms to fill out and information to gather. On that list is fingerprinting, updating Rachel’s passport, gathering letters from doctors, writing our autobiographies, medical exams & immunizations… lots and lots to do. We’re trying to sort it all into bite sized assignments so that we can have weekly goals on what needs to get done. One thing is for sure, we won’t accomplish anything if we leave it in a 5” pile!!

Our home study/education process began this week. We have a very engaged and enthusiastic team working with us. They toured our home and interviewed all us on Tuesday. There will be more interviews and probing into our family history next month. We will journey the road as a team and that is both comforting and exciting.

We thank you for your continued kind words, thoughts and most of all your prayers as we pursue our girl, Bella Catherine! Yes, we went back to Bella, not Lily. In our hearts that is just who she is. J

With Hopeful Hearts!

10-25-10

We registered to attend the required 10-hour HAGUE training hosted by UAB in January 2011.

10-18-10

From Nightlight, we just got news that the costs are rising. “Due to the fact that US currency exchange rate continues to drop, the China’s orphanage donation which is 35,000 RMB is now $5,300 (we have previously only collected $5,200). Please make note of this change in your fee schedule effective November 1, 2010.

10-11-10

Paperwork has taken over our dining room, kitchen table and sofa. There is so much paperwork! We have a 4” binder and two 3” in binders to sort it in and we aren’t sure that will even be sufficient.

10-10-10

We began receiving dossier emails and are overwhelmed at the amount of paperwork required. After everything was printed it was a stack about three inches high full of information and forms.