Adoption Update

Since the word is out on our adoption plans now I thought it would be good to try to keep people updated on our process. I don't do a lot on facebook and I'm not sure I want to post all about the adoption there either so I thought I would try to post some updates on this blog from time to time.

Adoption had been on our mind for awhile and after a lot of thought and prayer we decided to start the adoption process. After considering all the adoption options we decided that international adoption would be the best fit for us. Then we needed to decide on a country to adopt from. Eventually we narrowed our options down to China or Korea. Both countries allowed us to adopt a child that would be younger then Faith. We felt at this time it would be important to keep our current birth order. We both felt more of a pull toward and interest in China. We would be able to adopt a child with a special need that might not find an adoptive family in China. We are also in interested in China and are excited to learn about it's culture and history.

So far in the process we have gone through educational trainings and have completed our home study (a number of meetings with a social worker including one visit at our home). With that all complete we were ready to start the paperwork for our dossier. We have filed one form with USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) and are currently working on all the other required paperwork for China. There are a number of forms and documents that need to written, collect, notarized and copied.

What's to come: By the end of February we should have all our dossier paperwork completed and file it with the Chinese government. Hopefully by spring we will start receiving referrals of children that are in need of a home. If time frames stay the same by next fall or winter we will be able to travel to China to get our child.

Our future child: I am feeling very eager to receive information about a child. It will be so nice to have a name and face to go with this child that we have been thinking about and praying for. We have been approved to adopt a child 0-30 months old of either gender with a special need. We are working with Children's Home Society and Family Services in the Jade program which works with children that have a "minor or correctable" special need. Some people have assumed since we are adopting form China we will receive a little girl. In reality we have been told there are just as many boys in this Jade program as there are girls. So we really don't know if we will receive a boy or a girl.

That is all for now.