ok.. so yes.. I know, I know.. it's been quite a while since I've last updated our blog.. but, there's been a lot going on. After our background checks came back, I mentioned that we had a meeting set up for our first home study visit and that we had started work on our dossier. Dossier is the paperwork that Ethiopia requires.
At our first meeting they just went over expectations and time lines. Since they received our background checks so quickly, they moved up our 8 hours of training. We were supposed to have this mid March, but, they moved it up to mid Feb. The training was really scary, they talked a lot about what adopted kids can go through and interviewed some adopted children and how they felt about life. It took a while to process, but, as parents we'll just do the best we can.. what else can we do.
So, we had our second home study visit, Sharon our social worker came out to our house and just asked us questions about how we met, how long we had been together. Then we gave her a tour of our home. It was pretty basic, quick, and easy; about an hour. The home study wasn't completed and back to us until March 8th. After we received this back we took all of our dossier paperwork to First Tech and had everything notarized. From there Chris had to take it down to the state of Oregon to have a special stamps put on the home study and power of attorney.
We had just finished up the paperwork and it was ready to be mailed, when we heard the news!!! Ethiopia's courts had posted a sign that stated that they were going to start requiring the parents to travel twice to Ethiopia. This would be a major blow and was very upsetting. It would be a lot of money to fly twice, but, also because the court dates get cancelled, the birth family sometimes doesn't show, or the courts close.
Chris and I both decided that it would be best to wait this out, since it was up in the air. We considered changing programs, but after talking with Sharon her recommendation was to stay where we were at. So, there we sit... wait wait wait. After all we had been through this was quite a blow that there may be something unexpected. You would think at this point I would plan for the unexpected.
Now, while we're waiting.. we have been busy little beavers in the nursery. We ordered the crib and just went and got the dresser yesterday. We're pretty much done, we just need Aunt Stacie to paint the picture that she drew. After I get this.. we'll for sure have pictures to post.. this will be super fun to show everyone our hard work. Can I just tell you how much I love the nursery.. it sure is turning out perfect. It's exactly what I would have wanted.. and I didn't even know it.
Last week we got unofficial news that the courts had decided that they would go back to having the parents travel once. A little background.. although this would have been a set back for us, some of the other adoption agency's weren't being forthcoming with information regarding their children to be adopted. When the parents arrived in Ethiopia the babies were very sick. There were some adoption agency's that weren't playing by the rules.. this is the reason that they may have wanted us to travel twice. So, we could meet our baby first, and make sure it was what we wanted.
So, after finding out that we'll more than likely only travel one time.. we decided last Thursday, March 25 to send in our dossier to Holt. What does this mean you ask??.. Well, they will review our paperwork and then send it over to Ethiopia. This process will normally take about 4-6 weeks. After that it's just a matter of time until they match us with a child. So, we could be matched with a child in about 1-4 months. They've told us that it could go fast because we are willing to accept a child that may have a minor medical issue.
After we get matched we travel about 2-3 months later. So, if you had that up we could be parents by the end of the year. It's just really hard to say, because every adoption is different. The courts do close during August and September, their rainy season.
Along with submitting our dossier.. we've submitted our paperwork to US government to start the process to get our baby a passport and visa.
For now.. we've given Lil' Mack a nickname.. Jo.. for "Just One". After this process.. we'll both just be happy to have one child.. and feel complete.
So, there you have it folks.. that's where we're at. The nursery is completed.. and the paperwork has been submitted.. now we just wait. But, waiting means we're moving forward.. and that is a good thing. I can't imagine what life is going to be like when there are three of us.. but, I know in my heart, that my life is going to change 100% for the better.. it's exciting and very scary.. but, we're so ready for this step.
