We've done all we can do - papers are sent!

Whew!  We have reached the place in our paper chase where we have done all we can do.  The home study is virtually done.  They are waiting only on criminal clearance from Iowa -- Ethan went to college there when he was a teenager.  Ancient history, for sure!  The local agency caseworker is still hopeful that they will get the home study out of their office and to the placement agency in Washington next week.

What is next?

I Fed Ex'd  the remaining documents for our dossier to China to the placement agency today.  They can now begin sending each document for the county and state verifications and authentication from the Department of State and the Chinese Consulate.

The certification of the home study will trigger a huge step.  Once it is received, the placement agency can then file our I800-A which is the "Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country."  And directly from china-adoption-online it says, "USCIS will evaluate whether not you are suitable to adopt a child from China. Worried about getting approval? Don't be. You would never have gotten past the home study process if you weren't qualified."  Still, makes us a little nervous!

When this is approved we will be given an appointment for our final fingerprinting, a caseworker will be assigned to review the home study and fingerprints, then they issue approval.  The current average approval time frame is around 60-80 days.  We then get the I-797C, Notice of Action: Approval Notice. When this step is done our dossier should be ready to go to China.

The all important document!  Dossier: The application to adopt an orphan. It includes a letter requesting permission to adopt a Chinese orphan, home study, police reports, immigration approval, reference letters, medical reports, marriage certificate, birth certificates, letters of employment, and photos of our family and house.   It is approximately five to eight months from dossier log in until travel. So, now we wait.

We have our first "sponsors" in the puzzle fundraiser, and began putting it together this evening.  Thank you Jacob and Hannah Linson for our first 30 pieces put together!  That was a great start to the "Great Wall."

The first thirty pieces have been put together on the Great Wall fundraiser!  The proceeds from this go towards the verification, authentication, and agency fees for processing the dossier, and for the immigration fees.

Back sides of puzzle.  Thanks Hannah and Jacob!

We thank you for helping bring Abigail home!

What's in a Name?

Wikipedia:  "A name is a word or term used for identification. Names can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context."

Expectant parents spend hours pouring over baby names to find just the right one.  Does the middle name "go with" the first and the last?  Is there a funky nickname that is going to haunt the child if you choose this  name?  I know we spent a ton of effort in giving our children names that were meaningful to us, and hopefully that they could live with.  The whole name thing has me reflecting today.

As we recognized that the time was indeed NOW if we were ever going to adopt a little girl from China, we  began the search not looking for that "perfect name" but for the child that we felt God wanted to be part of our family.  Well, God is a master at weaving our life stories.  Here is a bit of family history for you.

After giving birth to four daughters, we more or less assumed that #5 would be a girl, and she would be named Abigail which means "father's joy or gives joy."  Surprise!  JAMES would not have appreciated the name Abigail.

Nine years later we give birth to our fifth girl, and the name Abigail had stuck with us all of those years.  Those who knew us well figured, "They got their Abigail!"  One complication.  A close friend at the time (who we spent a lot of time with) had a service dog called Abby.  I couldn't get over the fact that every time we called our daughter I would think of this little dog.  With much disappointment, we searched and searched the baby name books for something else appropriate. 

 Fast forward yet another decade as we are praying for God to show us the little one that He has in mind.  My friends who have adopted kept telling me, "Don't worry.  You will know her when you see her."   Because we are going "Special Focus"  to adopt a child who is maybe a little harder to place, we had to actually choose the child THEN choose our agency.  Special Focus children are assigned to one specific agency.  What if I messed up and missed her?

So began the pouring over files with many agencies.  One agency sent me 1797 names with brief descriptions.  I literally cried.  The need is so great.  How could we possibly choose just one?  However, there WAS a way to make sure that our little girl's file was looked at.  There was one name in the entire world that guaranteed I would open and look HARD at that file.  I confess, I passed over a Sarah and a Hannah (we have one of those) but Abigail, she had to have a good look.

Funny thing about these names on the foreign adoptive files.  They aren't the child's actual name, (as they would be in the states) and no one expects you to call them by it when they get home.  The agency "randomly" assigns them an English name, probably because we have trouble pronouncing the Chinese names.   I later found out that the girl our agency randomly labeled as "Abigail" had an English name that they use in her school - Dawn.  Why didn't the agency use that name?

I think I fell in love with her the second I opened her file.  I kept trying to give others a chance, and did continue to prayerfully consider many, many other girls.  Abigail just wouldn't leave our heads and hearts!  Do you ever second guess yourself?  I won't go into the dozen other details and confirmations that solidified "Abigail" as "the one" but yeah, my friends were right.  We knew she was "ours" when we saw her.

Shared at Death by Great Wall

The oh-so-important dossier!

Our visit from the social worker went very well on Sunday.  She was impressed that we had all of our documents prepared thoroughly and all of the requirements  - including that the escape routes posted throughout the house - were done.  She indicated that she usually has to tell people to get that step done before she returns for the second visit.  Since the escape route posting is clearly on the list of requirements I have to wonder why it isn't done the first time?  In any case, she is to return tomorrow to finish up.  We are waiting on some references to get back to to the agency, and that is pretty much it.

With the homestudy quickly drawing to a close, that will trigger the beginning of the dossier processing.  A dossier (daw-syey) is defined as "a collection or file of documents on the same subject, especially a complete file containing detailed information about a person or topic."  In this case, as uncomfortable as it makes us, the file is on US.  Details, LOTS of details. 

The dossier is a set of specific, required documents that represent our family to the Chinese government.  Each document must be completed, signed, notarized (or certified in the case of birth and marriage certificates).  This step is completed on just about everything.  Then each document needs to be verified again at the county level; verified again at the state level, and finally authenticated at the appropriate Chinese Consulate or Embassy.  This requires many cover letters, couriers to each of those offices for each document, a fee from our agency to process the whole lot, etc. It is perhaps the most important set of documents we will ever complete.  The Chinese authorities will ultimately accept or reject us depending on this set of documents.  

We have had enough confirmations over the past several weeks to realize that this whole thing really wasn't OUR idea.  We are humbled and oh so excited that God is apparently intending for this adorable little person to be part of our family. 

We would like to invite you to be part of bringing Abigail Dawn home.  We are having a puzzle fund-raiser to help get our dossier processed and to China.  What is a puzzle fundraiser?  We have purchased a puzzle of the Great Wall (at times the fees can seem like a wall to overcome!) and are inviting you to sponsor a piece -or a few pieces!  For each $5 donation we will put the donor's name on the back of a puzzle piece and begin putting it together as we have sponsors to do so.  We will double glass frame the puzzle when it is complete so Abigail can see the back with the names of all those who graciously helped us get these documents moving. If you would care to participate, you may use the "Reece's Rainbow" donate button to make a tax deductible contribution.  It is found to the right on this page.  Thank you for your friendship, your concern for the orphans, and most of all for your continued prayers!

Our Great Wall puzzle

Do you believe in coincidences?

I continue to be amazed at the "coincidences" and "just so happens" that we are seeing regarding Abigail.  For instance, I was visiting with my favorite former neighbor in Indiana yesterday.  Of course I took along the photos of Abigail as any proud mama would do.  Christa was flipping through them, stopped, (eyes bugging out) looked again, and she exclaimed,

 "I know that girl!"

 Me: "Know WHAT girl?"

Christa:  "That one! (pointing) She goes to our church!"

The "girl"  attends *********** - when she is in the country, that is.  All Christa knew was she was in China working with children.  As you can imagine, I was pretty excited to think of a friend of a friend actually looking out for Abigail AT her orphanage's school.

I have noted over and over when watching Abigail in the videos that she seems so happy and loving.  I have a feeling that much of this may be due to this "girl's" obedience to the call to work in China.

I am so grateful for this lady and her fellow workers who are there loving on those children.  They are making a huge difference in their lives.  I am also grateful for the opportunity to peek inside the orphanage (via the newsletters) and see what daily life for Abigail looks like.  In one of the photos in the newsletter, I see her beautiful little face smiling straight into the camera.  That does my heart good!  Thank you, God, for these continued little glimpses that "just happen" to assure us that we are on the right path.

Progress

Since turning in the homestudy documents, I've been enjoying having only a FEW papers to complete and mail each day, instead of the usual day-long process of seemingly endless paper pushing. 

I collected the promised letter from my cardiologist on Monday.  He assured "whom it may concern" that the problem is insignificant and won't affect my expected natural life span.  Nice to have that potential roadblock put to rest!

We're in Lafayette on "vacation" (aka remodeling a bathroom) and received a call today.  The social worker  has our papers now and wants to come do our first home visit.  This is progress.  Bring it on!

Wow God!

I hand delivered our homestudy papers this morning at 9AM.  The office manager said she would work on them today, and on through the weekend, and hopefully hand them off to the social worker next week.  They are known for processing the homestudy documents pretty quickly, so we're hopeful that trend will hold true for us.

I also sent via FedEx another ten documents for our China dossier. That project is looking pretty manageable now.

Update on the doctor's report that gave too much detail of insignificant past health findings.  The cardiologist has written a note stating that the condition isn't expected to affect my normal life expectancy.  I can pick it up at their office on Monday.  Hopefully that will be the end of the matter.

While actually getting the homestudy paperwork completed has to take first place for BIG DEAL this week, a close second would be our trip to Chicago to visit our student from Purdue's International Friendship Program.  He was in the country just briefly to present at a conference.  It was amazing to see him again.  I hadn't told him about our adoption, so he was quite surprised.  I wasn't sure how he would react, not really knowing how the Chinese people feel about Americans adopting their children.  He actually teared up though, and had good things to say about it!

I have to stop right here and ask just WHY I am so amazed when God does something spectacular?  He IS GOD after all!  I am in total awe though as I think about the past few years and how He has orchestrated events and people into our lives.  One huge example of that is Jack.

We had been part of Purdue's International Friendship Program in 1982.  We were assigned a French couple that time.  We were in the program just that one year and didn't think about it much again until 2009.  WHY did we all of a sudden, after twenty-seven years, (when a daughter had just gotten married and we'd just moved into a house in Lafayette) decide we wanted to be in this program again?  We didn't pick the student or the country.  Purdue assigned him to us.

 We loved Jack.  He added so much to our family.  We totally enjoyed spending time with him and learning about his culture.  We loved watching him do things with our family, like cutting down and decorating a Christmas tree.  "I feel like in movie!" he told us as we sat around sipping hot chocolate and looking at the tree all beautiful with lights.  We were so sad when he had to return to his country sooner than expected.  We had him just ONE SEMESTER but formed a definite bond with this special young man.

We thought we would probably never see Jack again when he returned to China.  It is so far away.  Here we are three years later, when out of the blue he informs us he is returning to the states to present at a conference in Chicago.  What are the chances that we would make a Chinese friend, and he would return from half way around the world just as we are attempting to sort out files, photos, videos, and questions about Chinese culture?  Could we have planned this had we known?  I doubt it. 

Jack was easily able to translate the Chinese characters in the files and photos.  He was easily able to translate what was being said in the background talk in the first video we'd received of Abigail in China.  Want to know how concerned God is about this mother's heart and my wonderings about insignificant (to most people) details? Abigail is dancing and doing hand motions to a song in the agency's video.  I have said over and over, "I wish I knew what the song was saying!"  Guess what?  Jack easily told me what the song was about!  He helped us sort out our own confusion of how Chinese names "work" and what she would actually be called by her friends, and better yet, the most intimate family way of saying her name.  He said we should call her Qing Qing.  (Cheeng, Cheeng)  I am in awe that these little details that mean so much to ME as the mom, were sorted out by a trusted friend that we "JUST HAPPENED" to know. Talk about great timing!  Our lives were enriched just by knowing this young man. Then we had our own personal translator come from China!  Wow God!

 Here is a photo of us in the hotel lobby.  I had taken along a scrapbook and some photos to help him catch up on what our family has been doing since he left.

 Walking in Chicago to find some lunch.

 Jack wanted ANYTHING but Chinese food.  He loves trying new things, so especially wanted something different.  We went to this unusual Italian place that also served fried chicken and fish, and Indian Curry!  Go figure!  Jack ordered the curry, and to our amusement, it came with little packages of Chinese hot sauce!  Too funny!

 

Alas, our day ended waaaay too soon.  We hated to say goodbye again.  We stopped for a last picture in downtown Chicago.

 As I sit here looking at the photos of the day and thinking "Yay, God!"  I'm still amazed at how He plans things years in advance.  He gave us a love of the Chinese people and culture years ago.  He moved us to Ohio (and you know I came kicking and screaming - almost literally!) to where there is one of the few International Adoption Centers (medical) in the country, to a co-op that is VERY multicultural with internationally adopted children.  To a job that helps make international adoption just a little bit more do-able with funds allocated to assist with a portion of the expense.  To the place to where the talk of the last fifteen years comes together and turns into action.  I am amazed at His grace and goodness.

It has been a productive paper day!

Ethan's birth certificate arrived today, amazing!  We found out on August second that China wouldn't accept his certified copy that was issued two years ago.  I'm not sure what facts changed concerning his birth since then, but we needed a certified copy that was no older than six months since its issue date. They had told us it could take months for it to be issued, (the last one did)  and the caseworker expressed concern that it might hold up the process. The application was even rejected once because something was left out of the request.  Look at the date, folks!  It hasn't even been two weeks!  I'm super happy to have that one in our file!  What is the absolute safest way to send these documents to Seattle?  I would rather prefer to drive them there myself!

Our homestudy agency called, and they received the fingerprinting,  FBI and child abuse clearances.

We received all of our education certificates.

I called for the fire safety inspection really hoping to get that form in the file too, but I have to be patient just a little bit longer.  The inspector is scheduled to come at 1pm tomorrow.  There are four adorable little girls playing at my house today, so I hope they are feeling tidy!  I'd prefer to not have to clean the whole house again.  Really though, I'm thankful that Tikvah has a group of girls in the neighborhood to play with, so I won't complain TOO much if they make a little mess.

My project this afternoon is to write ANOTHER letter to the Chinese officials.   The first one that was sent for our pre-approval was just a short one limited to a couple of paragraphs that stuck strictly to the facts.  In this one for our dossier, we are required to explain WHY we want to adopt a child, and promise about a half a dozen things to them regarding her care.  I always wonder how those documents look translated from my words to Chinese.  It would be interesting to see sometime.

When Ethan gets home it will be time to hammer out a few more forms that we just haven't gotten to.  In theory we should be able to use information from some others we did a few weeks ago, so they shouldn't take too long.  The biggie is going to be him finishing his autobiography.  If you know my husband, you know he is a man of few words.  Writing something like that is difficult anyway, but I think for him it may be extra hard.

We are getting so close.  Our goal is to get everything for the homestudy and the dossier in before we go "on vacation" (to remodel a daughter's bathroom) at the end of the week. We're throwing in that trip to Chicago to see Jack on Wednesday, so I'm feeling a little pressure.

How can you pray?  Today there are two things that I would consider to be most urgent:

1. Ethan's employer to cough up the employment letter that he requested.

2. Its a really long story, but in a nutshell, my new physician here put in (old) extra information on my medical form.  She has agreed it requires no treatment and that I'm healthy and a good candidate to adopt.  However, she insists she needs to add these little notes as extra details. To my horror she even put notes in the margin with an arrow drawn down the page. The translation to Chinese is complicated, and they need the facts to stay simple.  This has the potential of really gumming up the works and requiring extra visits to a specialist in Indiana who dismissed me from treatment over two years ago.  THEN HE would have to submit a statement, have it notarized...you see the problem? 

Thanks for remembering us!