Agency is working on it!

Our home study is in review at our placement agency.  They have received our additional documents for Ella, and the committee is scheduled to meet next week to consider our request to adopt two.  Stay tuned!

More paperwork - this time Ella's

We received a draft of our home study last night.  Aside from a few typos, it is finished.  A draft also went to our placement agency so they could request additional clarification, if needed, before the document is notarized, certified and hard copies mailed.

Today I need to begin some additional paperwork, this time for Ella.  True, her files won't be released for another 30 days, but our placement agency has to have a committee meeting to decide if they will allow us to even pursue her once her file is released.  In order to do that they have to look at our home study, her medical files, and some other documents that they have requested of us.  The "other documents" are what I get to work on today.  Everything needs to be in place by this time next month if we will be allowed to "lock" her file.

Please pray today that I would have clarity of thought as I work on these papers. Some of the questions are difficult to answer.  Thanks!

Update on Ella - again

Third update today, that is a record.  This is another prayer request.  If you have followed my blog you know that there were two little girls that STUCK with us.  We have been told for two months that there is no way Ella's file can/will be transferred to our agency.  We have continued to pray that Ella's family finds her. 

Today I received word from agency X that if they aren't able to find her a home by October 6, her file will go back on the shared list.  This would make her file available to any agency to "lock in."

Our agency hasn't been very supportive about placing two unrelated children at the same time.  However, they have done it in the past, and it is allowed by Chinese authorities if one child is "Special Focus."  Our home study recommends the placement of two special needs children, and our social worker was very supportive of the idea.

I'm especially grateful that I'm not the one in charge of the whole scheme of things.  We didn't really start out intending to LOOK for two children, nor did we particularly set out to look for one that is a preschooler.  I have questioned for two months why this little girl will not leave my head and my heart. 

October 6 is only a month away.  Will you pray with us for God's will in this?  If God means for US to be Ella's family, we will rejoice!  If God sends her another family, we will rejoice with her for that.  But, Ella needs a family.  Please pray with us that her wait ends soon.

Iowa is IN!

I've heard that God answers prayer before we even know what to ask... Yeah, I think that may have happened today.  Just got word from our caseworker that Iowa clearance is HERE.  I don't have a clue how it was managed, it sounded like it would be the end of the week at the earliest, but we are good to go!  So thankful!  Thank you to all of our friends who have been praying!

Please pray!

Our home study report is written up and ready to go (triggering the sending of other important documents) EXCEPT for clearance from Iowa - where Ethan went to college. We really need for this clearance to arrive so they can fill in the date and get this thing out to the people who need it. We'd appreciate your prayers!

Our intentional God

I found a reminder in my devotional this morning:

Our God is an intentional God, brimming over with purpose, infusing meaning into everything around us. He has sprinkled earth with calling cards of His presence and purpose...   Taken from Pearls of Great Price.  Copyright © 2006 by Joni Eareckson Tada

This causes me to ponder again, "What about Ella?"  (see my posts from late June/early July).  Her photos are still on our refrigerator reminding me several times each day to pray that her family finds her.  Our home study recommends the placement of two special needs children, and we would gladly and joyfully welcome her home along with Abigail Dawn.  Thus far the agency to which she is assigned says they cannot transfer her file to our agency.

I don't know what God's purpose is in causing "Ella" to stick in our heads and in our hearts.  All I know is she is a little girl who needs a family.  Please pray for Ella as you think of her this week.

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!