The real waiting begins!

I got an email today from my adoption agency that stated "Your dossier was sent to Ethiopia today!  Congratulations!  I hope you and your family take time to celebrate the paperwork portion being completed.  Now the really hard part begins…waiting!" So this means that now I get to sit back and wait for Ethiopia to match me with my son or daughter.  During the paperwork process I had to fill out a form that stated what I wanted my child to be like (skin color, hair texture, age, and they want at least 5 medical problems).  So that makes everyone's adoption paperwork a little different.  I could be the only person who said that I will take a child with orthopedic problems and therefore get a referral soon or I could be one of a hundred who stated low birth weight and end up waiting a long time.  It looks as though my adoption process is still on track for traveling next summer.  I will continue to keep everyone updated on the process.  Please keep this adoption process in your thoughts and prayers.  International adoption is not guaranteed and the country could shut down all adoption or single's adoption at any time.  The farther along I get in this process the more realistic it is that my baby is sitting in a crib all alone waiting for me to come get him or her.

more later

jessica

no update...

I just wanted to let everyone know that I didn't forget the login and password to the blog!  I just don't have any real updates.  My paper work was sent off 3 weeks ago to get another approval from Washington.  This process takes 4 weeks and once it is approved by Washington then it will be sent to Ethiopia.  I will be notified by the Ethiopian agency once they have reviewed my paperwork and placed me on the waiting list.  I also filled out paperwork for USCIS in order to get approved by homeland security to adopt.  They did get my paperwork and they finally sent me my date for fingerprinting.  I go in a few weeks to get my prints done for homeland security.  I have to have approval from them to bring an orphan into the country.  I don't have any exciting news; just more and more waiting.  My mother and I are going to get the nursery together when I am on xmas break from school.  I will post pictures when it is done.

more later

jessica

paperwork

So I want to share something really quick with everyone.  Friends and family keep asking "why does it take so long to adopt"?  Well there is A LOT of paperwork that needs to be obtained.  Some of this paperwork can't be done until other paperwork is in.  Some of the information has to be ordered.  Then it has to be notarized.  Well here is a picture (hopefully I can download it) of the paperwork that i had to obtain.  Like I said in my last post I sent it all in to my Dossier specialist who is reviewing it.  She states that it is all good, which is amazing.  My next step is getting paperwork ready for USCIS (United States homeland Security), which is another approval process.  I should be able to send this off next week and it take 4-6 weeks to get back the approval form for international adoption.  I need the approval form to take to Ethiopia in order for my child to be able to enter the United States. 

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jessica

Sorry

So for those of you who have had my blog address I must apologize.  I forgot what my sign in name and password were.  OH WELL!!  I started a new blog and have copied and pasted the first posts into this blog.  I sure hope that I remember the sign in and password this time.  Okay so back to business.  I got my homestudy last week and mailed off my second mailer.  This is the mailer with all of the notarized papers in it.  I sent it FED EX overnight and I was so nervous that it was going to get lost.  Thankfully it did not get lost and my dossier specialist is very impressed with my homestudy and other paperwork.  She is going to send it off for finally approval which should take 2-3 weeks.  Once she gets final approval she will send it to Ethiopia.  Yay!!!

I talked to women who is 4 months ahead of me in her adoption and she had great words of encouragement for me.  She actually just got back from a mission trip to Ethiopia and told me that she visited all of the orphanages and she was very impressed.  She said the babies would reach up for her to pick them up which is a good sign that the babies know what being held is.  She also said that there are a lot more boys than girls and since I said that I didn't care if I got a boy or girl that I would most likely end up with a boy.  Oh man, another boy in the house, just what I need!! 

I will keep you all updated on any further progress. I am sorry for the change in address.

more later

jessica

ps Thanks you Kelly for wanting to go with me to Ethiopia to pick up my baby.  I am sure we are going to have a trip of a lifetime!!  You are amazing!!!!!

Second post

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

home study update...

The social worker dealing with my home study sent me an email today stating "The home study has been signed and forwarded onto ICPC (Interstate Compact) for endorsement. This should be 2-4 weeks."  Once the home study agency gets the endorsement I have to pay the home study agency in order to get a copy.  Once I have the copy I can send it to my agency, Children of All Nations.  I think it will all feel more real once they have a copy of it.  Children of All Nations will send it to Washington DC for final approval from the United States.  This process takes 6 weeks, then it can finally get sent to Ethiopia. I can only think that I am one step closer to getting my son/daughter!!!

more later

jessica

First Post

Friday, September 24, 2010

It all started with....

It all started with an idea of creating a family.  As many of you know I have already started the adoption process to Ethiopia.  I didn't want to start a blog to early in the process because I felt as though it might be bad luck.  Well I am almost to the "sit and wait" phase of the adoption so I thought I better get typing.  I would like to take the time to ask everyone to have great patience.  I am not sure how to "blog" and so I am learning as I go.  I am sure people will have many questions along the way, so feel free to email me at jakeller27@hotmail.com. 

I mailed in my application to Children of all Nations(after months of research) on July 7th 2010.  It was a long two weeks but I finally had my application accepted on July 21st.  I signed my contract with Children of all Nations (CAN) on July 23rd.  On August 17th I received my first mailer.  This included copy of driver's license and power of attorney paperwork.  I mailed the mailer back on August 19th.  I then had to mail off to get my new passport, which I did on August 21st and start working on the second mailer.  While gathering all the paperwork I had to also meet with the homestudy agency.  These are the individuals who first decide if I am allowed to adopt.  I have to meet with them four times August 30, September 7, 20, and 23.  I PASSED the homestudy.  While all of those meeting where happening I had to gather the following documents.....Write a letter to Ministry of Women's Affair in Ethiopia, certified birth certificate, state criminal clearance, local criminal check, employment status, medical form, financial statement, bank reference letter, federal tax returns, 4 letters of reference, insurance company letter, passport photos, passport copied, client contact information sheet, life insurance letter, obligation to adopt, 4x6 photos of family/house and finally the homestudy.  Well it has been a long 2 months but the paper work is finally done.  Now it has to be sent to Chicago to be approved by DCFS and then interstate for endorsement.  It takes three weeks to get the paperwork endorsed.  Once endorsed then I can send it to my agency CAN.  They will then send it to Washington for approval.  Once approved by Washington, it is a waiting game.  They say the timeline right now is 6-8 months.  I will keep everyone posted on what is going on.  I will try soon to get pictures on here. 

Thanks to everyone for your support

more later
jessica