Monday, February 18, 2008

My Adoption Timeline

Adoption Timeline
(I’ve kept the official payments highlighted in pink for those who are interested in the cost of international adoption)


2003 Single friend adopted a daughter from Russia, started looking into international adoption
2004 Started getting Finances in order, through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University
2/21/05 30th Birthday, Significant “Soul Searching”
Fall 2005 Felt definite “tug” into motherhood, ready to have a family, realized I could be a single mom if that is what God had planned for my life.
12/3/05 Attended AWAA meeting in Chattanooga by myself
12/13/05 Attended another agency meeting with mom
1/1/06 Officially decided on AWAA, my friend Candace is adopting with them also!
2/1/06 Completed Tax Return and had enough money being refunded to pay off car and pay for online application! God is good!!!
2/11/06 Completed online application!!!!! ($250)
2/16/06 Mailed in Statement of Sexual Orientation and Acknowledgement of Policies and Procedures to AWAA.
2/22/06 Received Adoption Approval Letter and was placed on the Singles Waiting List!!!!
3/3/06 My niece, Madison was born! I love her as my own daughter and can’t wait for her and Molly to meet!
3/19/06 Began decorating nursery for Molly and Maddie to share
5/7/06 “Announced” that I’m adopting for the first time to my Sunday School Class! It’s so good to share happy news with people. It’s been hard containing my news since December
5/22/06 Still waiting to be released from the singles waiting list. It’s really hard to wait when you want to begin the paperchase! Emailed Leah, the singles coordinator and she said it would be a couple more weeks until the next batch is released.
6/2/06 Mission Trip to Gulfport, MI to help victims of Katrina
6/12/06 VBS at Haywood
6/19/06 Started keeping Maddie for summer
8/1/06 First round of Hep B shot
8/12/06 Still waiting…I was hoping to be into the paperchase this summer, but God has other plans. I am now hoping to be released from the waiting list in September. I’m concentrating on paying off debt, sticking to a budget, and saving money for the first payment.
9/5/06 Second round of Hep B shot
9/22/06 Leah called today…I’m officially off of the singles waiting list! Exactly 7 months from today! I’m so excited!!!! Praise the Lord!
9/23/06 Faxed in the release form for single applicants and mailed in the signed copy of the policy and procedures.
9/28/06 Mailed in signed agreement to AWAA and paid initial $2,000 fee.
Ordered 3 Long Form birth certificates from www.vitalchek.com ($30)
10/3/06 Received birth certificates ($19)
10/4/06 Email from Rachel…let’s get started!
10/5/06 Met with Rachel for the initial meeting, went over paperwork
10/6/06 Faxed in order for TBI background checks for Mom and Me ($58)
10/7/06 Got Passport Photos Taken and Mailed in Application ($112)
Mailed in I600A ($685)
Express Mail Fee ($14.40)
10/10/06 I600A form arrived in Memphis at 11:18 a.m. and was signed by D. Howard
10/10/06 Received Dossier Guidelines Packet
10/11/06 Received TBI Background Checks
10/18/06 I received my Fingerprint Appointment, but mom had a slight glitch with hers…we will have to resubmit her birth certificate and marriage license ASAP.
10/19/06 2nd home study visit with Rachel, paid Home Study Payment ($1,500)
10/20/06 Dr. Visit…flu shot, HIV test, TB test, Hepatitis Test
10/21/06 Mailed mom’s info to USCIS
10/22/06 3rd home study visit with Rachel, Dr. visit to check TB test results and pick up notarized form and letter
11/5/06 Received passport!
11/13/06 Home Visit with Rachel
11/22/06 Mom and I get fingerprinted in Nashville
1/12/07 Received Form 171H from USCIS in Memphis!!!!!
1/13/07 Mom and I attended Maddie’s first “recital” then we went shopping. I overheard a lady talking about adoption and introduced myself. It turns out she is a single teacher also and we’re both using AWAA! The conversation got more interesting when we discussed names…her name is Maribeth H. and her daughter will be Holly H. and my daughter will be Molly M. My…what us teachers do to our children with the name thing! Maybe Holly and Molly can be friends! One last thing I’ll take as further confirmation from God is that in the midst of our conversation a ladybug flew into my hair! Of all things???? Thank you God for confirming my decision for me today!
1/19/07 Had all documents certified and authenticated in Tennessee ($42.00)
1/23/07 Made copies of all documents at Kinko’s ($20.24)
1/26/07 Sent Dossier via Fed ex to Leah at AWAA ($10.68)
Made the following payments:
Mid Payment ($2,000)
Translation Fee ($695.00)
Post Placement Deposit ($1,000)
Courier Fee ($150.00)
US State Dept. Fee ($91.00)
Chinese Embassy Fee ($260)
2/2/07 DTC (Dossier to China)
2/25/07 LID!!! It’s official, I’m logged in! The current wait time is about 2 years, I’m hoping for a speed up, but trust the Lord knows best.
6/2/07 Received a $3,000 grant from Steven Curtis Chapman’s ministry, Shaohannah’s Hope. Praise God for this confirmation and help!!!!
7/12/07 Brown Envelope Received!
8/03/07 My nephew, Eddie IV was born!
1/3/08 Re-fingerprinted at the Office of Homeland Security
2/14/08 Received updated 171H

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