Where We Are

Hello Everyone!

Since we created the blog, I have had many people ask us where we are in the process.  Jennifer has also asked several times when we were going to update the blog.  Well, this should do both!

I have found the adoption process to be a “hurry up and wait” game.  This of course has been explained to us by everyone in the world; from the good people at Bethany who told us this process was long and full of unexpected twist, to every person we have ever met who ever knew anyone who had adopted and felt obligated to tell us how long the process was for their friend/family member/ person they once heard a story about.  However, all of the stories in the world do not prepare you.  You think this is a God thing so the waters will part, the sky will open and wham your done!!  Not so much!!

The process is long, and long for many good reasons.  If you have never looked into adoption, here is a brief glimpse into the process.  First you choose where you want to adopted from.  For us, we knew it was Africa, but we didn’t know where in Africa.  All we knew is that we were children of the 80’s, and the pictures of Africa we had in our heads were of “WE ARE THE WORLD” and all of the little Ethiopian children in that music video.  So naturally we said, “Anywhere but Ethiopia!”  But God….  Everywhere we turned, God laid Ethiopia and the people of Ethiopia on our hearts and the hearts of our friends.   We have learned to love a country we have not been to and to love a people we have not met!

With the “where” addressed, we contacted Bethany Christian Services.  The process sounded simple, even though they stressed the length of the process.  First you have a home study done.  A little scary to think your 5 year old will be discussing your parenting skills with a person who will be deciding your fate as an adoptive parent.  This is not just a person taking a couple of pictures of your house and talking to your children.  It is a dissertation on your life.  “What was life like growing up?”  “How often do you talk to your parents?”  “Your in-laws?”  “Do people like you?”  “Do you like yourself?” “Do you like people liking you?”  Then just for fun, everyone in the world gets to read it and approve or decline you.  

Then you have good ol’ Uncle Sam!  No, not Uncle Sam, Aunt GiGi’s husband.  The US Government.  Once the home study is approved you must ask Uncle Sam if you may bring a child back into the country.  You write them a check, get your fingerprints taken, and wait to see if you are on some watch list somewhere.        

Once that is done you can complete your dossier.  This is the file that will be sent to a country that outlines everything there is to know about you.  It has letters from friends saying you are good people.  Letters from your boss that says you’re a good employee.  Letters from a doctor saying you are in good health.  Then there are pictures of your house and family.  This is all accompanied by a host of other documents.   Not including the home study, there were some 26 documents.  All needing to be notarized, county sealed, and state sealed.  

Once this is all done, the file is sent back to the adoption agency for final approval, translation and sent to Ethiopia.  Once there and approved, you hurry up and wait for a child to be referred to you. The referral process can be 6 months to 3 years.   Then a whole other process for bringing the child/children home begins.  But that is a different blog.

So where are we?  There was a long delay by the US government. It was a miscommunication that cost us about a month.  With that hurdle cleared we have gotten all of our notaries, county seals, and everything has been sent to the state for the state seals. We expect to have our documents back on Monday the 15th from the State of Tennessee.   We hope to meet with Bethany early in the week to finalize our Dossier.  Then…. We hurry up and wait!!