We are STILL waiting on our home study approval from DCFS. Got news today that we were next in line for approval....does that mean today? tomorrow? next week?
I spoke with our agency rep last week and she says she now has 9 families waiting for baby girls. I was so bummed. She said she really didn't know how long a referral would take....2 months.....6 months. We don't officially get on the referral list until our authenticated dossier is in their hands. So who knows how many families will get theirs in before us. Yikes.
So right now I am asking for prayers. Prayers for fast paperwork and to get this done in God's time. I know he has a plan for us...it's just so hard to see right now.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Oh, the weather outside is frightful.........
What a crazy couple of days. We have been slammed by snow here in Central Illinois. Tuesday we had a snow day at school. Darren and I did go out and the roads weren't too bad. We were scheduled to be in Indianapolis on Wed (today) at 10am or 9 am Illinois time, for our biometric fingerprints. I was freaking out we would miss our appointment. Our original plan was to get up early, send the kids to school, drive over and come right back. Well, at the last minute we decided to drive over on Tuesday night and spend the night. What to do with the kids and dog???? Will we have snow day on Wednesday? What to do-what to do????? I made some fast and furious phone calls, I wanted out of here before dark. We decided to bring the boys with us and take the chance that they would have a snow day, which they did. Hannah went to her friend Shannon's house for the night. My friend Kirstin, took care of Truman and I got on line and did Priceline to find a hotel room. Got one right down town for over $100 off regular price. Oh how I love the "Negotiator" :) For those of you thinking.."Why didn't they just reschedule?" Well, you don't. This process is crazy. You don't make an appointment to get your fingerprints done. A piece of paper comes to you in the mail and it tells you where and when to be there for fingerprinting. And there is no contact phone number for the office you are going to...believe me, I tried. So we figured we better just go.....
Roads were a bit hairy on the way over but we made it. Boys went swimming, I sat in the room and caught up on emails. Sue at our agency emailed me to ask if we would be interested in a boy AND a girl......two.......I think my heart may have skipped a beat when I read that. The thought is a bit scary. Of course, the planner in me goes straight to "where will I put another two kids???" I am planning on moving Luke and Owen into Owen's room in bunk beds and move our "girl" into Luke's room. Where would I put another little boy??? I guess we would have to finish out the loft. Money grows on trees right? The little boy Sue is referring to is on the waiting list, he's 1 1/2 and super cute. But I am guessing he will have a family by the time we are paper ready. But you never know.....
Anyway, we made our appointment. Very uneventful....except the boys thought it was cool that they got scanned and searched going into the room. Owen said, "just like at the airport!" We were one of two families there to get prints. So we were in and out in no time. It was only 9:30am our time, so we hated to head home. We drove around and decided to head out towards Keystone. I ended up going into Babies R Us while the guys went to Borders. If I only knew the age of our child.....soooo many cute things. I already told Jennifer that once we get our referrals we are taking a road trip back over. We ended up eating lunch then driving home. Roads were fine. The kids probably should have had school today......
I did buy something the other day for our "girl". I am really trying to be good and not go crazy. But I saw this and I just had to have it. It's a hutch for her room. It's huge, but will be sooo cute with baskets in it filled with tiny little socks, hats and bows.
Darren just shook his head......I have no idea how we are actually going to get it into her room....Looks like I will be making dinner for my good friend Ian again....he is our favorite "mover". Here's a picture of the hutch. Now that I have this, the planner in me is going crazy again....how will I decorate???? Do I need a crib or a toddler bed???? Oh, how I wish I knew........
>
Roads were a bit hairy on the way over but we made it. Boys went swimming, I sat in the room and caught up on emails. Sue at our agency emailed me to ask if we would be interested in a boy AND a girl......two.......I think my heart may have skipped a beat when I read that. The thought is a bit scary. Of course, the planner in me goes straight to "where will I put another two kids???" I am planning on moving Luke and Owen into Owen's room in bunk beds and move our "girl" into Luke's room. Where would I put another little boy??? I guess we would have to finish out the loft. Money grows on trees right? The little boy Sue is referring to is on the waiting list, he's 1 1/2 and super cute. But I am guessing he will have a family by the time we are paper ready. But you never know.....
Anyway, we made our appointment. Very uneventful....except the boys thought it was cool that they got scanned and searched going into the room. Owen said, "just like at the airport!" We were one of two families there to get prints. So we were in and out in no time. It was only 9:30am our time, so we hated to head home. We drove around and decided to head out towards Keystone. I ended up going into Babies R Us while the guys went to Borders. If I only knew the age of our child.....soooo many cute things. I already told Jennifer that once we get our referrals we are taking a road trip back over. We ended up eating lunch then driving home. Roads were fine. The kids probably should have had school today......
I did buy something the other day for our "girl". I am really trying to be good and not go crazy. But I saw this and I just had to have it. It's a hutch for her room. It's huge, but will be sooo cute with baskets in it filled with tiny little socks, hats and bows.
Darren just shook his head......I have no idea how we are actually going to get it into her room....Looks like I will be making dinner for my good friend Ian again....he is our favorite "mover". Here's a picture of the hutch. Now that I have this, the planner in me is going crazy again....how will I decorate???? Do I need a crib or a toddler bed???? Oh, how I wish I knew........
>
Thursday, January 28, 2010
It is real.......
It hit me last night that this adoption process is real. So far it's been all paperwork and headaches. Yesterday, I received great news that our friends, Todd and Amy, who are also adopting from Ethiopia-passed court in ET-first time through-Amazing!! Which means the kids are officially part of their family. It's real. Now they just wait for the kids to get visas and passports and then they will travel to pick them up. I am so overwhelmed with joy for them. They also have had their complications with "paperwork". But now they are a family of 6. Wow. Check out Amy's blog to see their new son and daughter. So beautiful. There is a link to the blog on the lower right side of my page. Click on Blessed Beyond Measure to see their story.
They are the first family in our "group" to get through the process. So, it does happen. I have a much better outlook on this whole process now. :)
So go read their blog, enjoy and probably cry :)
They are the first family in our "group" to get through the process. So, it does happen. I have a much better outlook on this whole process now. :)
So go read their blog, enjoy and probably cry :)
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Happy Dance
We have finally gotten a draft of our Home Study and I did a little happy dance. Now we rush to get approvals and then wait wait wait. The process is crazy, here is the basic run down.
Get Home Study (HS) draft, we approve and sent back to ICM
ICM sends HS to our agency, CCI.
CCI approves and sends back to ICM.
ICM send HS to DCFS, they approve and send back to ICM.
HS then goes to Immigration in Chicago....for approval.
When we get that approval....the I-171H, we can then send that to CCI and FINALLY get a referral for a child.
Try keeping that straight.......just wait until I explain the dossier..... :)
Get Home Study (HS) draft, we approve and sent back to ICM
ICM sends HS to our agency, CCI.
CCI approves and sends back to ICM.
ICM send HS to DCFS, they approve and send back to ICM.
HS then goes to Immigration in Chicago....for approval.
When we get that approval....the I-171H, we can then send that to CCI and FINALLY get a referral for a child.
Try keeping that straight.......just wait until I explain the dossier..... :)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
WHAT?????????????
Ok, please excuse me while I jump on my soapbox........I have never heard something so ridiculous in my life.....
We were given a plea for help. Our pastor knows we are in the middle of adoption and his brother works with a church group that are trying to help the Haitian orphans. Supposedly, 300 orphans will arrive in Indy today or tomorrow and have no where to go. They need host families to take kids in for a month or so....or possibly adopt if no living family member claims them. My friend Jennifer, who is also adopting, called our social worker today and asked about helping these kids. Well, we can't. Yes, that's what I said. We can't. We have gone through multiple fingerprinting, state police, FBI, and Homeland Security clearance, filled out a gazillion, yes gazillion forms and DCFS would need more for us to help these kids in an emergency. WHAT??????????????????????
Well, we have an "adopt" license. You need a "foster" license to take in those kids. Again.......WHAT???? We have been approved to adopt a child, but we can't provide shelter, food, clothing and love to a child that just went through 2 earthquakes and has no idea if they have any living relatives?????? Seriously, the government has to get a clue. I have been told by multiple adoption agencies that Illinois is one of the worst states to try to adopt from because of all the hoops and red tape. How sad. To help these kids we would have to get a different license, take a foster parent class and change our home study......I have been at this adoption thing for 5 months....still don't have a license or home study......by the time those changes would take place those kids will be in an institution. As you can tell I am furious. I am shaking. I am so sad. Can you imagine how scared those kids are??? It just breaks my heart that there are 300 kids in need just 2 hours away from me and I can't go over there and bring some home to love on and make their lives better if not for just a little while.
There needs to be emergency procedures for this type of thing. If we have been approved to adopt, we should be able to be a temporary family for those kids.
At this point I don't know what to do.....pray I guess. I wish I could help. We have donated money, Darren is planning on going to Haiti in June --if they will let our group into the country....but I still don't feel like I have done enough. It's never enough.
If anyone reading this is a current foster licensed family...please consider helping these kids. Call me or email and I will give you all the contact information.
John 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
I am trying......DCFS is just slowing me down.........
We were given a plea for help. Our pastor knows we are in the middle of adoption and his brother works with a church group that are trying to help the Haitian orphans. Supposedly, 300 orphans will arrive in Indy today or tomorrow and have no where to go. They need host families to take kids in for a month or so....or possibly adopt if no living family member claims them. My friend Jennifer, who is also adopting, called our social worker today and asked about helping these kids. Well, we can't. Yes, that's what I said. We can't. We have gone through multiple fingerprinting, state police, FBI, and Homeland Security clearance, filled out a gazillion, yes gazillion forms and DCFS would need more for us to help these kids in an emergency. WHAT??????????????????????
Well, we have an "adopt" license. You need a "foster" license to take in those kids. Again.......WHAT???? We have been approved to adopt a child, but we can't provide shelter, food, clothing and love to a child that just went through 2 earthquakes and has no idea if they have any living relatives?????? Seriously, the government has to get a clue. I have been told by multiple adoption agencies that Illinois is one of the worst states to try to adopt from because of all the hoops and red tape. How sad. To help these kids we would have to get a different license, take a foster parent class and change our home study......I have been at this adoption thing for 5 months....still don't have a license or home study......by the time those changes would take place those kids will be in an institution. As you can tell I am furious. I am shaking. I am so sad. Can you imagine how scared those kids are??? It just breaks my heart that there are 300 kids in need just 2 hours away from me and I can't go over there and bring some home to love on and make their lives better if not for just a little while.
There needs to be emergency procedures for this type of thing. If we have been approved to adopt, we should be able to be a temporary family for those kids.
At this point I don't know what to do.....pray I guess. I wish I could help. We have donated money, Darren is planning on going to Haiti in June --if they will let our group into the country....but I still don't feel like I have done enough. It's never enough.
If anyone reading this is a current foster licensed family...please consider helping these kids. Call me or email and I will give you all the contact information.
John 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
I am trying......DCFS is just slowing me down.........
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Two steps forward!
Well, we got some more good news today. We received notice that Homeland Security has received our I600-a and it is now pending until they get our home study. Good Good Good. I also received our biometric fingerprint appointment today!! Another step in the right direction. We will go to Indy on February 10th for fingerprinting. Our last set of fingerprints. I am feeling pretty good right now. I can check two more things off the long list of steps that need to happen before we can go and get our daughter. I am all the more anxious with the tragedy in Haiti, although I heard on the news today the are getting kids out of the country and dealing with paperwork later. I am sooo happy for those families. The wait for a Haitian orphan is around 2 years. Can you imagine if you were so close to getting your child and then this happen??? How scary.
I also heard my new favorite song on the radio tonight. It fits perfect for the situation of adoption and how we feel about it, and why we are doing it. I will print some of the lyrics and hopefully I can figure out how to put the actual song on our blog. I may have to call in reinforcements....my teenage tech savvy daughter......
FOLLOW YOU ---BY LEELAND
You live among the least of these,
the weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away
All my needs You have supplied
When I was dead You gave me life
How could I not give it away so freely?
And I'll follow You into the homes of the broken
I'll follow You into the world
I'll meet the needs for the poor and the needy God
I'll follow You into the world
That pretty much says it all.........
I also heard my new favorite song on the radio tonight. It fits perfect for the situation of adoption and how we feel about it, and why we are doing it. I will print some of the lyrics and hopefully I can figure out how to put the actual song on our blog. I may have to call in reinforcements....my teenage tech savvy daughter......
FOLLOW YOU ---BY LEELAND
You live among the least of these,
the weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away
All my needs You have supplied
When I was dead You gave me life
How could I not give it away so freely?
And I'll follow You into the homes of the broken
I'll follow You into the world
I'll meet the needs for the poor and the needy God
I'll follow You into the world
That pretty much says it all.........
Thursday, January 14, 2010
One step forward
Well, we received some good news today. Our home study agency emailed and said they have received the paperwork they needed to get our license in order to adopt through DCFS. Basically, that means we have everything we need to complete our home study and send it to DCFS for approval. Now we just need that home study.......
Our social worker will write the HS, send me a draft-I will proof it and if it's ok, he will send it on to our agency for them to proof. If it meets all of their requirements it can go to DCFS for final approval. Once we have an approved HS, we can finish up our dossier and sent it off to get authenticated and get it on it's way to Ethiopia.
I know, I know.......so many steps. It's mind blowing. It's really a shame that there are so many steps and hoops to jump through. I know that it scares many people and that is one reason why they don't adopt. So sad. There are millions of orphans who need homes and just not enough families that will go through the steps to get them. Believe me, this has been so hard. I have been an emotional wreck but I know I am doing the right thing. God would not want me to give up because of paperwork, so I must keep going and plugging away day to day. For those of you maybe considering adoption, just do it. Don't let the craziness stop you. I know it will be so worth it when I see the child God has picked out for our family. With every step closer, I get more and more excited about meeting our child.
I will ask for prayers for Haiti in the aftermath of the horrible earth quake. Darren is/was planning a mission trip to Haiti this summer to work at an orphanage. We have gotten word from God's Littlest Angels orphanage that they are all safe right now. But the future is scary...they rely on volunteers to come and take care of the babies and children. But no one will be allowed in and out of the country for some time. We are not sure if they have electricity, which they need for the incubators for some of the sick babies. At this point we have no way to contact the orphanage and we are not sure if our church group will be able to go in June or not. Please pray for Haiti and all who are there now and for those going to help with the rescue.
Our social worker will write the HS, send me a draft-I will proof it and if it's ok, he will send it on to our agency for them to proof. If it meets all of their requirements it can go to DCFS for final approval. Once we have an approved HS, we can finish up our dossier and sent it off to get authenticated and get it on it's way to Ethiopia.
I know, I know.......so many steps. It's mind blowing. It's really a shame that there are so many steps and hoops to jump through. I know that it scares many people and that is one reason why they don't adopt. So sad. There are millions of orphans who need homes and just not enough families that will go through the steps to get them. Believe me, this has been so hard. I have been an emotional wreck but I know I am doing the right thing. God would not want me to give up because of paperwork, so I must keep going and plugging away day to day. For those of you maybe considering adoption, just do it. Don't let the craziness stop you. I know it will be so worth it when I see the child God has picked out for our family. With every step closer, I get more and more excited about meeting our child.
I will ask for prayers for Haiti in the aftermath of the horrible earth quake. Darren is/was planning a mission trip to Haiti this summer to work at an orphanage. We have gotten word from God's Littlest Angels orphanage that they are all safe right now. But the future is scary...they rely on volunteers to come and take care of the babies and children. But no one will be allowed in and out of the country for some time. We are not sure if they have electricity, which they need for the incubators for some of the sick babies. At this point we have no way to contact the orphanage and we are not sure if our church group will be able to go in June or not. Please pray for Haiti and all who are there now and for those going to help with the rescue.
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