Checklist

Checklist of the International Adoption Process

• Agency Application - DONE!
• Agency Acceptance and Sign Agreement Papers- DONE!
• Pay Homestudy Fees and Assigned a Social Worker - DONE

Homestudy Process...

1. Release of Information to Agency Forms- DONE!
2. Send Family Pictures- DONE!
3. Pre-Adoptive Homestudy Questionaire (list all past residences since the age of 18, why we wish to adopt, history with infertility, marriage, family, info about our home, attitudes regarding parenting, etc...)-DONE!
4. Photocopies of marriage and birth certificates-DONE!
5. Detailed Income and Expenses Form- DONE!
6. Certificate of Income and Property- DONE!
7. Income Tax Form-DONE!
8. Proof of Life Insurance- DONE!
9. Child Desired Form (explains what age, gender, etc. of child)- DONE!
10. Proposed Guardianship of Children (who is in your will to get your kids should something happen to both of you)-DONE!
11. "All About Me" autobiography of John and I both - DONE!
12. Health Examination Certificates ---Physicals -DONE!
13. Medical Forms for Children filled out by Pediatrician (Faxed and Waiting on to be faxed back)-DONE!
14. Certificate of Profession- (letter by employer stating salary, position, length of time employed, and to be notorized)-DONE!
15. Proof of Homeowner's Insurance-DONE!
16. Five Reference Letters notorized and returned (sent) DONE!
17. Criminal Background Checks (fingerprints)-DONE
18. Child Abuse Registry Check of all states resided in since 18 years of age (to be conducted by agency) -DONE!
19. Complete Taylor Johnson's Temperament Analysis online- Both John and I DONE!
20. International Adoption Required Parent Education online (10 hours)-  Both John and I DONE!
21. Order additional original birth certificates and marriage certificates to be used later in the process.
22. Actual home visit with social worker and home training session-DONE!

Next, she compiles everything she needs and we wait on the official completion of the homestudy. Will take her a couple of weeks to do this.  We send all of this information and a form called an I600A (Advanced Petition for an Orphan) to the USCIS to be approved and approval of this takes approx. 2 months.
Then, we complete something called a "Dossier".

The Dossier (pronounced "Dose E A") is basically the completed homestudy, the approved I600A, and most of the forms done in the homestudy and then MORE notorized, apposiled, authenticated forms. The good news is that our agency does all the authenticating, which is basically certifying the notory is legitimate, etc...it's just a whole lot of legal documents! 

After the dossier is completed, it is sent to Embassy in Ethiopia and if accepted we go on the wait list for our child! This is currently approx. 4-8 months timeframe for the wait time before you get a "referral", ie: our child. This for me will be the hard part...gathering info isn't too bad for me because I feel like I am doing something to move forward. Waiting on the other hand may be a different story! But, the good thing is...I have 3 boys that keep me very busy so I will have little time to sit and think about it too much during the day! Then after your referral, you accept, and then begin MORE waiting for your child to get physicals, forms, immigration approval, etc. and then we get the call for our court date to make our first trip to Ethiopia! Before hand we get our immunizations etc.. and prepare for meeting our baby! Once in Ethiopia, we visit the orphanage, go to court, and then we have to go home WITHOUT our little muchkin..:( Already so sad about this. Our child moves to a transition home (ran by our agency so it's a good quality of care compared to the orphanage). Then, WAIT more for the next court date, and usually 2-3 months later, go back and pick him up for good!

So this is a good, quick overview of the process, and yes it is LONG, and it is very unknown, and all the timeframes are just estimates so we just accept going in that we have ZERO control and just trust that God will provide the perfect timing for us!