We have a file!

Our home study is done, we've finished our parenting classes and had a phone interview with the waiting child coordinator at our agency. Apparently we did well because a few days later a file on a boy (6)/ girl (4) sibling group was headed from Oregon to us. We now are in possession of medical records, progress reports, pictures and videos. We only have info on the past 1.5 years of the kids lives as nothing is know previous to that. The kids were in remarkably good shape when they were found and are very healthy today. The next paperwork hurdle is the dossier. We have only a few pieces of paper to add to that and then that needs to be approved by our agency and sent to India. Once it gets to India only God knows how long it will take.

The Paper Chase Continues....

Our home study is almost complete! We are lacking one piece of paper. The person who is suppose to supply that piece of paper promised to get it done this weekend. If that is so, it should be on it's way to Winston-Salem and will soon be with the rest of the home study. Once the home study is reviewed here and finalized for NC, it will go to Holt in Oregon to make sure it is ready for the international journey. When our home study is approved by Holt, we can be matched with who God has the planned for us. So I am a little anxious over this ONE piece of paper -- even though I know this piece of paper has nothing to do (really) with what ultimately happens.

Beyond the home study, the dossier paperwork keeps chugging along. We are down to 19 documents for that, although I suspect that a couple of ones that are done need fine tuning. This process seems/ IS so different than Tad's adoption. It is moving faster from the beginning than Tad's did, but we know (or have been told) the whole process will take longer. I feel more of a sense of urgency with this one for some reason. Perhaps because I know we will be getting older children this time (just based on the fact that we are not of Indian descent we are only eligible to get older children) and I just want to have my children with me before they are any older! I don't know. Maybe because I already know that whoever God has chosen is already ours. I remember thinking that with the last adoption process, but it certainly wasn't the strong pull I feel now. Hopefully these musing will make some small semblance of sense to someone!

We Have Started the Adoption Process (Again).

Well, if you have found your way to this blog you probably know that we are adopting again. This time we have decided to get brave and go international -- India! We are open to a sibling group of up to three children. Madeline is desperately hoping at least one will be a girl. We are at the beginning of a long journey. Right now we are still working on our home study and will not be matched with children until that is done. Meanwhile, we are busy with doctor's appointments and gathering everything we need for our dossier (a huge packet of documents that goes to the Indian officials).

If you are reading this blog, please pray for our home study and our document gathering to go smoothly. Also, we will probably need to do some fund raising to meet all our financial needs. We did not need to do this with Tad's adoption, so we are open for suggestions.

More later and I promise I will post pictures as soon as we get matched!