There are certain milestones in an international adoption that once reached are met with joy, elation and relief. International adoptions are a multiple step process. The first part is preparing a home study. It really is more like a family study. A social worker interviews you and your children about your upbringing, values, strengths and weaknesses. Questions are quite invasive and often you find yourself apologizing and trying to explain motives and behaviors from actions that happened twenty five years ago. If you are a young person reading our blog, think long and hard about your actions that may in fact had long term consequences. The innocent pranks you thought would be so fun now, may make your life difficult even thirty years later. Believe me, I know. It isn't a deal breaker; it just makes the process longer and harder.
Every member of the family also has a physical examination. I guess they want to make sure that the children I already care for are healthy and well taken care of by us. Some countries disqualify you for certain diagnosis, medications, or conditions.
All adults are fingerprinted and investigated by every state you ever resided in. I am grateful that we didn't move around much. I feel bad for those families that moved around every other year and now need state clearances from a dozen different states.
In addition, they want passport copies, birth certificates, our marriage certificate, tax returns, statements of Lou's employment, statement that I am a homemaker, statements of our financial position, letters of reference from non related people who know how we parent our children, and letters from doctors explaining that although are bodies are a bit tattered and showing our age, we can indeed hold up to the stressors of another child.
The whole process requires you as a family to gather documents, drive to appointments, and ultimately depend on other people to do their part...other people who do not share the same urgency we do to complete this home study.
Once everything they demand of you is handed over and the written document is completed, your home study is forwarded to your placing agency, who hopefully loves what they see, requires no editing and signs off that it is good to go. If all goes as planned this entire process normally takes two to four months.
Well folks, I am so very happy to announce that after working on this for three months our home study is DONE! As I type, it is en route via the US Postal Service and should be in my hands today or tomorrow.
The celebration will be short lived as the next step is dealing with immigration. I am already lifting prayers up for our paperwork to be handled timely. This step took ten months for Phoebe's adoption so I am nervous about landing in this phase of our adoption. It typically takes two to three months to complete this process so I am hopeful we will be typical this go around.
I have yet to receive any pictures or updates from Daniel's birthday but am still hoping we get something. I would love to see his reaction to being chosen. When and if I get any, I will post.
Our fundraising efforts continue...We still need thirty more entries for our fabulous Lego Giveaway. Every $20 donated to our Reece's Rainbow account will be entered into a drawing for fabulous Lego prizes. Please leave a comment or email me at rakoczymom@gmx.com with your name and email address so I can notify you if you win. Click Here to Donate.
First prize is a choice of Lego City Town Square, Lego Winter Village Cottage, or Duplo Town Set.
Second Prize is the Lego City Advent Calendar
Third Prize is the 2013 Fall Scene
Fourth Prize is two sets of Lego Mini Figures
We also have a fundraiser through Trades for Hope. This wonderful company empowers women in developing countries to build sustainable businesses through artisan crafted products. The items are lovely, unique and I hope you take a moment to browse and shop. This event helps these women and their families as well as our sweet Daniel.
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| Victory Necklace for Breast Cancer Awareness Month |
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