Since Fawnda had a long MEA weekend off, we decided to visit some family out east in Connecticut. We left after school on Wednesday night and landed in New York, NY at 11 PM. We decided to stay overnight in a hotel near the airport before heading on to Stamford, CT. We found our hotel online and it advertised a free shuttle pick-up. We ended up waiting for an hour for the shuttle to come and pick us up. Needless to say, once we finally checked into the hotel and headed up to our room we were really tired. We got off the elevator and what we saw was quite a shock. The walls were not painted or wallpapered . . . just drywall and a big mess(apparently they were doing some renovations) then as we walked down (literally) the hallway we noticed that we were at about a 30% decline. Apparently the hotel was built on the side of a hill, so it would make sense that the hallway would slant too, right? We finally got to our room (which as far as you can get from the front desk) and fall into bed to get some sleep.
The next day, we then had to try to get to Grand Central Station (GCS) to catch a train to Stamford. We asked the front desk if there was a shuttle to GCS, and they informed us there wasn't. We would have to take the bus, to the subway, to the train. We were feeling adventurous (and cheap) so we got a bus/subway/train map of New York City and off to the bus stop we went with our HUGE 50 lb suitcase (which Jason had to lug around the whole time). We got on the bus without a problem, and that took us to the subway station. We bought our sub fair, and went to the turn styles to board the subway, where Jason gets stuck with the suitcase. He could not move forward or backward - the turn style was completely stuck. So here he was holding the suitcase holding up the line. He had to heave it over his head (my big strong and handsome husband) to finally get through. We got on the subway and wound our way to GCS where we bought our ticket to Stamford. Fortunately, at this point we were able to get on an express train (which means no stops until Stamford), and we think our luck has changed. However, we thought this too quickly. The train car we ended up in was 90 degrees, apparently the AC was broken in this car (because they had already taken our suitcase, we could not leave for a different car). After the 2 hours of travel (bus - subway - train) we made it to Stamford - very sweaty, but in one piece. We really feel like we got the "true" New York experience, and if anyone wants some advice on how to weave their way through NYC's public transportation system, please feel free to let us know.
Once we made it to Stamford, it was well worth the trip!! We were able to spend some quality time with Fawnda's sister and brother-in-law and family: Karly, Paul, Kaden and Blaise. It was great spending time with our nephews. Kaden really liked hanging out with Fawnda (who he called "uncle Fawnda" most of the weekend), and Blaise found a life-long friend in Jason. Some highlights of our trip included going to the nature center for a Halloween celebration, playing at the play park with the boys, Jason going out with Paul for sushi and massages, Fawnda shopping at Target with Karly, and watching Ninja Warriors.
This weekend also opened our eyes to life with a 3 1/2 year old and 1 1/2 year old. Jason decided that we can NOT adopt a child who is 3 years or older. He says, "I think I need to work up to that age." It did not completely scare us away though - we are still very excited to be parents.
When we got home we had our adoption application in our mail box and we hope to get started on that this week.
Thanks to Karly and Paul for our great long-weekend out east. We had a great time with you guys, and love you tons!!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Meeting 2, Our Decision, and the Big Rolling Ball
We’re sorry that this is going to be a long blog, but after our second informational meeting this past Saturday, we have a lot to write about. We realize that some of our friends and family have less than long attention spans, so we tried to divide this up by topical paragraphs to make it easier to digest.
We should start out by saying that both agencies came highly recommended by friends, colleagues, and through our internet searches, so we knew that either of the two agencies would be able to get the job done for us. We blogged about agency #1 on our “Informational Meeting #1” forum. The second agency was similar, but different. I say similar, because both are extremely committed to providing stable and loving families for orphans around the world. The second agency was different, because of its professional, polished approach and it is not a faith-based agency. However, it’s hard to argue that matching loving families with orphans around the world isn’t a ministry that Christians can get excited about.
Well, let’s talk about Saturday. Agency #2 was much closer to home, and upon our arrival we were awed by the agency’s large, beautiful building. While pulling into a parking spot, I couldn’t help but wonder how much higher their fees would be, just to support their on-going building expenses. It was later explained that the building and ongoing maintenance are/were funded 100% through extra support from “friends of the agency” (almost sounds mob-ish, doesn’t it?). Anyway, all of our adoption fees will go directly toward the adoption process (what a relief!). After signing in, and picking up our informational folder, the receptionist directed us to a large room in the back corner of the building where our meeting was to be held. I was expecting another small, informal gathering, but was surprised to be joined by at least 20 other couples going through the same process as us. It became quickly evident that this agency’s reach was much larger than the first agency’s.
Overall, the meeting took about 3 hours. The presentation was fairly polished, with a lot of time at the beginning being devoted to the agency’s 100+ years of history. The last hour was spent with 2 families that had recently gone through the adoption process. One family had adopted 4 siblings from Columbia less than 1 year ago (can you imagine going from 0 to 4 non-English speaking kids, ages 9 years to 18 months all in one day?!?), and the second family had gone through a domestic adoption (only 1 child) approximately a year ago. It was great to hear their incredible stories, and both families had a lot of positive things to say about their dealings with this agency. We came away from the meeting realizing that we hadn’t necessarily learned anything new about the process, but there were things mentioned that gave us hope.
First of all, with our cautious approach to this process, we knew that we wanted to partner with an agency that can walk along side us throughout the entire process. Both agencies stressed the importance of education and research throughout the entire adoption process. Agency 1 was able to point people in various directions for educational resources, and Agency 2 has built the education into the adoption process using their own resources. This was a very important feature for us. As a matter of fact, agency #2 has numerous educational sessions that we could attend for both pre and post-adoption topics. Secondly, we are starting to narrow our international focus down to 2 countries: South Korea and Russia. Both agencies are licensed for adoption in Korea, although agency #1 only adopts special needs children. Only the second agency is directly licensed to support Russian adoptions. With agency 1, we would be working directly with a social worker, who would handle the process for us. Agency 2 not only assigns a social worker to us, but the social worker would also be teamed up with a cultural expert once we decide on a country. So, after extensive deliberation at Snuffy’s Malt Shop Saturday afternoon, we decided to proceed with Agency #2, which is officially called Children’s Home Society & Family Services (CHSFS). We plan to announce our decision to CHSFS on Wednesday by dropping off our registration packet, and based on our understanding of the process, here are some of our major milestones:
1. Attend informational meetings – DONE.
2. Complete registration, and pick up application – to do on Wednesday, Oct 17th
3. Complete application, and submit to CHSFS – completed on our timing
4. Application is processed – can take 30 to 60 days
5. Within 4 to 6 weeks of receipt of our application, they are to send us an invitation to a 2-day workshop called PAC (Pre-Adoptive Classes), which are held on a Thursday & Friday usually around the 3rd week of the month.
6. After attending the PAC, we will have some homework to do. Completion of the homework will be based on our timing.
7. After receipt of our homework assignments, our social worker will contact us to set up 2 meetings (one at the agency & one at home). These meetings will be to prepare us for adoptive parenting, and to explore our program options.
8. Choose an international program, and our social worker will write up our adoption study report.
9. Apply to US / CIS and prepare dossier with the support of our designated country program specialist. The dossier is then sent to our country for approval, along with the adoption study and CIS approval.
10. Wait, wait, and wait some more for the country to respond with a referral.
11. Upon acceptance of a referral, prepare for travel.
12. Travel to the country, and hopefully bring the child home with us.
13. Finalize the adoption in the US.
14. Complete at least 2 post-placement follow-up meetings with our designated social worker – can be anywhere from 6 to 18 to 60 months after finalizing the adoption.
All in all, steps 1 through 9 can be completed in as little as 4 months from what we’ve heard. Steps 10 through 13 are driven by the country we chose, and that can take another 9 to 16 months. Everyone says that step 10 is the most difficult to bear.
So, to sum up, we are excited to have chosen CHSFS. We are also anxious about where all of that money will come from (anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000), and we are still at the beginning of what could be a 20 month process. We have merely started to get that big ball a rollin’. Congrats! You made it to the end of our SUPER long blog. Please pray for us!
We should start out by saying that both agencies came highly recommended by friends, colleagues, and through our internet searches, so we knew that either of the two agencies would be able to get the job done for us. We blogged about agency #1 on our “Informational Meeting #1” forum. The second agency was similar, but different. I say similar, because both are extremely committed to providing stable and loving families for orphans around the world. The second agency was different, because of its professional, polished approach and it is not a faith-based agency. However, it’s hard to argue that matching loving families with orphans around the world isn’t a ministry that Christians can get excited about.
Well, let’s talk about Saturday. Agency #2 was much closer to home, and upon our arrival we were awed by the agency’s large, beautiful building. While pulling into a parking spot, I couldn’t help but wonder how much higher their fees would be, just to support their on-going building expenses. It was later explained that the building and ongoing maintenance are/were funded 100% through extra support from “friends of the agency” (almost sounds mob-ish, doesn’t it?). Anyway, all of our adoption fees will go directly toward the adoption process (what a relief!). After signing in, and picking up our informational folder, the receptionist directed us to a large room in the back corner of the building where our meeting was to be held. I was expecting another small, informal gathering, but was surprised to be joined by at least 20 other couples going through the same process as us. It became quickly evident that this agency’s reach was much larger than the first agency’s.
Overall, the meeting took about 3 hours. The presentation was fairly polished, with a lot of time at the beginning being devoted to the agency’s 100+ years of history. The last hour was spent with 2 families that had recently gone through the adoption process. One family had adopted 4 siblings from Columbia less than 1 year ago (can you imagine going from 0 to 4 non-English speaking kids, ages 9 years to 18 months all in one day?!?), and the second family had gone through a domestic adoption (only 1 child) approximately a year ago. It was great to hear their incredible stories, and both families had a lot of positive things to say about their dealings with this agency. We came away from the meeting realizing that we hadn’t necessarily learned anything new about the process, but there were things mentioned that gave us hope.
First of all, with our cautious approach to this process, we knew that we wanted to partner with an agency that can walk along side us throughout the entire process. Both agencies stressed the importance of education and research throughout the entire adoption process. Agency 1 was able to point people in various directions for educational resources, and Agency 2 has built the education into the adoption process using their own resources. This was a very important feature for us. As a matter of fact, agency #2 has numerous educational sessions that we could attend for both pre and post-adoption topics. Secondly, we are starting to narrow our international focus down to 2 countries: South Korea and Russia. Both agencies are licensed for adoption in Korea, although agency #1 only adopts special needs children. Only the second agency is directly licensed to support Russian adoptions. With agency 1, we would be working directly with a social worker, who would handle the process for us. Agency 2 not only assigns a social worker to us, but the social worker would also be teamed up with a cultural expert once we decide on a country. So, after extensive deliberation at Snuffy’s Malt Shop Saturday afternoon, we decided to proceed with Agency #2, which is officially called Children’s Home Society & Family Services (CHSFS). We plan to announce our decision to CHSFS on Wednesday by dropping off our registration packet, and based on our understanding of the process, here are some of our major milestones:
1. Attend informational meetings – DONE.
2. Complete registration, and pick up application – to do on Wednesday, Oct 17th
3. Complete application, and submit to CHSFS – completed on our timing
4. Application is processed – can take 30 to 60 days
5. Within 4 to 6 weeks of receipt of our application, they are to send us an invitation to a 2-day workshop called PAC (Pre-Adoptive Classes), which are held on a Thursday & Friday usually around the 3rd week of the month.
6. After attending the PAC, we will have some homework to do. Completion of the homework will be based on our timing.
7. After receipt of our homework assignments, our social worker will contact us to set up 2 meetings (one at the agency & one at home). These meetings will be to prepare us for adoptive parenting, and to explore our program options.
8. Choose an international program, and our social worker will write up our adoption study report.
9. Apply to US / CIS and prepare dossier with the support of our designated country program specialist. The dossier is then sent to our country for approval, along with the adoption study and CIS approval.
10. Wait, wait, and wait some more for the country to respond with a referral.
11. Upon acceptance of a referral, prepare for travel.
12. Travel to the country, and hopefully bring the child home with us.
13. Finalize the adoption in the US.
14. Complete at least 2 post-placement follow-up meetings with our designated social worker – can be anywhere from 6 to 18 to 60 months after finalizing the adoption.
All in all, steps 1 through 9 can be completed in as little as 4 months from what we’ve heard. Steps 10 through 13 are driven by the country we chose, and that can take another 9 to 16 months. Everyone says that step 10 is the most difficult to bear.
So, to sum up, we are excited to have chosen CHSFS. We are also anxious about where all of that money will come from (anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000), and we are still at the beginning of what could be a 20 month process. We have merely started to get that big ball a rollin’. Congrats! You made it to the end of our SUPER long blog. Please pray for us!
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Informational Meeting #1
We went to our first informational meeting at one of the two agencies that we are considering. There were 6 people (including us) that attended the meeting and we knew 3 of the others from Northwestern College. It is such a small world sometimes. At the meeting, they reiterated that this process is a long process with a lot of waiting. We know this going in, but it is still hard to wait!! We attend our next informational meeting on Saturday, October 13th. We will then have to make a decision between the two agencies. We are convinced that we want to pursue international adoption, and that will be enough to begin the process with either agency. Within the next few months, we will need to make a decision as to what country we want to adopt from. We will certainly have a lot to pray about!
Monday, October 1, 2007
Welcome
Welcome to the first Norman Blog. We are just begining this journey of adoption and are glad that you are joining us. We are just starting, so be sure to check back often for updates. We will try to post our progress as time allows.
Right now here are some prayer requests:
1. That we continue to be patient as we wait to start our family.
2. That God will lead us to the right adoption agency.
3. For the child that is not yet ours.
Right now here are some prayer requests:
1. That we continue to be patient as we wait to start our family.
2. That God will lead us to the right adoption agency.
3. For the child that is not yet ours.
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