We attended PAC (Pre- Adoption Classes) a week ago. It was 2 days of really helpful sessions, designed to educate and support us through the adoption process. I will try to give you a simple break down of our time there.
Day 1
The classes started at 12:15 so we got to lounge about that morning, which was a nice treat for us. We were first put into a small group of couples with a social worker. We discussed topics such as adoption language, what adoption is and is not, and the gains and losses of adoption. These were all really insightful topics to talk over with others who are also adopting. We then attended a session on attachment. The session focused on how a child being raised in an orphanage or in foster care experiences attachment issues that are different than a biological child who is with you since day one. It gave us a lot to think about. During our dinner time, our social worker went through our next steps in this process. After dinner we listened to a panel of adults, who were adopted as children. These people had a great perspective on the process. This panel was followed up with a panel of birth moms. It was really enlightening to hear their stories, and it made me really appreciative to hear their side of the story. That was the end of the night, and we went home with our minds absolutely reeling!!
Day 2
The classes started at 8:30am, so we were up earlier that morning. The first session we went to was on China. The Chinese program has a 2+ year wait time right now, and it keeps getting longer. Afterward, Jason and I had to split up to go separate sessions on Korea (Fawnda) and Russia (Jason). The Korean program is very stable, and the coordinator was really personable and spunky. : ) The Russian program is unpredictable, and bureaucratic. After the country sessions were over, we had lunch with our small group. After lunch, we attended a session on trans-racial families. This was packed with eye-opening information for us. It gave us great ideas about how to embrace the heritage and culture of our child. It was also a good reminder that if we adopt a child from another race, we will not longer be a “white” family. We are excited about becoming a multicultural family, but it seems to come with its own set of issues as well. Then one of the social workers talked about the post adoption services. It is amazing what they have to offer for support after our adoption is finalized. This discussion made us feel even more confidant in our decision with this agency. The day ended with a panel of adoptive parents who were sitting in PAC about a year and a half ago. It was encouraging to hear their stories, and to think that some day we might be sitting on that panel.
After attending all of the country sessions we have decided to go with the Korean program. We are definitely excited to start researching Korea, and to start collecting knick-knacks, books, decorations, clothes, etc from Korea. I feel like we now have a closer connection to our future child!!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Due to Technological problems...
We have not been able to update out blog. Our computer is on the fritz and is in the shop being worked on. We are going to update the blog about the wonderful PAC we attended as soon as we can. Thanks for checking in and we hope to update soon.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Goin' to PAC!!!
The adoption agency called with good news this week. The first news came on New Year's Eve when they informed us that there are several regions in Russia that would accept our application, so we will be invited to attend the Pre-Adoption Classes (PAC) this month. This came as a huge relief, because they only offer these classes once a month. If we did not make it into this month's classes, we would have to wait until February, and that would set back our Home Study another month - PAC is a prerequisite for the Home Study. So, we are set to join PAC on January 17th and 18th. More good news came today, when they called to tell us that Korea would also accept our application. This makes me very excited, since Korea was my first choice (Fawnda writing)!
PAC is a 2 day "retreat" at the agency where they have different sessions on how to do the home study, information on the different countries, information on parenting adoptive children, and other helpful tips and tid-bits of information. We know that it will be very useful. Now, the word "retreat" makes it sound as if we will be getting away. This is not true. The agency is only a few minutes from our house, so we will not be staying anywhere fancy (although, we do have a nicely decorated home). We will be sleeping in our own beds, which is where I prefer to sleep anyway!
The agency also said that we need yet another letter from Jason's doctor (it is the saga that never ends - I tell ya). The agency is looking for very specific wording this time. The new letter needs to state, "there are no complications to internal organs". Hopefully, Jason's doctor can handle this, and it will be quick and painless. We ask for your prayers in this manner, as his doctor has been . . . how can I put this nicely . . . less than helpful.
PAC is a 2 day "retreat" at the agency where they have different sessions on how to do the home study, information on the different countries, information on parenting adoptive children, and other helpful tips and tid-bits of information. We know that it will be very useful. Now, the word "retreat" makes it sound as if we will be getting away. This is not true. The agency is only a few minutes from our house, so we will not be staying anywhere fancy (although, we do have a nicely decorated home). We will be sleeping in our own beds, which is where I prefer to sleep anyway!
The agency also said that we need yet another letter from Jason's doctor (it is the saga that never ends - I tell ya). The agency is looking for very specific wording this time. The new letter needs to state, "there are no complications to internal organs". Hopefully, Jason's doctor can handle this, and it will be quick and painless. We ask for your prayers in this manner, as his doctor has been . . . how can I put this nicely . . . less than helpful.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Is some news better than no news?
Sorry it has taken so long to update our blog. It must to boring to visit, and have nothing new to read. So here is where we are at . . . (basically the same spot as before)
Over the past couple of weeks, Jason had a few more doctor visits. He asked his general doctor to update his letter for our application. We're not sure that the new letter is much better (if at all) than the last one. We were expecting a more upbeat letter after his last lab results were so good. His cholesterol looked great, and his Hemoglobin A1C score was a 6.9. For more information on what this test means, please feel free to view the article we listed. We have come to the realization that this doctor is NOT the one for him. So if you have any good tips on how to find a good doctor, please feel free to comment.
In other news, we are happy to be spending time with famly and friends for the holidays. I have been shopping and wrapping gifts, and trying to keep all of my good buys hidden from Jason (he is so sneaky sometimes). This is one of our favorite times of the year. We love that it is full of tradition. One of our favorites is visiting the Dayton's (now Macy's) 8th floor display, and then going to the Holidazzle Parade of Lights. Only in Minnesota can we enjoy a parade in the frigid temps. We went this year with Fawnda's parents, and then enjoyed a VERY VERY good meal at Brit's Pub. We are looking forward to heading up north to visit the Norman's as the whole family will be together this year, and eating the yummy pickle roll-ups.
Over the past couple of weeks, Jason had a few more doctor visits. He asked his general doctor to update his letter for our application. We're not sure that the new letter is much better (if at all) than the last one. We were expecting a more upbeat letter after his last lab results were so good. His cholesterol looked great, and his Hemoglobin A1C score was a 6.9. For more information on what this test means, please feel free to view the article we listed. We have come to the realization that this doctor is NOT the one for him. So if you have any good tips on how to find a good doctor, please feel free to comment.
In other news, we are happy to be spending time with famly and friends for the holidays. I have been shopping and wrapping gifts, and trying to keep all of my good buys hidden from Jason (he is so sneaky sometimes). This is one of our favorite times of the year. We love that it is full of tradition. One of our favorites is visiting the Dayton's (now Macy's) 8th floor display, and then going to the Holidazzle Parade of Lights. Only in Minnesota can we enjoy a parade in the frigid temps. We went this year with Fawnda's parents, and then enjoyed a VERY VERY good meal at Brit's Pub. We are looking forward to heading up north to visit the Norman's as the whole family will be together this year, and eating the yummy pickle roll-ups.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Setback
Well, as I sit down and write this, I feel like we had our first setback. To be honest with you, I also hope it's our last.
With our last update, we wrote that we had turned in our application. Within a day of turning in our application, we received a message at home asking Jason to call the agency back, because they had some questions on the information we submitted. I have to admit that I was surprised that they were processing our application so quickly, and for that I must give them a lot of credit. We didn't get their message until after hours, so after a restless night I called them back the following day. The gal processing our application wanted to clarify my diabetic condition. After reading back my diagnosis date, and a list of the medications that I currently take, she said that she wanted to make sure that she had all of that information correct (I informed her that she did - she was reading it right off of our application info). Then she informed me that she received my physical report back from my doctor, and that my doctor had listed my medical status as being "satisfactory". It turns out that most international adoption programs have strict medical guidelines, and even having diabetes puts us on the edge of meeting the stringent guidelines. Apparently, a diabetic who is only taking care of himself in a "satisfactory" manner does not meet the guidelines for the two countries that we are the most excited about: Korea and Russia. If left as is, we could not even apply to adopt from Korea, and there is only one region in Russia that might even give our application a fighting chance. Now, notice that I said "if left as is". That's why we're calling this a setback, and not a screeching halt to the entire process.
The gal processing our application informed me that she felt we could still fulfill the international guidelines if she had more information from the doctor, and if that information proved that I was taking good care of myself (I guess the officials overseas want to make sure that I am going to be around for a while). In all honesty, this report from the doctor was a real slap in the face for me. I cannot say that it was undeserved, because although my diabetic care has been complicated by other factors lately, I have probably been a little more lax than I should have been too. In the past 5 months, I have been meeting with a lot of different medical specialty teams, and I feel like we are making progress on these other issues. Now, it's time for me to get disciplined again about my health, which means detailed blood glucose monitoring, and regular exercise again. The good news is that I have been able to do this before, so I will not be learning new disciplines. It's more like re-introducing my body to disciplines of years past.
We didn't feel that we could leave this situation "as-is", so I scheduled a follow-up visit with my physician for early December, and I have a Hemoglobin A1c test scheduled for mid-December. It's the A1c test that will score my diabetic health for a 3 month period leading up to the test. That should be a good indicator to the doctor about how I'm doing with my management.
A bit of good news - we received tentative dates for our required pre-adoption classes (PAC). The next set of classes are available the third week of January, and we are hoping that we can get into those classes. Otherwise, we will have to wait until the third week in February. With the timing of these classes, it means that I have a little time to get my medical records straightened up, and I won't be holding up our process any more than what is usual and customary.
We do have a few prayer requests for you:
1) That Jason can convince his doctor to provide a better health report.
2) That Jason's test results in December show some fantastic results.
3) That we can get into the January PAC sessions.
4) That Jason's shift back to a disciplined lifestyle will prove to be a rewarding change, rather than another frustrating endeavor.
5) That we grow closer to each other and God as we work through this process.
With our last update, we wrote that we had turned in our application. Within a day of turning in our application, we received a message at home asking Jason to call the agency back, because they had some questions on the information we submitted. I have to admit that I was surprised that they were processing our application so quickly, and for that I must give them a lot of credit. We didn't get their message until after hours, so after a restless night I called them back the following day. The gal processing our application wanted to clarify my diabetic condition. After reading back my diagnosis date, and a list of the medications that I currently take, she said that she wanted to make sure that she had all of that information correct (I informed her that she did - she was reading it right off of our application info). Then she informed me that she received my physical report back from my doctor, and that my doctor had listed my medical status as being "satisfactory". It turns out that most international adoption programs have strict medical guidelines, and even having diabetes puts us on the edge of meeting the stringent guidelines. Apparently, a diabetic who is only taking care of himself in a "satisfactory" manner does not meet the guidelines for the two countries that we are the most excited about: Korea and Russia. If left as is, we could not even apply to adopt from Korea, and there is only one region in Russia that might even give our application a fighting chance. Now, notice that I said "if left as is". That's why we're calling this a setback, and not a screeching halt to the entire process.
The gal processing our application informed me that she felt we could still fulfill the international guidelines if she had more information from the doctor, and if that information proved that I was taking good care of myself (I guess the officials overseas want to make sure that I am going to be around for a while). In all honesty, this report from the doctor was a real slap in the face for me. I cannot say that it was undeserved, because although my diabetic care has been complicated by other factors lately, I have probably been a little more lax than I should have been too. In the past 5 months, I have been meeting with a lot of different medical specialty teams, and I feel like we are making progress on these other issues. Now, it's time for me to get disciplined again about my health, which means detailed blood glucose monitoring, and regular exercise again. The good news is that I have been able to do this before, so I will not be learning new disciplines. It's more like re-introducing my body to disciplines of years past.
We didn't feel that we could leave this situation "as-is", so I scheduled a follow-up visit with my physician for early December, and I have a Hemoglobin A1c test scheduled for mid-December. It's the A1c test that will score my diabetic health for a 3 month period leading up to the test. That should be a good indicator to the doctor about how I'm doing with my management.
A bit of good news - we received tentative dates for our required pre-adoption classes (PAC). The next set of classes are available the third week of January, and we are hoping that we can get into those classes. Otherwise, we will have to wait until the third week in February. With the timing of these classes, it means that I have a little time to get my medical records straightened up, and I won't be holding up our process any more than what is usual and customary.
We do have a few prayer requests for you:
1) That Jason can convince his doctor to provide a better health report.
2) That Jason's test results in December show some fantastic results.
3) That we can get into the January PAC sessions.
4) That Jason's shift back to a disciplined lifestyle will prove to be a rewarding change, rather than another frustrating endeavor.
5) That we grow closer to each other and God as we work through this process.
Monday, November 12, 2007
One Step Closer!
Hip hip hooray! We are finished with the application! It was not an exciting job (in Jason’s words “This is boring”), but it was necessary for the process to start. Here is a glance at what we had to fill out:
General information about ourselves: name, aliases (Jason Bourne and Jennifer Gardner- oops those are different aliases), address, age, race, profession, and income.
Health history: medical history about us and our parents. We had to get physicals for both of us along with a list of medication that we have taken in the last 3 years. Fawnda had to get a letter from her doctor stating that she has been tested and treated for infertility, and Jason got writer’s cramp filling out all of his medical information (hmmm – writer’s cramp – should we have put that on his medical history info???)
Family information: name, age, marital status, number of children and profession for each our siblings.
Home/community information: description of our home, resources around our community (medical clinics, shopping, parks, libraries, churches, community center, etc.) and ethnic breakdown for our city.
Information about our adoptive child: general information about what kind of child we are looking to adopt, what room we are planning on for them in our home, what supplies we have or will get for our child (car seat, crib, etc.).
Recommendations: We had to ask 3 of our friends to vouch for us and write letters of recommendations. They could not be family (related to us that is- we definitely feel that these friends are like family). We truly appreciate the time that these friends took to write these letters for us - we cannot thank them enough.
We also had to make copies of birth certificates, marriage certificates and tax forms.
Background checks: We had to get finger printed and sign several forms permitting them to do a full FBI background check. (I hope they don’t find out about that one thing with that guy at that place! Shhhhhhh) : )
So we have now finished another step!! Now, we must wait for them to review the application, and then we will receive some dates for our Pre-Adoption Classes (PAC), which is a 2 day workshop for educating prospective adoptive parents on the whole process (before, during and after). We are looking forward to attending this workshop soon!!
Please pray that the agency will review our application quickly and that all will go smoothly. Pray for the PAC experience for us, that we will learn a lot and that it will encourage us to go further in the process. Pray that we will not get overwhelmed with the next steps. We hear that the paperwork mentioned above is nothing compared to what is about to come. Yikes.
General information about ourselves: name, aliases (Jason Bourne and Jennifer Gardner- oops those are different aliases), address, age, race, profession, and income.
Health history: medical history about us and our parents. We had to get physicals for both of us along with a list of medication that we have taken in the last 3 years. Fawnda had to get a letter from her doctor stating that she has been tested and treated for infertility, and Jason got writer’s cramp filling out all of his medical information (hmmm – writer’s cramp – should we have put that on his medical history info???)
Family information: name, age, marital status, number of children and profession for each our siblings.
Home/community information: description of our home, resources around our community (medical clinics, shopping, parks, libraries, churches, community center, etc.) and ethnic breakdown for our city.
Information about our adoptive child: general information about what kind of child we are looking to adopt, what room we are planning on for them in our home, what supplies we have or will get for our child (car seat, crib, etc.).
Recommendations: We had to ask 3 of our friends to vouch for us and write letters of recommendations. They could not be family (related to us that is- we definitely feel that these friends are like family). We truly appreciate the time that these friends took to write these letters for us - we cannot thank them enough.
We also had to make copies of birth certificates, marriage certificates and tax forms.
Background checks: We had to get finger printed and sign several forms permitting them to do a full FBI background check. (I hope they don’t find out about that one thing with that guy at that place! Shhhhhhh) : )
So we have now finished another step!! Now, we must wait for them to review the application, and then we will receive some dates for our Pre-Adoption Classes (PAC), which is a 2 day workshop for educating prospective adoptive parents on the whole process (before, during and after). We are looking forward to attending this workshop soon!!
Please pray that the agency will review our application quickly and that all will go smoothly. Pray for the PAC experience for us, that we will learn a lot and that it will encourage us to go further in the process. Pray that we will not get overwhelmed with the next steps. We hear that the paperwork mentioned above is nothing compared to what is about to come. Yikes.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Fawnda's Poems
I bet you didn't know that Fawnda is a poet. For those of you who are musically inclined, maybe these would make good song lyrics some day.
Here's poem #1:
We are waiting
We are waiting for you
We don’t know where you are
We are waiting for you
We don’t know what you look like
We are waiting for you
We don’t know your name
We are waiting for you
We don’t know what you have been through
We are waiting for you
We love you even though we don’t know you yet
We are waiting for you
You will be such a blessing to us
We are waiting for you
You will bring us so much joy
We are waiting for you
Here's poem #2:
We are wild about you
We are so excited meet you,
There has been so much that we have been through
We will make you part of our home
To get you, far away we will roam
We know that God picked you just for us
In Him we have put our trust
We have learned to wait on the Lord
For us He has so much in store
I can’t wait to hold your hand
And play with you in the sand
I will pick you up when you fall
And come running when you call
I have been dreaming of the day that you will come to stay
It seems like that day is far away
I can’t wait for you to be my child
About you we are totally wild
Here's poem #1:
We are waiting
We are waiting for you
We don’t know where you are
We are waiting for you
We don’t know what you look like
We are waiting for you
We don’t know your name
We are waiting for you
We don’t know what you have been through
We are waiting for you
We love you even though we don’t know you yet
We are waiting for you
You will be such a blessing to us
We are waiting for you
You will bring us so much joy
We are waiting for you
Here's poem #2:
We are wild about you
We are so excited meet you,
There has been so much that we have been through
We will make you part of our home
To get you, far away we will roam
We know that God picked you just for us
In Him we have put our trust
We have learned to wait on the Lord
For us He has so much in store
I can’t wait to hold your hand
And play with you in the sand
I will pick you up when you fall
And come running when you call
I have been dreaming of the day that you will come to stay
It seems like that day is far away
I can’t wait for you to be my child
About you we are totally wild
Monday, October 22, 2007
Trains, plains & automobiles. . .
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!!
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!!
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)