Adoption Update: Warning-Long

So, last night we had our last Home Study appointment. Jackie, our social worker (International Child Foundation-awesome!) came over to interview Matt and I separately to make sure that we were on the same page. She also spoke to both of us about the transition period that is expected when welcoming a post-institutionalized child into your home. I joked that with as full as our house is going to be, she may very well still feel like she is institutionalized-or maybe she will have the opportunity soon after to visit me in an institution!!!

Matt explained to her that he felt that "chinese water torture" was a culturally appropriate form of discipline for our new baby. KIDDING!!! (Can you tell that we are a bit relieved that it is over?) He actually tortured me with that and similar accounts of his interview because he knows how nosy I am and how almost impossible it was for me to let him have his interview without interruptions. So...after almost giving myself a coronary shampooing every carpet and upholstered surface in the house, scrubbing bathrooms until my hands bled, and cleaning the downstairs tile grout with a toothbrush, THE HOME STUDY IS DONE!!! (at least the part where our house is inspected is ;o) I wish that I could go back in time and tell myself that a home study is not about seeing how close you compare with Martha Stewart (in the homemaking department at least) but more about getting the information that you need to prepare to be an adoptive parent. I guess that we have passed because Jackie said that she wished that she could clone us. Being found fit to be parents is particularly good news for the four children that we already have!

We now just wait for the home study document to go through the court and be signed by a judge. In the meantime, we are waiting for our passports to arrive in the mail and to receive our I-171H (Petition for Advanced Processing of an Orphan/Comes from Homeland Security) which won't happen until the completed homestudy is sent to USCIS and we are fingerprinted (again). Things have been pretty busy in the adoption department but will slow down as the todo list gets shorter. No one part of the paperchase is brain-surgery, there is just a lot of it to keep track of. Being a type A does come in handy sometimes!

For the few of you who might care and so I can feel a sense of accomplishment, here are the lists of documents that we have had to compile:

FOR THE HOMESTUDY:
fingerprinting process
CPS records clearance
copy of Jenn's birth certificate
copy of Matt's birth certificate
copy of marriage license
copy of top page of 2004 tax return
copy of Matt's paystub
Jenn's unemployment letter
health statement-Matt
health statement-Jenn
health statement-Taylor
health statement-Audrey
health statement-Noah
health statement-Xander
health insurance verification form
copies of drivers licenses
disciplinary statement
reference letter-Judy (Jenn's Mom)
reference letter-Debbie (Matt's Mom)
reference letter-Jen Parsons and Tim Soran (Utah Friends and Vacation Buddies)
reference letter-Diane and Blaine Tuttle (Friends and Kids' second mom when Jenn worked)
reference letter-Torrey Postal (Our next door neighbor and Noah's future mother-in-law)
Financial statement
guardianship statement
copy of kids' birth certificates
(ALL OF THE ABOVE WERE SUBMITTED 10/10/05-YIPPEE!!!)

FOR THE DOSSIER (fancy word for "stuff that goes to China")
Application letter-done
Home Study-more or less done
Certified Birth Certificate-Jenn-done
Certified Birth Certificate-Matt-done
Certified Marriage Certificate-done
Medical form Jenn-need to have the doctor notarize it
Medical form Matt-need to have the doctor notarize it also
Unemployment letter-Jenn (should be a letter saying that I am employed, just unpaid!)-done
Certificate of Financial Status-done
Police report-Matt-done
Police report-Jenn-done
I-171H-could have this in about 6 weeks
passport pics Jenn-done (no place to hide in those mugshots!)
passport pics Matt-done(somebody teach this boy how to smile!)
passport Jenn-should arrive by Nov. 2
passport Matt-should arrive soon thereafter
Family Life Photos-6 (After finding a notary to go to the doctors' offices, this will probably
be the most difficult part!)
cover letter-done

Most of these documents have to be notarized, certified by the secretary of state, and authenticated by the Chinese Consulate. The last two steps will be done for us by our agency (Great Wall China Adoptions: GWCA) Usually adoption applicants do this themselves. Our agency offers a Dragon Plan where they do this part for a fee. We actually will pay nothing since we won a free Dragon Plan at the "East Meets West" conference that we attended last April-so nice!

So-we are almost there! We are getting ready for a trip to Mexico with neighbors and affiliates. The kids are so excited, especially that Uncle James, Aunt Faith, and cousins Emily and Rebecca are coming. Should be a great time to relax. Of course, I'll be worried about squeaking some "family life photos" out of the weekend but it shouldn't be a problem... Hasta la vista!!!