Up to now.

Kim and I have been keeping a journal since the beginning of this process. We realized quickly that it would be hard to remember all of the steps of international adoption and emotions associated with them. There has already been ups and downs. To start the blog we are going to give a general time frame of major events thus far in the adoption process. We hope others will enjoy sharing our journey, please feel free to add comments, ask questions, or share resources.

• Sept 10th 2008: Had our first official meeting with Heritage adoption agency. Submitted our application and first payment. Bought crib and changing table. Grandma Ring gave us a homemade blanket that she's been waiting to give to us. Started the scrapbook. Family members have been very generous by giving to our adoption fund.
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• Sept 15th 2008: Started collecting required documents for dossier (birth certificates, marriage licence, etc.). Learned how to write Grace in Chinese.
  


• Sept 27th 2008: Took pictures for dossier. The Chinese government requires an assortment of pictures to be included in the dossier. Here are a couple of the pictures we provided.

• Between October and December 2009 we collected all of the paperwork required for the home study and dossier. We were fingerprinted twice, and several trips to the doctor to get the medical forms filled out correctly. The Chinese government requires that every form filled is out and notarized in a specific manner.
  

• In December we felt like we were in the scene from Titanic, with the wind at our backs and on top of the world. We got all the grueling paperwork done and collected mounds of documents, and 2 copies of each mound. We were ready for our home study.
  

• We were anticipating our home study for early January. We were cleaning like mad. We completed the bit excessive "safety" checklist. (We now own a rope ladder, and have an evacuation plan from every nook in the house).
  

• We were hoping to have the home study done by my birthday the second week of January. Well, Happy Birthday to me! On the day we were supposed to have our home study the agency called us into their office for a "talk". When we walked into the office they handed us our file and told us they were closing their international adoption program, sorry. It felt like we were being fired. The agency that was supposed to help us realize the destiny of finding our daughter just broke up with us. I understand it is a hard economic time for non-profits, but it was a blow just the same. They handed us our months of paperwork and said a competing agency may be able to help. "Oh and by the way the money you've paid thus far was for services already provided."??? Services? Marking a manila file folder with our name. Wow that's the business to be in. I sound harsh, they did feel bad and everything, but we were devastated. All that work and bonding with the agency for nothing. We walked out totally deflated, Kim was a wreck. I tried to be strong and logical, at least on the outside for Kim. We went straight to the other agency.

• ASIA "the other agency". We walked in with papers strewn all about and tears flowing. Poor Sandra and Marci didn't know what hit them. We tried to explain what happened and surrendered our paperwork. They quickly assembled a team of experts to sort every aspect of the situation. They were like the ER or triage of adoption. Kim was emotionally exhausted and I just wanted to make sure we didn't get taken for a ride again. A lot happened that day, but all I have to say is this agency is the bomb. They quickly assessed our existing paperwork, adjusted their fees in a fair manner for "services" rendered by the other agency, and most importantly made us feel safe and secure. We did have to redo a good portion of the paperwork and were out some money, but in the end this agency was well worth it.
  

• Feb 2nd 2009: Home study! Between early January and February we frantically organized and redid a good portion of the paperwork. More fingerprints, more doctors visits, more employer statements, etc..... The home study went well. We were nervous but it was actually fairly quick and straight forward. They didn't examine all of the cupboards and drawers like I feared. I was envisioning a prison cell check in my head, not that I have anything to hide. We joked; there is normal clean, company clean, and the home study (fit parent) clean. Home study clean even trumps "house for sale" clean.

• The following weeks we sent off the I800a application, got electronically fingerprinted, received I800a approval, and were ready to wait possibly months for a referral.