Dossier with FedEx

My last dossier document is in FedEx hands on its way to my adoption agency. By this time next week it will on its way to China along with the rest of my paperwork. Thank you Nancy Farrell Petak for riding shotgun and giving me some company on the trip to Chicago and back.

Off to Chicago

My i800a approval arrived yesterday. Took it to the Sec of State this morning and she said it would be done by 10. Changed plans for the rest of the day and headed to Chicago after I picked it up. It will be done on Thursday but I can't get there till Friday to pick it up. Off to my agency on Friday and hopefully DTC late next week.

I think my theme song from that point will be Matchmaker, matchmaker make me a match...

Chicago Here I Come

So excited. Dropped off the immigration approval at the Secretary of State office this morning and it will be ready by 10 today so I can get it to the Chicago consulate yet today. Road trip - here I come. I can run back down on Friday and pick it up and by the end of next week everything should be heading to China!!!

Immigration Approval Arrived

My approval letter from immigration arrived today. Off for state certification tomorrow and then off to the Chinese consulate in Chicago. Getting so close to having everything ready to send to China. This is the last piece of paper in that process!

Next Steps

For those of you not familiar with the adoption process, here is brief overview of the next steps in the process.

Immigration sent their approval for me to bring a child into the country. It goes out today via FedEx. I hope it arrives tomorrow. On Monday it will go to the Wisconsin Secretary of State for authentication and then next week I will take it to the Chinese Consulate in Chicago. I hope to be able to take it down on Tuesday and pick it up on Friday but that will depend on the delivery of the actual document yet this week.

After I get it back from the Consulate, it will go to my agency and they will send it to China. China will review it all at that point.

While all of this is happening, Gladney, my adoption agency, is working on finding a child for me. Once they have found a child that will be a potential match, I will review her file and if I approve the match, her file and my documents will be matched together. If China approves, it takes about 10 more weeks to finish up the last of the approvals and I would head to China. The very earliest would be late fall but it all depends on when the match is made.

Please keep praying for the matching process and for the finances needed in these steps of the process.

Immigration Approval

I just heard from immigration and my approval is going out via FedEx today! One more step done.

What is Happening?

I haven't posted here in a bit. So, where am I at with the adoption? At this point, I am waiting on immigration's approval. It should arrive in about 2 weeks. I will need to do some authentication with it and then send it to my agency. All of my paperwork will then head to China where it will be translated and reviewed.

While that is happening, I am also waiting on a match with a child. My agency is working on finding a child that will meet the criteria I have been approved for. When they find that possible match, I will be given her file to review and accept or deny. If I accept it, my documents that are in China will be matched with her profile and China will grant (or deny) the match. If granted, I will travel to get her about 8-10 weeks later.

So, right now, I am mostly waiting and praying for God's direction and timing.

My brother-in-law and I have been working diligently to prepare for a yard sale to raise money for the adoption. I'm also sorting and emptying the office so I can paint it and make it a little girls room. I'm really close to that goal.

Please pray for:
*The right match to be clear to my agency, me and Chinese officials.
*Patience as I wait.
*Smooth processing of all steps of the adoption.
 *My daughter - Pray that God will prepare her heart to be part of my family.

A Hard Decision

I faced an incredibly difficult decision this weekend and I want to thank all of you who have been praying for me.

On Friday, I had a phone conference with the staff who had been with Molly, the little girl I am adopting. What I learned was very hard to hear. Her file that I had reviewed and had our doctor review, did not show the full extent of her needs. Without going into detail here, her needs medically and developmentally were extensive. I needed to take it all in, get counsel from people who know me well as well as people who parent kids with multiple needs, and pray.

After all of the above, I knew the answer was that as a single parent, I could not be the parent Molly will need. It was very hard to admit this.

I am so thankful for Gladney, my agency, who are incredibly supportive. Their words to me where about making sure the right kids are in the right families.

If you know me from the adoption community, you know I advocate for agencies meeting and evaluating the kids they place and this situation is exactly why that is important. Had they not met Molly in-person, I would not have had this information until I met her on the day she was adopted.

So, you are probably wondering if I'm not going to be adopting. I am definitely still planning on adopting. In the next few months I will complete the US side of the adoption paperwork and send it to China where it will be translated and processed. At some point, Gladney will find a child that will be my daughter. I am not sure on how quickly this will happen. God has that timing in place and I'm going to have to trust Him and learn some more about waiting on Him.

Please continue to pray for:
*Brooklyn and me as we let go of Molly. It is not easy.
 *Molly that a family will be found for her that is able to give her the help she will need.
*The right match for my family and patience as I wait.

I know not everyone will agree or understand this decision but please trust me that it was not made lightly. It was agonizing. Please be kind and supportive in your comments. I need your gentle care and compassion at this time.