Chad informed me that I left off the most time consuming thing that we had to do last week, I don't know how that happened!
Along with all of the other paperwork, we each had to fill out a 22 page personal data information form. The majority of it contained open ended questions such as:
What do you currently do that includes the culture of the child you wish to adopt? How do you plan on incorporating the child's culture into your family/home/school/community?
If you had negative information about your child's birth parents, at what point would you share it with your child?
How often do you go to work early? How often do you work late?
What repair attempts or methods to resolve conflict do you use in your marriage?
Please comment on the health, behavior, and personality of each of your children and discuss any unusual situations that may exist for them. Give a physical description of each child.
What differences might there be between biological and adoptive parenting?
Imagine 22 pages of this. We each had to complete one and it probably took 4-5 hours to do. I can't believe I forgot to include it on my original list!
Monday, March 12, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
First Round of Paperwork
FIRST ROUND OF PAPERWORK.....DONE!
Well week one of the adoption process has been a busy one. After submitting our application we were approved by Holt to move forward and so the paperwork began! In just a few short days, we have turned in:
1. Fingerprints to the Nebraska State Patrol so they can do a criminal check through the FBI. I could have told them that we have no criminal records of any kind but it doesn't quite work like that.
2. Background check forms for every state we have lived in since the age of 18, and this is quite a few for us.
3. Address forms stating every address we have lived at since the age of 18. Needless to say, I had to do some serious digging to come up with these.
4. Employment Verification forms
5. Disclosure statement
6. International Service Agreement, signed and notarized
7. Detailed financial statement
8. Copies of our birth certificates and marriage license, so they can see that we meet the age requirements and length of marriage requirement for China
9. Photos of our family and the exterior of our house
10. Copies of last three years of income tax returns, page 1
11. Directions and map to our home, for the social worker when we begin our home study
12. Personal references
Now we wait for about a month until the background and criminal checks come back. We are signed up to take our mandatory Adoption Parenting class in mid-April, and also made appointments for physicals and blood tests. Once ALL of that is completed, we can begin the home study.
I have been told that you rush to get things done, and then wait.......................and then rush to get more done, and wait...........................sounds like a fun cycle. So now we wait.
Well week one of the adoption process has been a busy one. After submitting our application we were approved by Holt to move forward and so the paperwork began! In just a few short days, we have turned in:
1. Fingerprints to the Nebraska State Patrol so they can do a criminal check through the FBI. I could have told them that we have no criminal records of any kind but it doesn't quite work like that.
2. Background check forms for every state we have lived in since the age of 18, and this is quite a few for us.
3. Address forms stating every address we have lived at since the age of 18. Needless to say, I had to do some serious digging to come up with these.
4. Employment Verification forms
5. Disclosure statement
6. International Service Agreement, signed and notarized
7. Detailed financial statement
8. Copies of our birth certificates and marriage license, so they can see that we meet the age requirements and length of marriage requirement for China
9. Photos of our family and the exterior of our house
10. Copies of last three years of income tax returns, page 1
11. Directions and map to our home, for the social worker when we begin our home study
12. Personal references
Now we wait for about a month until the background and criminal checks come back. We are signed up to take our mandatory Adoption Parenting class in mid-April, and also made appointments for physicals and blood tests. Once ALL of that is completed, we can begin the home study.
I have been told that you rush to get things done, and then wait.......................and then rush to get more done, and wait...........................sounds like a fun cycle. So now we wait.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Sharing the News
As we began to share this news with family and friends, we received many positive comments, support, and encouragement. Our kids, Luke (12) Logan (11) and Jenna (7) are all very excited. Jenna was instantly in love with the idea, jumping up and down all over the family room and shouting "Yes yes yes! I want a sister! I want another girl in this house!" Logan took a little longer to warm up to the idea. He is his mother's child, and not a big lover of changes but he came around and now is giving me the thumbs up. Luke is usually open to just about anything, and he had no problem with the idea. Of course for him, being a 7th grader and all, he can't really see past the next day at school let alone really get into something that won't happen for at least a year. But he is on board and the whole family has been talking about the new little sister that we are preparing for and praying for.
Among family and friends, there were a few comments that especially made me feel more peace and helped to confirm that we made the right decision. Here are a few:
When I expressed concern over being able to handle a 4th child because of my personality type, my good friend Amy said "It is really important for adopted children to have lots of structure, consistency, and boundaries. I don't know anyone better at that than you!"
As we talked to my parents about it and went over the pros and cons, suddenly my dad threw his hand up in the air and said "Let's take a vote. I vote yes!"
My mom found it so exciting that she has just recently been reading Mary Beth Chapman's book, Choosing to See. Steven and Mary Beth Chapman adopted three girls from China. When looking at their little pictures in the book (BEFORE we told them our news) my mom had wondered what her little Asian grandchild would look like, if she ever had one. Since my sister and I are both done having kids, I found this very WEIRD. I am positive that God ordained the timing of all that.
One of the most amazing ladies I know from church immediately said "You are changing the world! What a blessed child to have you for a mommy."
And finally, during the sermon on Sunday morning, best quote of the day: "If your vision is not intimidating to you, then it is insulting to God." A great reminder that it is OK to be intimidated by something but we know that God's hand is in it and we can have peace in that.
Among family and friends, there were a few comments that especially made me feel more peace and helped to confirm that we made the right decision. Here are a few:
When I expressed concern over being able to handle a 4th child because of my personality type, my good friend Amy said "It is really important for adopted children to have lots of structure, consistency, and boundaries. I don't know anyone better at that than you!"
As we talked to my parents about it and went over the pros and cons, suddenly my dad threw his hand up in the air and said "Let's take a vote. I vote yes!"
My mom found it so exciting that she has just recently been reading Mary Beth Chapman's book, Choosing to See. Steven and Mary Beth Chapman adopted three girls from China. When looking at their little pictures in the book (BEFORE we told them our news) my mom had wondered what her little Asian grandchild would look like, if she ever had one. Since my sister and I are both done having kids, I found this very WEIRD. I am positive that God ordained the timing of all that.
One of the most amazing ladies I know from church immediately said "You are changing the world! What a blessed child to have you for a mommy."
And finally, during the sermon on Sunday morning, best quote of the day: "If your vision is not intimidating to you, then it is insulting to God." A great reminder that it is OK to be intimidated by something but we know that God's hand is in it and we can have peace in that.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The Big Decision
We are adopting from China!
How did this come about?!?!
Seven years ago after Jenna was born, we decided that we were done having kids. Three has been a good number for us, and we have been content with that. Especially now that the kids are older and all in school, life seems relatively easy! We can sleep in when we want to, go out without having to get babysitters, the kids can make their own meals, pack their own lunches, do their own laundry......LOVE IT!
Three weeks ago we went to a Winter Jam concert with our kids, where several different Christian bands were playing. At the concert we heard about Holt International, an adoption agency that is in need of families to sponsor children who are waiting in orphanages all around the world. This is a very small commitment of $30 a month and we went ahead and chose a child to sponsor until her adoption goes through. This got me thinking of the families that adopt these children and change their lives forever. During the concert I just really felt drawn to this idea of giving a child a family.
I prayed about it and asked God to continue to bring this to my mind if it was something that He wanted me to really consider. At the time I assumed I was just having an emotional reaction from watching the amazing videos of adoption stories all around the world. Throughout the following week, there were a few things that did bring this back to my mind and I still felt my heart being opened to becoming a mommy to an orphan, even though adoption has never been something that I have been interested in.
I talked to Chad about how I was feeling and expected him to say "Absolutely not! We are done having kids, remember?" He was immediately open to the idea, and agreed that there is more we could be doing with our lives to impact the world and use the time that God gives us to really make a difference. I was shocked that he was open to it, so then we decided to really pray about it and see what happened. We researched a TON of information online, read adoption stories, looked into Holt International a little further, and found out that they only have about 5 offices in the United States. One of them is right here in Omaha less than 10 minutes from our house! For some reason even this small thing was so encouraging.
We attended an informational meeting at the Holt office and absolutely loved everything we heard. We listened to the differences between the adoption programs in various countries that Holt works with, such as Ethiopia, Uganda, Haiti, South Korea, Thailand, and China. Afterward, Chad and I looked at each other and we both felt the only country that made sense for us was China. Again, the fact that we both felt the exact same way about everything was a great confirmation for us.
After a little more researching, deliberation and prayer, we decided that we want to adopt a little girl between the ages of 3 and 6. We both feel total peace and excitement about this and couldn't wait to get started! The application has been submitted and paperwork is well under way.
More to come.....stay tuned.
How did this come about?!?!
Seven years ago after Jenna was born, we decided that we were done having kids. Three has been a good number for us, and we have been content with that. Especially now that the kids are older and all in school, life seems relatively easy! We can sleep in when we want to, go out without having to get babysitters, the kids can make their own meals, pack their own lunches, do their own laundry......LOVE IT!
Three weeks ago we went to a Winter Jam concert with our kids, where several different Christian bands were playing. At the concert we heard about Holt International, an adoption agency that is in need of families to sponsor children who are waiting in orphanages all around the world. This is a very small commitment of $30 a month and we went ahead and chose a child to sponsor until her adoption goes through. This got me thinking of the families that adopt these children and change their lives forever. During the concert I just really felt drawn to this idea of giving a child a family.
I prayed about it and asked God to continue to bring this to my mind if it was something that He wanted me to really consider. At the time I assumed I was just having an emotional reaction from watching the amazing videos of adoption stories all around the world. Throughout the following week, there were a few things that did bring this back to my mind and I still felt my heart being opened to becoming a mommy to an orphan, even though adoption has never been something that I have been interested in.
I talked to Chad about how I was feeling and expected him to say "Absolutely not! We are done having kids, remember?" He was immediately open to the idea, and agreed that there is more we could be doing with our lives to impact the world and use the time that God gives us to really make a difference. I was shocked that he was open to it, so then we decided to really pray about it and see what happened. We researched a TON of information online, read adoption stories, looked into Holt International a little further, and found out that they only have about 5 offices in the United States. One of them is right here in Omaha less than 10 minutes from our house! For some reason even this small thing was so encouraging.
We attended an informational meeting at the Holt office and absolutely loved everything we heard. We listened to the differences between the adoption programs in various countries that Holt works with, such as Ethiopia, Uganda, Haiti, South Korea, Thailand, and China. Afterward, Chad and I looked at each other and we both felt the only country that made sense for us was China. Again, the fact that we both felt the exact same way about everything was a great confirmation for us.
After a little more researching, deliberation and prayer, we decided that we want to adopt a little girl between the ages of 3 and 6. We both feel total peace and excitement about this and couldn't wait to get started! The application has been submitted and paperwork is well under way.
More to come.....stay tuned.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)