One down...One to go!

Tuesday we attended the first of 2 classes at our agency in town(CFCA). The class was exceeded my expectations. It was intimate...more of a group study -then a class. There were only 2 other couples besides us and the instructor.

We learned lots about adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents. We also had the pleasure of meeting a family in our class that received an infant that is now only 18 days old. Things happened so quickly - they did not complete all the classes before the baby was born! It is incredible to hear stories like these. We learned a great deal about the process - but I could have sat and spoke with her (drilled the new mom) all night long!

Our new SW is great as well - I sent her a rough draft of our birth parent letter about 2pm that same day. When I saw her before class she had already read, proofed and made suggestions! WOW!!! I love that. We actually met with her after our class and she shared that she loved our letter and that she is excited to present us in February.

So what happens next? We have one more class...next Tuesday (Happy BDay MOM)then we have to meet with our SW 2 more times. We scheduled both appts for Feb. 13 AND Feb 16. She will then present us to the entire staff of 40 birth counselors and SW's on February 17 - at this time or job is done.

Next...

We wait...we pray...we wait...we pray

Update on China. We received in the mail our notorized copies of our HS as well as the certification form from the courts. I express mailed both to the USCIS(Homeland Security Office) today. A couple more steps until we are DTC!

We are approved!

It is official everyone involved in our adoption paperwork so far agrees - we are FIT to adopt! Yipee!!! We received word today from our China SW that we have received certification from the Arizona courts.

We were told that it could take 60-90days. It only took a couple of weeks. So all that work is paying off. What this means we are officially one step closer to completing our Dossier to China but it also means we are now certified to adopt a Child in the State of Arizona.

Yippee!! Yahoo!!!!

He is in control

Friday was a great day to remind me that God is in control. We met with our new social worker for our domestic adoption. EVERYTHING that happened and EVERYTHING she said was the opposite of what I had prepared my heart for. Oh wait though...it was all GOOD.

First off...(not that I expected different) but she was wonderful, warm, kind and friendly. Dave and I both felt comfortable with her right away (which will be so important with this adoption). Here name is Carole and she has been with CFCA for 9 years and you can tell that she loves what she does. She has the passion and fire that you just can't fake after nine years.

This is a Christian agency and we have been told that they do not mess around. Right off the back she asked if we where Christians and then proceeded to ask us what we believe, how we got this point and how we would minister to someone else or our child. WOW! Tough emotional stuff right...

Then she proceeded to tell us what we needed to do and set our expectations. She was very pleased to hear that our HS is complete and just awaiting approval from the courts. We were told by our AWAA SW that this could take 90 Days - she is saying that they are only taking a couple of weeks! Yeah...We would love to get this ASAP because it is the big missing link for our Dossier and for USCIS. Plus, we of coarse need it to adopt domestically.

This is our list for our Domestic journey:

• 2 Classess from the CFCA (January 27 and Feb 3)
• Fill out and sign about 10 documents
• Write our letter to the Birth Mother

Pretty short huh? Yep! We are needless to say very excited. A couple times I looked over at Dave during our meeting with a look of panic on my face...he would say why the look? The look is for the first time since mid June when we made the decision to adopt that it really felt like reality. REAL...BABY...OH MY GODDNESS! I get chills just thinking about, even now I feel like I am writing about someone else...I have to remind myself that this is our story...our wonderful journey and GOD is WONDERFUL!

So now for the process. We will be presented to the CFCA staff on Tuesday. This means the staff of over 40 SW and Birth counselors will meet us on paper. (Hope we made a good impression). Once we fill out our required paperwork and write our Birth mother letter we will be placed in their book. This is not a normal book because the birth mother or parents do not choose from the book. Instead the SW's around the state choose 3 letters that match closets to the mothers criteria and present her with those... she would then choose between those 3, of coarse if she does not feel a connection, 3 more would be chosen.

Once our letter is chosen, an initial meeting with us and the Birth mother will be scheduled. The birth mother calls all the shots on the entire birth plan, we would call all the shots once the baby is picked up from the hospital...usually within 24 hours of birth...See why the panic!

Our SW told us that none of her recent families have waited longer than a year and it is usually much shorter...see why the panic!

So unlike the China adoption process thus far, where I had the illusion of control (because of all the paperwork and processes). After we check off the 3 things on our to do list this illusion of control will be gone. God will be totally in control and I can not begin to express how exciting and scary it is! I told Dave on Friday that we need to start training for an emotional Mt Everest!

Are you ready?

Focusing on Mom

To all birth mothers across the US and around the world; thank you for making one of the hardest decisions in your life. Thank you for choosing life. Thank you for carrying a child for nine months, going through the pain of labor, holding the child in your arms and loving the child so much that you

The video below is a song by Mark Schultz who was given up for adoption. It is his tribute to his birth mother and birth mothers around the world.

Thank you for everything

We have been approved!

This week we received all sorts of good news on the adoption front! Our SW from AWAA approved our HS. She was the last person needed to sign off on it. She will be filing with the Maricopa County Juvenile Courts this week. This is great news. We are being told that the courts can take 60 days to review and approve...sigh. Praying for sooner.

After filling out 3 more documents, a reference letter from SW number 2 "We have been approved". AWAA has officially approved us for a concurrent domestic adoption.

Friday, January 16th is our next BIG day. We will meet with our new social worker. I have been making a list of questions to ask as I think of them...oh so many! Then Dave and all will proceed to the Secretary of States office for some document authenticating. You know that list down on the right hand side of our blog? Soon a lot of the black will be gray! Yeah

2009 continues to be a great year!