The long and winding road (with NO Shortcuts!!)

Okay, so a number of you have asked for a little better look at the map we are following for this journey.

We attended the initial adoption meeting in January. After some more thought, research, and prayer, we sent in our initial application to Children's Home Society and Family Services in the Twin Cities. This was the first step that said, "Hey, we're interested in adoption and want to learn more". Once they received this (and the first of many fees:), they sent us a BIG packet full of background check info, reference letter requests, finger print requests etc. We had to get 3 references who vouched for our sanity and ability to parent. Our MD had to sign off on the status of our health and that of the boys. We had to have a notary sign several things , and we got to go to the jail to be fingerprinted! We gathered all of that up and Eric dropped it off in the cities (with another check!) So by March 24th, our application materials were all in. CHSFS then got to do our background checks and make sure we were who we said we were. (Ask Eric about his involvement in illegal guns sometime! Funny story!) Finally the middle of May we heard that we passed and it was time to come to the pre-adoption classes.

PAC (Pre Adoption Classes) were held the end of June for 2 intense days. We met in small and large groups with other families beginning the journey to their children. It was fun to talk with others who understood what we were talking about. All the info was a bit overwhelming, but by the end of the two days we were ready to get on the plane to Addis right then! After PAC, we were given an 18 question homework packet for both Eric and I to fill out. It covered a huge range of topics from our own childhood experiences to how we parent now to our kids personalities. It was a great part of the adventure and although a bit daunting, really helped me to realize how committed I am to this whole process and how God's been planting these seeds since I was a little girl. (I did learn that I have had 13 careers since graduation! Yieks!!)

Once the homework was complete, we sent it off and then were contacted by our social worker. We set up a time to meet with him for 3 hours in July. Very strange to sit and talk about yourselves for 3 hours, but it was interesting and even kind of fun in a bizarre "toot your own horn" kind of way! After that meeting, we set up a time for him to come to our house, meet the kids and get a sense of who we are at home. And that brings us to this week! He will be coming in on Friday afternoon to meet the kids and talk to us a bunch more about the Ethiopia program.

After that, he types up his report and then we get the next big packet of papers to notarize, sign, and gather (called the Dossier) this is what goes to the Ethiopian gov't. Once that is all done, (I think it should take about 2-3 weeks) we send that in ( with a little more money!) and then we are officially waiting! Right now the wait is about 5-9 months for an infant girl age 0-12 months. We will receive her picture and medical info first and then once we accept the referral, we wait about 8-12 weeks for her to process though the court system and then get the notice to travel! We will spend a week in Addis Ababa, the capital city. (I'll write more about the trip another day!) It is a long, long process, but worth every moment...because the gift at the end is worth the wait! Best case scenario, she'll come home in March or April!

Stay tuned for more pics of the house, the boys and the loot stash we have started for this little girl!