ADOPTION TIMELINE ROUND 2
November 2009 – Begin paperwork collection and fundraising. We can officialy apply in January 2010.
ADOPTION TIMELINE ROUND 1
April 2007 -Attend AWAA adoption seminar to gather information on adoption. We decide to wait and pray for God’s timing.
November 30, 2007 -Over dinner and the evening talk about now being the time to begin. Officially decide on Ethiopia and share with our family the desire to adopt
January 14, 2008 -Submit application to AWAA
January 25, 2008 -Receive acceptance call from AWAA!!!!
January 31, 2008 -We received over $2500.00 in gifts for our adoption with out a single fundraiser! We are very encouraged!
February 16, 2008 -Eat out at Meaza’s Ethiopian Restaurant. Our first introduction to Ethiopian Cuisine. . . absolutely amazing!
February 27, 2008 -Turn in agreements and initial payment to AWAA, receive our homestudy and dossier packets to begin the paperchase!
March 17, 2008 -Homestudy orientation with Christa and Harriett. Our fabulous social workers at AWAA. The paperchase continues!
March 28, 2008 -Have Power of Attorney, Criminal History, and Child Protective Service forms notarized. Bethany has doctor’s physical. We’ll find out if she has HIV, TB, or Hepatitis next week! =)
March 30, 2008 -Decide to pursue the adoption of 2 children! (I just realized that I’ve ended every other statement with an exclamation point. . . this is all VERY exciting as you can tell. ha ha ha)
April 4, 2008 -Turn in the remainder of our homestudy paperwork, now we’re waiting for the in-home visits to be scheduled.
April 26, 2008 -Still waiting for our background checks to be returned to give us clearance to begin the in-home visits. . . it shouldn’t be too much longer!
June 17, 2008 -First in-home visit. This went Great!!! We had this visit in our apartment
June 24, 2008 -Second in-home visit. These were our personal interviews about how we were raised. These also went well and brought us even closer to submitting our paperwork to Ethiopia!
June 24, 2008 -Turned in Waiting Children Application to be considered for a sibling group or special needs child. (1:00PM)
June 24, 2008 -Received phone call with a referral of a sibling group! (2:00PM)
June 25, 2008 – “Unofficially” accepted this referral as we have to finish our homestudy and receive our I-171H in order to “Officially” accept the referral.
July 13, 2008 – moved into new home so we’d have room for 2 kiddos!
July 14, 2008 – Social worker came to new home to do a final walk through and complete our homestudy report. . . yes I can’t believe we had someone “evaluate” our home the day after a major move! She was VERY KIND and Gracious!
July 18, 2008 – Homestudy is approved and sent off to USCIS
August 12, 2008 – We were fingerprinted at the USCIS office! Only about 9 weeks now until we have our I-171H form. Guess we have to wait for a while now.
October 22, 2008 – We received our I-171H in the mail. We are finished our paperwork collection!
October 24, 2008 – Drive to Richmond for State certification of Dossier documents
October 27, 2008 – Turn completed Dossier into America World!!!! Woo Hoo
October 29, 2008 – Given “official” referral of children and we sign acceptance paperwork
October 31, 2008 – DTE date our Dossier is sent to Ethiopia
November 24, 2008 – Given Tentative Travel Date of January 16th – 24th
December 30, 2008 – First attempt in Court. Case not heard due to some paperwork not being there
January 2, 2009 – Second attempt in Court. WE PASSED!!!!! Fekadu and Tigist are officially our children!
January 23, 2009 – Fly to Ethiopia to bring our precious kiddos home
