One Paper Closer To You

Some of you may be familiar with the paperwork portion of the adoption process. I say "portion" when it feels like it's *most* of the process (at least for now). :-)

When you apply to adopt (at least from China) -- you immediately send copies of tax forms, a notarized service agreement, as well as a picture of your family, a picture of the exterior of your home, and a $250-$400 application fee (depending on agency you're using). After they review your application and send you a letter/e-mail/phone call stating your app has been officially processed, that's when you begin on the homestudy paperwork. You'll immediately get sent 24+ forms plus a laundry list of other things you need to collect and provide.

These forms range from doctor signed (and notarized) medical reports for both parents (stating you don't have medical issues that would prevent you from being an effective adoptive parent), teacher recommendation letters for any kids you currently have, several reference letters, financial form proving you make X amount of money plus X amount of net worth, another financial form breaking down all your monthly expenditures, outlines of fees, medical needs chart, background clearances (FBI and state -- in our case, we need FBI, Iowa, and Ohio clearances), a 60+-essay-type-question personal data form, certificate showing you both completed 12 hours of adoptive parenting, etc.

We got our fingerprints done at our local police station about two weeks ago, and paid the money to go through a channeler to get the results quicker -- so we recently received our FBI clearances. We're also waiting for Iowa and Ohio clearances. I'm proud to let you know we're not crazy ax murderers or whatever horrible thing you can think of. ;-)

We've completed our personal data forms -- which are (what feels like) million essay question forms asking everything from marriage questions (conflict resolve, etc) to basic parenting, to infertility (no problem there), discipline, religious beliefs, medical and mental history (your own and family's), interests, what pediatrician you plan to use, layout of house, how you plan to handle racism aimed at your child, family support, and the list goes on..and..on..and..on. :-) So now, we just have a couple small things to do and we'll be done with the homestudy paperwork. Oh -- and we need to complete our 12 hour adoptive parenting online courses together. Woo! After we finish, we'll be able to begin our official homestudy (which is the process where you'll be interviewed separately from your spouse, then together, get an idea of what needs would best fit our family, home-checks to ensure our house has the space for another child and is safe for them, etc). The social worker then writes up your homestudy report based on everything gathered (I believe 6+ pages in length) -- showing that you're basically over-all good potential adoptive parents.

Basically, you can't have anything to hide during your adoption process. And your social worker, agency, and China's government will know more about you than your own mama and papa (nice to know, right?). So it's serious business because they want to ensure they're placing children in completely safe and loving families (anything to do with children is serious business really). The scrutiny is absolutely necessary -- so we're happily going through it all.  

Most simply put, after the homestudy is finished and sent to USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) for approval --- once approved it can all be compiled with other documents into our dossier to be sent to China! Collecting everything else we need for our dossier is the next thing we'll be doing here soon after completing every bit of the homestudy paperwork. And so our big goal is to have our dossier sent around Will's 30th birthday.

Paperwork isn't necessarily fun, but I have already gotten excited in receiving just a couple things -- including our FBI clearance forms. Every piece we fill out, notarize, and send is one piece of paper closer to our little one. And it really does feel like that. It feels like the main thing standing in our way of them is a mountain load of paperwork (as well as government bureaucracy). It'll be as though we're climbing Mt. Papermore with all types of hurdles (government -- both US and China, fees, etc) -- all of which will be seemingly standing in our way of getting to our precious babe. I know there will be hiccups in this process. Thankfully though -- Billy and I aren't control freaks which, hopefully, will help ease things for us (yea, yea -- I know you APs are laughing right now..). 

So every piece of paper we complete is one paper closer to you, our little one!