We've had a lot of questions lately on how the process is going, so I thought today would be a good day to bring everyone up to date...
We are in the middle of our home study right now. This includes all together 3-4 visits with our agency worker, one of them being in our home. During this time we answer a LOT of questions about our lives: past, present, and future. The home visit, although people think they sound scary, in all actuality sounds like it will be quite painless. She more or less will be here just so she can describe the layout of our house in her report. She will not be opening drawers or closets... thus, she won't see all the last minute "cleaning" we do!
During this process we are still doing a TON of paperwork and education. Just when we think we know the paperwork that is ahead, we are told about another stack of them to be filled out. I'm feeling a little behind right now! Jon tells me not to worry, but alas, I worry. If only we could forget about work for a week and get all the paperwork done! I had really hoped to be wrapping things up by April, but for as busy as life is right now, that just isn't going to be feasible.
So when will all of this paperwork be done you ask? Well, our absolute deadline is July 3rd. After that, we can still submit our paperwork but we will then owe a lot more money because dated paperwork begins to expire. My hope is the home study is done by the end of April, and then all of our dossier paperwork is done by the end of May/beginning of June.
Once our dossier paperwork is turned in, we are officially on the waiting list where we wait to get our referral. The referral will be when they send the pictures of our precious children and all the information that they know about these kids. The referral can happen anywhere from a month - two years once we are on the waiting list. My guesstimate is that it will be somewhere between 6 months - a year.
Mind you, once we have the referral, more waiting begins, as there are 3 court dates that have to be arranged, two of which we go to Ethiopia to attend. BUT, on that 3rd court date.... Our kids will be in our loving arms, coming home!!!!!!!!
As my mother put it so well a couple weeks ago... looks like there are a lot of loose ends that will eventually all tie up somehow... she couldn't have put it more right! A lot of loose ends, but each end that is tied will be a celebration as we will be just that much closer to bringing our children home!
Alright...now off to do some of that paperwork!
Have a great weekend all!
We are in the middle of our home study right now. This includes all together 3-4 visits with our agency worker, one of them being in our home. During this time we answer a LOT of questions about our lives: past, present, and future. The home visit, although people think they sound scary, in all actuality sounds like it will be quite painless. She more or less will be here just so she can describe the layout of our house in her report. She will not be opening drawers or closets... thus, she won't see all the last minute "cleaning" we do!
During this process we are still doing a TON of paperwork and education. Just when we think we know the paperwork that is ahead, we are told about another stack of them to be filled out. I'm feeling a little behind right now! Jon tells me not to worry, but alas, I worry. If only we could forget about work for a week and get all the paperwork done! I had really hoped to be wrapping things up by April, but for as busy as life is right now, that just isn't going to be feasible.
So when will all of this paperwork be done you ask? Well, our absolute deadline is July 3rd. After that, we can still submit our paperwork but we will then owe a lot more money because dated paperwork begins to expire. My hope is the home study is done by the end of April, and then all of our dossier paperwork is done by the end of May/beginning of June.
Once our dossier paperwork is turned in, we are officially on the waiting list where we wait to get our referral. The referral will be when they send the pictures of our precious children and all the information that they know about these kids. The referral can happen anywhere from a month - two years once we are on the waiting list. My guesstimate is that it will be somewhere between 6 months - a year.
Mind you, once we have the referral, more waiting begins, as there are 3 court dates that have to be arranged, two of which we go to Ethiopia to attend. BUT, on that 3rd court date.... Our kids will be in our loving arms, coming home!!!!!!!!
As my mother put it so well a couple weeks ago... looks like there are a lot of loose ends that will eventually all tie up somehow... she couldn't have put it more right! A lot of loose ends, but each end that is tied will be a celebration as we will be just that much closer to bringing our children home!
Alright...now off to do some of that paperwork!
Have a great weekend all!
In Christ,
Mara
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