Our adoption process began with us looking into a Russian adoption, but the doors quickly closed on that with all the government issues going on there. Domestic open infant adoption was also looked into, but found out that it wasn’t suitable or available to our family at this time. The doors for China kept opening….and really our hearts have really been there all along, – it just took God to show us. : )
June 1, 2013 – Signed up for more info from our Adoption Agency {It was one of many we researched, and one of the two Adoption Agencies we narrowed down.}
June 24, 2013 – Received our info packet from Adoption Agency along with Formal Adoption Application & DVD
March 4, 2014 – Adoption agency contacted us in hopes we were ready to start our adoption process
March 8th, 2014 – Our Formal Adoption Application emailed to adoption agency to begin a China Special Needs/Waiting Child Adoption along with our Medical Condition Checklist (MMC)
March 13, 2014 – Application Approved!
March 15, 2014 – Filled out Home Study Application for our home study agency
March 19, 2014 – home study agency says: Home Study Application Approved!
March 27, 2014 – Mailed our contract and 1st program fee to our adoption agency!
April 1, 2014 – Announced our Adoption to Family & Friends
April 2, 2014 – Mailed our contract & fee to home study agency to begin home study
April 3, 2014 – 1st Fee & Contract received at adoption agency & had an online Meet & Greet w/ the staff
April 11, 2014 – Physical Exam, Blood Work & Tests for the hubby and I. {for dossier}
April 14, 2014 – Applied for our Passports
April 22, 2014 – Started our First Adoption Fundraiser {Created our own Custom Shirts!
April 25, 2014 – First home study visit & First Set of Fingerprinting Complete
April 29, 2014 – Started the beginning of 12 hours of required parent training. {for home study}
May 3, 2014 – Received our Passports in the mail!
May 7, 2014 – All 5 Munchkins had their health exams for home study!
May 8, 2014 – Received our certificate for finishing 12 hours of required parent training!
May 22, 2014 – 4 hour home study visit in the home.June 6, 2014 – Our last home study visit completed! Verbal approval!
June 24, 2014 – Received a draft review of our home study!
June 25, 2014 – Home Study sent to our adoption agency, for critical review.
July 8, 2014 – Home study officially completed!
July 24, 2014 – USCIS Immigration {I-800A} mailed.
July 28, 2014 – USCIS Immigration {I-800A} shipment received!
August 9, 2014 – USCIS Fingerprinting Date Scheduled!
August 20, 2014 – USCIS Fingerprinting Done!
September 4, 2014 – USCIS Immigration Approval!
September 19, 2014 – Important documents on route for certification & authentication.
September 24, 2014 – Received certification & authenticated documents back.
September 25, 2014 – Dossier documents on route for authentication to US Secretary of State and the US Chinese Embassy!
October 10, 2014 – Our COMPLETED dossier was picked up by our hired courier from the US Chinese Embassy!
October 14, 2014 – Our dossier arrives! All but one file. 🙁
November 04, 2014 – Final authenticated document arrives to complete dossier!!!!
November 05, 2014 – Over-nighted our COMPLETED DOSSIER to agency for critical review and brief translation!!!
November 06, 2014 – Dossier arrives at agency. Critical review & brief translation begins!
November 14, 2014 – DTC!!! {Dossier to China!!!} AND we received a referral!!!
November 17, 2014 – Dossier arrives in China!!!
November 18, 2014 – We have our LID!!!
November 20, 2014 – SHE’S OURS! {and in China it was her birthday!}
January 23, 2015 – Soft LOA in the morning and HARD LOA in the evening!!!!
January 26, 2015 – Adoption Agency overnighting our I-800 documents to the USCIS office in Texas!!
January 27, 2015 – LOA hard copy arrived to sign and send back to agency!
January 29, 2015 – USCIS Case was received in Texas!
February 06, 2015 – 1-800 approval notice!
February 23, 2015 – Article 5 drop off to US Consulate in Guangzhou! And Visa’s dropped off at Chinese Embassy in Chicago!
February 23, 2015 – Article 5 drop off to US Consulate in Guangzhou! And Visa’s dropped off at Chinese Embassy in Chicago!
March 04, 2015 – China Visa’s arrive!
March 13, 2015 – TA {Travel Approval} !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 14, 2015 – Our Both Hands Project Day!
March 19, 2015 – Plane Tickets Ordered!!!
March 24, 2015 – 100% FULLY FUNDED!!!
March 25, 2015 – Fly to Beijing!!! {14 hour flight!}
March 26, 2015 – Arrive in Beijing!!!
March 29, 2015 – Fly to Zhengzhou!!!
March 30, 2015 – GOTCHA DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 31, 2015 – Registration Day {Officially ours!!!!!!!!!} Drove to our Daughters Orphanage City & visited the Orphanage. Bittersweet day.
April 04, 2015 – Fly to Guangzhou with baby girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 05, 2015 – Easter Sunday, in Guangzhou!!
April 9, 2015 – CA DAY!!!! {Consulate Appointment!!!}
April 11, 2015 – Fly to Shanghai!!
April 11, 2015 – {A chance to experience April 11th again!} 😉 Finally arrive back home late, our day and time!!!!!!!!!!!! She’s ours forever. <3
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