Thought This Might Help

Because we have such wonderful friends and family we are asked all the time how our adoption process is going and where we are in the process. So, I figured this would be the best way to keep all of you updated on what is going on in our lives and with the adoption.

I will start at the beginning. In May 2010 we decided to adopt a little girl between the ages of 0-2 with minor special needs from China. We went back and forth about different agencies and countries, but kept coming back to the China Special Needs program. We have begun the very lengthy and time consuming process of gathering all of the paperwork needed to send to China. We have completed our home study and hopefully Monday I will mail all of the required paperwork to immigration for them to process. I have been told the processing time is between 2-3 months. During those months we will gather all of our paperwork for the Dossier (which is a fancy word for documents that go to China). Once we receive our approval from immigration and our Dossier is complete, everything will be sent to China. Once China receives our Dossier and logs us into the system, which I think only takes a couple weeks, we will then wait for our referral. Referrals usually come within 1-3 months of being logged into China's Waiting Child Program (Special Needs). Once we receive the referral we will have 48 hours or so to accept or refuse the referral. In the referral you will get a picture and whatever medical background (which in some cases is not that much) they have on the child. We have gotten in with a medical group in Birmingham, Al. that will review our child's referral and give us their opinion on the status of the child. Once we accept the referral we will travel to bring her home 4-6 months later. We will stay in China for 10-14 days and then we will bring her home.

We are very excited and can't wait to see who God has chosen to join our family. Bryce is so excited!! He has always wanted a little sister and now he will get one! He talks about it a lot and will even tell random strangers that he is getting a little sister. You can only imagine the looks I get because I am not pregnant!

I hope you all enjoy reading about our journey which will be filled with highs and lows I'm sure, but we know it will all be worth it in the end!!

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18