Well, school starts again next week, and it doesn't look like we will get a referral before then. Obviously we want our referral as soon as possible, but looking on the bright side, it might be easier to manage if the boys are back in school when we do travel. Logistically, that is.
When Jerry and I travel for the first trip, it will probably be easier not to have the boys with us. We will need to meet with the social worker and psychologist and take those tests and all, and if the boys were with us, we would need to have another adult come with us to take care of them during all that. Plus, it would probably be better if we are able to meet and get to know #3 (and #4) without the boys there.
I'm thinking that for the second trip, maybe we all four fly down together, and then Jerry and the boys leave after the first week or so.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Sunday, May 01, 2011
#28 on the list
Wow! In a couple months, we've zoomed up 19 numbers, so that is awesome! Still no knowing when it will be our time. Irina says it could be weeks or months. I sure hope it will be this summer.
How's about I spell out the next steps, for whenever we do get a referral. Ok, so the obvious big first step is that we get the referral! We would be given all the information that is available, as well as photos, and have a couple weeks to make a decision. Assuming we say yes, that is communicated to IHNFA, and then they set the time for when we come to their office. There are actually two trips that need to be taken. For the first trip, Jerry and I both would need to travel. We each meet individually with a psychologist and a social worker and take the MMPI, which is the same test that we took as part of our psychological evaluation, and I believe some other tests as well. Then after that is done, we get to meet our child(ren)! We meet him/her/them there at the IHNFA facility in the presence of the social worker and probably the foster mother. Play for a while, chat if we can, get to know each other. Then maybe we see each other again the next day, possibly they stay the night at the hotel with us. I think it sort of depends on how well the adjustment goes. I like the fact that the process seems to be structured for the child(ren)'s benefit, rather than convenience. It's not just, "Here you go. Here's your child. Best of luck!" but they take it slow to let the child(ren) adjust to us and the situation.
The first trip lasts a few days/ a week, and during that trip, documents are prepared and presented to court to officially adopt the child(ren).
Then we leave, just Jerry and I that is, and wait to hear that the court is ready to sign the final adoption paperwork. That is when we take the second trip, aka pickup trip. It may be a month or two or more later than the first trip. At the beginning of that second trip, the judge signs the final adoption degree! At that point, Jerry could travel back home, but I would need to stay longer. The second trip is probably four or six weeks long since after the adoption decree is signed, then the child(ren)'s new birth certificate and passport can be issued, then the child(ren) have a medical exam and some vaccinations, and we apply at the U.S. Embassy for the visa to bring the child(ren) into the U.S. And all those things take time. Once we get the visa, then we can travel to the U.S. So exciting!
How's about I spell out the next steps, for whenever we do get a referral. Ok, so the obvious big first step is that we get the referral! We would be given all the information that is available, as well as photos, and have a couple weeks to make a decision. Assuming we say yes, that is communicated to IHNFA, and then they set the time for when we come to their office. There are actually two trips that need to be taken. For the first trip, Jerry and I both would need to travel. We each meet individually with a psychologist and a social worker and take the MMPI, which is the same test that we took as part of our psychological evaluation, and I believe some other tests as well. Then after that is done, we get to meet our child(ren)! We meet him/her/them there at the IHNFA facility in the presence of the social worker and probably the foster mother. Play for a while, chat if we can, get to know each other. Then maybe we see each other again the next day, possibly they stay the night at the hotel with us. I think it sort of depends on how well the adjustment goes. I like the fact that the process seems to be structured for the child(ren)'s benefit, rather than convenience. It's not just, "Here you go. Here's your child. Best of luck!" but they take it slow to let the child(ren) adjust to us and the situation.
The first trip lasts a few days/ a week, and during that trip, documents are prepared and presented to court to officially adopt the child(ren).
Then we leave, just Jerry and I that is, and wait to hear that the court is ready to sign the final adoption paperwork. That is when we take the second trip, aka pickup trip. It may be a month or two or more later than the first trip. At the beginning of that second trip, the judge signs the final adoption degree! At that point, Jerry could travel back home, but I would need to stay longer. The second trip is probably four or six weeks long since after the adoption decree is signed, then the child(ren)'s new birth certificate and passport can be issued, then the child(ren) have a medical exam and some vaccinations, and we apply at the U.S. Embassy for the visa to bring the child(ren) into the U.S. And all those things take time. Once we get the visa, then we can travel to the U.S. So exciting!
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Ready for referral
Good news! IHNFA has approved everything in our dossier! We are now among those families that are at the table (so to speak) when a referral is about to be made. The process goes something like this: IHNFA's assignment committee gets together whenever there is a child available for referral, that is, when the child is paper ready to be adopted. The committee looks through the dossiers that they have available, starting with the oldest, to see if there is a match. Say that the child is a 24 month old little boy. Say that the family on the top of the wait list has requested a little boy younger than age 3. Match!! They are offerred that referral, and hopefully accept, and a family is formed!! Say though, that that family had requested a girl. No match, so the committee looks at the next family on the list, and so on, until there is a match. Well, because our dossier is complete and has been approved, we are among those families whose dossiers are brought to the table when there is a referral. So that is some good news. We still don't have any idea when we will get a referral, but this is definite progress.
We are at number #47 on IHNFA's list, so that is quite a jump now that everything in our dossier is approved.
We are at number #47 on IHNFA's list, so that is quite a jump now that everything in our dossier is approved.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
FedEx truck robbed!
Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore.
Jerry took this call. Turns out that the truck carrying the revised version of our psychological reports was robbed in Honduras! Everyone at Buckner and at FedEx was totally apologetic, but what can you do. We'll just have to ask our psychologist to print off another copy.
In a couple weeks, we'll be laughing about this. Actually, I am kinda laughing now. You just couldn't make this stuff up!
Jerry took this call. Turns out that the truck carrying the revised version of our psychological reports was robbed in Honduras! Everyone at Buckner and at FedEx was totally apologetic, but what can you do. We'll just have to ask our psychologist to print off another copy.
In a couple weeks, we'll be laughing about this. Actually, I am kinda laughing now. You just couldn't make this stuff up!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Additional information requested
Looks like we need to ask our psychologist to add into the report more detail on our personalities and more detail on the recommendation section. I called his secretary, and she is going to have him call me so I can explain it fully.
Funny story about our psychologist that I didn't record earlier. He is from our parish! It started like this. We knew that one of the requirements for the dossier was to have a psychological report on both Jerry and I, but we totally didn't know how to go about getting one. Plus it was rather unclear what needed to go into the report. We called Dillon to see if they had any recommendations on where to go -- difficulty is that none of Dillon's other countries require psych evaluations, and since Honduras is a new program, we are the first family in our state working with Dillon/Buckner, so this wasn't an easy step. Still, sweet Margie was able to find a few people, and gave me the contact info for one psychologist who's office was nearby. I called and explained what was needed and made an appointment. Then when I showed up for the appointment, I checked in with the secretary and sat in the waiting room. Within a couple minutes, the psychologist's door opens and out he comes. We looked at each other, both smiled, and said, "I know you!!!" He and his wife have been parishioners at our church for years, and we see each other all the time, but didn't know each other's names. It was very funny! I totally felt comfortable, and totally felt like God was right there in my corner taking care of me, as usual.
Funny story about our psychologist that I didn't record earlier. He is from our parish! It started like this. We knew that one of the requirements for the dossier was to have a psychological report on both Jerry and I, but we totally didn't know how to go about getting one. Plus it was rather unclear what needed to go into the report. We called Dillon to see if they had any recommendations on where to go -- difficulty is that none of Dillon's other countries require psych evaluations, and since Honduras is a new program, we are the first family in our state working with Dillon/Buckner, so this wasn't an easy step. Still, sweet Margie was able to find a few people, and gave me the contact info for one psychologist who's office was nearby. I called and explained what was needed and made an appointment. Then when I showed up for the appointment, I checked in with the secretary and sat in the waiting room. Within a couple minutes, the psychologist's door opens and out he comes. We looked at each other, both smiled, and said, "I know you!!!" He and his wife have been parishioners at our church for years, and we see each other all the time, but didn't know each other's names. It was very funny! I totally felt comfortable, and totally felt like God was right there in my corner taking care of me, as usual.
Monday, November 01, 2010
We're on the waiting list!
I know this is still going to be a long wait, but it feels oh so good to have our dossier in Honduras, translated, and officially on the wait list. There are something like 200 families ahead of us.
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