Contributed by DeeDee
WARNING: Do not let this process scare you if you are thinking of adopting! We got through it and so will you.
August, 2005:
The Hunt family started the application process to adopt our little girl. Gathering up information for our dossier to send to China was no small task: originals of birth certificates from Washington D.C. (since John and I were both born overseas); marriage certificate from California, references from three different sources; notarized letters stating why we want to adopt and why I am a stay-at-home mom, from my doctor explaining that I have a hearing loss but my hearing aide makes up for it and I really can function quite normally, and from the police department explaining that my husband had a DUI when he was in college but he really has been a good boy since then; financial statements; 5 page autobiography questionnaires; home study with 3 visits from a social worker, whose job it is to probe into your most private life to determine whether you will be good parents or not; fingerprints in 2 seperate locations; physical exams for the whole family; and of course, writing a few checks here and there! Whew. Now we wait.
January, 2006:
John and I had adoption training at A.A.C., our adoption agency. A total of 20 hours is required before one finalizes adoption. This was fun, and we got to meet some other adopting families, as well as some children with parents who had recently returned from China or Korea. We were prepared to go to China some time in the fall of 2006, as that is about how long it was taking for Chinese adoptions at the time.
August, 2006:
It became quite obvious that we would not be going to China yet, since the process had slowed down and there were several groups in front of us that had to go first. John had been keeping his work schedule clear but then he filled it up for the rest of 2006, and tried to keep it clear for early in 2007.
December, 2006:
I was depressed. For the first time since we were married (19 years), I decided not to send out Christmas letters to our friends because I didn't want to have to explain that our adoption hadn't happened yet. Tears would immediately gush down my face when a song came on the radio, singing about a little girl in China, waiting for her forever family to come and get her. As we prayed for her, little did we know she had just been born to a mom who was unable to keep her.
Spring, 2007:
It was obvious that John could fill up his work schedule again, and try to keep it clear for the summer instead. "Have we made a mistake, God?" I asked. I am not Sarah and John is not Abraham of the Old Testament, who had a child in their old age. Some days, when the house was a mess and my 3 kids, a dog, and a cat were keeping me very busy, I really had to question my sanity in proceeding with the adoption. But ...He who began a good work in you will carry it onto completion...Phil.1:6
After 18 months, our approval from the Immigration Department was about to run out, which would mean we would have to re-do a whole bunch of paper work. God knew we needed confirmation to hang in there with this process. I opened up the mail one day in April to find a generous check from some Christian friends who felt God urging them to encourage us with our adoption! I started understanding that God has a special plan for this one little girl in China, and He was not going to give up on it easily.
Summer, 2007:
We didn't really take a family vacation, hoping our next big trip would be to China, but John finally gave up on trying to keep his schedule clear for a certain time. Maybe we would just have to wait until after the Olympics were over.
September, 2007:
Suddenly and surprisingly, as God likes to do, He started to make things move. Tune in next time...
WARNING: Do not let this process scare you if you are thinking of adopting! We got through it and so will you.
August, 2005:
The Hunt family started the application process to adopt our little girl. Gathering up information for our dossier to send to China was no small task: originals of birth certificates from Washington D.C. (since John and I were both born overseas); marriage certificate from California, references from three different sources; notarized letters stating why we want to adopt and why I am a stay-at-home mom, from my doctor explaining that I have a hearing loss but my hearing aide makes up for it and I really can function quite normally, and from the police department explaining that my husband had a DUI when he was in college but he really has been a good boy since then; financial statements; 5 page autobiography questionnaires; home study with 3 visits from a social worker, whose job it is to probe into your most private life to determine whether you will be good parents or not; fingerprints in 2 seperate locations; physical exams for the whole family; and of course, writing a few checks here and there! Whew. Now we wait.
January, 2006:
John and I had adoption training at A.A.C., our adoption agency. A total of 20 hours is required before one finalizes adoption. This was fun, and we got to meet some other adopting families, as well as some children with parents who had recently returned from China or Korea. We were prepared to go to China some time in the fall of 2006, as that is about how long it was taking for Chinese adoptions at the time.
August, 2006:
It became quite obvious that we would not be going to China yet, since the process had slowed down and there were several groups in front of us that had to go first. John had been keeping his work schedule clear but then he filled it up for the rest of 2006, and tried to keep it clear for early in 2007.
December, 2006:
I was depressed. For the first time since we were married (19 years), I decided not to send out Christmas letters to our friends because I didn't want to have to explain that our adoption hadn't happened yet. Tears would immediately gush down my face when a song came on the radio, singing about a little girl in China, waiting for her forever family to come and get her. As we prayed for her, little did we know she had just been born to a mom who was unable to keep her.
Spring, 2007:
It was obvious that John could fill up his work schedule again, and try to keep it clear for the summer instead. "Have we made a mistake, God?" I asked. I am not Sarah and John is not Abraham of the Old Testament, who had a child in their old age. Some days, when the house was a mess and my 3 kids, a dog, and a cat were keeping me very busy, I really had to question my sanity in proceeding with the adoption. But ...He who began a good work in you will carry it onto completion...Phil.1:6
After 18 months, our approval from the Immigration Department was about to run out, which would mean we would have to re-do a whole bunch of paper work. God knew we needed confirmation to hang in there with this process. I opened up the mail one day in April to find a generous check from some Christian friends who felt God urging them to encourage us with our adoption! I started understanding that God has a special plan for this one little girl in China, and He was not going to give up on it easily.
Summer, 2007:
We didn't really take a family vacation, hoping our next big trip would be to China, but John finally gave up on trying to keep his schedule clear for a certain time. Maybe we would just have to wait until after the Olympics were over.
September, 2007:
Suddenly and surprisingly, as God likes to do, He started to make things move. Tune in next time...
1 comment:
I'll bet all that "Patience and Paperwork" was all worth it! I know just seeing for the first time without a doubt would pay it all off. We're so happy for you guys!
You'll always be in our prayers!
Love-
Fitzgeralds
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