April 8,2008

hi, well it has been awhile hasn't it!

To update on our process, our agency has requested we prepare our dossier ASAP. Not because there is a match (more on that later) but because the MOU agreement doesn't look like it will take place by the deadline. Hopefully it will and adoptions will continue as is.
This time around is a little different from when we adopted M. For those of you that know our story, our journey was relatively short. At the time it seemed like FOREVER until we would get our referral. Now that FOREVER seems like a short race compared to what we have ahead. Our agency is estimating 15-18 months for a referral for a boy. And we need to prepare our dossier ASAP in hoping that if there is a shutdown between VN & US, that those with dossier's logged in will still have a chance of finishing their adoptions.

So for as the process, first there is the wait. Then there is the match, that is when a child is identified for adoption and the next family in "line" that requested such age/gender of child identified is matched together. I believe the agency tells us when this happens, but I don't think you get a picture just minimal info. Then after the required paperwork is completed for the child and the family then the "official" referral is made. Then the I-600 is filed, which can take up to or more than 60 business days. Other paperwork and approvals are done and approximately 3-5 months later then there is the travel. A family just got back from VN with their son, it took them two weeks with travel for their trip. I think when we went it was about 2 1/2 weeks. I wonder if the trip will get any shorter? I was hoping with having to file the I-600 here in the US that the trip would be much shorter.

Our plan is for right now to have me travel to VN to pick up our new family member and hopefully R. will go with me. By that time she will be 14. Or maybe even 15, as we are at the end of the line.

good things come to those who wait.
...... Ohhh pooohy on that.