One More Time - It's A Girl

As some of you already know and others might be suspecting, our family has decided to adopt another child.  I cannot share much about her here at this time because her birth country has a very small IA program and between her age and medical condition, she could easily be identified which would potentially jeopardize our adoption.  So, for now, all I can tell you is that we are excited to add an older child with a very rare special need to our crazy bunch.  For the time being, I will call her Big Sister here on our blog.

As far as the process, this is a Hague adoption.  Our home study is complete and we have received USCIS approval.  Our dossier is in Big Sister's birth country awaiting approval.  Once we receive it, we can travel to meet her.

Timeline

• April 2013: saw Big Sister on our placing agency’s waiting child site
• September 21, 2013 (International Day of Peace): committed to Big Sis
• September 23, 2013: mailed HS application and contracts
• October 5, 2013: mailed placing agency application and contracts, first round of fingerprints
• October 8, 2013: accepted by placing agency
• October 29, 2013: first HS visit
• November 4, 2013: second HS visit
• November 7, 2013: HS sent for placing agency review and approved
• November 19, 2013: notarized HS arrived in the mail
• November 21, 2013: sent I-800A application to USCIS
• November 25, 2013: I-800A application received 
• December 9, 2013: USCIS fingerprint notice received
• December 10, 2013: USCIS fingerprints completed
• January 21, 2014: USCIS I-797 approval issued
• January 25, 2014: USCIS approval arrived in the mail
• January 30, 2014: dossier mailed to placing agency
• February 12, 2014: dossier arrived in birth country

We are looking forward to welcoming this wonderful little girl into our family.  If all goes well, she should be home in late autumn 2014.

by Carrie Lynne Photography